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 Chinese medical institutions urged to step up building of barrier-free environment Xinhua) 09:09, August 28, 2025 BEIJING, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Medical institutions in China should step up the development of a barrier-free environment and ensure that people with disabilities receive services with ease when they visit such institutions, according to a document released on Wednesday. The document, jointly released by China's National Health Commission and the China Disabled Persons' Federation, listed a number of measures for medical institutions to follow. Medical institutions should set up barrier-free signs and accessible parking spaces that fit relevant standards, read the document. It also necessitated setting up lower counters intended for certain groups of people with disabilities, such as wheelchair users. The document also requires medical institutions to equip self-service devices with barrier-free functions, such as voice-assisted text reading or large fonts, or to retain traditional service methods such as on-site assistance or manual service, in order to provide greater convenience to patients with disabilities. (Web editor: Huang Kechao, Liang Jun) Remembering one of the most devastating disasters in U.S. history SPRINGFIELD, Mo., Aug. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Twenty years ago, Hurricane Katrina forever altered the Gulf Coast, leaving 80% of New Orleans underwater and entire communities across Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and Alabama utterly devastated. Convoy of Hope, a humanitarian, faith-based organization, acted swiftly ultimately aiding over 5.9 million survivors in a response that transformed the disaster relief organization forever. Katrina: the turning point for Convoy of Hope. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, more than 1,300 lives were lost, and hundreds of thousands were displaced. For Convoy, the call for help was immediate and overwhelming. Within days, the organization deployed teams to the Gulf Coast, where its then two-person Disaster Services staff was suddenly tasked with leading one of the largest relief efforts in the organization's history. "We knew the hurricane was coming ... We thought it was going to hit, so we were ready to go in right away," shared Convoy of Hope's President and Founder Hal Donaldson in a commemorative episode of Hope in Every Storm, a Convoy of Hope podcast. "To see the devastation was mind-boggling, but also to see the desperation because people didn't see it coming. They didn't think it was going to be as big as it was. So many had lost everything." Over the next two years, Convoy of Hope's Katrina efforts involved the following: More than 707 truckloads of relief were delivered from 2005 to 2007. of relief were delivered from 2005 to 2007. Seventy-four communities across four states received food, water and supplies. across four states received food, water and supplies. More than 5,000 volunteers joined in the initial response, totaling 180,000+ hours in the first month alone. joined in the initial response, totaling in the first month alone. Over 100 medical personnel partnered with Convoy, providing care for 2,600+ patients . partnered with Convoy, providing care for . Nearly 2,300 families received hands-on aid with cleanup and repairs. received hands-on aid with cleanup and repairs. Seventy-eight churches and two Teen Challenge centers were rebuilt with the help of 366 work teams. were rebuilt with the help of 366 work teams. More than 36,000 guests attended Convoy's God Cares outreaches, receiving groceries, medical care, haircuts and other services. In total, Convoy of Hope's Katrina response efforts touched the lives of more than 5.9 million survivors. "When you see people's brokenness, and you have been with them and ... been that source [of hope] even sometimes when they just needed a hug, a physical reminder, a hand on the shoulder ... just that they're remembered and not forgotten it changes you," shared Convoy of Hope VP Kary Kingsland in the mini documentary Hurricane Katrina: A Legacy of Hope in New Orleans (20 Years Later). "I'll never forget Katrina. I don't think we're meant to forget Katrina." "We wanted to be first on the ground and the last to leave ... That's how you give people hope, when they know that they're not alone, and they can count on you," continued Donaldson. For Convoy of Hope, Katrina was not just a disaster response it was a catalyst for change. From a small-scale relief team, the organization grew into one of the nation's most trusted disaster responders, now having served in more than 850 disasters worldwide. "Katrina transformed us all," said Donaldson. "Our capacity is a lot larger than it was 20 years ago. We're always building capacity because you never know when the next Katrina will happen. When you look back over the last two decades, there have been some major disasters Haiti, the tsunami and more. For each disaster, I found that Convoy of Hope was more ready than we were before." Twenty years later, Convoy continues to carry forward the lessons of Katrina expanding its capacity and volunteer bases, refining systems and, most importantly, ensuring that when the next storm strikes, hope arrives quickly. Convoy of Hope is a global, faith-based organization that serves vulnerable communities. By partnering with local churches, businesses, civic organizations and government agencies, Convoy has strategically offered help and hope in more than 130 countries around the world. Since its founding in 1994, Convoy of Hope has served 300 million people and counting. Media Contact: Jon D. Wilke [email protected] 270-293-7818 SOURCE Convoy of Hope Donald Trump won the presidency in part on promises to deport immigrants who have criminal records and lack legal status. But his earliest executive orderstrying to undo birthright citizenship, suspending critical refugee programsmade clear he wants to attack immigrants with legal status too. In our series Who Gets to Be American This Week?, well track the Trump administrations attempts to exclude an ever-growing number of people from the American experiment. President Donald Trump and his administration are determined to make a statement out of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland husband and father whoby the Department of Justices own admissionwas deported by mistake in March. The federal government has relentlessly pursued Abrego Garcias deportation since he was released from El Salvadors custody, allowing him just a few days to reunite with his family until they again arrested and detained him this week. Abrego Garcias deportation has become a high-profile test case for the administrations deportation policy, because of both its (self-admittedly) unlawful nature and because both political parties have elevated it as they make their respective cases to the public. But its also part of a massive trend of the administrations attempts at mass deportationan effort that includes abuses at detention centers both at home and abroad. It also includes efforts to punish legal immigrants for speaking out against the administration. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is leveraging his power over our immigration system to create a continuous vetting process in which the State Department will analyze every American visa holder for any potential infraction that could be used to revoke their visas. Heres the immigration news were keeping an eye on this week: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kilmar Abrego Garcia Is Back in Detention Three days. Thats how long Abrego Garcia spent with his wife and children after having been separated from them for nearly six months. On Monday, Abrego Garcia was again detained when he appeared for a mandated check-in with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Well aware of his impending detention, as he entered a Baltimore federal building, Abrego Garcia embraced his wife, tears streaming down his face. A short while later, his wife exited the building alone. A crowd of about 200 supporters rallied outside the federal building for Abrego Garcia, who entered the U.S. without legal status when he was 16 years old in an effort to escape death threats and extortion by an El Salvador gang. Promise me that you will continue to pray, continue to fight, resist and love, not just for me, but for everybodycontinue to demand freedom, Abrego Garcia said to the crowd in Spanish, translated to English by an interpreter. Everyone in attendance knew that he would more than likely not return from his ICE check-in, because weeks earlier the Trump administration had warned in court that if Abrego Garcia were to be released from pretrial detention, he would promptly be deported. Advertisement Advertisement The 29-year-old father has been battling the Trump administration since March, when he was first mistakenly swept up in rushed deportation flights to El Salvadors Terrorism Confinement Center, CECOT, which turned out to be a violation of a judges order. Despite the Department of Justice admitting in court that Abrego Garcia was deported in an administrative error and the Supreme Court ordering the federal government to facilitate his release from El Savadors custody, Abrego Garcia was not brought back to the U.S. until June. Upon touching U.S. soil, he was immediately placed into pretrial detention, because while he was unlawfully imprisoned in El Salvador, the DOJ whipped up a criminal indictment that alleged Abrego Garcia smuggled migrants across the U.S. in 2022. He pleaded not guilty. Advertisement The DOJ presented Abrego Garcia with a plea deal last week: Plead guilty to the human smuggling charge, and after serving time in jail, eventually be removed to Costa Ricaa generally safe, Spanish-speaking country. He rejected their proposal and quickly learned that ICE now intends to remove him to Uganda, a country facing political instability and terrorism threats. Shortly after Abrego Garcia was detained on Monday, his attorney filed an emergency motion seeking asylum in the U.S. and a restraining order to prevent the federal government from immediately deporting his client. U.S. District Court Judge Paula Xinis ruled the federal government was absolutely forbidden from deporting Abrego Garcia through at least early October. On Wednesday, the DOJ agreed in principle not to remove him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To Elora Mukherjee, clinical law professor at Columbia University and director of the schools Immigrants Rights Clinic, the administrations moves in this case suggest a vindictive and selective prosecution. The administration is punishing Mr. Abrego Garcia for his willingness to speak out about the abuses that he suffered at CECOT, she told me. The administration is targeting him because hes trying to seek justice and hold them accountable for their administrative mistake in sending him to El Salvador. The consequences in this case are not confined to Abrego Garcia though, with Mukherjee predicting the administrations strategy extends to all immigrants nationwide: If you challenge our authority, we will come after you. Millions of U.S. Visa Holders Face Increased Vettingand Potential Penalties for Dissent The State Department announced a massive new undertaking: It will begin a continuous vetting process for millions of people who currently hold a U.S. visa, from students to tourists to those with work authorization. The effort is meant to identify people who have overstayed their visa or those who the State Department determines are ineligible for permission to enter and stay in the country. Violators could have their visas revoked, which would strip them of legal status and allow ICE to immediately arrest, detain, and deport them, creating yet another source for the presidents mass deportation goals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Through the secretary of state, the federal government has the unilateral authority to revoke a visa, something the Trump administration focused on international students who protested Israels war in Gaza. Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil was one of the first international students to face such a consequence for his activism, despite holding a U.S. green card. In expanding this strategy, the Trump administration would need to investigate nearly 48 million immigrants living in the U.S. as of 2023, according to an estimate by the Migration Policy Institute. Of those, nearly three-quarters were naturalized U.S. citizens, legal permanent residentsknown as green-card holdersor temporary visa recipients. We review all available information as part of our vetting, including law enforcement or immigration records or any other information that comes to light after visa issuance indicating a potential ineligibility, the State Department told the Associated Press, suggesting that the U.S. government is actively watching and looking for potential reasons to penalize legally present immigrants. Secretary of State Marco Rubio could decide to immediately revoke a visa even based on minor crimes like loitering or a speeding ticket. Advertisement This expanded vetting strategy comes shortly after Rubio announced on social media that effective immediately, the U.S. would no longer issue worker visas for commercial truck drivers. Citing an increased number of immigrants who are driving large tractor-trailer trucks, Rubio suggested they are endangering American lives and undercutting the livelihoods of American truckers. And earlier this month, the State Department began a bond pilot program that will impose bonds up to $15,000 on nationals from countries who have a high visa overstay rate in the U.S. So far, Malawi and Zambia are on the list, and nationals of those countries will not know how much their bond will be until their visa interview. The State Department told Fox News that approximately 40,000 visas have been revoked in 2025 so far. Under the Biden administration, only 16,000 were revoked under a similar time frame. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Administration Is Hell-Bent on Making College Unaffordable for Young Immigrants This summer, the Justice Department has sued at least four different states that have long offered in-state college tuition rates to young people who are state residents but lack legal status. Nearly half of the country offers this benefit, recognizing the positive impact it has on high school dropout rates, tax contributions, and economic activity. Yet the Trump administration has sued Texas, Oklahoma, Minnesota, and Kentucky over their tuition equity laws or policies, a result of the presidents executive order calling to protect American communities from criminal aliens. Texas was one of the first states to be sued and the fastest to settle with the federal government. Once the DOJ filed its lawsuit, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton joined the federal government in gutting his own states Dream Act, established more than two decades ago to allow students without legal status to pay in-state college tuition rates. Within six hours, a federal judge ruled the law was unconstitutional. Kentucky was up next, with the DOJ filing a similar lawsuit challenging its college tuition policy for students without legal status. The states Council on Postsecondary Education filed a joint motion, according to Bloomberg Law, that asks a judge to declare Kentuckys policy unlawful. Advertisement Advertisement Oklahoma followed a nearly identical path, with its Republican Attorney General Gentner Drummond siding with the DOJs lawsuit, arguing its discriminatory and unlawful to offer students without legal status in-state college tuition. The DOJs lawsuit against Minnesotas policy is still ongoing, and more states could face similar attacks to their tuition policies. The federal government is relying on a federal law that bans states from offering any postsecondary education benefit to a person not lawfully present in the U.S. within their borders, unless the same benefit is also offered to U.S. citizens without regard to where they live. However, most states that offer in-state tuition to students without legal status are basing the benefit on where the student graduated from high schoolan in-state schoolnot where they live. Advertisement Related From Slate Something Republicans Understand About the American Psyche That Democrats Dont Read More Most states received bipartisan support when initially passing their tuition policies, respecting the fact that many immigrants were brought to the U.S. at a young age and go through Americas public school system. If students without legal status wish to continue on to higher education, they are often ineligible for federal financial aid or private loans, putting college out of reach. An in-state tuition rate can incentivize students to continue their education, and according to the National Immigration Law Center, about 62 percent of the countrys foreign-born population lives in states that have some type of tuition equity laws or policies in place. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To put this into perspective, consider the University of Texas at Austin, which enrolls around 52,000 students annually. For the 20252026 school year, a full-time undergraduate student who qualifies for in-state tuition would have to pay about $13,000 per year in tuition, while a nonresident student could owe around $46,000.* As college students embark on a new year, administrators have been tasked with figuring out which students do not have legal status and adjusting thousands of tuition accounts accordingly. I dont know what the purpose of these policies are, other than to incite fear and cruelty, Dr. Ali Asgar Alibhai, assistant professor of art history at the University of Texas at Dallas, told me. Its definitely not educating our youth. Alibhai has already seen other Trump administration immigration policies drive his foreign-born students away, including one Ph.D. student who was forced to abruptly leave the country just as he was finishing up his final thesis. This latest policy shift on college tuition will inevitably cause Texas, and other states, to lose out on valuable talent. Track records fell and win streaks were extended in the Michigan Sire Stakes Finals, carrying total purses of $974,444, on Wednesday, Aug. 27 at Northville Downs at Barry Expo Center in Hastings, Mich. The records for each two-year-old division were rewritten, starting with Westwinds Yahtzee ($2.10) in the $121,458 rookie filly trot final. She kicked off a stakes triple for trainer-driver LeWayne Miller, who put her on top through :28.1, :57.2, and 1:26.4 fractions and watched as she drew seven lengths clear to score in 2:01.4. Weezabouttofindout (David Lake) was second, followed by Smooth Is Fast (Tim Roach). The mile time lowered the standard by more than two seconds. Westwinds Yahtzee, a daughter of Celebrity Pegasus-Keep the Cash, has now won five straight stakes events for owner/breeder Samuel Eicher and has earned $118,013. Miller's second win was even more dominant as Lady Victorious ($2.20) lived up to her name for the fifth straight race in the $123,458 two-year-old filly pace final. The daughter of Captain Victorious-Arts Meme was in the pocket to the quarter in :28.1 before taking control, pacing a :57.2 half and 1:26.4 three-quarters, and leaving the rest behind by 19-3/4 lengths in a 1:56.4 track-record performance. Cocktail Of Dreams (Charles Taylor) got up for second over Sallysmokingun (Justin Irvine). The winner, owned by Rockylanes, has earned $108,922 and won six of seven lifetime starts. Westwinds Pegasus ($2.20) also won in a blowout to complete the Miller triple as she captured the $113,556 sophomore trotting filly event. She went wire-to-wire, setting fractions of :29.3, :59, and 1:29 and separating from the field by 9-1/2 lengths in a 1:59.2 victory, her fifth of the year in eight attempts. Fireball Kate (Taylor) was second-best, followed by Capella Star (Lavern Miller). The winner, a full-sister to Westwinds Yahtzee, is owned by LeWayne Miller and Platinum Stables. She is now eight-for-11 lifetime and has earned $123,178. Powerful Ending ($2.60) was mighty throughout the $120,458 final for rookie male trotters. He went to the front from fourth for John Moody after the quarter of :30.1, then built his margin through 1:00.4 and 1:31.3 middle fractions, finishing 15 lengths in front in 2:03, reducing the record by two-and-one-fifth seconds. As Big As You (Don Harmon) finished second over Its Margaritatime (Marshall Makin). Powerful Ending has now won four of nine lifetime outings and has earned $83,089 for trainer Kevin St. Charles and owner/breeder ECS Racing LLC. Believeincaptain ($2.20) extended his perfect career record to eight victories in the $126,458 two-year-old colt pace while slicing four fifths off the previous track record. He cut the fractions of :28.2, :57.2, and 1:26.2 and came home a two-length winner in 1:58 for driver Kody Massey. Allamerican Beach (Brad Kramer) took the place spot, followed by Letsgo Gibbs (Kim Pluta). Allen Sisco trains the winning son of Captain Victorious-Believeincarrie, who has earned $132,819 for owners Oldford Racing LLC and Allen Sisco Stable LLC. After a dead heat in their elimination last week, Chip Of The South ($2.70) and New Plan Stan renewed hostilities with a back-half battle in the $114,556 contest for sophomore trotting males. Rick Dobson pulled Chip Of The South out of third after the :30.2 quarter, and the Bourbon Chip-Belle of the South gelding traded blows with leader New Plan Stan (Greg Bateson) through middle-half panels of 1:02 and 1:31.4. Chip Of The South eclipsed his opponent just past three-quarters and inched away to score by a length in 2:01.2. Amtrac (Taylor) was well back in third. Monica Krist trains Chip Of The South for Dobson, Teresa Marotta, and Melissa Kesler. The gelding is five-for-10 on the campaign and has won nine races and $148,663 in purses in 22 career appearances. The richest division was the three-year-old filly pace event with a purse of $139,444. Taylor Dawn made it six-for-six on the year as she went coast-to-coast for driver Brad Kramer, putting up :29, 1:00, and 1:30.1 fractions en route to a 2:01.2 score by 1-1/2 lengths. Cant Xplain It (Art McIlmurray) finished second but was placed third behind Gray Negligee (Irvine). Taylor Dawn, a daughter of Bondi Hanover-Ill Deal A Queen, is trained by Paul Cloer Jr. for owner Gregory Gardner. She is now nine-for-14 lifetime and has raked in $136,970 in earnings. Finally, Hardt Of A King extended his winning streak to six in the the $114,556 three-year-old colt pace final. He recovered from a break before the start, reached the top in a :28.1 first stanza, and got a breather to the half in 1:00.2. He separated from the field as Kramer asked for more to three-quarters in 1:28.4, and he cruised home to win by 4-1/2 lengths in 1:59.4 over Uallgonnamakemeloo (LeWayne Miller). Silver N Gold (Ty Goodell) was third. Hardt Of A King now seven-for-eight this year for owner/trainer Kelly Goodwin. The gelded son of Manhardt-Earhart Hanover has won 11 times and earned $215,456 in 20 carer outings. LeWayne Miller led all drivers and trainers with his triple. Massey, Moody, and Kramer each had two driving wins. Sisco was the only trainer to double. Racing at Northville Downs at Barry Expo Center returns next Tuesday, Sept. 2 and Wednesday, Sept. 3 with a first post time of 1 p.m. each day. (With files from Northville Downs; photo of Taylor Dawn winning on Aug. 27) 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 SOUTHLAKE, Texas, Aug. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Hopkins Dermatology is pleased to welcome dermatologist Dr. Douglas Farris to its Southlake location. With over 25 years of experience and a strong reputation for personalized, compassionate care, Dr. Farris brings advanced clinical expertise across medical, nutritional, and functional dermatology. Since entering private practice in 1999, Dr. Farris has focused on building trusted relationships with his patientslistening carefully to their concerns and helping them make informed decisions about their treatment options. His integrative approach blends traditional medical dermatology with cutting-edge science in nutrition, genomics, and whole-body wellness. Dr. Farris's Top Clinical Interests Include: Nutrition and Functional Wellness Comprehensive genetic testing and detailed lab analysis help uncover root causes of inflammation, insulin resistance, and chronic skin conditions. Dr. Farris provides personalized functional medicine consultations to improve both skin health and overall well-being. Advanced Hair Loss Treatment Dr. Farris specializes in treating male and female hair loss using advanced therapies like TrichoTest, a genetic analysis that identifies the most effective treatments based on individual DNA. He combines this with exosome therapy, PRP injections, and laser photo bio-stimulationall available at Hopkins Dermatologyfor maximum results. Skin Cancer Detection, Treatment, and Prevention Dr. Farris performs full-body skin exams with a focus on early detection. He joins Dr. Hopkins in offering GentleCure, a highly effective, non-surgical treatment for non-melanoma skin cancer, making Hopkins Dermatology one of the top centers in the U.S. for skin cancer care. Chronic Skin Conditions From acne and eczema to psoriasis, Dr. Farris treats inflammatory skin diseases with a combination of biologic therapies, lifestyle interventions, and nutrition-focused strategies for optimal patient outcomes. "Dr. Farris brings a remarkable depth of experience and a forward-thinking approach to dermatology that aligns perfectly with our mission at Hopkins Dermatology," said Dr. Janine Hopkins, founder and medical director. Dr. Farris holds degrees in both internal medicine and dermatology, completing residency training in both specialties. He earned his undergraduate degree from Baylor University, a master's in nutrition from Purdue University, and his medical degree from UT Health Science Center in San Antonio. His residency training includes internal medicine at the University of Vermont and dermatology at New York Medical College. To schedule a consultation or skin exam with Dr. Farris at Hopkins Dermatology in Southlake, call 682-271-0988 or visit www.hopkinsdermatology.com. SOURCE Hopkins Dermatology 4 min read DE-CIX, the worlds leading Internet Exchange (IX) operator, announces implementation as a Google Gold Verified Peering Provider (VPP), one of the first Internet Exchange operators globally to achieve the Gold Status. The Google VPP Program identifies and endorses ISPs and IXs that provide diverse and highly available connectivity to Googles global network. For Google customers in India, whether a small business, a large enterprise, or somewhere in between, choosing a VPP helps to ensure that their connection to Google is as available as possible. To enable other networks to continue peering with Google, DE-CIX, as a VPP is making Google prefixes consumable at its IXs through its peering service. The service is already live at the DE-CIX locations in the US, India, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Turkiye, and the Nordic region, and the operator is currently rolling out the service to its other IX locations globally. DE-CIX customers currently maintain thousands of peering sessions with Google globally, many across multiple DE-CIX locations. Peering with Google via DE-CIX ensures seamless, high-capacity access to all Googles services, reducing latency and bypassing congestion in the public Internet. The service is being rolled-out location by location where both DE-CIX and Google have a point of presence and will be available to all connected customers in those locations. Tech News Of The Day Enterprise-grade connectivity to support wholesale ISPs and enterprise customers Smaller ISPs and network operators in India that are unable to fulfil Googles more stringent peering requirements can thus depend on DE-CIXs expertise and resources to ensure ongoing connectivity to Google services, resources, and workloads in Google Cloud. Networks can use DE-CIXs simplified Layer-3 connectivity to ensure uninterrupted access to Google services. DE-CIXs offer of enterprise-grade connectivity to Google means that wholesale networks can use DE-CIXs VPP status to provide continued access to Googles services for their customers. It also means that enterprises that access Google Workspace or consume SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) or other Internet-facing applications hosted on Google Cloud can gain direct access to reliable and dedicated connectivity to support their business operations through the IX operator. We are delighted to have been able to work with Google on the implementation of the VPP solution for IXs, and to be one of the first IX providers globally to achieve Gold status as a Google VPP, comments Dr. Thomas King, CTO of DE-CIX. At DE-CIX, we are always seeking ways to simplify interconnection services for our customers and push the evolution of peering for the benefit of all network operators. As network technologies evolve and network operators adapt their policies, it is essential for companies like DE-CIX to find solutions to keep the world fully interconnected. Access to Google only possible through Verified Peering Providers Many Google customers today are not prepared to manage complex direct peering connections, or dont meet the requirements to do so. As a result, Google only peers with networks and IXs that meet its requirements for expertise, resources, and redundant connectivity. To enable continued peering with Google, certain ISPs and IXs have been granted the status of a VPP. VPPs manage direct peering with Google over dedicated private connectivity with redundancy requirements for each enrolled provider. Google customers in India who choose to connect through a VPP to reach Google leverage infrastructure that delivers highly-reliable services including Google Search, Google Ads, YouTube, and more. Any Google service reachable over the Internet can be consumed through a Verified Peering Provider. In the case of Internet Exchanges, a VPP-certified IX like DE-CIX can integrate Google into their service provision, enabling the IXs network to operate as the peering partner for its connected networks in India. When Google customers connect to a VPP to reach Google, they are choosing a provider that has verified diverse connectivity. 30 years of DE-CIX: Digital infrastructure Made in Germany for the whole world DE-CIX is the worlds leading Internet Exchange operator and celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2025. The companys first IX began operations in 1995 in Frankfurt, Germany. Today, DE-CIX offers its peering, cloud connectivity, and other enterprise-grade interconnection services in 60 locations in Europe, Africa, North and South America, the Middle East, and Asia. DE-CIX is accessible from data centers in over 600 cities worldwide and interconnects thousands of network operators (carriers), Internet service providers (ISP), content providers, and enterprise networks from more than 100 countries. DE-CIX Frankfurt, with a data volume of close to 45 exabytes per year (as of 2024) and nearly 1,100 connected networks, is one of the largest Internet Exchanges in the world. 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: Numerical and experimental results of a multicolor optical generative model for colorful Van Gogh-style artwork generation, compared against the teacher digital diffusion model with 1,000 steps. Credit: Nature (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09446-5 From creating art and writing code to drafting emails and designing new drugs, generative AI tools are becoming increasingly indispensable for both business and personal use. As demand increases, they will require even more computing power, memory and, therefore, energy. That's got scientists looking for ways to reduce their energy consumption. In a paper published in the journal Nature, Aydogan Ozcan, from the University of California Los Angeles, and his colleagues describe the development of an AI image generator that consumes almost no power. AI image generators use a process called diffusion to generate images from text. First, they are trained on a large dataset of images and repeatedly add a statistical noise, a kind of digital static, until the image has disappeared. Then, when you give AI a prompt such as "create an image of a house," it starts with a screen full of static and then reverses the process, gradually removing the noise until the image appears. If you want to perform large-scale tasks, such as creating hundreds of millions of images, this process is slow and energy intensive. Experimental demonstration of snapshot optical generative models. Credit: Nature (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09446-5 A light-based approach The new diffusion-based image generator works by first using a digital encoder (that has been trained on publicly available datasets) to create the static that will ultimately make the picture. This requires a small amount of energy. Then, a liquid crystal screen known as a spatial light modulator (SLM) imprints this pattern onto a laser beam. The beam is then passed through a second decoding SLM, which turns the pattern in the laser into the final image. Unlike conventional AI, which relies on millions of computer calculations, this process uses light to do all the heavy lifting. Consequently, the system uses almost no power. "Our optical generative models can synthesize countless images with almost no computing power, offering a scalable and energy-efficient alternative to digital AI models," said Shiqi Chen, lead author. The researchers tested their system on various images used to train AI models, including those of celebrities and butterflies, as well as full-color pictures in the style of Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh. The results were comparable to those of conventional image generators, but were created with much less energy. This breakthrough has the potential to reduce the carbon footprint of AI-generated content significantly. The technology could also find its way into a variety of applications. Because the system is so fast and requires minimal energy, it could be used for things like creating images and videos for virtual and augmented reality displays, or for small devices like a smartphone or wearable electronics, such as AI glasses. Written for you by our author Paul Arnold, 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: Shiqi Chen et al, Optical generative models, Nature (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09446-5 Daniel Brunner, Machine-learning model generates images using light, Nature (2025). DOI: 10.1038/d41586-025-02523-9 Journal information: Nature 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: Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang has stressed the importance of the China market for its AI chips. AI powerhouse Nvidia reported quarterly earnings Wednesday that beat expectations, but shares slipped amid concerns about an AI chip spending bubble and the company's stalled business in China. The California-based firm posted profit of $26.4 billion on record revenue of $46.7 billion in the recently ended quarter, driven by intense demand for chips from major tech companies powering AI datacenter computing. While overall revenue significantly increased year-over-year, money taken in from Nvidia's Data Center compute products like its coveted graphics processing units (GPUs) declined 1% from the previous quarter. The drop was driven by a $4 billion decrease in sales of H20 chipsspecialized processors the company designed for the Chinese market, according to the earnings report. For the current quarter, Nvidia projected $54 billion in revenue but said its forecast assumes no H20 sales. Nvidia's high-end GPUs remain in hot demand from tech giants building data centers for artificial intelligence applications. However, investors are questioning whether the massive AI investments are sustainable. "The data center results, while massive, showed hints that hyperscaler spending could tighten at the margins if near-term returns from AI applications remain difficult to quantify," said Emarketer analyst Jacob Bourne. "At the same time, US export restrictions are fueling domestic chipmaking in China." Nvidia shares fell slightly more than 3% in after-market trading. US takes a cut Earlier this month, President Donald Trump confirmed that Nvidia would pay the United States 15% of its revenues from sales of certain AI chips to China. Trump called Nvidia's H20 chips "obsolete," despite their previous targeting under export restrictions. Beijing has responded by expressing national security concerns about Nvidia chips and urging Chinese businesses to rely on local semiconductor suppliers instead. Nvidia developed the H20 specifically for export to China to address US concerns that its top-tier chips could be used for weapons development or AI applications in the rival nation. "There is interest in our H20s; we have supply ready to ship," Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang said of the China market, which he estimated to be a $50 billion opportunity for Nvidia this year. "We're still waiting on several of the geopolitical issues going back and forth between the governments and the companies trying to determine their purchases and what they want to do." Huang said Nvidia is talking with the Trump administration about the importance of US companies being able to compete in China. "We just have to keep advocating the sensibility of, and the importance of, American tech companies to be able to lead and win the AI race and help make the American tech stack the global standard," Huang said. Fortune in play The earnings report comes amid market worries about an AI spending bubble that could burst and hurt the chip giant's fortunes. Nvidia serves as a bellwether for the AI market and became the first company to reach $4 trillion in market value last July. "We're just seeing just enormous amount of interest in AI and demand for AI right now," Huang said on an earnings call. The top four cloud computing service providers are on pace to spend about $600 billion on AI infrastructure this year, and it's reasonable to think Nvidia is in line for a lot of that money, Huang reasoned. 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: A worker at an assembly line of the Washlet Techno factory of Japanese toilet manufacturer TOTO in To. Japanese toilet giant TOTO has launched a service allowing those caught short in public to locate the nearest washrooms and see how busy they are real-time with a phone and QR code. Japan like other countries struggles with managing long lines outside public toilets, particularly for women, in its teeming train stations and other places. The system launched this month by TOTOfamous for its water-spraying, musical toiletslinks consumers up with existing internet-connected facility management systems. This was developed to automatically notify facility staff if a particular cubicle is dirty or occupied for an unusually long time. Now users can scan a QR code with their phones to access a website showing restroom locations and live congestion levels. "In addition, a QR code inside a restroom stall brings you to a website where a user can report problems, like being unable to flush or something broken," TOTO spokesman Tasuku Miyazaki told AFP on Thursday. The service is multi-lingual and available in English, Chinese and Korean. The government is also trying to relieve the problem of long lines for women, with the transport ministry seeking extra funds in the budget for the coming fiscal next year. These will be used to set up digital signage displays and movable toilet walls that can increase the number of stalls for women, according to local media. 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: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain As ransomware attacks become more common and complexand costly to the crimes' targetsa University of Texas at Dallas researcher is examining how policymakers might combat cybercriminals. Dr. Atanu Lahiri, an associate professor of information systems at the Naveen Jindal School of Management, said ransomware has become one of the top cybersecurity threats facing organizations worldwide. Spread primarily through email phishing scams and exploitation of unpatched software bugs, ransomware robs a user's access to computer files until a ransom is paid. "The data is still on your computer," he said. "It's locked up, and the criminals have the key." In a study published in Information Systems Research, Lahiri and a colleague examined whether and under what circumstances policy intervention could help deter this type of cyberattack. He found that effective response solutions might depend on factors such as the value of compromised information, the nature of the ransom demand, and who or what organization is most affected. Although paying ransom often seems preferable to facing business disruptions, payments also embolden the attackers and encourage them to come back for more. This ripple effect, or externality, which is driven by extortion, creates a unique problem dubbed "extortionality" by the authors. "There are two questions: When do we care, and what do we do?" Lahiri said. "Should ransom payments be banned or even penalized?" The disruptions caused by ransomware attacks can be crippling for businesses. In 2024, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center received more than 3,000 ransomware complaints. Victims paid over $800 million to attackers, according to research by Chainalysis, although the impact is likely much higher because many incidents and payments go unreported. The illegal breaches have hit targets ranging from Fortune 500 companies to police departments to government and university systems. Lahiri was inspired to explore potential solutions as federal and state lawmakers grapple with laws to restrict government entities and other companies from paying ransoms to regain access to their data. He found that fighting these threats through legislation is tricky because a ban on ransom payments or other penalties could negatively affect the victim, whose goal is simply to recover compromised information quickly and with minimal disruption. For example, outright bans on ransom payment are particularly problematic for hospitals, where lives are at stake and critical lifesaving information can't be accessed. On the other hand, paying ransom rewards criminal behavior, encourages more breaches and elevates the risk of additional attacks, the researchers found. Through mathematical models and simulations, Lahiri determined that an ideal scenario in many cases would be for companies not to give in to an attacker's ransom demand. In practice, however, this solution is not so clear-cut. "It relies on you trusting the other guy, in this case other organizations, not to pay up either," he said. "It would be better if nobody paid, but if someone does, it would raise the risk for everybody." "You have to be careful when you impose a ban, though," said Lahiri, who teaches the graduate class Cybersecurity Fundamentals at UT Dallas, serves as director of the cybersecurity systems certificate program, and chairs the University Information Security Advisory Committee. "A more reasoned approach might be to first try incentives or a penalty to deter ransom payments." If the attackers are not strategic in choosing their ransom asksand do not demand different sums from the victims depending on their ability to payLahiri recommends that policymakers impose fines or taxes on companies that pay ransoms. "When imposing a ban, policymakers should be mindful," he said. "In particular, hospitals and critical infrastructure firms should be exempted to avoid excessive collateral damage from business disruption. "In some cases, you wouldn't even have to impose the ban, but if you talk a lot about a ban, ransom payers would take notice. Even the specter of a ban might do the trick and make organizations invest in backup technologies that can help them recover without having to pay the attackers." The best offense, Lahiri said, is a good defense, and the best defense is simply more redundancy. Backing up data and practicing drills on recovering information is a strong way to avoid paying the attacker. Policymakers could incentivize redundancy measures, he said, by subsidizing backup technology, practice drills and awareness campaigns. "One of the biggest problems is that people don't invest in backups," Lahiri said. "They don't conduct drills, like fire drills. Security is always seen as a hassle. "If we had great backups and we could recover from the attacks, we would not be paying the ransom in the first place. And we would not be talking about extortionality." Dr. Debabrata Dey, Davis Professor and area director of analytics, information and operations at the University of Kansas, is a co-author of the study. More information: Debabrata Dey et al, "Extortionality" in Ransomware Attacks: A Microeconomic Study of Extortion and Externality, Information Systems Research (2025). DOI: 10.1287/isre.2024.1160 Journal information: Information Systems Research ATLANTA, Aug. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Equifax (NYSE: EFX) will participate in several upcoming investor conferences in September. Mark Begor, Chief Executive Officer, and John Gamble, Chief Financial Officer, will participate in the Barclays Virtual Credit Bureau Day on Wednesday, September 3, 2025 and the J.P. Morgan U.S. All Stars Conference in London on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, including participation in a Fireside Chat at 8:00 a.m., Eastern Time. The company invites investors to join a live webcast of this Fireside Chat event at: https://investor.equifax.com/news-events/ir-calendar . A replay of this Fireside Chat will be available within 24 hours after the event on the company's Investor Relations website. Trevor Burns, Senior Vice President of Corporate Investor Relations, will attend the Jefferies Fintech Conference on Thursday, September 4, 2025 and the Barclays Global Financial Services Conference on Wednesday, September 10, 2025. ABOUT EQUIFAX INC. At Equifax (NYSE: EFX), we believe knowledge drives progress. As a global data, analytics, and technology company, we play an essential role in the global economy by helping financial institutions, companies, employers, and government agencies make critical decisions with greater confidence. Our unique blend of differentiated data, analytics, and cloud technology drives insights to power decisions to move people forward. Headquartered in Atlanta and supported by nearly 15,000 employees worldwide, Equifax operates or has investments in 24 countries in North America, Central and South America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific region. For more information, visit Equifax.com . FOR MORE INFORMATION: Molly Clegg for Equifax [email protected] SOURCE Equifax Inc. A threat activity cluster known as ShadowSilk has been attributed to a fresh set of attacks targeting government entities within Central Asia and Asia-Pacific (APAC). According to Group-IB, nearly three dozen victims have been identified, with the intrusions mainly geared towards data exfiltration. The hacking group shares toolset and infrastructural overlaps with campaigns undertaken by threat actors dubbed YoroTrooper, SturgeonPhisher, and Silent Lynx. Victims of the group's campaigns span Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Tajikistan, Pakistan, and Turkmenistan, a majority of which are government organizations, and to a lesser extent, entities in the energy, manufacturing, retail, and transportation sectors. "The operation is run by a bilingual crew Russian-speaking developers tied to legacy YoroTrooper code and Chinese-speaking operators spearheading intrusions, resulting in a nimble, multi-regional threat profile," researchers Nikita Rostovcev and Sergei Turner said. "The exact depth and nature of cooperation of these two sub-groups remains still uncertain." YoroTrooper was first publicly documented by Cisco Talos in March 2023, detailing its attacks targeting government, energy, and international organizations across Europe since at least June 2022. The group is believed to be active as far back as 2021, per ESET. A subsequent analysis later that year revealed that the hacking group likely consists of individuals from Kazakhstan based on their fluency in Kazakh and Russian, as well as what appeared to be deliberate efforts to avoid targeting entities in the country. Then earlier this January, Seqrite Labs uncovered cyber attacks orchestrated by an adversary dubbed Silent Lynx that singled out various organizations in Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan. It also characterized the threat actor as having overlaps with YoroTrooper. ShadowSilk represents the latest evolution of the threat actor, leveraging spear-phishing emails as the initial access vector to drop password-protected archives to drop a custom loader that hides command-and-control (C2) traffic behind Telegram bots to evade detection and deliver additional payloads. Persistence is achieved by modifying the Windows Registry to run them automatically after a system reboot. The threat actor also employs public exploits for Drupal (CVE-2018-7600 and CVE-2018-76020 and the WP-Automatic WordPress plugin (CVE-2024-27956), alongside leveraging a diverse toolkit comprising reconnaissance and penetration-testing tools such as FOFA, Fscan, Gobuster, Dirsearch, Metasploit, and Cobalt Strike. Furthermore, ShadowSilk has incorporated into its arsenal JRAT and Morf Project web panels acquired from darknet forums for managing infected devices, and a bespoke tool for stealing Chrome password storage files and the associated decryption key. Another notable aspect is its compromise of legitimate websites to host malicious payloads. "Once inside a network, ShadowSilk deploys web shells [like ANTSWORD, Behinder, Godzilla, and FinalShell], Sharp-based post-exploitation tools, and tunneling utilities such as Resocks and Chisel to move laterally, escalate privileges and siphon data," the researchers said. The attacks have been observed paving the way for a Python-based remote access trojan (RAT) that can receive commands and exfiltrate data to a Telegram bot, thereby allowing the malicious traffic to be disguised as legitimate messenger activity. Cobalt Strike and Metasploit modules are used to grab screenshots and webcam pictures, while a custom PowerShell script scans for files matching a predefined list of extensions and copies them into a ZIP archive, which is then transmitted to an external server. The Singaporean company has assessed that the operators of the YoroTrooper group are fluent in Russian, and are likely engaged in malware development and facilitating initial access. However, a series of screenshots capturing one of the attackers' workstations -- featuring images of the active keyboard layout, automatic translation of Kyrgyzstan government websites into Chinese, and a Chinese language vulnerability scanner -- indicates the involvement of a Chinese-speaking operator, it added. "Recent behavior indicates that the group remains highly active, with new victims identified as recently as July," Group-IB said. "ShadowSilk continues to focus on the government sector in Central Asia and the broader APAC region, underscoring the importance of monitoring its infrastructure to prevent long-term compromise and data exfiltration." Sustainability efforts and score land the company in the 81st percentile for all organizations assessed MARSHFIELD, Wis., Aug. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Nelson-Jameson , a leading distributor in the food processing industry, has announced that it has earned its second consecutive Bronze Medal from EcoVadis a recognition awarded to the Top 35% of companies assessed over 12 months. The award reflects the quality of Nelson-Jameson's sustainability management system and demonstrates its commitment to promoting transparency. Nelson-Jameson has earned Bronze from EcoVadis a recognition awarded to the Top 35% of companies assessed. Post this Photo Caption (Courtesy of Nelson-Jameson): Food processing distributor Nelson-Jameson earned its second consecutive EcoVadis Bronze Medal sustainability rating for its efforts in 2025. As a "golden-rule" company, Nelson-Jameson is focused on maintaining a culture of honesty, integrity, and kindness, and a commitment to operating ethically with respect for people, the community, and the environment. "Being awarded a medal from Ecovadis for the second year in a row is a welcome reaffirmation of our commitment to improvement and creating meaningful, impactful change across our entire organization," says Mathew Bartkowiak, Vice President of Corporate Responsibility and Development at Nelson-Jameson. "Though we've improved our score every year, we are not resting on our laurels and are only strengthening our efforts to support our communities, employees, industry, and beyond." EcoVadis, known as the world's largest and most trusted provider of business sustainability ratings globally, has established a network of more than 100,000 rated companies of all sizes. Companies proactively choose to participate in its Business Sustainability Index, and receive a total score as measured against all rated organizations, and individual sub-scores that measure ratings as compared to peers and competitors. Nelson-Jameson received a total score of 68 this year, up from 60 the previous year, placing the company in the 81st percentile for all organizations. Nelson-Jameson also had a score of at least 63 out of 100 in each of the sub-categories: Environment (63), Ethics (79), Labor and Human Rights (65), and Sustainable Procurement (70). Nelson-Jameson is committed to participating in the EcoVadis Business Sustainability Index assessment annually. Nelson-Jameson also plans to release its annual corporate responsibility report in January 2026. By sharing the company's progress annually, Nelson-Jameson highlights its commitment to furthering its ESG goals, encompassing everything from food safety and quality to sustainable supplier practices. More information on the company can be found at https://ecovadis.com/ and https://nelsonjameson.com/about-us/corporate-responsibility Nelson-Jameson is a fourth-generation, family-owned distributor to the food processing industry. From the company's roots in dairy production supplies, it has expanded to offer a broad range of food processing products and services that help food and beverage organizations operate efficiently with the highest quality, food safety, and compliance standards. The company represents more than 1,000 vendors, distributes more than 79,000 curated products, and employs more than 300 people nationwide. The food processing industry leader also operates NEXT Logistics, a transportation arm that provides delivery services from its Wisconsin, California, Idaho, Pennsylvania, and Texas strategic distribution centers. Since 1947, Nelson-Jameson has supported food, beverage, and dairy processors with innovative products and a comprehensive set of solutions that keep pace with changing consumer tastes, manufacturing processes, and distribution channels. The company values delivering the exceptional for its customers by leading with the guiding principles of kindness and mutual respect. Nelson-Jameson is a supplier of choice for customers in all 50 states and international markets. For more information, please visit nelsonjameson.com SOURCE Nelson-Jameson 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). FIVE-YEAR AGREEMENT: Brent McFee, left, TTMB acting CEO, and ASP Gideon Dickson, president of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service Social and Welfare Association, sign the Memorandum of Understanding. Looking on, from left, are TTPSWA treasurer Sgt Jason Johnson, secretary W-ASP Nathalie John and vice-president ASP Ishmael Pitt. 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. BOSTON, Aug. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Glytec, the leading provider of an AI-powered technology platform for diabetes and related conditions for hospitals and health systems, today announced that its Chief Medical Officer, Jordan Messler, MD, SFHM, FACP, has been named by Becker's Hospital Review as one of its 2025 "Patient Safety Experts to Know." Jordan Messler, MD, SFHM, FACP, Chief Medical Officer, Glytec, named Becker's Healthcare's 2025 Patient Safety Experts to Know The annual list recognizes 132 leaders nationwide who are advancing patient safety and strengthening the quality of care within their organizations. According to Becker's, honorees are instrumental in reducing hospital-acquired infections, preventing adverse events, and ensuring strict regulatory complianceall while helping providers safeguard patients from preventable errors and risks ranging from day-to-day complications to large-scale disasters. Dr. Messler has long been a champion for patient safety in diabetes and glycemic management, with a strong focus on advancing technology that meets the rigorous FDA safety and effectiveness standards. At Glytec, he has led nationwide efforts to help hospitals and health systems implement Glucommander, the company's FDA-cleared, EHR-integrated insulin dosing software. The solution reduces the risks of hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia, two conditions at the center of new CMS reporting measures beginning in January 2026. Under his leadership, Glytec has shown that Glucommander delivers meaningful results: fewer hypoglycemic events, shorter hospital stays, reduced readmissions, and an average 68x return on investment. Drawing on his hospital experience, Dr. Messler has made Glytec's solutions turn-key for clients. They integrate easily with IT systems, automate clinician workflows, and provide powerful analytics to measure patient-days in target range, time to glucose control, avoided adverse events and costs, financial outcomes, and CMS eCQM readiness. "Patient safety is at the heart of everything we do at Glytec," said Patrick Cua, CEO of Glytec. "It's an honor for Dr. Messler to be recognized by Becker's alongside so many distinguished leaders who share this mission. This recognition reflects Glytec's commitment to equipping providers with the tools they need to deliver safer, higher-quality, innovative care to every patient, every time." This recognition follows a series of honors for Glytec in 2025, including being named winner of the Gold Stevie Award as the Healthcare Technology Company of the Year in the second annual Stevie Awards for Technology Excellence About Glytec Glytec's industry-leading, AI-driven technology platform, trusted by over 400 hospitals, empowers collaborative diabetes management and insulin dosing, improving patient outcomes, reducing hospital length of stay and readmissions, and optimizing clinical workflows. Its flagship solution, Glucommanderthe first-ever FDA-cleared cloud-based insulin management software, integrates seamlessly with EMRs, providing advanced clinical decision support, workflow alerts, patient monitoring, and comprehensive analytics. Supported by industry awards and over 100 patents and 100 peer-reviewed publications, Glytec is dedicated to improving care from the hospital to the home for consumers, providers, and payors. For more information, visit www.glytec.com or follow Glytec on LinkedIn. Media Contact: Glytec Public Relations [email protected] SOURCE Glytec, LLC PHOENIX The state Court of Appeals has tossed out a claim by the Arizona Republican Party and its allies that could have thrown a wrench into voting by mail and having those votes be tallied. In a unanimous ruling, the three-judge panel declined to rule on claims that Democratic Secretary of State Adrian Fontes acted illegally when he concluded that signatures on early ballot envelopes can be verified by comparing them to any other signatures on file of those voters. Instead, the judges said the plaintiffs lack standing to sue. They said the law gives Fontes at least some discretion on the rules he enacts, making those rules exempt from the kind of challenge the Republican Party brought. The ruling, unless overturned, leaves in place the authority of county election officials to use multiple sources to verify the signatures on ballot envelopes. A ruling in favor of the GOP would have meant more early ballots would be set aside for verification, especially in circumstances where the signatures changed over the years, or decades, since people first signed up to vote. That verification process involves reaching out to voters, by phone or mail, to cure the ballots by asking them if they had, in fact, voted by mail. It would be very burdensome on the curing process, said Aaron Thacker, a spokesman for the Secretary of States Office. It would increase the demand to cure signatures, which would become a strain on the timeline. That timeline, under state law, is five days after the election. If voters cannot be reached or dont verify their signatures, their ballots would never be counted. There was no immediate response from attorney Kory Langhofer, who represents the challengers. Fontes cheered the ruling, calling the lawsuit nothing more than a red herring. We know that signatures naturally change over time due to age, health, or other personal circumstances, he said. Using the most current signature on file to verify mail-in ballots is not only common sense, its essential to maintaining election integrity. Trump wants to end mail-in voting The ruling comes as Republicans, led by President Donald Trump, are trying to kill early voting nationwide. I am going to lead a movement to get rid of mail-in ballots, the president wrote earlier this month on his social media platform. Trump also said he would sign an executive order to that effect ahead of the 2026 elections. But that is virtually certain to get a legal fight from Arizona and other states that contend how elections are conducted is a state decision. Fontes said if Trump were to try to override state law, he would tell him to pound sand. Arizona has long allowed early voting. But prior to 1991, that privilege was available only to people who provided proof they needed it, for reasons such as being away from their voting precinct on Election Day or having a physical disability. That year, the Republican-controlled Legislature made Arizona among the first states in the nation to adopt no-excuse early voting. It has proven extremely popular, reaching close to 90% usage in 2020. The state GOP sued in 2022 to have the practice declared unconstitutional. But that lawsuit was thrown out by the Arizona Supreme Court. This latest action focuses on a narrower issue: How to verify signatures. In filing the 2023 lawsuit, Langhofer argued that election officials have only one option: compare what is on the ballot envelope with a persons registration record. It is the only means by which the county recorder can verify that a person casting an early ballot by mail is, in fact, a duly qualified elector, the lawsuit said. But Fontes argued that the wording of the law allows election officials to use any signatures available to them. Those include signatures on requests for early ballots, on voter rosters, or on prior early ballot envelopes. He put that interpretation into the Elections Procedures Manual, which he is required to compile to help election officials interpret Arizona law. Langhofer called it unreasonably permissive criteria. He represents not only the state GOP but also the Arizona Free Enterprise Club, which tends to align itself with GOP interests and is currently engaged in other legal battles, including trying to void a 2022 voter-approved law requiring the true source of political spending to be made public. Langhofer also represents the group Restoring Integrity and Trust in Elections. Reuters says RITE was formed in 2022 by former U.S. Attorney General William Barr, Karl Rove, who was a top adviser to former President George W. Bush, and casino billionaire Steve Wynn. The challengers won an early round in the lawsuit when Yavapai County Superior Court Judge John Napper ruled in 2023 that state law is clear and unambiguous that election officials must compare the signatures on the envelopes with the voters actual registration record. That consists only of the document signed when a person first registered, along with subsequent changes for reasons such as altering party affiliation, he said. But Napper later overruled his own decision, saying it appeared state lawmakers had given Fontes sufficient legal latitude to conclude the registration record includes signatures on anything else in county records. The law gives Fontes discretion, court says The Court of Appeals, in the new ruling, didnt even try to go that far. Appellate Judge Jeffrey Sklar, writing for himself and his colleagues, said the challengers sought a court order directing the secretary of state to rewrite the Elections Procedures Manual to tell local officials they could use only the original registration records for signature comparison. The problem with that, Sklar said, is that Fontes has at least some discretion in crafting the manual. And that makes sense, the judge said. Otherwise, there would be no need for an EPM, he wrote. It would simply reiterate the statutory scheme. That discretion makes Fontes immune from having courts overrule his decisions, Sklar said. Fontes chided the challengers for filing the lawsuit in the first place. Efforts to undermine the process arent about fixing anything, he said. Theyre about sabotaging a system that has proven to work. Market Force Study Shows How CX Excellence Drives Loyalty and Share of Wallet PEACHTREE CORNERS, Ga., Aug. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Market Force Information, a global leader in customer experience management, has released its 2025 Casual Dining Industry Study, reinforcing the central truth of the restaurant industry: customer experience is the engine of sustainable growth and advocacy. 2025 Casual Dining Benchmark Study from Market Force shows loyalty gains for restaurants that get CX right. Post this Steakhouses are delivering the most favorable overall customer experience in the Market Force 2025 Casual Dining rankings. This year's Customer Loyalty Index (CLI) leader is Logan's Roadhouse, which vaulted from ninth place in 2024 to first overall in 2025. Logan's surge was fueled by significant gains in CX Metricsa composite of satisfaction, likelihood to return, recommend, and experience factors like friendliness, atmosphere, and value. Logan's posted a leading 52.6% CX score, well ahead of second place The Keg (47.8%) and Bahama Breeze (46.7%) in third place. "Customer loyalty isn't just about a single visitit's built on consistently delivering the fundamentals of the guest experience," said David Murray, Sr. Director of Customer Experience Strategy at Market Force. "Logan's success this year proves that when brands deliver value, atmosphere, and operational consistency, customers reward them with advocacy and share of wallet." 2025 CLI Rankings Highlight Big Movers Logan's Roadhouse climbed from 9th place in 2024 to #1 in 2025, with a CLI score of 4.52. Pappadeaux rose from 7th to 2nd overall (4.46), underscoring consistent improvements in experience delivery. Texas Roadhouse maintained a strong position with a 4.45 CLI score, rounding out the top three. Trust Leaders See Shifts in Long-Term Loyalty Bahama Breeze made a dramatic debut, claiming the title of America's Most Trusted Casual Dining Branda remarkable first appearance after not being profiled in 2024. Mellow Mushroom and The Keg rounded out the top three most trusted brands. By contrast, 2024 trust leaders Bonefish Grill, Pizza Ranch, and Carrabba's fell sharply in 2025, with Bonefish now ranked 25th and Pizza Ranch dropping to just above the bottom quartile. Share of Wallet Insights When consumers were asked where their next 10 dining occasions would go, Logan's Roadhouse once again came out on top, increasing its share from 27.6% in 2024 to 37% in 2025. Round Table Pizza and Pappadeaux also ranked among the top three for share of wallet, showing how loyalty translates directly into future visits. Methodology The 2025 Casual Dining Study drew responses from 3,427 U.S. consumers, with 69.6% female and a household income of $50,000 or more in 68% of respondents. Results were indexed to produce the Customer Loyalty Index (CLI), a composite of overall satisfaction and likelihood to recommenda proven gauge of both experience and advocacy. To download a 2-page overview or access the full Casual Dining study results, please visit: www.marketforce.com/casual-dining-research-2025 Brands and analysts interested in a full walkthrough of results can schedule a briefing at: www.marketforce.com/schedule-a-briefing Join our growing consumer panel at: http://panel.marketforce.com/become-a-panelist About Market Force Information Market Force helps global brands improve customer experience and operations with integrated services like contact centers, mystery shopping, site audits, customer surveys, social media management, and advanced analytics. Industries served include retail, grocery, restaurant, hospitality, banking and more. Learn more at: www.marketforce.com SOURCE Market Force Information NEED TO KNOW Rescue efforts have failed to save a 47-year-old climber Natalia Nagovitsyna after she broke her leg on a mountain in Kyrgyzstan on Aug. 12 Two weeks later, multiple attempts to save her from Victory Peak have failed Her friend and fellow mountaineer died trying to help her Tragedy is compounding for 47-year-old Natalia Nagovitsyna, who broke her leg more than two weeks ago while climbing a 24,406-foot mountain in Kyrgyzstan. Three days after the Russian woman was injured, a friend died trying to save her, and other rescue attempts have also failed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After weeks of attempts to save Nagovitsyna from Victory Peak, state officials told CBS News on Wednesday, Aug. 27, that a thermal drone reached the tiny tent where she was stranded at an altitude of about 23,000 feet. Based on analysis of the data obtained and taking into account a combination of factors, including extreme weather conditions and the specifics of the area, no signs of life were found at Nagovitsyna's location, the Kyrgyzstan's state security agency told the outlet, reporting that she was presumed dead. The Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Kyrgyz Republic did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment. The nightmare began on Tuesday, Aug. 12, when Nagovitsyna was coming down from the peaks summit and broke her leg. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although a group of climbers were able to give her some supplies, the weather made it impossible to bring her down the mountain, according to CBS News. Victory Peak, also known as Jengish Chokusu, is located on the eastern part of the Tien Shan range on the Kyrgyzstan-China border. It is Kyrgyzstans tallest mountain, according to Britannica. Three days after Nagovitsyna was injured, fellow climber Luca Sinigaglia, 49, died while climbing to assist her, the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed in a statement last week. Sinigaglia, who went back to the summit multiple times to bring his stranded friends supplies, died from prolonged exposure to low oxygen levels and hypothermia at Pobeda Peak," according to U.K. outlet The Times. In his final attempt, Sinigaglia was only a couple of thousand feet away from where Nagovitsyna was sheltering. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He carried out an act of great courage. He would never have left anyone behind, and especially not Natalia, with whom he had survived an experience that made them very close, said Lucas sister, according to the newspaper. It was an action to be proud of that unfortunately did not allow him to return to us. But that was Luca. Luca Sinigaglia/Instagram Luca Sinigaglia, who died trying to save his friend Luca Sinigaglia, who died trying to save his friend Nagovitsyna was last spotted by a drone on a ridge near the top of the mountain on Tuesday, Aug. 19, and was thought to be alive, an official told CNN at the time. But bad weather forced officials to haunt their search as temperatures hit a low of -9 degrees, according to The Times. Her son Mikhail has urged authorities to keep searching for his mom, citing the drone footage that seemingly showed her alive, according to The Moscow Times. On Friday, the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that weather had also prevented the recovery of Sinigaglia's body, but a group of mountaineers hoped to bring their countryman down the mountain with the help of a helicopter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The same climbers had been assisting with rescue efforts for Nagovitsyna. 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. Nagovitsyna and Sinigaglia met in 2021 while climbing Khan Tengri in the same mountain range, according to The Times. During the climb, Nagovitsynas husband Sergei suffered a stroke and died, while Sinigaglia helped her climb to safety. Read the original article on People HCM CITY Running from August 25 to October 25, the campaign is themed Great futures begin with small dreams and, for the first time, brings together four promotional programmes across different financial products. These include two-wheeler loans, consumer durable loans, personal loans, and credit cards, providing diverse solutions for families and individuals as they prepare for a new academic journey. The back-to-school season is a pivotal moment for millions of students and young workers across Viet Nam. For many, this means setting new goals and investing in essential tools such as laptops, study supplies, or even motorbikes to commute more conveniently. For parents, particularly factory workers and office employees with modest incomes, this period often places significant pressure on the family budget, as tuition fees, uniforms, textbooks, rent, and other expenses all need to be covered at the same time. Recognising these challenges, FE CREDIT has rolled out promotions designed to deliver both practical financial support and added value through gifts and incentives. One highlight is the programme Ride home a bike, reward up to 300K, which offers discounts of VN200,000300,000 (US$8.8013.20) for customers taking out two-wheeler loans of at least VN15 million (US$660) at FE CREDITs partner stores. Running until September 25, the scheme supports young workers and students who need reliable transport for their studies or jobs. For those requiring new devices to aid in learning or work, the Tech deals, exciting rewards programme provides an additional incentive. Customers who secure consumer durable loans worth VN5 million (US$220) or more will be entered into a lucky draw to win laptops, tablets, or e-vouchers worth VN300,000. This promotion, with a total prize pool of VN99 million (US$4,350), runs through October 25. Meanwhile, the Finance in hand, back-to-school in style programme targets customers seeking personal loans of at least VN15 million. In addition to financial assistance, participants have the chance to win high-value prizes such as Honda Vision motorbikes, Samsung Galaxy smartphones, laptops, and hundreds of e-vouchers. The total prize value of this programme alone amounts to VN570 million (US$25,030). Complementing these offerings, FE CREDIT has also introduced Back-to-school with FE ONLINE 2.0. The programme allows customers who apply for personal loans starting from VN15 million or open a credit card with a minimum spend of VN5 million to join a lucky draw. Prizes include Honda Vision motorbikes, Samsung Galaxy smartphones, laptops, and hundreds of e-vouchers, with a combined prize value of VN145 million (US$6,365). Unlike traditional services, applications are processed entirely online without the need for an advisor, reflecting FE CREDITs emphasis on digital transformation and customer convenience. According to the company, the four programmes are part of a broader strategy to support education, mobility, and financial needs among Vietnamese families. Whether dreams are big or small, they all deserve encouragement, an FE CREDIT representative said. Through these initiatives, we hope to accompany parents, students, and young workers on their journey to a brighter future. As a member of Viet Nam Prosperity Joint-Stock Commercial Banks (VPBank) financial ecosystem, FE CREDIT said its back-to-school promotions go beyond seasonal marketing. Instead, the company reflects a long-term commitment to expanding access to consumer finance and helping millions of Vietnamese people pursue their goals with greater confidence.-VNS HA NOI The US Department of Commerce on Tuesday delivered a heavy blow to the nation's steel exports, issuing final affirmative determinations in its anti-dumping and countervailing duty investigations into corrosion-resistant steel (CORE) imported from ten countries and territories, including Viet Nam. "Commerce made its final determinations that imports of CORE into the US from ten trading partners were being dumped and/or subsidised," the department said. The decision affects CORE products vital in the manufacture of automobiles, appliances and buildings worth US$2.9 billion imported from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, the Netherlands, South Africa, Taiwan (China), Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Viet Nam. While these determinations by the Department of Commerce confirm unfair trade practices, the process is not yet over. The US International Trade Commission (ITC) must now determine whether these imports have materially injured the domestic steel industry. If the ITC issues an affirmative, trading partner-specific finding, the US will formally impose anti-dumping and countervailing duties on the affected steel imports. For Viet Nam, the potential imposition of tariffs threatens a double shock. Firstly, the US remains a crucial export destination for Vietnamese steel, contributing significantly to the sectors overall turnover. The imposition of duties could erode Viet Nams price competitiveness, reduce future orders, and force firms to urgently seek alternative markets. Secondly, the ruling underscores a broader trend of protectionism in global steel markets. As major economies ramp up trade defence measures to shield domestic industries, Vietnamese steel buoyed by strong export growth in recent years is increasingly vulnerable to anti-dumping and subsidy investigations, not only from the US but also from other trade partners. This latest development not only disrupts the international steel supply chain but also serves as a warning for Vietnamese manufacturers: diversify export destinations, enhance product standards, and brace themselves for a rising tide of trade barriers. BIZHUB/VNS HUE Carlsberg Viet Nam, in coordination with the Peoples Committee of Hue City, officially held the inauguration ceremony of the Phu Bai Brewery Expansion Project, marking a major milestone in the companys journey of innovation, sustainability, and long-term commitment to Viet Nam. The expansion, with an investment of nearly US$90 million, increases Phu Bais brewing capacity by 50 per cent, making it Carlsbergs largest beer production facility in Asia and one of the most productive globally within the Group in terms of labour efficiency. This expanded brewery will help meet rising demand across Carlsberg Viet Nam's diverse portfolio, including international premium brands such as Carlsberg, 1664 Blanc, Tuborg, and Somersby, alongside local favourites Halida and Huda, the beloved icon known as the Pride of Central for over 35 years. With enhanced capabilities, Carlsberg Viet Nam is now better positioned to provide Vietnamese consumers with international quality, greater choice, consistency, and innovation. Phu Bai Brewery expansion reflects our long-term commitment to Viet Nam, said Andrew Khan, Managing Director of Carlsberg Viet Nam. Phu Bai is now our largest beer production site in Carlsberg Asia, equipped with cutting-edge technology to produce exceptional quality beers more efficiently and with lower environmental impact. But its not just about scale; its about serving our consumers better, strengthening our supply chain, and delivering meaningful impact for the communities we serve. Vice Chairman of the Hue City Peoples Committee, Phan Quy Phuong, remarked: Carlsberg Viet Nam has long been a trusted partner in the sustainable development of Hue City and central Viet Nam. The expansion of the Phu Bai Brewery not only brings advanced manufacturing standards to Hue but also demonstrates a strong commitment to environmental and social responsibility. We appreciate Carlsbergs contributions and look forward to continued collaboration for the prosperity of central Viet Nam. Designed as a future-ready facility, the expanded Phu Bai Brewery integrates cutting-edge technology to enhance performance while reducing environmental impact. It features one of Viet Nams fastest packaging lines and a new high-efficiency brew line that consumes 20 per cent less water and 15 per cent less energy. The project also operates with a fleet of AI-enabled electric forklifts to enhance safety in high-traffic zones, as well as real-time data dashboards for line efficiencies to ensure consistent quality and operational precision. Carlsberg Vietnam was also awarded multiple international medals for beer quality, including the Monde Selection Gold Quality Awards for Huda and Halida in 2024, a testament to the craftsmanship and brewing standards embedded in the Phu Bai site. Viet Nam plays a pivotal role in Carlsbergs global strategy, not just because of its growth potential, but because of the strength of our local people, our partnerships and our shared ambition for a greener future, said Vice President for Supply Chain of Carlsberg Asia Joy Rice. With this expansion, Phu Bai becomes more than a brewery. Its a blueprint for how we grow: with purpose, with responsibility and with long-term value creation for Viet Nam and beyond. The Phu Bai Brewery expansion supports both Carlsbergs global Together Towards ZERO and Beyond (TTZAB) agenda and Viet Nams national roadmap towards net zero by 2050. The brewery runs on iREC-certified renewable electricity and biomass-powered steam, with all wastewaters treated using advanced filtration systems. Carlsberg Viet Namalso aims for 100 per cent reusable or recyclable packaging across bottles, kegs, and cans, furthering its commitment to a circular economy and sustainable packaging innovation by 2026. Our vision has always been to grow together with Viet Nam, added Andrew Khan. We dont measure success by volume alone. True growth comes from creating lasting value for people, the environment and the communities that have supported us for more than 30 years. This expansion is not just about brewing more beer its about brewing a better future for Vietnam. Carlsbergs journey in Viet Nam began over three decades ago, with Phu Bai Brewery at the heart of its deep-rooted connection to the central region. As the company moves forward, it remains committed to growing alongside Viet Nam, empowering communities, advancing sustainable growth, and reinforcing the countrys role in Carlsbergs global journey towards a greener, more resilient future. HA NOI Viet Nam is set to fast-track negotiations for new trade deals, including crucial rice agreements, while maximising the potential of 17 existing free trade agreements (FTAs) to achieve an ambitious export growth target of 12 per cent this year, the Ministry of Industry and Trade announced. Minister Nguyen Hong Dien has instructed the Department of Foreign Market to accelerate FTA talks with promising partners such as Mercosur in South America, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), India and Pakistan in Asia and Egypt alongside the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) in Africa. Viet Nam is also advancing negotiations on a reciprocal tax agreement with the US and pursuing rice trade agreements with Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore and Brazil. Meanwhile, the Multilateral Trade Policy Department aims to conclude negotiations on an FTA with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) by 2025. The ministry will concentrate on effectively implementing key FTAs already in force, including the CPTPP, EVFTA and UKVFTA and will develop an 'FTA Index 2025' to track their performance. Additionally, plans are underway to balance trade with major partners and diversify import sources for raw materials, alongside strengthened trade promotion efforts in overseas markets to fully utilise existing FTAs. VNS HA NOI Brazil is committed to supporting and coordinating with other Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) member countries to promote the internal process towards beginning official negotiations on the blocs free trade agreement (FTA) with Vietnam during Brazil's term as its rotating chair in the second half of this year. The pledge was made by Brazilian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mauro Vieira in his phone talks with Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien on Wednesday evening (Ha Noi time). Vieira announced that he will bring up the proposal for FTA negotiations at the next MERCOSUR meeting in early September. Appreciating the potential for cooperation with Vietnam, he stated that the signing of the trade deal will open up opportunities for businesses from both sides, especially in areas where they have strengths like agricultural products, processing industries, and consumer goods. Dien spoke highly of Brazil's support for the proposal to negotiate the FTA. He emphasised that, in the context of global economic fluctuations, the deal will create conditions for the two countries businesses to diversify export markets and supply sources, and strengthen their positions in the global supply chain. In particular, it will not only bring specific economic benefits to both parties but also serve as proof of trust and a commitment to promoting sustainable trade between the regions. In addition, he suggested the two sides soon hold the first meeting in early September with the aim of declaring the start of negotiations and organising the first round as soon as possible. The two ministers also agreed to soon hold a meeting to discuss in more detail the roadmap for starting the FTA negotiations and technical coordination mechanisms related to promoting the development of bilateral economic and trade relations. According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Brazil is currently Vietnam's second largest trading partner in the Americas, after the US, and its largest trading partner in Latin America. The ministrys statistics showed that two-way trade reached a record of nearly US$8 billion last year, up 12.2 per cent year-on-year. Of the total, $2.6 billion came from Viet Nams exports. In the first seven months of this year, bilateral trade reached approximately $4.45 billion, down 3 per cent year-on-year, of which, Viet Nam's export turnover hit $1.53 billion, an increase of 0.3 per cent. VNS HA NOI Cooperation between Viet Nam and China in building 'smart border gates' has become an important highlight in recent years, helping to remove bottlenecks in the flow of goods, especially agricultural products. This is not only a practical step to promote bilateral trade but also demonstrates the determination of both countries to modernise border management, in line with the trend of comprehensive and extensive development. As reported by Vietnam News Agency correspondent in China, a series of trucks carrying fruits and vegetables from Viet Nam were stuck at border gates from the end of 2021 to the beginning of 2022, causing significant losses for farmers. In response to this situation, high-level leaders from both countries held numerous phone calls and direct exchanges to find solutions. Among the measures proposed, the development of smart border gates was one of the key steps put forward to resolve the issue. Previously, it took three to five days for a truck to complete all procedures, but now the process only takes about 15 seconds. The synchronised application of QR code scanning, facial recognition and fingerprint identification allows drivers to quickly finish entry procedures. In particular, fruits with short shelve lives, such as durian, a product highly popular in China, can now be transported cross the border without the risk of spoilage due to delays. The Youyi Guan customs in Guangxi, China, has operated an intelligent quarantine system since 2023, enabling Viet Nam and China to digitalise the entire co-ordination process. The average waiting time for each truck has been reduced by 3.5 hours, and the need for transshipment minimised. The number of trucks clearing customs at the Viet NamChina border gates reached a record of 3,300 per day within last year, double the figure of 2019. Another highlight is the application of advanced science and technology. Driverless trucks, smart cranes, 5G technology, and the Beidou navigation satellite system have been deployed, making border gate operations largely automated and moving toward 24/7 operation. This is Chinas first cross-border smart border gate model, which has delivered tangible results and is continuing to expand. The joint efforts of the two countries to promote cooperation in reform and capacity building of border gate management not only shorten customs clearance times but also lay a solid foundation for stable and sustainable bilateral trade ties. When fresh durian from Viet Nam was officially allowed for export to China since September 2022, the country quickly became a major supplier. Nearly half of the 1.56 million tonnes of durian imported by China came from Viet Nam last year. This clearly demonstrates the effectiveness of the smart border gate model in bringing Vietnamese agricultural products closer to Chinese consumers. The establishment and operation of smart border gates not only addressed immediate challenges for farmers and import-export businesses but also carries strategic significance, opening up vast opportunities for Viet Nam-China border trade. This achievement is a direct result of the close attention and guidance from the senior leaders of both parties and governments, reflecting the spirit of friendly, mutually beneficial, and shared development between the two neighbouring nations. Zhu Houdong, deputy chief commander of the ChinaViet Nam Friendship cargo transport corridor-smart port project, told the Vietnam News Agency that the purpose of building the smart port model was to achieve the goal of rapid customs clearance, ensuring goods can be transported from Nanning to Ha Noi and vice versa within 24 hours, maximising the stability of supply and production chains between the two countries. In the coming period, based on the existing infrastructure, the current customs clearance capacity would be doubled, Zhu added. VNS HA NOI The stock market continued to recover on Thursday, with the VN-Index reclaiming the 1,680-point level despite weaker liquidity and persistent net selling from foreign investors. The session saw notable volatility in early trading, with the benchmark index dipping to 1,660 points at one stage. However, selling pressure eased, and the market gradually rebounded in the afternoon to close higher. On the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE), the VN-Index rose 8.08 points, or 0.48 per cent, to 1,680.86 points. Market breadth tilted towards gainers, with 177 advancers against 137 decliners. Liquidity dropped sharply by 27.2 per cent from the previous session to VN34.4 trillion (around US$1.3 billion). The VN30-Index, which tracks the 30 largest stocks by market capitalisation and liquidity, added 12.65 points, or 0.68 per cent, to 1,861.2 points. Within the basket, 19 stocks advanced, nine declined, and two closed flat. Banking and financial stocks provided the main support, led by Techcombank (TCB) and Vietnam Prosperity Joint Stock Commercial Bank (VPB), which gained 1.67 per cent and 2.1 per cent, respectively. They were followed by SSI Securities Corporation (SSI), up 4.35 per cent, Fortune Vietnam Joint Stock Commercial Bank (LPB), up 2.4 per cent, and Saigon Hanoi Commercial Joint Stock Bank (SHB), up 4.25 per cent. Collectively, these financial stocks contributed more than six points to the VN-Index. On the losing side, Vingroup (VIC) led the decliners, dropping 1.44 per cent and erasing nearly 1.7 points from the index. According to a daily report by Saigon Hanoi Securities (SHS), after several weeks of strong activity with liquidity exceeding VN50 trillion on HoSE, trading momentum has slowed, with a sharp decline in value recorded in Thursdays session. The cooling off was partly attributed to investor caution ahead of the national holidays marking the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and the upcoming National Day. SHS analysts observed: As we previously noted, short-term speculative positions are losing appeal as opportunities for quick profits narrow. With August drawing to a close and the final month of the third quarter approaching, the market is likely to enter a phase of divergence. Valuations and expectations for third-quarter earnings will once again become the key drivers after the recent rally. They added: Investors should maintain balanced exposure, focusing on fundamentally strong, industry-leading stocks aligned with Viet Nams strategic growth sectors. On the Ha Noi Stock Exchange (HNX), the HNX-Index inched up 0.25 points, or 0.09 per cent, to 276.63 points, with trading value reaching VN2.3 trillion, equivalent to more than 101 million shares. VNS Operating Expenses Reduced by 16% To Date, Full Impact Anticipated in H2 2025 and Beyond Announcing Shareholder Return Program of No Less Than HKD600 Million Embracing the New AI Era: AI Content Factory Empowering the Entire Company HONG KONG, Aug. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- NetDragon Websoft Holdings Limited ("NetDragon" or the "Company"; Hong Kong Stock Code: 777), a global leader in building internet communities, today announced its financial results for the first half of 2025. NetDragon's management team will hold a conference call and webcast at 10:00am Hong Kong time on 29 August 2025 to discuss the results and recent business development. Dr. Dejian Liu, Chairman of NetDragon, commented: "We maintained stable operations despite temporary challenges in the first half of 2025. The gaming business advanced its execution under the established 'Evergreen Operation Plan'. While this led to short-term revenue fluctuations, gaming performance has now stabilised, showing only a marginal HoH decline in revenue. Meanwhile, Mynd.ai business was affected by external factors including increased tariffs and softening demand in its key markets. While challenges persist, our efforts to streamline operations and enhance cost efficiency have resulted in a 15.6% YoY reduction in the Company's operating expenses with full impact anticipated in the second half of 2025 and beyond, paving the way for future profitability." "We are confident in our long-term sustainable growth and value-creation potential. With solid results from multiple strategic investments and robust cash reserves, we are well positioned to further our commitment of enhancing shareholder returns. The Board of Directors has approved an interim dividend of HKD0.5 per ordinary share, representing an increase of 25% YoY, and a distribution of no less than HKD600 million to our shareholders over the next 12 months through a combination of dividend payments and share repurchases (Shareholder Return Program)." "For the longer term of development, we fully embraced the new artificial intelligence (AI) era and upheld our vision of 'Infinite Growth', while further advancing the execution of our dual-focus strategy - 'AI+Gaming' and 'AI+Education'. In the gaming sector, our evergreen flagship IP Eudemons continued to elevate content quality and launched a series of crossover collaborations with cultural heritage projects and public welfare initiatives, leading to sustained growth in user engagement. Meanwhile, our Conquer IP delivered solid progress in overseas expansion and content monetisation. The 'Content+Esports' engine for Heroes Evolved IP proved to be a significant success. In the education sector, we implemented a systematic restructuring of our domestic EdTech businesses, sharpening our focus on core AI-powered projects such as country-level platforms, as well as the vocational education business. Our U.S.-listed subsidiary, Mynd.ai, successfully launched its next-generation integrated solution, ActivPanel 10 and Promethean ActivSuite software, and reached an agreement to acquire an award-winning AI voice assistant technology, leveraging our vast user base to further enhance our SaaS offerings. In addition, we introduced Zhongke WengAI ("Wenge"), a leading AI large language model company in China, as a strategic shareholder of our Hong Kong-based subsidiary Cherrypicks to support its AI evolution. In August, Cherrypicks and Wenge jointly released three co-developed AI applications: the international version of X-Agent (AI-powered zero-code enterprise agent factory), WiSky (multilingual intelligence platform with AI-powered social listening for global decisions), and YoYa (multimodal creative studio with AI-powered all-in-one intelligent audio-video synthesis). This milestone marks the first time that China's core AI technologies have been brought to global markets under the lead of a Hong Kong enterprise. In early June, we unveiled our strategy of empowering global digital education development through AI Content Factory at the United Nations High-level Expert Group Meeting in New York, as we move forward with partners to build a global education metaverse platform." 202 5 First Half Financial Highlights Revenue was RMB2.4 billion , representing a 27.9% decrease YoY. , representing a 27.9% decrease YoY. Revenue from the gaming and application services was RMB1.7 billion , representing 73.0% of the Company's total revenue and reflecting an 18.1% decrease YoY, but the performance has stabilised with a 4.3% decrease HoH. , representing 73.0% of the Company's total revenue and reflecting an 18.1% decrease YoY, but the performance has stabilised with a 4.3% decrease HoH. Revenue from Mynd.ai business was RMB641 million , representing 26.9% of the Company's total revenue and a 45.7% decrease YoY, reflecting the extended demand adjustment caused by economic uncertainty. , representing 26.9% of the Company's total revenue and a 45.7% decrease YoY, reflecting the extended demand adjustment caused by economic uncertainty. Gross profit was RMB1.7 billion , representing a 24.7% decrease YoY, whereas gross profit margin increased 2.9 percentage points to 69.5% YoY. , representing a 24.7% decrease YoY, whereas gross profit margin increased 2.9 percentage points to 69.5% YoY. Operating expenses decreased by 15.6% YoY to RMB1.4 billion , reflecting the early impact of our cost reduction and efficiency improvement measures, which are expected to be fully realised in the second half of 2025. , reflecting the early impact of our cost reduction and efficiency improvement measures, which are expected to be fully realised in the second half of 2025. Profit attributable to owners of the Company was RMB30 million , representing a 92.5% decrease YoY, affected by an impairment loss of intangible assets as of 30 June 2025 which is expected to fully reverse in the second half of 2025 based on the current market price, as well as one-off expenses associated with the staff optimisation plan. Excluding these two items, the decrease in adjusted profit attributable to owners of the Company significantly narrowed. , representing a 92.5% decrease YoY, affected by an impairment loss of intangible assets as of which is expected to fully reverse in the second half of 2025 based on the current market price, as well as one-off expenses associated with the staff optimisation plan. Excluding these two items, the decrease in adjusted profit attributable to owners of the Company significantly narrowed. The Company declared an interim dividend of HKD0.5 per ordinary share for the six months ended 30 June 2025 . per ordinary share for the six months ended . Segmental Financial Highlights 2025 First Half 2024 First Half Variance (RMB million) Gaming and application services Mynd.ai business Gaming and application services Mynd.ai business Gaming and application services Mynd.ai business Revenue 1,738 641 2,121 1,180 -18.1 % -45.7 % Gross profit 1,498 163 1,849 351 -19.0 % -53.6 % Gross margin 86.2 % 25.4 % 87.2 % 29.7 % -1.0 ppts -4.3 ppts Core segmental profit (loss) 501 (195) 688 (111) -27.2 % +75.7 % Segmental operating expenses[1] - Research and development (436) (104) (595) (101) -26.7 % +3.0 % - Selling and marketing (197) (139) (210) (139) -6.2 % - - Administrative (330) (118) (324) (200) +1.9 % -41.0 % [1] Segmental operating expenses exclude unallocated expenses/income such as directors' emoluments and certain administrative expenses that have been grouped into SG&A categories on the Company's reported consolidated financial statements, but cannot be allocated to specific business segments for purpose of calculating the segmental profit (loss) figures in accordance with HKFRS 8. Gaming and Application Services Business Revenue from our gaming and application services amounted to RMB1.7 billion in the first half of 2025, representing a decrease of 18.1% YoY and a slight decrease of 4.3% HoH. We remain committed to long-term operations and the development of evergreen IPs. While revenue experienced a temporary decline due to certain short-term factors, we continued to enhance player experience, drive user growth, and strengthen engagement - laying a solid foundation for the long-term sustainability of our gaming business. With the continued progress of business optimisation, segmental operating expenses have been effectively controlled, representing a decrease of 14.7% YoY, while core segmental profit rebounded HoH to RMB501 million, demonstrating strong resilience and positive recovery momentum. In the gaming sector, the deployment of the AI Content Factory further enhanced operational efficiency: The overall workforce structure has been enhanced to further align with the AI era, thereby strengthening team capability and cohesion, which led to a 26.7% YoY reduction in R&D costs across the gaming and application service segment. Alongside cost optimisation, our "AI+" strategy has also significantly boosted our efficiency: different gaming teams under the same IP now collaborate more effectively through the AI Content Factory, achieving better integration and greatly enhancing cross-version content collaboration and automated generation capabilities. Our R&D and innovation efforts also closely align with the AI trends: Our major new title, Code-MY, started its closed beta testing for IP users in August, with preparations for its official launch underway. The mobile game Code-Alpha is preparing to expand into multiple overseas markets. With the support of AI Content Factory, our flagship IP Eudemons will be able to efficiently roll out multi-language versions, opening new opportunities overseas. Meanwhile, Legend of Eudemons was successfully launched on several mini game platforms in the first half, further enhancing the IP's influence. In addition, our other self-developed IPs such as Under Oath and Zero Online, are scheduled for release through publishing and licensing partnerships, bringing in additional revenue. Looking forward, we are positioning the long-term R&D focus on AI-native games. We have already built preliminary capabilities in AIGC graphical design, multi-agent collaboration, intelligent NPC, closed-loop data iteration, data safety and compliance, planning to roll out prototypes by phases to lay the foundation for next-generation gaming innovation. In the application services sector, we further advance our strategy of fully embracing the new AI era: Our domestic EdTech business will focus on core AI-powered projects such as country-level platforms, as well as vocational education business. In Thailand, our AI-driven vocational education project collaborated with the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research, and Innovation (MHESI) was officially launched, providing nationwide training in fields such as new electric vehicles for university students and the broader youth community. Supported by the World Bank, we signed a cooperation agreement with the Ministry of Secondary Education of Cameroon (MINESEC) to enhance digital education in the country, with the aim of improving education equity and teaching quality. Our Hong Kong-based subsidiary Cherrypicks successfully secured strategic investment from Wenge and will serve as its sole overseas commercialisation and go-to-market platform, facilitating the rollout of China's leading AI technologies in Hong Kong, Macau, and overseas markets. Wenge's "YaYi" large language model and its AI- Scientist Agent ranked first across two global AI Agent benchmarks in 2025, underscoring its world-class R&D capabilities. In August, Cherrypicks and Wenge jointly launched AI applications including social listening and multimodal content creation tools globally. Leveraging Hong Kong's position as an international innovation and technology hub and its multilingual environment, these products will expand into overseas markets such as Southeast Asia, Europe, and the U.S. Beyond creating new revenue streams, this strategic partnership will further strengthen our AI capabilities and resources. Beyond the gaming and application services business, the strategic value of the Company's initiatives in frontier technologies and the AI+ ecosystem continues to materialise: Our investee in AI edge devices successfully launched a new generation of AI glasses, marking a key breakthrough in consumer applications. In cultural creativity and IP operations, the influence of our investee's flagship IP portfolio further expanded, driving stronger commercialisation. Going forward, we will continue to focus our strategic investments on frontier technologies including AI, XR, robotics, and blockchain, as well as the cultural innovation sector, ensuring solid synergy effects with our core businesses. Mynd.ai Notwithstanding industry-wide softening throughout most of our key geographic markets, customer budget uncertainties, and increased tariffs, we are focused on positioning Mynd.ai for future success. The introduction of our next-generation integrated solution, ActivPanel 10 and Promethean ActivSuite software, is the first step in the transformation of our core offerings designed to enhance cybersecurity, facilitate a seamless "plug and play" experience with customers' existing technology, and lower lifetime cost of ownership. The accelerated product portfolio evolution is further enabled and enhanced by our continued focus on various cost optimisation initiatives designed to improve our competitive positioning in the market and facilitate further investments in our business. On the investment front, we are very excited to highlight our entry into an agreement to acquire an award-winning AI voice assistant technology, which we expect to complete during the third quarter. We believe that this acquisition will allow us to accelerate and evolve our AI-enabled solution roadmap and significantly enhance the interaction of the full ecosystem of software and hardware offerings in a classroom. The key financial highlights for Mynd.ai in the first half of 2025 are as follows: Revenue of RMB641 million compared to RMB1,180 million for the same period in the prior year, with the decrease primarily driven by declines in customer spending due to budgetary reductions caused by economic uncertainty compared to for the same period in the prior year, with the decrease primarily driven by declines in customer spending due to budgetary reductions caused by economic uncertainty Core segmental loss of RMB195 million compared to a loss of RMB111 million for the same period in the prior year compared to a loss of for the same period in the prior year Cash flow from continuing operations decreased by RMB239 million compared to the same period in the prior year, with cash reserves of RMB208 million as of June 30, 2025 compared to the same period in the prior year, with cash reserves of as of Reduced outstanding indebtedness by RMB53 million since year end since year end Management continuing to implement cost saving measures to mitigate effects of education technology market headwinds Management Conference Call and Webcast NetDragon's management team will hold a conference call and webcast at 10:00am Hong Kong time on 29 August, 2025 to discuss the results and recent business developments. Details of the live conference call and webcast are as follows: Webcast https://webcast.roadshowchina.cn/njMGbE International +852 2112 1888 Mainland China HK (China) 4008 428 338 +852 2112 1888 US +1 866 226 1406 UK 0800 032 2849 Passcode 3307029# The live and archived webcast of the conference call will be available on the Investor Relations section of NetDragon's website at http://ir.nd.com.cn/en/category/webcast. Participants in the live webcast should visit the aforementioned website 10 minutes prior to the call, then click on the icon for "2025 Interim Results Presentation and Webcast" and follow the registration instructions. About NetDragon Websoft Holdings Limited NetDragon Websoft Holdings Limited (HKSE: 777) is a global leader in building internet communities, with a long track record of developing and scaling multiple internet and mobile platforms that impact hundreds of millions of users. Over the desktop and mobile internet eras, NetDragon previously established China's first online gaming portal, 17173.com, and China's most influential smartphone app store platform, 91 Wireless. Established in 1999, NetDragon is one of the most reputable and well-known online game developers in China with a history of successful game titles including Eudemons Online, Conquer Online, Heroes Evolved and Under Oath. In the past 10 years, NetDragon has also achieved success with its EdTech business both domestically and globally. Fully embracing the new AI era, NetDragon is driving its vision of "Infinite Growth" through a dual-focus strategy of "AI+Gaming" and "AI+Education". With its AI Content Factory empowering operations and working with partners to develop a global learning metaverse, NetDragon is committed to once again building a massive user community in the new AI era. NetDragon's overseas edtech business entity, currently a U.S.-listed subsidiary named Mynd.ai, is a global leader in interactive technology and its award-winning interactive displays and software can be found in more than 1 million learning and training spaces across 126 countries. For investor enquiries, please contact: NetDragon Websoft Holdings Limited Ms. Maggie Zhou Senior Director of Investor Relations Email: [email protected] / [email protected] Website: ir.netdragon.com SOURCE NetDragon Websoft Holdings Limited HA NOI Trust, credibility and clarity are the keystones for Viet Nam as it charts a bold path towards launching digital asset exchanges. Should the country get this right, it could transform its currently fragmented trading environment into a globally competitive financial hub. With over 17 million Vietnamese holding digital assets and blockchain investment inflows surpassing US$105 billion in 202324 a sum described as merely 'the tip of the iceberg' the appetite for a legitimate, transparent marketplace is undeniable. Yet until now, Viet Nam has lacked a digital asset exchange that is recognised by law, trusted by investors and transparent enough to unlock the sector's full potential. A major boost came with the passage of the Law on Digital Technology Industry, slated to take effect on January 1, 2026. This landmark legislation sets the stage for piloting digital asset exchanges in line with the country's broader ambition to develop an international financial centre. Under this framework, the Ministry of Finance is drafting regulations to license multiple digital asset exchanges. Analysts note this move could not only legitimise a booming investment channel but also expand tax revenues, attract foreign capital, and open new funding pathways for tech start-ups. President of the Vietnam Blockchain and Digital Asset Association (VBA) Phan uc Trung anticipates around five domestic exchanges will be licensed for the pilot. These platforms may connect with international markets to ensure liquidity and competitiveness, allowing the trading of major cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum. At a talk show titled What Opportunities for Digital Asset Exchanges? held in HCM City on August 21, General Secretary of the HCM City Blockchain Association Tran Xuan Tien emphasised that the absence of a legal framework has long stifled the sector. A clear, lawful framework would build investor confidence. If Viet Nam pilots five exchanges, the market will become far more transparent and able to unlock its true potential. Digital asset exchange development is a race against time. Tien warned that the country risks falling behind if exchanges are not opened within the next one to two years. Yet he also cautioned that haste without proper safeguards may introduce risks. We must build local exchanges to manage liquidity and data while letting international platforms participate to ensure competition and experience sharing, he said. Tien added that Viet Nam could learn from models applied in Dubai, Singapore and the Republic of Korea. In South Korea, for example, digital asset transaction accounts are directly linked to banks to ensure transparency in cash flow. CEO of Ninety Eight (formerly Coin98) Nguyen The Vinh noted that blockchain enables low-cost transactions, high liquidity and global connectivity. If Viet Nam moves in the right direction, it could attract foreign capital and build a fintech ecosystem on par with global leaders, he said. Although Viet Nam has the capacity to develop its own exchanges, Vinh stressed that partnering with major global platforms would be essential to leverage their infrastructure and expertise. More importantly, the key is to act now, he said. If we delay, the opportunity will slip away, even though the resources are already here. Transparency and investor protection are first priorities for the sustainable development of the digital asset market. Business Development Director of OKX Global Huynh Quoc Nam said the collapse of a top-two global exchange sounded a warning for both regulators and investors. That platform failed due to the misuse of users assets, ultimately leading to insolvency. To avoid similar risks, Nam argued that exchanges must publish transparent trading volumes, liquidity data, and provide asset guarantees. He also called for investor insurance, robust cybersecurity teams and strict know-your-customer (KYC) protocols to prevent fraud and money laundering. To integrate digital asset exchanges into the future international financial centre, Viet Nam must match the pace of global digital finance. In addition to basic products, Nam said the market should expand into derivatives and margin trading both of which dominate international crypto activity but remain largely absent domestically. A sandbox will allow investors to try these products in a controlled environment, avoiding unnecessary risks, he added. Director of law firm Investpush ao Tien Phong said trust and credibility are critical in running digital asset exchanges. Regulators, he added, must impose strict licensing standards to ensure virtual asset service providers (VASPs) have sufficient operational capacity, technical capabilities and security infrastructure. In regions like Singapore, Hong Kong and Dubai, licensing regimes include rules on asset custody, account guarantees, minimum capital requirements and mandatory insurance. Viet Nam should adopt similar standards and require licensed exchanges to have a legal entity and physical presence in the country to facilitate management, Phong said. He also noted that the Law on Personal Data Protection will be key to safeguarding investor information in digital asset trading. Phong added that Viet Nam should consider allowing international exchanges to operate domestically in order to learn from their technology and models. Simultaneously, he urged the nurturing of homegrown platforms to better manage data and protect users. Viet Nam must move quickly but with a safety buffer through a regulatory sandbox, he said. According to the Viet Nam Blockchain Association, licensed exchanges could offer trading in up to 50 cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDT and USDC. The draft decree on the pilot implementation of digital asset trading is expected to be finalised later this month. VNS HCM CITY The Dugong (sea cow) population on HCM Citys Con ao Island, the only known habitat of the species in Viet Nam, is facing an alarming decline and could disappear entirely without timely intervention, according to conservation experts and local authorities. The Con ao National Park Management Board has reported a series of Dugong deaths since the beginning of 2025 and has sought technical support from the citys Department of Science and Technology to identify the causes and recommend urgent protection measures. Known in folklore as the mermaid of the sea, the Dugong is a gentle marine mammal that depends almost entirely on seagrass for food. Its presence is not only an indicator of the health of marine ecosystems but also part of the countrys natural heritage. Once found in several coastal areas of the country, Dugongs are now only recorded in the waters surrounding Con ao, making the archipelago their last refuge in the country. Protecting habitats, regulating human activities The Dugong is classified as Vulnerable on the 2023 IUCN Red List and is listed among species prioritised for protection under Government Decree No. 64/2019. Globally, its populations have been declining rapidly due to habitat degradation, pollution, boat collisions, entanglement in fishing gear and, in some cases, illegal hunting. Con ao currently hosts only a small Dugong population, concentrated mainly in shallow waters around Ben am, Con Son Bay, and Bay Canh Islet. A survey by the Institute of Marine Environment and Resources in 2023 estimated just 12 Dugongs remained. However, since early this year, four Dugongs have been found dead, with the causes still under investigation. Experts warn that the survival of Dugongs is closely linked to the health of seagrass beds, their sole food source. Con ao once had over 329 hectares of seagrass across 12 locations. By 2022, however, seagrass was recorded in only two areas, including Con Son Bay and Bay Canh Islet. This severe loss of habitat is largely attributed to pollution, unregulated tourism activities, and destructive fishing practices. Director of Con ao National Park Nguyen Khac Pho said efforts to protect and restore seagrass meadows are at the heart of Dugong conservation. Improving water quality by strictly managing plastic waste, sewage, and other pollutants is essential for seagrass recovery, he said. Conservationists stress the importance of regulating human activities in Dugong habitats. Establishing strictly protected zones, restricting bottom trawling and gill nets, and imposing speed limits on tourist boats are among the urgent measures being recommended. Support for fishermen to adopt environmentally friendly gear and training on how to respond if Dugongs are accidentally caught could reduce fatalities. Developing alternative livelihoods, such as responsible eco-tourism, is also seen as a way to engage local communities in conservation. Nguyen Van Quan, director of the Institute of Marine Environment and Resources, said management and conservation efforts have not achieved significant breakthroughs because communities have not been fully involved. Biodiversity management must engage the people who live closest to these ecosystems, he said. He proposed a community-based conservation model for Con ao, along with the establishment of a Dugong rescue centre on the island. With the rising number of boats for tourism and fishing, accidents and bycatch are inevitable. A dedicated centre could treat and rehabilitate Dugongs and other marine animals such as turtles, dolphins and whales, while also serving as a hub for research and education, he said. Raising awareness, international cooperation Experts agree that protecting Dugongs is not only the responsibility of scientists and authorities but also requires broader public participation. Environmental education campaigns targeting schools and local communities in Con ao could foster greater awareness of the Dugongs ecological importance, particularly among young people. International cooperation is also regarded as crucial for long-term success. Viet Nam could learn from countries such as Australia, Thailand and the Philippines, which have implemented effective Dugong conservation strategies. Partnerships with global organisations, including the IUCN and WWF, would provide both expertise and financial resources. Modern technologies, such as satellite tagging and drone monitoring, could help track Dugong movements and better understand their behaviour, providing data to design more precise conservation strategies. Despite the challenges, conservationists remain cautiously hopeful. The Dugong is more than just a species. It symbolises the health of the marine environment and the responsibility we share in protecting it, Quan said. The fate of the countrys last Dugong population is now hanging in the balance. Saving Dugongs will require coordinated action: restoring seagrass habitats, regulating human activity, involving communities, and strengthening international collaboration. For Con ao, the race is on to ensure that its Dugongs not only survive but can thrive, safeguarding a priceless part of the nations natural heritage for future generations. VNS HCM CITY The beauty of Southeast Asian countries is highlighted at a photography exhibition opening at the Institute of Cultural Exchange with France (IDECAF) in HCM City. The exhibition, titled The Beauty of ASEAN Nations Vietnams Imprint, is organised by the Vietnam-ASEAN Friendship Association in HCM City and its partners to celebrate the 58th founding anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the 30th anniversary of Viet Nam's accession to the grouping. It is part of the photo contest of the same name to honour cultural diversity and bring Southeast Asian countries together through visual storytelling. The contest received more than 200 photos taken by 50 Vietnamese and foreign photographers living and working in Viet Nam. The exhibition showcases around 50 photos, featuring positive and inspiring images of nature, history, culture, people, and daily life in the region. The photos also offer diverse perspectives on cooperative and cultural exchange activities among ASEAN countries, and deepen understanding among the member nations. The organisers awarded first prize for the best photo to photographer Truong Cong Luc with the photo titled Phong Cach Trang iem ac Biet Cua Phu Nu Myanmar (Unique Beauty Tip of Myanmar Women) taken in Myanmar. Second prize was given to Thap Sang Hang Phat (Lighting up the Buddha Cave) in Myanmar by Nguyen Thi Hong Lan, while two third prizes were sent to Thanh Pho Ho Chi Minh (Ho Chi Minh City) in Viet Nam by Cao Thi Thanh Ha and Dau Thoi Gian (Traces of Time) in Cambodia by Nguyen Thu Dung. The exhibition remains open to the public until September 5 at IDECAF, 31 Thai Van Lung Street, Sai Gon Ward. VNS By Tran Khanh An When we think of expat life in Viet Nam, we often imagine foreigners in bustling cities, working nine-to-five jobs or freelancing. But here, deep in Cuc Phuong National Park in Ninh Binh Province, a German man lives in the jungle every day happy, fulfilled and driven by purpose. Every morning before sunrise, Wernhard Vodisch steps out of his stilt house surrounded by towering trees and the sound of gibbons calling in the mist. For the past two years, this remote jungle has been both his home and his workplace. Here, far from the bustle of city life, Wernhard has found purpose in a mission that is as challenging as it is rewarding rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing some of the rarest primates on the planet. He is an animal head keeper at the Endangered Primate Rescue Centre (EPRC), a joint programme between Leipzig Zoo, Germany and Cuc Phuong National Park. Established in 1993, EPRCs mission is to rescue endangered and rare primate species confiscated by authorities from illegal hunting, trading or transportation. The centre is currently caring for and rehabilitating 245 individuals from 14 species. It gives a great opportunity for the experts, of course, but also for the local communities itself, to get in touch with people, get different ideas, see different pictures and hear different opinions about things, which brings it all together, he said. Because at the end, we all live on one planet and face the same challenges wherever we exactly are. Wernhards daily work involves overseeing quality animal husbandry across all sections of the centre, from rescue and rehabilitation to conservation breeding, education and research all with the ultimate goal of conservation release. He gathers observations from colleagues and identifies what action should be prioritised for each primate individual. My job is basically to make sure everything runs smoothly and not too much lung tung lang tang (messy in Vietnamese), he joked, while making his rounds to check every single cage in the centre before the end of a work day. In EPRC, every rescue marks a step towards healing, hope and a return to where the primates truly belong in the wild. Since childhood, he had been fascinated by the diversity of the world and promised himself he would experience it as much as possible. After beginning his career as a zookeeper in Leipzig, he learned about the EPRC programme in Viet Nam. I definitely saw it as an opportunity to follow my path, combining curiosity about the world, nature conservation, and the drive to gain new experiences while making a difference, he said. He applied for the position and was offered the role in April 2023. Wernhard still vividly recalled his first visit to Cuc Phuong: I was really stunned the first morning here. I heard the gibbons call and saw the fog and clouds drifting through the trees and mountains it was breathtaking. It leaves a lasting impression that motivates him to stay here every day. Since then, I have never once regretted my decision to work for the conservation and protection of Viet Nams highly endangered primate species, some of which exist only in this remarkable country. It is also a land of breathtaking landscapes, delicious food and lovely people. For Wernhard, the work is personal. Seeing how they grow older, especially when youve known them from their very first day, to when they become fully grown, and even have their first baby, always feels incredibly moving. It definitely makes me somehow emotionally attached to this place and the animals. Beyond his daily care duties, Wernhard also took part in the educational programme, welcoming school students from local communities to learn about the work at EPRC. For me, children are the future the ones who will steer the wheel of futures decisions. Thats incredibly important, especially since wildlife still faces so many challenges, he added. After two years at EPRC, he sees no end in sight, remaining committed to the mission of protecting Viet Nams incredible wildlife something he believes is worth fighting for every single day. I truly fell in love with Cuc Phuong National Park and Viet Nam. I hope that I will stay longer, dedicating myself to the never-ending mission of helping animals in need, restoring natural habitats and making a difference for the conservation of species, both on a small and large scale. Biodiversity is life-quality and we should never forget that we as humans can only persist if there is an environment providing the basis for that. VNS Ambassador of Panama to Viet Nam Nubiela Ayala Modes wrote to Viet Nam News on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Panama and Viet Nam. On August 28, 2025, the Republic of Panama and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam mark half a century of a solid and visionary diplomatic relationship. This alliance has transcended borders, cultures and oceans to become a bridge of opportunities between Asia and Latin America. Over these five decades, Panama and Viet Nam have woven a partnership that blends history, cooperation and a shared vision for the future. From the signing of agreements on political, commercial, scientific, technological, cultural, agricultural and maritime cooperation, to memoranda of understanding and treaties founded on the principles of the United Nations Charter, both countries have built the foundations of a strong alliance that reaches beyond geography. This bond has been nurtured through mutual respect and a commitment to peace, democracy and international law. We share a common outlook on the great global challenges of our time, which has allowed the maintenance of constructive political dialogue and the establishment of permanent channels between governments and institutions to deepen the brotherhood between our peoples. Among the historical milestones that mark this relationship, one of the most significant is Viet Nams support in 1977 for the neutrality of the Panama Canal, becoming the first country to adhere to the TorrijosCarter Treaties. This meaningful gesture laid the groundwork for enduring trust. Other highlights include the 2012 Memorandum of Understanding establishing a mechanism for bilateral political consultation; the 2016 Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement, which fosters trade and investment; and the Visa Waiver Agreement for ordinary passport holders, in force since 2021, facilitating the exchange of people, culture and business. These instruments not only strengthen diplomatic ties, but also expand opportunities for cooperation in key sectors. The current dynamism of PanamaViet Nam relations reflect a joint will to advance in strategic areas such as infrastructure, clean energy, tourism, agribusiness, technological innovation and civil society exchanges. It is worth recalling that on January 21, 2025, within the framework of the 55th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, His Excellency Jose Raul Mulino, President of Panama, met with His Excellency Pham Minh Chinh, Prime Minister of Viet Nam. Both leaders highlighted Panamas strategic role as a gateway to Latin America and Viet Nams readiness to share its agricultural expertise, particularly in rice cultivation, to support Panama. They also agreed to intensify high-level exchanges and broaden cooperation in areas such as infrastructure, energy (including electric vehicles), pharmaceuticals, tourism and civil society engagement. Panama has officially invited Viet Nam to establish a trade office in the Colon Free Zone to promote Vietnamese products by leveraging Panamas logistics infrastructure. This step reflects the importance that both countries highest authorities have placed on this relationship over the past year, and reaffirms the shared determination to strengthen and expand it. Today, Panama offers Viet Nam a strategic gateway to Latin America, while Viet Nam shares with Panama its expertise in agriculture, innovation and industrial development. Trade is growing, culture is being exchanged and opportunities for cooperation multiply in areas such as logistics, clean energy, tourism and education. This 50th anniversary is not only a celebration of the past, but also the beginning of a more ambitious stage: expanding alliances, opening new trade routes and deepening the ties between our societies. We renew our deepest recognition to all individuals and institutions that have been pillars of this five-decade friendship. Let us continue building strong, inclusive and dynamic bridges in the maritime, cultural, humanitarian, commercial and investment fields, so that future generations may inherit an even stronger and more prosperous relationship. At the Embassy of Panama in Ha Noi, commemorative events will include a photographic exhibition and a donation to a rehabilitation centre for people with disabilities in the Ha Noi community, reaffirming our commitment to cultural and humanitarian ties. On behalf of the Panamanian people and His Excellency Jose Raul Mulino, President of the Republic of Panama, we extend fraternal greetings to His Excellency Luong Cuong, President of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, and to the noble and friendly people of Viet Nam, as together we celebrate this historic milestone that honours our past and projects a promising future. We celebrate half century of sincere friendship and cooperation! As Panama and Viet Nam work together, the horizon knows no limits. VNS Facing rising non-traditional security threats linked to harmful human activities, Viet Nam is stepping up its response to challenges such as terrorism, drug-related crimes, cross-border human trafficking and especially high-tech and cybercrime. As criminal tactics grow more complex in todays globalised world, VNAs correspondent in the Czech Republic spoke with Dr Takashi Hosoda, Assistant Professor at the University of West Bohemia, to gain further insight. In the context of advancing globalisation and international integration, what non-traditional security (NTS) threats require particular attention? Since the end of the Cold War, security concepts have shifted to focus on a broad range of non-military threats, including climate change, resource shortages such as energy and food, infectious diseases like pandemics, natural disasters, transnational organised crime, human trafficking, drug trafficking and mass migration. These are now recognised as 'non-traditional threats.' A key feature of non-traditional threats is that the ultimate beneficiaries are often individuals rather than nations, meaning the protection of individuals should take priority. Of course, nations must still primarily act as a 'hard container' to safeguard traditional national sovereignty, territorial integrity and the security of their citizens. Moreover, many non-traditional threats can only be effectively addressed when there are no immediate and direct traditional threats. However, there has been a rise in cases where traditional security threats are combined with non-traditional ones, or where non-traditional threats are deliberately used to cause social unrest in another country, creating hybrid threats. Additionally, non-traditional security threats cover a wide spectrum and the main concerns vary depending on the region and country. This variation is due to political leaders perceptions of threats, which are shaped by their countries geopolitical conditions and strategic cultures. In this context, the Czech Republics view of non-traditional threats naturally differs from that of Viet Nam. In Central and Eastern European countries, including the Czech Republic, non-traditional threats such as cyberattacks, hybrid threats, terrorism, disinformation, climate change, energy security and artificial intelligence are increasingly significant. Meanwhile, Viet Nam, despite facing no imminent traditional military threats, recognises exposure to hybrid threats that fall short of full military conflict, as well as concerns over energy security, cyber threats and crimes, and unilateral actions by maritime law enforcement agencies of some countries in the South China Sea. In addition, organised crime, pandemics, and cybercrime remain key priorities to be addressed. Please provide examples of effective cooperation between countries and international organisations in addressing NTS issues and the factors contributing to their success. The basic approach to dealing with threats is to detect anomalies through early warning systems, take rapid emergency measures and then mobilise resources to restore the status quo. In such cases, a system where the central government makes decisions in a centralised manner may not respond adequately to changing circumstances. Therefore, an approach that delegates flexible command authority, mobilisation, logistics, and resource assurance to the field is necessary. In this regard, the concrete implementation of Viet Nams recently approved 'National Strategy for the Prevention and Response to Non-Traditional Security Threats by 2030' is eagerly anticipated. Based on the experience of the Czech Republic, what lessons and effective models should Viet Nam refer to in preventing and responding to non-traditional security threats? Non-traditional threats often cannot be effectively addressed by a single country, or the cost of doing so is too high, making multilateral, regional and United Nations cooperation indispensable. The Czech Republic, as a member of regional multilateral structures such as NATO and the EU, is able to cooperate with neighbouring countries to address these threats. Although some cooperation formats, such as the V4, have become dysfunctional, cooperation through the EU and responses via NATO remain highly valuable for Prague. This model is important for Viet Nam as well and it is essential to strengthen ASEANs functions and cooperation formats with like-minded countries. Even under Viet Nams 'Four Nos' policy, which prohibits forming military alliances with specific countries, participation in formats of like-minded countries to address non-traditional threats should not pose a problem. Some countries seek to challenge the postwar international order led by the West and establish a new order. However, to resolve non-traditional threats, it is crucial to reform the United Nations, which has operated for 80 years since the end of World War II and has played an important role in various fields, so it can function effectively. As Viet Nam continues to integrate into the international community, what areas of cooperation do you think should be prioritised in order to strengthen its capacity to respond to NTS threats? I highly appreciate the Vietnamese Governments efforts to establish the capacity and systems needed to effectively respond to non-traditional security threats, based on the recently approved 'National Strategy on Prevention and Response to Non-Traditional Security Threats by 2030.' In particular, (1) environmental risks such as climate change and natural disasters, (2) cybersecurity and information threats, (3) energy and water resource security, (4) pandemics and (5) countering organised crime are extremely important initiatives for forming a foundation that will promote the countrys further economic development. I believe there are many areas where Japan can cooperate with Viet Nam in the fields of energy, resource and water resource security, which are priorities of Japans economic security policy. Furthermore, as both Viet Nam and Japan depend on maritime transport, it is necessary to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in the field of maritime security. Based on your international experience, what is the significance of combining communication, education, and international cooperation in raising public awareness and building resilience to NTS issues? Addressing non-traditional threats is an area where even countries perceived as traditional threats can cooperate. Therefore, it is necessary for Viet Nam to build cooperative relationships with China, the United States, European countries, Japan and otherstranscending traditional security conflictsin areas such as natural disasters, pandemics, energy and water resource security and countering criminal organisations, in order to foster mutual trust. This is a crucial stance in the current era of global order instability, as it underscores the necessity of multilateral frameworks. That is why the maintenance and expansion of multilateralism across various fields to address global challenges is significant for both Ha Noi and Tokyo. VNA/VNS HA NOI As Viet Nam is entering a new era, the diplomatic sector is committed to continuing to write the glorious history of diplomacy in the Ho Chi Minh era, being dedicated to serving the country and the people, promoting the spirit of pioneering, and proactively creating momentum and position to help the nation firmly progress towards new development milestones, according to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son. On the occasion of the 80th founding anniversary of the diplomatic sector (August 28, 19452025), Son wrote an article highlighting the glorious 80-year journey of Viet Nam's diplomacy for the struggle for national liberation and the cause of national construction and protection. He affirmed that the diplomatic service has made significant contributions, leaving its indelible mark on every historical milestone of the nation, from the period of gaining and maintaining independence, to the struggle against colonialists and imperialists for the liberation of the South and national reunification, and to the present efforts in the process of national construction and defence. From a country that was once blockaded and isolated, Viet Nam has maintained diplomatic relations with 194 countries, established comprehensive partnerships or higher with 37 countries, including all permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, all ASEAN countries, all members of G7, 18 out of G20 economies, and is an active member of more than 70 international organisations. The elevation and upgrade of relations with key, important partners have contributed to creating a new strategic stature, deepening cooperation with partners, laying the foundation for long-term and sustainable relations, and opening up a more favourable diplomatic landscape than ever before for the cause of national construction and defence. Notably, along with national defence and security, diplomacy has contributed to maintaining a peaceful and stable environment, and protecting the homeland early and from afar. Border issues with neighbouring countries have gradually been solved, creating a legal foundation and favourable conditions to build peaceful, friendly, and cooperative borders, promote socio-economic development, and consolidate peace and stability in the region. At the same time, diplomacy has effectively fought against activities that violate Viet Nam's sovereignty, legitimate rights and interests at sea; helped to promote negotiations and cooperation to solve existing issues, fully implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (international known as the South China Sea) (DOC), and actively participate in building a substantive and effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in line with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). It has also actively participated in the fight for democracy, human rights, religion, and ethnic issues, contributing to the maintenance of national security, social order, and safety, Son said. The official affirmed that multilateral diplomacy has enhanced Viet Nam's role and position, affirming that it is an active and responsible member of the international community. Viet Nam's membership in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), and the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has progressively evolved, from joining and participating to proactively and significantly making contributions and becoming a responsible member at multilateral and international forums. It is noteworthy that Viet Nam has twice held the role of a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council (2008-2009 and 2020-2021), twice been a member of the UN Human Rights Council (2014-2016 and 2023-2025), and participated in six out of seven key governing mechanisms of UNESCO. In addition, economic diplomacy has played a crucial role as a driving force in socio-economic development, realising development goals and improving the people's living standards. From a country that was backward and heavily devastated by war, Viet Nam has now become a rapidly rising economy, ranking among the top 32 economies in terms of GDP size. To date, it has established economic relations with more than 230 countries and territories; and signed and implemented 17 Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), including many new-generation FTAs. Foreign affairs have been implemented effectively and comprehensively. The Party and State's policies to care for nearly 6 million overseas Vietnamese have been carried out efficiently, contributing to strengthening national unity and mobilising resources for development through thousands of investment projects and billions of USD in remittances each year. Citizen protection actively safeguards the security, safety, rights, and legitimate interests of Vietnamese citizens and businesses, especially in conflict zones, disaster areas, and regions of instability. For tasks for the upcoming period, Son wrote that the diplomatic sector will build on the lessons left by 80 years of revolutionary history, continually renew its thinking to adapt to the changing domestic and world contexts, actively and proactively contribute to the successful realisation of the country's strategic goals. First, it will promote a pioneering and crucial role in continuously establishing and consolidating a favourable diplomatic environment, achieving the three strategic goals of diplomacy: security, development, and the country's position. Second, diplomacy will play a role in shaping and driving forces, opening up new opportunities for the country, connecting domestic strength with external power, with internal strength in fundamental and long-term, and external power being crucial and breakthrough. Third, attention will be paid to elevating the country's contributions to peace, cooperation, development, and progress for humanity. Fourth, more efforts will be made to promote the 'soft power' of the nation, thereby enhancing Viet Nam's image and position on the international stage. In the new era, the country's soft power is not only an important resource serving the goal of socio-economic development but also helps to connect Vietnam with the world, and foster friendship among nations. Fifth, the sector will improve the quality of research, forecasting, and strategic advising in the formulation of foreign policy, contributing to deepening the Party's theoretical foundation on foreign affairs. Last but not least, the official highlighted the necessity to build a comprehensive, modern, and professional diplomatic service that meets the requirements and tasks of the new era. Son concluded that after 80 years of national construction and 40 years of renewal, under the wise leadership of the Party, the country has achieved historic successes, bringing Vietnam to prominence on the world map. In every great victory of the nation, the significant contributions of diplomacy are evident. VNA/VNS TEL AVIV Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak has described Viet Nam as a prime example of how reform, courage, and determination could transform its harsh circumstances into a remarkable development success story. In an online interview with Vietnam News Agency's correspondents in Tel Aviv on the occasion of Viet Nam's 80th National Day (September 2), Barak reflected on his impressions on the countrys trajectory since the launch of oi moi (renewal) in 1986, calling it a typical success story of development. Barak said that Viet Nam possesses a unique energy, focus, unity, and aspiration for development that become apparent during his visit in 2022, stressing oi moi was not only a policy shift but also a strategic transformation that required breaking away from dogma while safeguarding political legacy, making Viet Nam's flexible and rapid changes admirable. Reflecting on the four-decade journey, Barak said Viet Nam has demonstrated to the world that with the right strategy, commitment to embracing changes, and courageous spirit, even the most challenging background could lead to extraordinary success. He praised the countrys achievements in lifting millions of people out of poverty and setting sights on high-income nation status in the next two decades. Viet Nam is on the right track, he said, expressing his confidence that the country will attain comprehensive development by its centennial in 2045. Barak reserved particular admiration for Vietnamese leaders in the past and at present. He described President Ho Chi Minh as a great figure, whose writings and thoughts revealed extraordinary depth in strategy, diplomacy, and geopolitics. He also praised General Vo Nguyen Giap for his creativity and military talent. However, he said that even exceptional leaders require a people willing to sacrifice and pursue shared ideals. True leadership means channeling national spirit but without collective determination and resilience, strategies remain meaningless. Regarding the Viet NamIsrael relations, he said Viet Nam have transformed dramatically since it opened door, revealing its strength and resilience to the world. The Israeli people have admired Vietnam for the struggle for national independence as well as ability to transform the spirit into exceptional development progress. Entrepreneurs in Israel, he noted, have seen enormous potential in Viet Nam, especially in innovation, despite cultural and business differences. He expressed his belief that the countrys reform-driven mindset will allow it to establish a clear foothold in the global innovation map. VNA/VNS PHNOM PENH The Cambodian daily Kampuchea Thmey has run an analysis underscoring the historic significance of Viet Nams August Revolution and National Day (September 2, 1945), while commending the traditional friendship and solidarity between Viet Nam and Cambodia through both wartime and peacetime. The article, published online on August 26, recalled that August 19 marked the eightieth anniversary of the August Revolution, a turning point that liberated Viet Nam from colonial rule and forged historical links with Laos and Cambodia on the Indochinese peninsula. It noted that despite challenges over the past eight decades, CambodiaViet Nam relations have advanced remarkably, backed by strong commitments from the two countries leaders to deepen and expand cooperation. Analysts cited in the piece stressed that under President Ho Chi Minhs leadership, Viet Nam transformed from a colonised, impoverished nation into an independent, unified country with steady growth and stability. Geopolitical expert Thong Mengdavid described Viet Nams eightieth National Day as not only celebrating the nations resilience but also reflecting its important role in fostering peace, security, and prosperity in Southeast Asia. He highlighted Viet Nams support in helping Cambodia overthrow the Pol Pot regime in 1979 and in its continued assistance with reconstruction and capacity-building. Today, bilateral cooperation spans border security, crime prevention, defence diplomacy, trade, and cultural exchange. Annual trade exceeds US$10 billion, supported by joint projects in agriculture, energy, manufacturing, and connectivity. Vietnamese investment has contributed to infrastructure and electricity networks in Cambodia, while thousands of Cambodian students trained in Viet Nam are strengthening mutual understanding between the two nations. Dr. Seun Sam of the Royal Academy of Cambodia (RAC) noted rapid growth in bilateral trade, investment, and tourism, saying it demonstrates not only strong leadership commitments but also the vast potential for cooperation, with the goal of lifting trade turnover to $20 billion. Meanwhile, Uch Leang, Acting Director of the Department of Asian, African, and Middle East Studies under the RACs International Relations Institute of Cambodia, affirmed that relations, fostered by generations of leaders and peoples, have been strengthened in line with the principle of good neighbourliness, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation, and long-term sustainability agreed in 2005. According to Cambodian analysts cited by Kampuchea Thmey, bilateral ties are now flourishing across all areas, from politics and security to economy, health, culture, education, science, and people-to-people exchanges. With determination from both sides, CambodiaViet Nam friendship and cooperation are expected to reach new heights, meeting the aspirations of the two countries' people. VNA/VNS HA NOI Vietnamese Ambassador to Germany Nguyen ac Thanh presented his letter of credence to German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at a ceremony held at Bellevue Palace in Berlin on Wednesday (local time). At the reception following the ceremony, President Steinmeier warmly congratulated Thanh on his new post. He appreciated the greetings and best wishes from Party General Secretary To Lam, President Luong Cuong, and other leaders of Viet Nam. On this occasion, he extended his heartfelt congratulations to the Party, State, and people of Viet Nam on the 80th anniversary of the countrys National Day. Thanh asked the President to convey Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinhs congratulations to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on the initial achievements of his coalition government during its first 100 days in office. President Steinmeier recalled with appreciation the warm and thoughtful welcome he received during his state visit to Viet Nam in January 2024. He expressed satisfaction with the positive results of bilateral cooperation across multiple areas, including trade, investment, defence, education, health care, and labour cooperation. For his part, the ambassador thanked the German Government, people and, particularly, the Federal Foreign Office for supporting the Vietnamese Embassy in Berlin and the Vietnamese community in Germany. He proposed the President to continue creating favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community to integrate successfully and contribute to the local society, thereby serving as a bridge between the two countries. Thanh also shared that a German festival (Deutschlandfest) is scheduled to take place around Hoan Kiem Lake in Ha Noi this October, and that Viet Nam welcomes visits by German Government leaders, officials, and local authorities. Steinmeier agreed that both sides should maintain high-level exchanges, including an upcoming visit by German federal and local leaders to Viet Nam to celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations. He proposed that the two countries work closely to carry out their agreed plan of high-level mutual visits for this year. The Vietnamese diplomat reaffirmed that Viet Nam attaches great importance to relations with Germany, pledging efforts to strengthen friendship and cooperation during his tenure. Emphasising Viet Nams commitment to its comprehensive partnership and cooperation with the European Union, he called on Germany to help accelerate the ratification of the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) and advocate the removal of the European Commissions yellow card warning over illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing on Vietnamese seafood. The ambassador voiced hope that both sides will continue to effectively implement the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), facilitate access for Vietnamese goods, especially agricultural products, to the German market, and maintain close coordination at international forums such as the United Nations and the ASEAN-EU cooperation. VNA/VNS Partnership leverages Replicate's proprietary srRNA technology to create novel, scalable therapies for obesity, type 2 diabetes and other cardiometabolic diseases Replicate will receive research funding and could potentially receive up to approximately US$550 million, in addition to tiered royalties on future product sales SAN DIEGO, Aug. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Replicate Bioscience, a clinical-stage company pioneering next-generation self-replicating RNA (srRNA) technology for applications across infectious disease, immunology, and other therapeutic areas, today announced a multi-year research collaboration with Novo Nordisk. This collaboration unites Novo Nordisk's deep therapeutic knowledge and drug development expertise with Replicate's novel srRNA platform to develop new therapeutic candidates to treat obesity, type 2 diabetes and other cardiometabolic diseases. Under the terms of the agreement, Novo Nordisk and Replicate will collaborate on certain targets for cardiometabolic diseases. Novo Nordisk will receive a defined exclusive, worldwide license to use Replicate's srRNA platform to develop and commercialize the lead programs. Replicate will receive research funding and is eligible to receive up to US$550 million from Novo Nordisk. This includes an up-front cash payment and potential milestone payments. Replicate is also eligible to receive tiered royalties on future product sales as part of the multi-year deal. "Replicate works with industry leaders to create fit-for-purpose srRNA that enables patients' cells to naturally generate their own therapeutic proteins," said Rachael Lester, MBA, Chief Business Officer at Replicate Bioscience. "This partnership combines the strength of Replicate's proprietary srRNA vector library with Novo Nordisk's therapeutic and clinical insights to create powerful new opportunities. We are very excited to collaborate with the team at Novo Nordisk." Replicate has an extensive toolbox of proprietary srRNA technology that enables customization of their protein expression profiles. Replicate's platform has demonstrated higher protein expression with greater durability and tunability in vivo, as compared with other RNA modalities. "Novo Nordisk is continuously looking to build on its leading position in cardiometabolic diseases. We seek to combine our core capabilities with selected modality platforms to raise the innovation bar to the benefit of people living with serious chronic diseases," said Karina Thorn, Corporate Vice President of Nucleic Acid Research at Novo Nordisk. "We are excited about this partnership with Replicate, as it allows us to create a new avenue for development of novel, impactful therapies." "We founded Replicate to overcome the limitations of conventional mRNA," said Nathaniel Wang, PhD, co-founder and CEO of Replicate Bioscience. "This collaboration reinforces the transformative potential of Replicate's science and expedites our innovative pipeline of prophylactic vaccines and srRNA-powered therapeutic proteins." Replicate's most advanced therapeutic protein asset targets IL-1 receptor agonist and IL18 binding protein for dual-blockade of cytokines downstream of inflammasome activation, which plays a critical role in inflammatory diseases including chronic IBD, gout, and recurrent pericarditis. About Replicate Bioscience Replicate Bioscience is a clinical-stage company amplifying the power of RNA therapeutics by pioneering its novel self-replicating RNA (srRNA) technology to overcome the shortcomings of existing RNA approaches, with potential improvements in bioactivity, induction of more potent immune responses, and improved therapeutic index. RBI-4000, the company's clinical-stage srRNA rabies vaccine, has demonstrated protective levels of immunity at doses lower than any other reported RNA-based vaccine in Phase 1 trials. Funded by Apple Tree Partners, Replicate is advancing a robust pipeline of srRNA vaccines and therapeutics, fueled by its proprietary library of customizable viral vectors. With deep expertise in srRNA and end-to-end development capabilities, Replicate is uniquely positioned to expand the reach of RNA treatments toward widespread use in infectious disease, immunology, immuno-oncology and more. Visit us at www.replicatebioscience.com. About Novo Nordisk Novo Nordisk is a leading global healthcare company, founded in 1923 and headquartered in Denmark. Our purpose is to drive change to defeat serious chronic diseases, built upon our heritage in diabetes. We do so by pioneering scientific breakthroughs, expanding access to our medicines, and working to prevent and ultimately cure disease. Media Contact: Tyler Hubin, Deerfield Group [email protected] Investor Contact: Carlo Tanzi, Ph.D., Kendall Investor Relations [email protected] Company Contact: Rachael Lester, Chief Business Officer [email protected] SOURCE Replicate Bioscience HA NOI As Viet Nam marks its 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day, a new chapter is unfolding in its relationship with New Zealand. National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man and Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives, Gerry Brownlee, have proposed bold measures to boost bilateral trade turnover to US$3 billion by 2026. The agreement came during their talks in Ha Noi on Thursday, part of a five-day visit by New Zealands leader to Viet Nam the first high-level engagement since the two countries elevated ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership earlier this year. NA Chairman Man described the visit as a milestone, signalling fresh momentum in friendship and cooperation, especially in parliamentary diplomacy. He emphasised that despite the geographical distance, the two nations are drawing closer through deepening economic, cultural and educational ties, united by shared visions and strengthened people-to-people exchanges. The two countries also share joint efforts for the development and well-being of their peoples and contributions to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the Asia-Pacific region, he said. Recalling that since establishing diplomatic relations in 1975 and upgrading ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2025, Viet Nam and New Zealand have made remarkable achievements in economic and trade cooperation, Chairman Man said that as of July 2025, two-way trade reached about $1.05 billion, with Viet Nam exporting $580 million and importing $470 million from New Zealand. However, this remains below the potential for bilateral economic cooperation, he said. Building on 50 years of bilateral ties, Chairman Man suggested that the two sides continue to strengthen political relations through high-level visits and exchanges, experience-sharing delegations between ministries, sectors and localities and closer interactions between parliamentary committees, friendship groups and young parliamentarians. He also urged the two foreign ministries to finalise an action programme soon to implement the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and concretise its content. He emphasised the importance of deepening defence and security cooperation, contributing to each countrys national security as well as to peace and stability in the region and the world. He also proposed that New Zealand support Viet Nam in training and capacity building for Viet Nams participation in UN peacekeeping operations. He welcomed New Zealands initiative on the agreement on climate change, trade and sustainability and expressed a wish to learn from New Zealands experience in clean and high-tech agriculture. Man also proposed expanding cooperation in education, training, labour, tourism and direct air links, while suggesting that New Zealand increase visa quotas for Vietnamese citizens under the working holiday programme. Regarding parliamentary cooperation, Chairman Man called on the two legislatures to step up exchanges and support each other at multilateral parliamentary forums, share legislative and supervisory experience and strengthen collaboration between their supporting agencies. Speaker Gerry Brownlee affirmed the role of the two parliaments in listening to their citizens, thereby strengthening people-to-people exchanges and friendship between the two countries. He noted with satisfaction that high-level and other exchanges, as well as the warm relations between the two peoples, are expanding through education, tourism, trade and investment. Agreeing with the views of Chairman Man, Speaker Brownlee stressed that in the current context of regional and global security challenges, the two countries need to deepen their bilateral relationship. He affirmed that New Zealand is ready to consider increasing imports of Viet Nams strong products into its market, helping boost bilateral trade towards the target of $3 billion. The two parliamentary leaders agreed that their legislatures should continue to coordinate and support each other at regional and international forums, especially at the UN, ASEAN and ASEAN-led mechanisms, while cooperating and aligning positions on international and regional issues of mutual concern, including the East Sea (internationally known as the South China Sea), contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region. Chairman Man reaffirmed that Viet Nam wishes to make practical contributions to advancing ASEANNew Zealand relations, including towards the establishment of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between ASEAN and New Zealand and the organisation of a special summit to celebrate the 50th anniversary of ASEANNew Zealand relations in 2025. VNS HONG KONG The Vietnamese Consulate General in Chinas Hong Kong and Macau Special Administrative Regions hosted a grand ceremony on Wednesday to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Viet Nam's National Day (September 2). Consul General Le uc Hanh highlighted Viet Nam's achievements since independence, from colonial rule and wartime hardship to becoming a middle-income country and an active player in global integration. She affirmed Viet Nam's consistent policy of valuing stable and healthy relations with China as a strategic choice and top priority, in line with the countrys foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, cooperation, and development, as well as commitment to diversification and multilateralism of external ties. The Viet NamChina relations have maintained robust growth through exchanges and contact between the two Parties and Governments, the diplomat said, noting the special bonds with Hong Kong as a solid basis for the rosy cooperation over the recent past, with two-way trade in the first half of this year surging by more than 63 per cent year-on-year, Vietnamese tourist arrivals to Hong Kong doubling in 2024, and education collaboration and cultural exchange flourishing. Hong Kong is a super-connector that helps bring Vietnamese goods into the GuangdongHong KongMacau Greater Bay Area, Chinas vast market, and the global supply chain, Hanh stressed, adding Viet Nam stands as both a promising destination for investment and a market for Hong Kongs goods and services. She expressed hope that Hong Kong would further facilitate trade and people-to-people exchanges, including the expansion of work visas to maximise the complementary nature of the two economies. Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region John Lee Ka-chiu congratulated Viet Nam on its transformation into a dynamic economy in Asia and the world, emphasising the deep historical ties between the two sides. He noted Hong Kong's connection to the founding of the Communist Party of Viet Nam 95 years ago under the leadership of President Ho Chi Minh. He highlighted the strengthening relationship through over 30 cooperation agreements signed during his 2024 visit to Viet Nam. Last year, Viet Namwas Hong Kong's second-largest trading partner in ASEAN and sixth largest globally, while Hong Kong ranked among Viet Nam's top foreign investors. Hong Kong is a bridge between the Vietnamese and Chinese markets, with about 10 per cent of trade moving through the region. Under the One Country, Two Systems principle, Hong Kong offers both the advantages of being part of China and a global hub, with a friendly business environment, he said, underscoring recent visa policy relaxations for ASEAN citizens. At the event, attended by officials, diplomats, and members of the Vietnamese community, there were also cultural performances and the showcase of Vietnamese cuisine. VNA/VNS HA NOI Party General Secretary To Lam received Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives (Parliament) Gerry Brownlee in Ha Noi on Thursday, on the occasion of his official visit to Viet Nam. During the reception, General Secretary Lam warmly welcomed Speaker Gerry Brownlee and the delegation from the New Zealand Parliament, emphasising the significance of the visit as it coincides with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Viet Nam and New Zealand (1975-2025) and the celebration of Viet Nam's 80th National Day (September 2). He praised New Zealand as a close and friendly partner that has always accompanied and supported Viet Nam in its national development. He stressed that strengthening the friendship and cooperation between the two countries not only benefits their people but also contributes to peace, stability, and cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region. He expressed satisfaction with the robust development of Viet Nam-New Zealand relations, with political trust as the foundation for enhanced cooperation in various fields. He suggested that both sides increase the exchange of delegations at all levels through Party, Government, Parliamentary, people-to-people, and business channels to deepen mutual understanding. General Secretary Lam highlighted the complementary nature of the two economies and the vast potential for further cooperation. In the context of global economic and trade volatility, he called for stronger economic, trade, and investment collaboration, creating favourable conditions for each country's key products to access the others markets, aiming to reach the target of US$3 billion in bilateral trade. He also emphasised the importance of cultural, educational, and people-to-people exchanges as a key pillar of bilateral relations. He thanked New Zealand for accepting a large number of Vietnamese students to study English and other majors, and proposed promoting direct flights and streamlining visa procedures to facilitate travel between the two countries. On this occasion, the Party chief urged New Zealand to continue creating favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community residing, studying, and working there, and encourage their contributions to local socio-economic development and to bilateral relations more broadly. For his part, Speaker Gerry Brownlee expressed gratitude for the warm and respectful welcome from the Government and people of Viet Nam. He extended congratulations to the Party General Secretary, other leaders and people of Viet Nam on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of National Day, and shared his admiration for the vibrant and patriotic atmosphere he witnessed during his visit, reflecting the Vietnamese people's strong national spirit. The Speaker expressed appreciation for Viet Nams significant progress and reaffirmed that New Zealand values Viet Nams key role in Southeast Asia, viewing the country as an important and close partner in the region. He noted that the two countries share many common values, especially in prioritising economic growth alongside social and human development. The New Zealand Parliament, as the representative body of the people, will actively support efforts to strengthen the friendship between the two nations and deepen cooperation in key areas, he affirmed. Speaker Brownlee welcomed Vietnamese students, scholars, and researchers to New Zealand and appreciated the positive contributions of the Vietnamese community. He agreed on the need to boost tourism, trade, and investment cooperation, particularly by accelerating the launch of direct flights between the two countries. Both leaders agreed to strengthen cooperation on regional and international issues. General Secretary Lam affirmed that Viet Nam is ready to cooperate with and support New Zealand in further enhancing ties with ASEAN, towards upgrading the ASEANNew Zealand dialogue relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2025. VNA/VNS HA NOI Zhao Leji, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress (NPC), is set to lead a high-ranking delegation of the Chinese Party and State to pay an official visit to Viet Nam from August 31 to September 2. According to a release from the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday, during the trip, Zhao will attend the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day of Viet Nam (September 2). He will also co-chair the first session of the cooperation committee between the Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) and the NPC. The visit is made at the invitation of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) Central Committee and NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man. VNA/VNS HA NOI Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has welcomed Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives (Parliament) Gerry Brownlees ongoing Viet Nam visit, which coincided with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties. During a reception in Ha Noi on Thursday for the New Zealand guest, PM Chinh praised the substantive and comprehensive progress in bilateral ties since the upgrade to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during New Zealand PM Christopher Luxons official visit to Viet Nam in February 2025, saying that it opens up a new chapter in their relations. He thanked New Zealand for its active support during Viet Nams development, and urged both sides to translate high-level agreements into concrete actions, ensuring cooperation grows in line with the new framework. Brownlee, for his part, thanked PM Chinh for his backing of bilateral ties, hailing Viet Nam as a key partner. The New Zealand Government and Parliament prioritise strengthening relations with Viet Nam as part of the countrys wider policy towards the region, he said, pledging strong parliamentary backing for all-around cooperation. He agreed with the hosts five proposed major orientations to deepen ties. These include strengthening political and diplomatic relations through more high-level visits, exchanges, and bilateral cooperation mechanisms, while realising signed agreements effectively. Other measures include crafting an economic connectivity strategy, hastening the signing of trade and investment pacts, and easing market access for agricultural products from both countries, toward achieving a two-way trade of US$3 billion in 2026; deploying joint work in emerging areas such as green and digital economies, digital transformation, sci-tech and innovation, climate change; advancing national defence-security ties, and the United Nations peacekeeping. According to him, Viet Nam and New Zealand share common interests in maintaining multilateral trade and undisrupted supply chains, which underpin stable growth and prosperity globally. He also spoke highly of the Vietnamese communitys contributions in New Zealand. Both leaders agreed to expand cooperation in education-training, student and researcher exchanges, and considered establishing a direct air link to boost tourism, trade and people-to-people ties. Amid an increasingly complex global and regional landscapes, they underlined the need for closer consultations, information sharing and policy coordination. The two countries pledged to work together at international and regional forums to contribute to a peaceful, stable and prosperous Asia-Pacific, while supporting New Zealands deeper engagement with ASEAN. VNA/VNS By Le Huong Every year, as September arrives, o Hong Phan remembers the historic autumn of 1945 - a moment forever etched in her memory. Phan was among the thousands who witnessed that sacred turning point in Vietnamese history. She was only 12 years old at the time, yet the memory remains crystal clear. On September 2, I was part of our neighbourhoods marching group. Each neighbourhood had its own unit, with smaller groups for youth, women, men, and the elderly, Phan told Viet Nam News. From our street, we managed to get a flag and a banner that said something like Support the Viet Minh. We marched from my home on Hang Bot Street all the way to Ba inh Square. We stood in the hot sun, fanning ourselves, but stayed in very disciplined formation. After a while, officials appeared on the high platform. I didnt know who any of them were at the time, but they introduced President Ho, so we realised it was him. From where we were, he was just a distant figure - we couldnt clearly make out who was who. Now 93, Phan still remembers there were about twenty people on the platform. She cant recall all of their identities, but when Uncle Ho spoke, the crowd fell into complete silence. From that moment, the young schoolgirl felt her patriotic spirit awaken. There was something something deeply stirring that made me feel that I was part of a heroic nation. It naturally sparked a strong sense of national consciousness, she recalled. And then, the resistance movement grew, and Uncle Hos image became incredibly beloved. At that time, he still met and spoke freely with the people. Soon after, Phan joined revolutionary activities led by Ha Noi students to raise public awareness of the fight against French colonial rule. The resistance movement first started at Chu Van An School - the boys school, she said. Then it spread to the girls side, Trung Vuong School. Thats when I joined. For me, it was a turning point - from knowing nothing to suddenly being part of a national movement. And it wasnt just me. It was the awakening of a whole nation. By late 1949 and early 1950, a major wave of student activism swept through Chu Van An School. One of the most notable events was a school boycott and a memorial for heroic student Tran Van On, who was killed by French forces during a student protest in Sai Gon. Students crafted red flags with yellow stars from paper and scattered them in public places such as markets and streets. Male students ingeniously placed small flags on classroom ceiling fans - when the fan spun, the flags would scatter across the room. Female students had an even more creative idea: they tied notebook-sized flags to the legs of pigeons and released them from their homes. But the pigeons, loyal to their nests, flew right back to their windows - unintentionally exposing some students and leading to arrests. Phan also remembered how students created wall newspapers featuring editorials, commentaries, resistance stories, and patriotic songs. Songs like Truong Ca Song Lo (Lo River Epic) and Tien Ve Ha Noi (Marching to Ha Noi) by composer Van Cao made their way into the capital through such efforts. As an active member of the movement, Phan was arrested by the French and imprisoned at Hoa Lo Prison betwee November 1950 and January 1951. I stayed in the general womens detention area for a few nights, she said. Then they moved me to a separate cell with just a few others. It was basically solitary confinement, with no more contact with my fellow resistance fighters. Life in prison was harsh - the food was terrible, and everything was filthy and disorganised. But since she was still a student, the French authorities tried to bribe and persuade her to give up the cause. After her release, Phan immediately sought to reconnect with her revolutionary youth organisation. She was summoned to the resistances free zone in Thai Nguyen Province and later returned to Ha Noi to celebrate the capitals liberation on October 10, 1954. Upon her return, she rejoined the student movement and resumed her involvement in revolutionary activities within Ha Nois schools. Phan was one of millions who contributed to Viet Nams long and arduous struggle for independence. Reflecting on the importance of people like Phan, historian Nguyen Quang Ngoc noted that the 1946 Constitution clearly affirmed the role of the people: The Democratic Republic of Viet Nam is a state where all power belongs to the people, regardless of who they are. It belongs to the people, he emphasised, and that is the highest affirmation of the masses role in seizing, maintaining, defending, and building a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. Now, 80 years later, the former schoolgirl is fortunate to enjoy the peaceful autumns of a free Viet Nam - perhaps more than anyone, she deeply understands the true value of independence and freedom. VNS HA NOI Localities affected by Typhoon Kajiki (called Typhoon No. 5 in Viet Nam) are racing to deal with the aftermath of the storm, which left seven people dead, one missing and 34 injured. The typhoon also caused houses to collapse and damage to numerous roads, irrigation works, power lines and telecommunications networks, paralysed transport, cut electricity to nearly 1.6 million customers, and disrupted communications across several provinces. In Ha Tinh Province, tens of thousands of households were plunged into darkness after Kajiki swept through. The power grid suffered extensive damage, with many lines and substations knocked out of service. On Wednesday morning, Deputy Director of Ha Tinh Power Company Pham Viet Thang said that all available resources were being deployed to repair storm damage. According to the company, electricity is expected to be restored for all customers in the province before Friday. Immediately after the storm dissipated on Tuesday, the Northern and Central Power Corporations mobilised 316 engineers and workers from the provinces of Quang Ninh, Bac Ninh, Thai Nguyen, Quang Ngai, Quang Tri, Gia Lai, a Nang and Thua Thien Hue, along with vehicles, equipment and materials, to support recovery efforts in Ha Tinh. The reinforcements, including many experienced engineers and technicians, arrived with cranes, specialised tools and temporary steel poles to accelerate power grid repairs. By midday on Wednesday, more than 3,000 substations had been restored, though some 1,100 remained without electricity. Hundreds of toppled poles have been replaced, while power lines are gradually being reconnected, allowing many communities to regain electricity for daily life and production. In Thanh Hoa Province, urgent efforts are under way to repair damage to local dike systems. On Wednesday morning, Chairman of the provincial Peoples Committee o Minh Tuan issued an emergency directive ordering swift action to address breaches and prepare for dike protection in the next few days. Local authorities have been instructed to mobilise manpower, materials and equipment to contain incidents in their early stages and prevent them from escalating, while reinforcing vulnerable points. Detailed protection plans must be drawn up and put into practice, with clear task allocation and sufficient resources to ensure safety. Tuan also ordered inspections of unfinished or damaged dike works to ensure long-term stability, with regular patrols and monitoring to detect and respond to risks at the earliest stage. Relevant departments and agencies are tasked with strengthening dike management, increasing patrols and providing timely advice to local authorities, while standing ready with manpower and equipment to assist communities in dike protection. In Thai Nguyen Province, heavy rainfall over the past 24 hours has forced the Thai Nguyen Irrigation Company to begin controlled discharges from Nui Coc Reservoir at 12.30pm on Wednesday. Water levels have reached 46.2 metres, prompting the opening of two spillway gates with a flow of 200 cubic metres per second. Authorities have warned that discharges may affect residents and businesses along both banks of the Cong River, including ai Phuc, Tan Cuong, Ba Xuyen, Song Cong, Pho Yen, Van Xuan, Trung Thanh, Phuc Thuan and Thanh Cong. Residents are urged to take precautions, avoid activities close to the riverbanks and pay attention to traffic safety as water levels rise. Ha Noi evacuates residents In the capital, rapid flooding triggered by Typhoon Kajiki has forced authorities to begin evacuations to protect residents. According to the National Centre for Hydrometeorological Forecasting, within the next 1224 hours, water levels on the Bui and Tich rivers are forecast to rise above danger level III, threatening to inundate low-lying areas and river islets to depths of 0.10.5 metres. Authorities warn of potential dike failures, traffic disruption, production losses and risks to residents safety. Xuan Mai Commune, home to over 14,000 households, has more than 1,400 families with some 6,500 people regularly exposed to flooding. Its mixed hilly and low-lying terrain hampers drainage, posing serious risks to lives, livelihoods and infrastructure. The commune's Bui Xa hamlet, lying directly on the floodplain of the Bui River, is considered the 'epicentre of flooding' in Ha Noi, where residents frequently face inundation. Chairman of Xuan Mai Commune Nguyen Anh uc said more than 200 people have been mobilised, including police, militia and residents, to reinforce the Bui 2 dike with sandbags. Households are also being assisted in moving their belongings to safety. Local forces are implementing flood prevention measures under the 'four on-the-spot' principle, using available manpower, materials, facilities and leadership. The communes military command is conducting inspections of riverside and landslide-prone areas, evacuating residents where necessary and maintaining patrols to safeguard dikes. Damage Preliminary reports show agricultural production has been severely affected, with 92,226ha of rice, 9,727ha of fruit orchards and 10,836ha of other crops damaged or destroyed across several provinces. Livestock losses stand at nearly 49,000 head, with Ha Tinh the worst hit. Forests, industrial crops, and aquaculture farms have also been devastated, with tens of thousands of trees uprooted and thousands of hectares submerged or swept away. At sea, 102 fishing vessels were sunk, collided, or were damaged in heavy seas, mostly in Ha Tinh and Nghe An. Flooding and landslides have caused multiple dike breaches in Thanh Hoa, riverbank collapses in Nghe An and Ha Tinh, and widespread damage to canals, culverts, bridges and roads across northern and central provinces. More than 200 landslides have been recorded on major transport routes, with dozens of sections submerged or washed away. VNS HA NOI Viet Nam and the Republic of Korea (RoK) need to tighten cooperation and share more labour-related information to refine policies and foster a supportive environment for workers, said President of the Viet Nam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) Nguyen inh Khang. During a reception in Ha Noi on Thursday for Chairman of the RoKs National Labour Relations Commission (NLRC) Kim Tae-gi, Khang said the visit coincided with the 80th anniversary of Viet Nam's National Day (September 2), a milestone for the country to reflect on its revolutionary history and development. According to him, eight Vietnamese sectoral trade unions and 12 provincial labour federations now maintain active ties with their South Korean counterparts. These ties have facilitated exchanges on protecting workers rights, with a focus on policies and vocational training to help workers secure higher-skilled, better-paying jobs. He urged the NLRC and other Korean agencies to foster closer and more regular collaboration with Viet Nam, suggesting quotas for Vietnamese workers under the Korean employment permit system, particularly in shipbuilding and agriculture, while also facilitating access to other high-demand sectors. In response, Kim said he was recently tasked with safeguarding the rights of foreign workers in the RoK, including those from Viet Nam. With bilateral relations upgraded to a comprehensive strategic partnership, Korean companies are flooding into Viet Nam and Vietnamese workers are flocking to the RoK, he noted. He called on Vietnamese agencies and VGCL to support Korean firms and organisations as they expand operations in the country. Both sides discussed labour market trends, worker training, employment needs, labour agreements, and dispute settlement. The VGCL data showed that the Vietnamese workforce totals roughly 17 million, with over eight million trade union members. Nearly seven million are employed in industrial zones and foreign-invested enterprises. VNA/VNS HA NOI These days in Ha Noi, not only locals but also many international tourists and expats are experiencing the special atmosphere as the capital is adorned with flags and flowers to celebrate the 80th National Day (September 2, 1945-2025). Shakalou Andrey, 41, a Russian national who has lived and worked in Ha Noi for seven years, shared that as someone born in the former Soviet Union, he feels a strong sense of familiarity seeing Viet Nams steadfast commitment to socialist ideals, its efforts to build an independent and strong economy, and its sincere friendship with Russia. Andrey said he was especially impressed by the activities celebrating the 80th National Day, particularly the full-dress rehearsals and preliminary review for the state-level parade, all filled with pride. After more than five years in Ha Noi, Jean Depert, 29, a French director of a software company in Ha Noi, said that although he is accustomed to festive atmospheres in Europe, he is still overwhelmed by the scale of the celebration in Ha Noi. Houses and streets are beautifully decorated with vibrant red flags bearing yellow stars. According to Depert, every September 2, he feels the deep sense of community and national pride shared among Hanoians. Meanwhile, Lily Stome, a 21-year-old Australian tourist, said she was deeply impressed in recent days by the sight of Hanoians waving flags and singing the national anthem together as parade formations marched by during the rehearsals. She and her friends could clearly sense the patriotism and national pride expressed in the gestures and actions of local residents, describing the city as a peaceful, safe, and hospitable destination. According to Anita, 27, from Italy, she felt very fortunate to be in Ha Noi during the National Day celebration, where the streets are filled with flags and flowers, and everyone is so welcoming. VNA/VNS HA NOI The Green Economics Institute and the Viet NamCuba Intergovernmental Committee held a bilateral working session and launched the Viet NamCuba biotechnology network in Ha Noi on Thursday. Speaking at the launch, Duong Thi Bich Diep, vice president of the institute, said the network was established to connect research institutes, universities, hospitals, and enterprises of the two countries, focusing on research, training, technology transfer, production, and commercialisation of biological products. She noted that this is an important step to bring scientific and technological achievements directly into service of sustainable agriculture, health care, and peoples well-being. She affirmed that the institute expects the network to become a core linkage hub, fostering long-term strategic cooperation projects in biotechnology, thereby making practical contributions to the socio-economic development of both nations. Cuban Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment Deborah Rivas Saavedra stated that bilateral relations have been continuously strengthened and developed, creating a solid foundation for expanding collaboration in many areas, particularly in economy, trade, investment, and science-technology. The head of the Cuban delegation to the Intergovernmental Committee said that the network initiative is in line with strategic cooperation orientations, helping to effectively tap the potential of biotechnology for agriculture, medicine, and public health care, and to reaffirm the shared determination to promote Viet NamCuba cooperation in the coming period. Earlier, at the Viet NamCuba biomedical cooperation conference held in Viet Nam on June 28, the institute signed a framework cooperation agreement with Cubas LabioFAM Group and the Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB). The pact aims at joint research, development, and production of biological products in agriculture and natural medicine, laying a foundation for the implementation of long-term strategic cooperation projects in biotechnology between the two countries. VNA/VNS - Focusing on Food Security and Blue Economy to Be Developed by Japan and Africa - TOKYO, Aug. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Sasakawa Peace Foundation (SPF) hosted an official side event and a special event related to the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) held in Yokohama on August 19 and 20, 2025, bringing together heads of state/government and ministers from Japan and Africa, representatives of international organizations, and researchers. Group photos: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1LRemsHh2vNvCnKpuZ83I90lrzzCQKJ-6?usp=sharing At the events, participants actively discussed the current challenges and potential opportunities for collaboration between Japan and Africa under the theme of enhancing food security and promoting a sustainable blue economy. At the event held on August 20, participants showcased examples of initiatives for achieving food security and sustainable growth through agriculture and the blue economy. They exchanged views about the importance of Japan's technological cooperation and human resource development. At the outset of the event, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Japan "will achieve further growth by enhancing regional connectivity and promoting trade and investment," emphasizing that "Japan will make joint efforts and embrace the vitality of Africa." SPF President Atsushi Sunami said, "Strengthening the resilience of food systems is the top priority," citing three challenges faced by Africa -- population growth, climate change, and geopolitical tensions. Meanwhile, SPF Honorary Chair Yohei Sasakawa said, "We want to work hard hand in hand with Africa to achieve a prosperous future together." Participants from the African side emphasized the importance of cooperation with Japan, highlighting their views such as a strategic priority on agriculture and the blue economy (by the prime minister of the Republic of Cabo Verde), promoting a national strategy for the blue economy (by a government minister of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau), and transforming agriculture and the blue economy into growth industries led by young people (by the African Union Commission). Furthermore, during another event on August 19, participants exchanged views on strategies to achieve sustainable and inclusive growth through public and private investments as well as the utilization of international finance. They presented specific proposals on ways to ensure community empowerment and raise funds, highlighting the possibilities for practical coordination linking policies with on-the-ground initiatives. PHNOM PENH Senior military officials from Cambodia and Thailand have reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining peace along the shared border following an Extraordinary Regional Border Committee (RBC) meeting, held on Wednesday in Si Saket, Thailand. The meeting, co-chaired by Lieutenant General Pov Heng, Commander of Cambodias 4th Military Regionand Lieutenant General Boonsin Padklang, Commander of Thailands 2nd Army Area, focused on reducing tensions, preventing clashes and strengthening communication between both sides. Key agreements from the meeting include: Reaffirming ceasefire commitments Both sides pledged to fully implement decisions from earlier meetings on July 28 and August 7, 2025. Strengthening communication Military regions and border units will maintain regular dialogue to resolve issues peacefully and avoid misunderstandings. Combating misinformation Both countries agreed to avoid spreading false information that could inflame tensions and to foster an environment conducive to dialogue. Preventing escalation No provocative actions, including inflammatory speech or military incursions, will be allowed to expand the scope of disputes. Enhancing safety measures Patrols and infrastructure work will remain non-offensive and comply with agreed ceasefire terms. Advancing cooperation Both sides welcomed recent progress in building trust and pledged to continue joint efforts across all sectors. Humanitarian demining This issue will be discussed under the General Border Committee (GBC) mandate at its upcoming meeting. Coordinating Group establishment A new group will improve communication among commanders and operational units to resolve issues peacefully. Combating cross-border crime Thailand and Cambodia vowed to work together against transnational crimes including online scams, drug trafficking and human smuggling. Improving dispute response Mechanisms will be put in place to ensure rapid handling of border protests or incidents. Next RBC meeting The next session will take place within a month in Cambodia. The joint statement emphasised friendship, solidarity, and the shared aim of returning border areas to normalcy while fostering mutual trust. The Phnom Penh Post/ANN With around 17 million people owning or trading digital assets and transactions reaching $1 trillion last year, Vietnam ranks among the worlds leaders in adoption. The country is in the global top five for interest in digital assets, top three in the use of international exchanges, and top six in decentralised finance (DeFi), with the domestic market valued at over $100 billion. Despite this momentum, an incomplete legal framework remains a barrier, limiting businesses and startups from fully realising their potential. Once the legal framework is clear, it will protect users, promote trust and help Vietnam become a regional fintech hub. The government has already taken strong steps to address this bottleneck. Last October, prime minister approved Decision No.1236/QD-TTg, issuing the National Blockchain Strategy to 2025 with a vision to 2030. At the same time, during its eighth session, the 15th National Assembly debated the draft Law on the Digital Technology Industry, which for the first time included provisions on digital assets covered in four of its 73 articles. In June, the National Assembly approved the Law on Digital Technology Industry, marking an important turning point in the process of shaping the digital asset market in Vietnam. Experts said that this step will create new opportunities for the digital asset industry by encouraging innovation and ensuring transparency and safety for investors. "The early promulgation of this law shows Vietnam's long-term vision in actively grasping and dominating strategic technologies, instead of just importing and applying technology as before," said Tran Huyen Dinh, chairman of the Fintech Application Committee of the Vietnam Blockchain and Digital Assets Association. "For the first time, concepts such as digital assets, virtual assets, and cryptoassets are clearly defined in the law, creating a solid legal foundation for an industry that is expanding rapidly worldwide. This marks a legal milestone and signals Vietnams readiness to open a potential market worth hundreds of billions of dollars," he added. Furthermore, the Law on Digital Technology Industry provides a basis for attracting foreign investment. A clear and transparent legal framework will give international investors greater confidence in Vietnams digital asset market, addressing the uncertainty that prevailed when the sector operated without clear regulations. For businesses in digital technology, fintech, and blockchain, the recognition of digital assets in legal documents will legitimise activities such as capital raising, international partnerships, business valuation, and the development of innovative products. More importantly, the Law on Digital Technology Industry, together with government initiatives such as Resolution No.222/2025/QH15 on developing Vietnam as an international financial centre and Decision No.1131/QD-TTg listing strategic technologies and products, demonstrates the governments clear vision and consistent efforts to build a supportive legal ecosystem while advancing high-tech development. However, to unlock this potential, it is urgent to promptly issue implementing documents, such as decrees and guiding circulars, to clarify regulations and ensure coordinated, practical application. Deputy Minister of Finance Nguyen Duc Chi said at the governments press conference in early August, "The Ministry of Finance is preparing a draft decree to pilot digital asset transactions. We have studied experiences from countries in the region and around the world. Following guidance from the politburo and the government, we aim to finalise the draft and submit it for approval and promulgation very soon." The pilot framework for the cryptoasset market is now largely complete, covering criteria for selecting participating organisations, technical standards, operating procedures, and the financial capacity and expertise of service providers. Once the specific criteria are finalised, the MoF will publicly announce the conditions for eligible organisations. During the pilot phase, multiple exchanges will be allowed to operate to foster healthy competition, though the number will be kept at a manageable level to ensure effective monitoring and evaluation. A key aspect of the plan is the MoFs encouragement of private-sector participation in providing cryptoasset services. This aligns with the spirit of Resolution 68 on private economic development and creates opportunities for capable and innovative businesses to enter this emerging field. For businesses, a clear, stable, and transparent legal framework helps establish compliance strategies and encourages technology transfer as well as the development of digital financial products from DeFi and stablecoins to central bank digital currency all within the scope of Vietnamese laws. This provides the foundation for a vibrant, transparent, and sustainable digital asset ecosystem. In recent years, blockchain projects founded by Vietnamese entrepreneurs have started to gain international recognition for both their technology and scale. The country also benefits from competitive costs, a young workforce, and rapid adaptability. To attract investment and expand the digital asset market, the Vietnam Internet Association (VIA) and the Department of Telecommunications under the Ministry of Science and Technology held a working session with Ju Group in Hanoi recently. Ju Group is the worlds first technology company to operate a service-oriented digital asset exchange. During the meeting, the VIA and the Department of Telecommunications explored potential cooperation at the Internet Day exhibition in December, which will focus on collaboration, support, and knowledge sharing with Vietnamese partners in digital asset exchange. Key areas of cooperation include developing institutional and regulatory frameworks, workforce training, and building the infrastructure and technology needed to operate and manage exchanges effectively. The VIA and the Department of Telecommunications also proposed that Ju Group (https://www.ju.com/en) send experts to support the development of a safe, healthy, and effective cryptocurrency market. Ju Groups management echoed this view, noting that the recent transformation in digital assets has been driven by capital flows and technology, as well as shifts in the perceptions of society and regulatory authorities. They highlighted Vietnam as a strategic market with strong growth potential and said the group would leverage its expertise in technology and digitalisation, as well as organise exhibitions, to help Vietnamese partners enhance their competitiveness in the digital era. Blockchain regulation and growth in focus at GM Vietnam 2025 GM Vietnam 2025 brought together policymakers, industry leaders, and investors in Hanoi for in-depth discussions on the regulatory, security, and market dynamics shaping blockchain and digital assets. Excitement in store after recognition of digital assets This year is a pivotal one for blockchain and digital assets, as more jurisdictions move to formally recognise their place in the financial system. Thuat Nguyen, founder and CEO of Kyros Ventures, offered his expectations to VIRs Phuong Thu for the forthcoming legal framework, and how it could reshape the countrys role in the global digital economy. European companies are prioritising clean energy, advanced tech, logistics centres, and more, Photo: Le Toan According to the European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (EuroCham), European businesses are particularly interested in free trade zone (FTZ) projects, viewing the model as a new growth driver. Vietnam has recently begun piloting the construction of FTZs, opening up new development opportunities for our member companies, EuroCham said. If the pilot proceeds smoothly, it will create significant potential for Vietnam to attract additional capital inflows from the EU. At present, several cities and provinces are planning to develop FTZs. Ho Chi Minh City, for instance, is developing four. In recent months, Danang city in central Vietnam and Haiphong city in the north have also secured government approval to establish FTZs. In the south, alongside Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai province is proposing to build an FTZ around the future Long Thanh airport, with subdivisions specialising in manufacturing, logistics, financial and commercial services, and the digital economy. Le Duy Hiep, former chairman of the Vietnam Logistics Business Association, said FTZs worldwide are often linked to seaports, airports, and logistics centres, thereby forming integrated logistics chains. This is a popular international model that helps attract foreign investment, he noted. Like their European counterparts, Vietnamese companies and other foreign-invested enterprises are keen on FTZs, seeing them as a fresh development opportunity. However, Hiep pointed out that the lack and inconsistency of policies for FTZs remain a major challenge. The most important thing is to have a clear investment attraction mechanism and a robust legal framework. Since we lack practical experience, we need to learn from other countries, he said. Dr Tran Quang Thang, head of the Ho Chi Minh City Institute of Economics and Management, suggested applying an institutional sandbox mechanism to test policies in areas such as green finance, fintech, digital assets, and cross-border logistics. It is necessary to adopt a principle of doing while perfecting the framework, rather than waiting until all laws are in place, he said, citing Chinas controlled pilot model in Shenzhen and Shanghai. EuroCham highlighted that FTZs are among the emerging priorities for European companies in Vietnam, alongside clean energy, advanced technologies, and logistics centres, as the country aims to become a regional transit hub. For example, in March, the European Investment Bank (EIB) announced plans to promote preferential lending for transport infrastructure projects, green energy, decarbonisation, and emission reduction initiatives for small- and medium-sized enterprises in Vietnam. By boosting green finance, the EIB supports Vietnam in attracting investment, creating opportunities, and building a future economy that benefits both individuals and businesses, said Nicola Beer, EIB vice president. Ambassador Julien Guerrier, Ambassador and Head of the EU delegation to Vietnam, said the EU is looking to deepen cooperation across sectors including infrastructure, renewable energy, and green transformation. These priorities are expected to further strengthen the EUs investment profile in Vietnam. The EUVietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) has helped boost EU investment in the country since its enforcement five years ago, with Ministry of Finance data showing an increase from $2.5 billion in 2022 to $3.25 billion in 2024. Of the nearly 2,500 European-invested projects in Vietnam to date, the Netherlands, France, Luxembourg, and Germany have contributed a combined total of more than $20 billion. As of July, accumulated European investment in Vietnam had surpassed $30 billion. European capital traditionally flows into 18 industries. Processing and manufacturing account for the largest share, at 36.3 per cent of total investment, followed by electricity and gas production and distribution at 20.7 per cent, real estate at 11 per cent, and information and communications at 6.6 per cent. According to EuroCham, beyond tariff reductions, the EVFTA has opened new opportunities for European firms to tap into Vietnams fast-growing domestic market, from publicprivate partnerships to incentivised funding from abroad. In sectors such as sustainable agriculture, digitalisation, and green energy, European expertise complements Vietnams resource base and development goals. For instance, European innovations in digitalised, sustainable farming are improving productivity and quality across Vietnams agri-food and aquaculture sectors areas where Vietnam is a key supplier to Europe. EuroCham chairman Bruno Jaspaert said, As the world turns its attention to the fine print of new trade deals and the enforcement of reciprocal tariffs from the US, the EVFTA offers clarity and certainty. Its detailed provisions and mutual commitments between Vietnam and the EU show that aligned standards and open markets can deliver real growth and shared prosperity. While welcoming Vietnams reform agenda to modernise its economy and boost efficiency, European businesses expect further policy adjustments to maximise the EVFTA benefits and strengthen Vietnams global position amid growing uncertainties. As someone who has built businesses and helped other investors find their niche in Vietnam as a second home, I understand the frustrations when administrative bottlenecks delay projects, Jaspaert added. But I also see something else: a government that listens, engages, and takes real steps towards change. Now, more than ever, it is time to double down on promised reforms and turn dialogue into delivery. Meanwhile, the EUVietnam Investment Protection Agreement is still pending ratification by several member states. Once fully enforced, it will provide a critical legal framework to safeguard and promote long-term European investment in Vietnam, Jaspaert noted. Momentum is also growing towards a comprehensive strategic partnership, the natural next step for two partners increasingly aligned on trade, sustainability, and global governance. This is PEG s second power project in Vietnam and a pivotal step in the company's expansion in the country. The 30 MW wind farm, located in Vinh Long province in the Mekong Delta, is expected to generate 89.5 GWh of electricity annually roughly a 10 MW 24/7 equivalent load. This amount of power production is equal to about a month of Vinh Long province's electricity use. The plant will use seven Goldwind turbines and is preparing for commercial operation by the end of Q3 under a signed power purchase agreement with Vietnam Electricity. On an average day, Sunpro will produce about 245 MWh enough to fully charge five 50-MWh grid batteries. VietinBank, one of Vietnam's four state-owned banks and the second-largest by total assets, will provide senior debt financing for engineering, procurement, and construction activities and the refinancing of existing shareholder loans. The financing demonstrates strong institutional confidence in Pacifico Energy's development capabilities and in Vietnam's renewable energy sector. This financing marks a major financial and strategic milestone for PEV and for the country's energy landscape, said Nate Franklin, chairman of PEG. "We appreciate VietinBank's professionalism and support. Reliable megawatt-hours are the currency of growth in Vietnam's next decade, and Sunpro's ~10 MW of 24/7-equivalent output is practical capacity the grid can use every hour of the year. As AI, cloud, and advanced manufacturing scale globally, 'critical power' has become a competitiveness issue, not only in Vietnam but worldwide, and Pacifico is focused on delivering dependable megawatt-hours at industrial scale." The Sunpro Wind Farm supports Vietnam's ambitious targets under the revised Power Development Plan VIII (PDP8). Aligned with Party General Secretary To Lam's growth agenda, targeting about 10 per cent average GDP growth during 2026-2030, PDP8's updated commercial electricity targets (500-558 TWh by 2030) implies sustained double-digit demand growth. Sunpro adds reliable, utility-scale supply in the Mekong Delta, and Pacifico Energy stands ready to help Vietnam meet these national goals with bankable, grid-integrated projects. VietinBank is honoured to be selected as the financing bank for this important project, said Le Van Hao, director of VietinBank Ho Chi Minh branch. We highly appreciate the systematic and professional implementation shown by Pacifico Energy and their commitment to technical standards and environmental harmony. This financing demonstrates our strategic cooperation and lays the foundation for a long-term, sustainable partnership. The Sunpro Wind Farm advances several strategic objectives for Pacifico Energy: establishing a wind power track record in Vietnam's regulatory environment, opening new development opportunities in the Mekong Delta, and demonstrating execution capability in a rapidly evolving power market. The project further positions PEG for growth with regulators, partners, and investors across the Asia-Pacific region. Pacifico Energy eyes major wind energy investments in Vietnam Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met with Nate Franklin, chairman of Pacifico Energy Group from the United States, on March 12 to discuss wind power projects. Nexif Ratch Energy approved for 143 MW wind power plant in Gia Lai Singapore-headquartered Nexif Ratch Energy has received the nod from Gia Lai People's Committee to implement the Van Canh Binh Dinh wind power plant with a capacity of 143 MW and 26 wind turbines. Deputy Minister of Finance Tran Quoc Phuong and UN Resident Coordinator Pauline Tamesis co-chairing the meeting Deputy Minister of Finance Tran Quoc Phuong stated that Vietnam's government considers official development assistance (ODA), concessional loans from foreign donors, and non-refundable ODA, as important resources. These are prioritised for investment in key infrastructure and economic projects with high spillover effects and for promoting socioeconomic development. "Notably, with amendments to the Law on Public Investment, Law on State Budget, Law on Bidding, and Law on Management and Use of Public Assets, the Vietnamese government has strongly decentralised and delegated authority in the management and use of non-refundable ODA," Phuong stated. Therefore, the deputy minister asked to focus on issues related to development cooperation between Vietnam and the UN. This includes sharing and reviewing reports on the overall mobilisation and use of ODA funded or co-mobilised by the UN. Challenges and obstacles also needed to find appropriate solutions, as well as setting the direction for building the next cooperation strategy for 2027-2031. Agreeing with Phuong, Tamesis emphasised that the purpose of the meeting was to establish a strategic dialogue to identify strategic priorities for Vietnams upcoming socioeconomic development plans, provide feedback and practical guidance on processes and priorities to accelerate implementation of the current Cooperation Fund, and jointly design a new one. She proposed restructuring the JSC into a platform for strategic policy dialogue. "We could elevate the JSC into a forum for identifying emerging opportunities and risks, exchanging knowledge, conducting evidence-based research and analysis, and building new partnerships. It would also help set international standards and norms, provide access to global expertise, and offer policy advice on critical development transitions and financial options," she said. Additionally, the forum would outline potential issues to initiate dialogue on financing policies for national development priorities and explore breakthroughs amid growth risks, laying the groundwork for substantive recommendations for the new Comprehensive Partnership Fund. Tamesis further suggested, "Amid declining ODA, Vietnam should turn external financial challenges into opportunities, by enhancing the role of domestic finance and leveraging ODA as a catalyst for key investment priorities." As a developing economy, Vietnam has room to improve domestic resource mobilisation. It is well positioned to channel foreign direct investment into sustainable development sectors such as renewable energy, climate-resilient infrastructure, digital transformation, and technology. Under the coordination of the two co-chairs, participants presented and listened to discussions on such topics as implementation results and evaluations of the 20222026 Cooperation Framework; progress achieved, challenges, and priorities for 2025-2026; updates on the draft amendment to Decree No.114/2021/ND-CP, with a focus on solutions to overcome obstacles in managing and receiving UN non-refundable ODA; a presentation of the Cooperation Framework evaluation for 20222026; the roadmap for developing the 2027-2031 cooperation framework; updates on the country analysis including consultation results; and the anticipated priorities of Vietnams 2026-2030 Socioeconomic Development Plan. Deputy Minister Phuong said that the Vietnamese government has completed a legal framework concerning the management and use of non-refundable aid, including UN technical support, within the broader scope of non-refundable aid. He called on ministries and agencies to continue close coordination with UN organisations, actively resolve difficulties, and urgently approve and implement projects. He urged UN agencies to actively mobilise resources, engage in technical discussions with the Ministry of Finance and relevant partners, and provide project direction that aligns with the Vietnamese governments priorities. FDI in Vietnam surges on strong reinvestment and share purchases Foreign investment in Vietnam continues to rise sharply, driven by capital adjustments and share purchases, despite a dip in newly registered funds. Finance sector proud of a glorious tradition, ready to grow alongside the nation The Ministry of Finance (MoF) held a ceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of Vietnams finance sector on August 8, and received the first-class independence medal in recognition of the sectors significant contributions to the nations development. Ministry of Finance proposes simplifying procedures for overseas investment The Ministry of Finance is looking to simplify procedures for overseas investment to encourage domestic firms to expand their operations in international markets. GOTHENBURG, Sweden, Aug. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- SKF welcomes institutional investors, analysts and financial media to the Group's Capital Markets Day on 11 November. During the event, participants will have the opportunity to gain deeper insights into the strategic direction of both the Industrial and the Automotive businesses post the planned separation of Automotive from the SKF Group, and how value is unlocked by being two standalone businesses. Speakers on the Capital Markets Day will include President and CEO Rickard Gustafson as well as other members of Group Management. They will provide insights on the long-term value creation that the Automotive separation facilitates, including: For the Industrial business: a clearer focus on distinct opportunities in targeted markets leveraging megatrends to enhance customer value and accelerate profitable growth. For the Automotive business: reviewing market conditions and drivers and exemplifying how independent decision-making enables the speedy actions needed to adapt to a transforming, global automotive market, while also managing cost. In addition, financial targets for the SKF Group post separation of the Automotive, i.e. the Industrial business, will be presented at the event. For the Automotive business, indicative financial objectives will be shared. "We look forward to meet investors, analysts and media in November and present the progress in building two standalone businesses and how this will create even stronger Industrial and Automotive businesses," says Rickard Gustafson, President and CEO. Participants are welcome to attend in person at At Six, Brunkebergstorg 6 in Stockholm, Sweden. The Capital Markets Day, which will be held in English, will also be available online. The presentations will start at 13:00 (CET) and end around 17, followed by a mingle for those attending in person. To participate (online or in-person), please register no later than 24 October 2025 at: https://invitepeople.com/events/fee9419f2a. Please note that the number of participants attending in person is limited. More information on the agenda as well as logistics will be available on the registration site. For more information about SKF's Capital Markets Day, please contact: [email protected]. Media: To book interviews with Rickard Gustafson after the event, please contact Carl Bjernstam on [email protected]. Aktiebolaget SKF (publ) For further information, please contact: Press Relations: Carl Bjernstam, +46 31-337 2517; +46 722 201 893; [email protected] Investor Relations: Sophie Arnius, +46 31-337 8072; +46 705 908072; [email protected] This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/skf/r/skf-s-capital-markets-day-to-be-held-on-11-november-2025,c4225638 The following files are available for download: https://mb.cision.com/Main/637/4225638/3633288.pdf 20250828 SKFas Capital Markets Day to be held on 11 November 2025 https://news.cision.com/skf/i/0901d196808e8d97-jpeg-fullresolution,c3464420 0901d196808e8d97 jpeg fullresolution https://news.cision.com/skf/i/skf--47a6381-2,c3464419 SKF- 47A6381 2 SOURCE SKF Plans for affordable apartments at former chapel Site in Wrexham city centre This article is old - Published: Thursday, Aug 28th, 2025 Plans have been lodged to build more than 20 affordable apartments on the site of a former chapel in Wrexham city centre. Wales & West Housing Association has submitted proposals to redevelop the derelict Ebeneser Chapel site, at 2 Chester Road. The land has stood derelict and fallen into a state of disrepair since the former chapel was demolished in 2017. Planning permission for 23 apartments was granted a year earlier, but nine years later the site remains undeveloped. Last year Wrexham.com reported that the land, which had been branded an eyesore and neglected by councillors, had been listed for sale. But now there are fresh hopes for the site after Wales & West Housing Association unveiled plans to build 27 one-bed affordable apartments, along with associated parking. If approved, the development would consist of 27 one-bedroom affordable apartments built in a single four-storey block, with six flats on the ground floor and seven on each of the upper three levels. Each apartment will include a bedroom, bathroom and kitchen/living space. Nine parking spaces to the rear of the building have been proposed, which will be accessed via a private drive to the north of the development. Wales & West Housing Association says that the plans will deliver 27 units to eligible persons who are currently in housing need. The delivery and management of this housing will be undertaken by the registered social landlord. The applicants conclude: This Application proposes the construction of 27 no. 1-bed affordable dwellings. The proposal is a well-designed response to the development site and represents a good opportunity to redevelop a site that has not been in active use for some time. The proposed development is compliant with planning policy, with the exception of parking provision, and will make a modest contribution to the affordable housing stock in the borough. The evidence demonstrates that there is a need for such dwellings in the locality. It is acknowledged that there is some conflict with policy in respect of parking provision however material to the consideration of this is the evidence about demand for parking in the social housing sector, plus the significant experience of the applicant as a housing association managing these types of properties. For the reasons set out within this statement is therefore respectfully requested that planning permission be granted. The application will be considered for approval by Wrexham Council at a later date. HMP Berwyn inmates refurbish bicycles to raise money for Nightingale House This article is old - Published: Thursday, Aug 28th, 2025 Prisoners at HMP Berwyn are refurbishing bicycles to raise money for Nightingale House Hospice as part of a new rehabilitation scheme. The project, delivered in partnership with FCC Environment, Wrexham Council and the hospice, sees donated bikes repaired by inmates before being sold at the Bryn Lane Reuse Shop.The project All proceeds raised through the sales go directly to Nightingale House, which provides care and support for people with life-limiting illnesses. The scheme, which is funded by the Wrexham Shared Prosperity Fund, provides prisoners with accredited training in bicycle maintenance. Materials are supplied by Wrexham Council with support from FCC Environment. As well as raising money for charity, the programme aims to provide inmates with valuable work skills, promote environmental sustainability by reusing bikes, and give local people access to affordable transport. Were proud to be part of this innovative project, said Katie Roberts, Head of Retail and Catering at Nightingale House Hospice. This partnership not only creates a sustainable bike scheme but also supports rehabilitation and raises vital funds for our services. Garry Smith, General Manager, Wrexham PFI, FCC Environment added: This partnership is a fantastic example of how collaboration can deliver a real social and environmental impact. By supporting prisoner rehabilitation through meaningful work, reducing waste, and raising funds for such an important cause, were proud to help make a lasting difference in the Wrexham community. The Bryn Lane Reuse Shop sells a range of pre-loved goods including furniture, homeware and refurbished bikes. Every purchase contributes to hospice services, which include specialist care, emotional support and practical help for patients and families across Wrexham and beyond. Redundancy leads mature Wrexham graduate to launch counselling business This article is old - Published: Thursday, Aug 28th, 2025 A Psychology graduate who was made redundant turned a career setback into a life-changing redirect by deciding to study at university and go onto set up his own counselling business. Now Nigel Skinner, who graduated from Wrexham University after studying for his degree in Psychology, is encouraging others to consider studying later in life. The 59-year-old spent three decades as a Service Delivery Manager mentoring and bringing together engineers and project managers to successfully complete transformation programmes. But he was made redundant in 2018 and was left pondering his next steps. After unsuccessfully applying for new jobs and questioning what the future had in store for him, his wife Julie encouraged him to think about studying for a degree. Nigel said: Initially, when my wife suggested university, I completely shrugged it off and didnt think it was for me. When I was younger, it was never on the cards for me as I left school with very average grades and on leaving full-time education, I went straight into the world of work. I had this pre-conceived idea that I wouldnt enjoy it and that Id find it challenging, and yes, it was challenging but actually, university was an incredible experience for me, as it provided me with so much growth and opportunities. I also think that being a mature student meant that I truly got the best out of my studies, particularly in my subject area. Speaking personally, I found having that life experience to be beneficial. Nigel said he decided to study Psychology, as it was the mentorship and support aspect of his previous roles that he enjoyed the most. He said: It was through my previous work that I took a real interest in understanding human behaviour and thats what led me to Psychology and during the final year of my undergraduate degree, I selected counselling as one of my optional modules. I enjoyed it and learnt a great deal and realised just how much of a positive impact you could make on someones life through counselling. After graduating from Wrexham University, Nigel studied for a Masters degree in Counselling at Bangor University and on completion of that and following on from a couple of years of building up his experience through volunteering in counselling roles, he decided to set up his own business. Nigel launched enestee back in July of last year, which provides person-centred mental health support, serving the areas of North Wales, Cheshire and Wirral. He added: Its been fantastic to be in a position where I am able to work for myself but also the fact that my job involves me helping people to build resilience and lead a more balanced, happy and fulfilling life. Its the most rewarding work Ive ever done and I feel so glad that I overcame my initial doubts about going to university. I would encourage anyone looking to change their path later in life to consider university. The support I received throughout my studies was immense, plus having the opportunity to learn and develop myself. Dr Natalie Roch, Principal Lecturer in Psychology, added: Nigels journey is a brilliant example of the ethos and values of Wrexham University. We pride ourselves on being a widening participation university, and this is reflected in Wrexham continuing to be ranked as top in England and Wales for social inclusion. Nigel made the decision to study Psychology with us following redundancy and took the opportunity to carve out a new career for himself. Our Psychology degree accredited by the British Psychological Society that Nigel graduated with, opened further training opportunities and gave him the foundation to build his counselling skills on. The Psychology team are very proud of Nigel and all that he has achieved since graduating from Wrexham University. Tales of Cities | Tianjin: Rooted in passion, reaching for future 09:24, August 28, 2025 By Yuan Meng, Zhang Rong, Chang Sha, Wang Jing, Elena Davydova ( People's Daily Online Tianjin, born along the Haihe River and facing the Bohai Sea, is an important coastal city in north China. The mixed characteristics of river and sea have been woven into the fabric of the city, making it stay grounded while dreaming big. Urban vigor and vitality As the morning light gently graces Tianjin, the city awakens with the rising sun, bringing hustle and bustle to its streets and corners. With sizzling sounds mingling with irresistible aromas, piping-hot Jianbing Guozi, or crispy dough sticks rolled in a thin pancake, are crafted by skilled hands. It's how a typical day in Tianjin kicks off, always with authentic local delicacies. Inside the city's Northwest Corner, which gets its name due to its location in the northwest corner of the old city of Tianjin, visitors are often overwhelmed by its food offerings, from Guobacai, which is a delightful blend of shredded dried jianbing, savory broth, and toppings, to fried rice cakes. Foodies from near and far can not only enjoy a mouthful of tasty flavors, but can even get a hands-on experience to explore deeper into the city's food culture. The immersive experience leads visitors closer to stories behind food, making the urban vitality of Tianjin more approachable. To feel the city's pulse, on top of famous landmarks, small shops tucked away in alleys are also worth visiting. A salon hidden inside a residential building in Tianjin's Hedong district has gained popularity online for its special Tianjin-style hairdo. Zhu Fengmin, the shop's owner, believes that the delicate hairstyle mirrors locals' upbeat and positive attitude towards life. This "old-fashioned" hairstyle, once most commonly worn by middle-aged and elderly women, has become an internet sensation, gaining popularity among the youth and even foreigners. As more and more visitors from far and wide travel to the city to try out the hairdo, Tianjin locals' passion for life is becoming increasingly palpable. Cultural inheritance and innovation When storytelling meets performance, history comes alive at Tianjin's Zhangyuan Museum, a century-old building bearing witness to the city's vicissitudes. Photo shows an immersive performance exhibition about old Tianjin staged at the Zhangyuan Museum, north China's Tianjin, July 3, 2025. (People's Daily Online/Yuan Meng) This is part of the museum's efforts to bring history alive, with docents serving as actors and actresses, props set in original buildings, and performances in the style of Xiangsheng, a traditional Chinese cross-talk show. In September 2023, the Zhangyuan Museum was designated by China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism among the first national pilots for immersive storytelling of cities. Fu Jia, both deputy director and docent of the museum, said that the immersive show launched by the museum integrates performances, interactive experiences and technology, sharing with visitors the historical and cultural background of the site and even the city, and attracting more young people through this innovative form. Along Tianjin's Ancient Culture Street, a street housing a collection of featured shops, from traditional handicrafts to local delicacies, a quaint store stands as a highlight. Lifelike clay figurines anchored in daily life, literary works, mythology and so on are neatly displayed inside. It provides a glimpse of "Clay Figure Zhang," a clay sculpture art developed in Tianjin. "Clay Figure Zhang" is one of the representatives of clay sculpture art in north China, and was listed among the first batch of China's national intangible cultural heritage in 2006. Passed down for nearly 200 years, this nationally recognized household folk art is gaining new charm with themed cultural and innovative products, such as calendars, fridge magnets and bookmarks, winning over more consumers, especially among the younger generations. Innovation and inheritance are redefining the cultural texture of this coastal city. Global vision and future-oriented At a rainbow-colored terminal of Tianjin Port, giant cargo ships lined the docks, automated gantry cranes rose and fell, and AI-driven transportation robots shuttled back and forth. The scene was bustling yet orderly. Photo shows a scene of the world's first zero-carbon intelligent container terminal in Tianjin Port, north China's Tianjin. (Photo courtesy of the entity interviewed) This is the world's first zero-carbon intelligent container terminal officially put into operation in 2021. Since then, the port has taken on a new look, achieving a green and smart upgrading. "The design of Tianjin Port's overall operation plan is both bold and forward-looking," said Sun Yujin, a supervisor at the technology department of Tianjin Port Second Container Terminal Co., Ltd., adding that the success of the port can be attributed to a spirit deeply rooted in Tianjin people, one of resilience, grit, and unwavering drive to innovate and push boundaries. Nowadays, Tianjin Port boasts trade connections with over 500 ports from more than 180 countries and regions. In 2024, its cargo throughput reached 579 million tonnes and container throughput 23.29 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU). Physical connectivity goes side by side with people-to-people exchanges. Between June 23 and July 16, this year, 15 faculty members from L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University in Kazakhstan received training sessions, focusing on artificial intelligence (AI), at the Tianjin Vocational Institute. Participants of the Luban Workshop's training session engage in classroom discussions at the Tianjin Vocational Institute, north China's Tianjin, July 2, 2025. (People's Daily Online/Zhang Rong) It represents the ongoing preparations for the second Luban Workshop in Kazakhstan, which is slated to be officially inaugurated and put into use this October. The Luban Workshop, an international vocational education brand spearheaded by Tianjin, gains its name from the ancient Chinese craftsman Lu Ban. It aims to share China's advanced technical and vocational education and training (TVET) technologies, standards and resources worldwide. Gulden Ulyukova, a senior lecturer at the department of information security, L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, is a participant of the training session. In her view, with courses in deep learning, machine learning, data mining and industrial internet security, the Luban Workshop is a good opportunity for Kazakhstan to advance its technical education. Li Guohui, a teacher at the College of Electronics and Information Engineering, Tianjin Vocational Institute, oversees the new workshop's construction on behalf of the institute. He said that the Luban Workshop not only helps bring China's latest technologies to young people in other countries, boosting local growth, but also fosters more envoys of friendship among countries, contributing to common development. Tianjin, the host city of the 2025 SCO summit, stands ready to welcome guests from all over the world with its simple joys of everyday life, signature flavors, time-honored traditions, and answers to the future. (Web editor: Chang Sha, Du Mingming) Industry leaders go all in to support the event that gives women in the trades a powerful platform of education, networking and mentorship ENGLEWOOD, Colo., Aug. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Women in HVACR (WHVACR), a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering women in the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration trades, announced that strong sponsor support is helping position its 2025 Bet on Yourself conference as one of the most impactful events in the organization's 22-year run. Women in HVACR recognizes the sponsors of the group's Bet on Yourself conference, which empowers women in the skilled trades through education, mentorship and networking. "This group of sponsors has made the Bet on Yourself convention possible, and we want to extend our gratitude to their incredible contributions," said Women in WHVACR President Kristin Gallup, who also serves as director of product management for Carrier Enterprise. "Their support empowers women to invest in themselves, build meaningful connections and grow as leaders. We could not create such a powerful platform of education, networking and mentorship without their participation." The conference, which will be held Oct. 6-8 at the Red Rock Hotel in Las Vegas, includes keynote speakers Angela Gaffney and Erin Hatzikkostas, educational conference sessions and after-hours events for attendees. The presenting partner, Avoca, an artificial intelligence (AI) customer service and booking agent, is sponsoring the full three-day event. Gallup said Avoca's backing has allowed Women in HVACR to elevate the attendee's experience and provide more engaging opportunities. Other sponsorships include: Daikin Comfort Technologies, a global HVACR manufacturer and distributor, is sponsoring a mimosa bar at the event. iWallet, a technology-driven luxury brand specializing in secure, connected lifestyle accessories, is providing a La Dolce Vita lunch. Quietflex, the preferred ductwork provider for contractors and wholesalers nationwide, is providing the Sip & Celebrate Beverage Break. Resideo, a technology and smart solutions company providing smart home products, is sponsoring the Hats Off to a Winning Start Breakfast and the Coffee & Connections Breakfast on Oct. 7-8 . Rheem Manufacturing, a global leader in heating, cooling and water heating solutions, is providing 36-ounce steel water bottles. Service Nation, the largest residential contracting group in the U.S., is sponsoring the Connection Crawl networking event on Oct. 6 . Synchrony, a premier consumer financial services company, is sponsoring the Red, Rock & Roll Welcome Party on Oct. 6. Trinity Warranty Solutions, a leading extended warranty and facility management provider for the HVACR industry, is providing a High Roller Hydration Station. The SWAG items in conference bags have been provided by: Arkema, Avoca, Daikin Comfort Technologies, Pink Lady Callers, Rheem Manufacturing, Synchrony, Trinity Warranty Solutions and Women in HVACR. "The Bet on Yourself conference is a celebration of what's possible when women believe in their own potential," Gallup said. "From networking events to thoughtful touches like hydration stations, breakfast bars and welcome gifts, each sponsor's contribution will make this conference a memorable experience for all our attendees." For more information about Women in HVACR, visit https://www.womeninhvacr.org/. About Women in HVACR Since 2002, Women in HVACR has worked to increase the number of women in the Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigerant (HVACR) industry and empower women to succeed by providing members with a variety of opportunities to network and develop a professional environment through education and mentorship. The 1,200-member nonprofit organization holds a variety of regional and national events each year and provides scholarship opportunities for women who pursue careers within the HVACR industry, including those who seek engineering and business degrees or a trade school education. For more information about Women in HVACR, visit https://www.womeninhvacr.org/. SOURCE Women in HVACR UPDATE - SEPTEMBER 22: The state of Nevada keeps restoring services following a cyberattack last month. In a release on Monday, the Governor's Office confirmed the restoration of civil fingerprinting background checks. These background checks support hiring and licensing across agencies, and a backlog of submissions is being worked through. Remote access VPN services are also available again, with improved stability. Also, a majority of public websites are back up and running, while the state works to improve website performance on those sites. The Governor's Office says voicemail services should be restored by later this week. The state is also upgrading its security measures going forward, including a statewide credential reset, stronger password standards, and network segmentation. UPDATE - SEPTEMBER 15: As of Monday, September 15, the Nevada Department of Public Safety and State Police websites and online services are fully restored and operational. Services now available include public records requests, civil background checks for employment, Brady background checks, fingerprinting, the Sex Offender Registry, and Danger Offender Notification. A spokesperson for the Governors Office confirmed these services are back online, marking a significant milestone in the states ongoing recovery from the recent cyberattack. UPDATE - September 12: Governor Lombardo gave an update on Friday on the ongoing response to the recent statewide cyberattack. Lombardo says that about 90% of all state websites are back online. The majority of the remaining 10% are key components of the state's systems and will require more due diligence before they are brought back online. The state is continuing to work on recovering all websites. Lombardo says the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles is 100% back online. The State has researched problems users reported with registrations and determined that the issues stem from dealerships improperly filling out paperwork or customers inundating their system. At this time, Lombardo says the State has seen no evidence of personal identifier information being compromised in the attack. He said that the state will notify affected people if their personal information was accessed. Governor Lombardo says the State will continue to be transparent throughout this process. Lombardo says the State's health and social service systems have remained available throughout the entire cyberattack. Nevadans are encouraged to access the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services website or visit the Division of Social Services in person, should they have any questions about their benefits. The Governor says the State is unable to answer any questions about the attack itself. He said that no banking activity was compromised in the attack. SEPTEMBER 8, 2025: While the Nevada DMV remains open, it is "still experiencing issues with processing first-time IDs or upgrades to a NV driver's license, ID card or instruction permit." The DMV became "100% fully operational" on Friday - more than a week after a statewide cyberattack affected numerous agencies. It adds, "For those with cancelled driver's license or ID appointments from 8/25 - 9/4 that are NOT requiring an issuance of a new ID, please walk-in to the office you originally booked your appointment at during business hours to be helped." Earlier, state officials set up a temporary website to help residents access updates and critical information during the ongoing cyberattack recovery. The website is available at: https://www.oem.nv.gov/en/recovery SEPTEMBER 5, 2025: The Nevada DMV says it's now 100% fully operational, including for drivers licenses and ID card transactions. On X, they say, "we are shifting focus at our offices to serve customers that need identification transactions. With that being said, we require all customers to our online services or kiosks for all vehicle transactions including registration, titling, renewals, moving permits, duplicate decals and more. UPDATE - September 4, 6:30 p.m. At a press conference on Thursday, Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo stressed that the state will only share information on the state's ongoing response to a recent cyberattack when they safely can. Public updates can sometimes trigger more attacks. For that reason, we are moving forward cautiously, giving Nevadans as much information as possible while continuing to protect our systems," he said. Thursdays conference stressed on two major points. The first was the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles. "Nevadans can once again complete essential services in person such as registrations and title transfers, and beginning tomorrow, Nevadans can receive their driver's licenses in person too, Lombardo said. While some services may still be running slower than usual, operations are back online." The other notable portion of the briefing surrounded the data breach. The Governor did not comment on what was breached but instead commented on things they believe have not been breached. Those include state bank, financial, or treasury fund information. Lombardo says SNAP benefit information and DMV information, such as driver's license, vehicle registration or personal details were not included. They will continue to investigate to pinpoint the data breach. "If investigators eventually discover otherwise, we will follow Nevada's strict statutes about personal data breaches by notifying any affected individuals promptly and providing resources to help protect them," the Governor said. Lombardo says that he understands people are frustrated and want things back online as quickly as possible, but the state has to be super careful. "That's why I can't give you a 100% answer today on how much has actually been put back online because there's little compartments and different processes and different departments that may be affected that we have to ensure that they're safe before we provide 100%. UPDATE - September 4, 2:00 p.m. At a press conference Thursday, the Governor addressed the ongoing response to the recent cyberattack, saying the state has made significant progress but emphasized the need for a thorough review of every system that accesses state information. No site or service will be brought back online until officials can confirm it is not affected. The Governor reassured residents that standard extensions are in place for things like DMV renewals and license registrations, and law enforcement is aware and will continue to be informed of any temporary adjustments. He said teams are working as quickly as possible, but the process takes time due to the volume and complexity of state systems. UPDATE - September 4, 12:30 p.m. State agencies across Nevada are still recovering from last months statewide cyberattack. Governor Lombardo is set to hold a press conference today at 1:30 p.m., to provide the latest updates. Meanwhile, the Nevada DMV is accepting walk-ins for registration, titling, and other vehicle-related services, honoring canceled appointments from August 2530. Identification and driving privilege services, including new IDs and licenses, remain unavailable. UPDATE - September 3: While some state offices and agencies remain offline after last month's cyberattack, the Nevada DMV is now offering some in-person services. It also says all vehicle appointments that were canceled between August 25 August 30 will be honored as walk-ins starting today, September 2. All offices are open for registration, titling, and other vehicle related services. Identification and driving privilege services (such as new IDs, licenses) remain unavailable at this time. Walk-ins will be available during business hours, Monday Saturday (Monday Friday only for Carson City). Online, Nevadans can use services like registration renewal, driver history printouts, registration and insurance status, insurance general information, personalized plate ordering, rapid registration and vehicle taxes history. UPDATE - September 1: As of Monday morning, September 1, state officials say a temporary Nevada website has been launched to help residents access updates and critical information during the ongoing cyberattack recovery. The website is available at: https://www.oem.nv.gov/en/recovery Phone lines for NHP and dispatch remain operational, and troopers and officers are continuing to provide public safety services. The Governors Technology Office says work to restore affected systems is ongoing, and further updates will be provided as they become available. UPDATE - August 29: State officials gave a second public update on Thursday about the ongoing response effort from last weekend's cyberattack. During a live press conference, Governor Lombardo announced that while some agencies are starting to come back online, he's urging the public to call 211 if they need help. "It's frustrating. I understand," Lombardo said, adding that the investigation remains ongoing. He also stressed that he's been in constant contact with agencies since he learned of it. "I am confident in our response." Phones are also coming online too since they are connected to the internet for most departments. Some services have been also restored at the Nevada DMV, including the website, which you can see below. All DMV offices remain closed until further notice though, including AAA offices, County and City Partnerships (DMV transactions only). Brick-and-mortar offices are still operational for people needing help with the Department of Health and Human Services and the Nevada Health Authority. Governor Lombardo clarified that the data that was accessed did not contain personal information. If there is, state officials say they'd alert the affected individual and decide what steps to take next. When asked why the websites aren't back online yet, he said that they want to make sure they are safe first to re-post. "So, are you (still) under attack?" a reporter asked. "No." He also said that they don't know what the motive was for the "intrusion" and that he doesn't know what kind of information the hackers wanted to access. You can also get updates on their recovery website. ORIGINAL STORY: This new briefing comes after a Wednesday afternoon press conference was held in Carson City. The Governors Technology Office, Directors of State Agencies, and federal agency partners presented updates on the coordinated investigation and recovery process. They discussed the current status of state operations and services, and shared additional insights into what is known so far about the nature of the cyberattack. State offices across Nevada remain closed due to what the Governor's Office is calling a "network security incident." The outage has impacted multiple services, including the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), the Nevada Department of Public Safety, and other agencies. As of Thursday morning, August 28, the Nevada State Police reported no change in status. We are status quo today with the Nevada Department of Public Safety/State Police administrative offices and online services unavailable due to the network issue affecting State agencies, the department said in a statement. Phone lines for *NHP and dispatch remain operational. Troopers and officers are on duty and continuing to provide public safety services. Cybersecurity expert Chuck Flagg, President of Orion Technologies, Inc. in Reno, says better isolation tools could help prevent similar incidents elsewhere. If a threat actor does hit a specific computer, there are tools that will isolate that one computer that will not allow it to expand out, Flagg said. He added that basic antivirus protection is no longer enough, and stressed the importance of software updates. If your servers and your computers are not updated, that is a huge risk that you're putting yourself at," Flagg said. "Putting all this stuff into place will dramatically reduce your risk going forward with cybersecurity." The DMV says any canceled appointments will be honored as walk-ins for two weeks once systems are restored, and any late fees incurred during the outage will be waived. In a Facebook update, the DMV also addressed concerns from residents: We hear you, and we are here for you during this statewide outage... We are actively coordinating with law enforcement agencies to ensure they are aware of the situation and can provide appropriate consideration during this period. Other state agencies continue to adjust operations: The Nevada Department of Education says its Carson City and Las Vegas offices remain open to assist with educator licenses. The Washoe County District Attorneys Office says it cannot access information about child support cases until the state's NVKIDS system is restored. The Nevada Supreme Court reports intermittent system functionality affecting email, phone systems, eFlex, and the public case portal. Users are encouraged to continue trying to file electronically, and alternative methods may be announced if conditions worsen. The Governors Office says the state has prioritized restoring the most critical services and is using temporary routing and operational workarounds where possible. All systems must be validated before returning to normal operation. No timeline has been given for full restoration, though in-person services could begin later this week. Officials say the FBI is continuing its investigation and that minimizing interference with the process is a top priority. The FBI wants to capture all of that data without having a bunch of users coming in and re-infecting or creating a problem for them, Flagg said. Despite the disruption, the Governors Office confirmed that all state employees will be paid on time. Many returned to the office on Tuesday, and others will follow as systems come back online. The Governor's Office also provided updates on how key state services have been affected. Those impacts can be read by clicking on the document below. Washoe County District Attorney Chris Hicks has announced that 55-year-old David Abara has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in connection with the fatal stabbing of 35-year-old Randal Lowery. Abara pleaded guilty to repeatedly stabbing Lowery in the face, neck, and arms before leaving him at Fishermans Park on June 7, 2023. According to the Washoe County District Attorney's Office, Sparks Police were called to the Tahoe Pyramid Bikeway Path after someone reported a man lying in the dirt, surrounded by blood. Investigators worked with Truckee Meadows Water Authority to review surveillance video showing Abara yelling at Lowery and then striking him. The footage appeared to show Lowery attempting to defend himself before collapsing to the ground bleeding, after being hit several times. Officers from the Homeless Outreach Proactive Engagement (HOPE) team later contacted Abara in the area and detained him for questioning. Although he initially denied involvement, further investigation confirmed he was responsible for the stabbing, leading to his arrest. Chief Deputy District Attorney Luke Prengaman praised Sparks Police for their work: This is a good example of patient and diligent police work paying off. SPD did not rush to judgment, but took the time to develop a solid case, which ultimately resulted in justice for the victims family and the just sentence imposed. Judge Kathleen Sigurdson presided over the case and imposed the life sentence, along with an additional 820 years for a deadly weapon enhancement. OCTOBER 20, 2023 On Friday, Sparks Police Department (SPD) arrested 54-year-old Sparks resident David Eugene Abara as a suspect in a homicide that occurred on June 7. Abara was located by SPD Detectives with the assistance of Nevada State Police Parole and Probation as he returned from a Parole hearing. He is currently in custody at the Washoe County Jail on Open Murder charges. The investigation revealed that the victim, 35-year-old Randal Lowery was killed during an altercation where he was stabbed. Original Story, Jun 21: The Washoe County coroner has identified the body found at Fisherman's Park on June 7. The medical examiner said 35-year-old Randal Lowery was stabbed multiple times. A homicide investigation remains ongoing after he was found dead around 1:30 a.m. at the south end of the park, near Galetti Way and Glendale Avenue. If you have any information that can help authorities, call or text your anonymous tip to Secret Witness at 775-322-4900. A $5,000 reward is being offered. 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BPH's capital raising activities during the year are set out page 10 of the Directors' Report. *To view the full Annual Report, please visit: https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/7P452QYO About BPH Energy Limited BPH Energy Limited (ASX:BPH) is an Australian Securities Exchange listed company developing biomedical research and technologies within Australian Universities and Hospital Institutes. The company provides early stage funding, project management and commercialisation strategies for a direct collaboration, a spin out company or to secure a license. BPH provides funding for commercial strategies for proof of concept, research and product development, whilst the institutional partner provides infrastructure and the core scientific expertise. BPH currently partners with several academic institutions including The Harry Perkins Institute for Medical Research and Swinburne University of Technology (SUT). Related Companies Investor Webinar Presentation Perth, Aug 28, 2025 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Locksley Resources Limited ( ASX:LKY ) ( LKYRF:OTCMKTS ) is pleased to invite shareholders to attend an investor webinar on MarketOpen Direct Connect to be held on Wednesday, 3 rd September 2025, 11:00am AWST/ 13.00pm AEST. Allister Caird, Head of Critical Minerals and Julian Woodcock, Technical Director will provide a Company Update on the company's Mojave Critical Minerals Project, the transformational partnership to fast-track antimony processing in the USA and participate in a Q&A. This webinar can be viewed live via zoom & you register for FREE via the link below. https://www.abnnewswire.net/lnk/W7M4JH22 A recorded copy of the webinar will be made available following the event. About Locksley Resources Limited Locksley Resources Limited (ASX:LKY) (FRA:X5L) (OTCMKTS:LKYRF) is an ASX listed explorer focused on critical minerals in the United States of America. The Company is actively advancing exploration across two key assets: the Mojave Project in California, targeting rare earth elements (REEs) and antimony. Locksley Resources aims to generate shareholder value through strategic exploration, discovery and development in this highly prospective mineral region. Mojave Project Located in the Mojave Desert, California, the Mojave Project comprises over 250 claims across two contiguous prospect areas, namely, the North Block/Northeast Block and the El Campo Prospect. The North Block directly abuts claims held by MP Materials, while El Campo lies along strike of the Mountain Pass Mine and is enveloped by MP Materials' claims, highlighting the strong geological continuity and exploration potential of the project area. In addition to rare earths, the Mojave Project hosts the historic "Desert Antimony Mine", which last operated in 1937. Despite the United States currently having no domestic antimony production, demand for the metal remains high due to its essential role in defense systems, semiconductors, and metal alloys. With significant surface sample results, the Desert Mine prospect represents one of the highest-grade known antimony occurrences in the U.S. Locksley's North American position is further strengthened by rising geopolitical urgency to diversify supply chains away from China, the global leader in both REE & antimony production. With its maiden drilling program planned, the Mojave Project is uniquely positioned to align with U.S. strategic objectives around critical mineral independence and economic security. Tottenham Project Locksley's Australian portfolio comprises the advanced Tottenham Copper-Gold Project in New South Wales, focused on VMS-style mineralisation in a well established mining region. Locksley is committed to delivering value through discovery, development, and strategic partnerships, with a focus on securing access to U.S. aligned funding and downstream collaborations. Related Companies The Albuquerque Convention Center in November 2024. The city will host the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Quantum Week, which starts Sunday. Albuquerque will host this years Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Quantum Week conference a first for the city as New Mexico makes a name for itself in the quickly evolving industry. With established national laboratories, multiple research facilities and the recent implementation of a $25 million state-funded initiative, officials believe the future of quantum technology, innovation and commercialization shines brightest in New Mexico. Quantum Week is a powerful example of how Albuquerques history of scientific leadership and growing technology ecosystem can attract prestigious, forward-thinking events, said Tania Armenta, Visit Albuquerque president and CEO, in a statement. This conference will bring together some of the brightest minds in the field, while also delivering significant economic benefits to our community. Held Aug. 31 through Sept. 5 at the Albuquerque Convention Center, Quantum Week aims to spark conversations between quantum scientists and researchers, and the businesses that are bringing the technology to the market, Candace Culhane, Quantum Week general chair and science coordinator at Los Alamos National Laboratory, told the Journal. There are a lot of conferences that are really for the science, and there are also conferences for entrepreneurs and business people, Culhane said. But our conference is the first one that really brings these two communities together. According to its website, the event touts nine keynote speakers, 13 panels, over 70 workforce and community-building tutorials, a career fair and technologies from quantum companies, startups and research labs. Since beginning virtually in 2020, Culhane said attendance has grown from 600 to 1,500 as of last years event in Montreal, Canada. The world stands to benefit from the increasing accessibility of quantum computing, Culhane said. Quantum technology supports advanced computing to enable the more complicated algorithms that are fueling drug discovery, disease mitigation, financial and information security and optimization, and so much more. With a barrage of activities to choose from, Culhane acknowledged how daunting the week could seem. However, she said the event has levels to its agenda, with options for both beginners and experts in quantum. Elevate Quantum CEO Zach Yerushalmi will give a keynote speech Monday discussing New Mexico and the Mountain Wests growing quantum ecosystem, with remarks from Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. Sam Stanwyck, head of quantum computing products for Nvidia Corp., will end the series of keynote speeches with a Friday address. Culhane said officials with Quantum Week are tremendously excited about hosting it in Albuquerque this year. One of the biggest factors that went into picking the location came from the wealth of quantum talent that resides in the Mountain West. Ad We want to foster and encourage this idea that New Mexico is a great place to start new businesses because we have all this talent, Culhane said. We recognize the rich heritage, all the abundant resources and favorable investments from the state and federal government that take place in New Mexico. The global conference is estimated to bring nearly 1,500 attendees, 3,100 hotel room stays and contribute $1.5 million in direct spending to the local economy, according to Visit Albuquerque. People ride the midway rides during the New Mexico State Fair at Expo New Mexico in 2024. Chancey Bush A midway ride spins during the New Mexico State Fair at Expo New Mexico in 2024. Chancey Bush People ride amusement park rides at the midway during the New Mexico State Fair at Expo New Mexico in 2024. Chancey Bush Park & Ride Park & Ride WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 6, Sunday, Sept. 7, Saturday, Sept. 13, and Sunday, Sept. 14Saturdays and Sundays during the fair Saturdays: Coronado Center to State Fair: 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. State Fair to Coronado Center: 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Sundays: Coronado Center to State Fair: 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. State Fair to Coronado Center: 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. HOW MUCH: $10.50-$25.50 at statefair.exponm.com NEW MEXICO STATE FAIR NEW MEXICO STATE FAIR WHEN: Thursday, Sept. 4, through Sunday, Sept. 14 Fair hours: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday-Saturday; Midway hours: opens 2 p.m. Monday-Friday, opens 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday WHERE: Expo New Mexico, 300 San Pedro Drive NE HOW MUCH: $10.50-$40 at statefair.exponm.com; free for children 5 and under Grab a turkey leg and pick your favorite pig race contestant, the New Mexico State Fair is returning for 11 days of fun, food and farm animals. Dan Mourning, general manager of Expo New Mexico and the New Mexico State Fair, said theres a little bit of something for everyone. Theres so many different moving parts or so many things that draw people together, Dan Mourning, general manager of Expo New Mexico and the New Mexico State Fair, said. Thats why 520,000 people show up for this fair every year. Mourning said the state fair, which runs Thursday, Sept. 4, through Sunday, Sept. 14, has an atmosphere that gets people excited. Its energetic, its uplifting, Mourning said. Everything that we do out there is just, you cant even see it in one day. Theres so much entertainment, its just a great celebration in a really safe environment. He said that the New Mexico State Fair is one of the safest fairs in the United States in terms of security and technology. When youre comfortable, you feel good, you come out with your friends, your family, your neighbors, Mourning said. And its a great time for us, especially in the times that were living in, to come together and be happy and celebrate those things that make us great as a state. Alongside an emphasis on security, the fair also has a focus on affordability. We understand what it takes to make a living out there. We dont want people to miss the fair because they cant afford it, Mourning said. Ad A ticket to the fair online starts at $10.50 and goes up to $40 for an all-access pass. The state fair will also host several discount days. Fairgoers will have the option of Park and Ride, departing from and returning to Coronado Center on Saturdays and Sundays. The New Mexico State Fair will have new food and drink options this year, including items tailored for the 21 and over crowd. So we have not just one, but we have two state fair brews that will be sold exclusively at the fair, Mourning said. For those looking for a non-beer option or a nonalcoholic option, Mourning said this year the fair is bringing back a speakeasy at the Manuel Lujan Jr. Exhibit Complex. This is where you can get craft cocktails, mocktails, a little bit of entertainment, Mourning said. We kind of call it the adult sensory station. He said the speakeasy gives the older crowd an escape from the noise where they can listen to some comedy and jazz. The fair features a wide variety of entertainment, including Break-A-Boyz, MegaMorph the Transforming Car and Buckets N Boards, which are all new this year. A new musical event this year is Soundwave NM, Mourning said, a showcase for local bands inside Tingley Coliseum. Another popular event that will be returning is the Green Chile Cheeseburger Challenge, where nine of the best restaurants around New Mexico will be competing, Mourning said. Thats not the only cook-off on the menu the Unique Food Contest takes place opening day and the high school culinary competition is also returning. These are your future chefs and cooks that are going to be serving our food up for many generations, and they are talented, so you ... definitely dont want to miss that, Mourning said. Mourning said opportunities like Future Farmers of America and the culinary competition help boost future generations. We need to showcase the best of New Mexico, and thats what the state fair does, Mourning said, and giving these young people that venue and that opportunity to showcase their talents is the reason we exist. They are absolutely our future. Mourning said the diversity of the fair is what keeps people coming year after year. Its one of those things that it may be livestock and agriculture on one hand, it could be the rides, it could be the concerts, it could be the rodeo, it could be the art, Mourning said. Its the history, the culture. Its the greatest event for New Mexico in New Mexico. New Mexico State Fair set for Sept. 4-14 People ride amusement park rides at the midway during the New Mexico State Fair at Expo New Mexico in 2024. Chancey Bush A midway ride spins during the New Mexico State Fair at Expo New Mexico in 2024. Chancey Bush Male Lesser Prairie Chickens gather on leks, the breeding grounds, of Eastern New Mexcio to display and vie for females. The birds expand their colorful air sacs on their throats and stamp with their feet. The males fight with each other to determine social status, and their right to breed with the available females. JNL A lesser prairie chicken seen in the Portales-area. The birds lost endangered species status this month. (Roberto Rosales/Albuquerque Journal) Journal A lesser prairie chicken perches on a branch in eastern New Mexico in 2021 on private property just southeast of Portales. The birds lost endangered species protections last month. Roberto E. Rosales A stout grouse native to eastern New Mexico has lost its endangered species status. The lesser prairie chicken has gained and lost federal protections more than once as conservation groups, lawmakers, oil producers and agriculture businesses have argued over the birds fate. An estimated 27,000 birds remain in the wild due to habitat loss and fragmentation. The species has lost an estimated 90% of its historic habitat, according to a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service guide. The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas vacated the Endangered Species Act listing on Aug. 12, ruling it was inappropriate to evaluate the lesser prairie chicken as two separate populations. The northern population had been listed as threatened, while the southern population in New Mexico and Texas was listed as endangered, providing it with more protections. Now, neither group of lesser prairie chicken has federal protections. Lesser prairie chicken, throughout its range, no longer has any federal Endangered Species Act protection, said Jason Rylander, legal director at the Center for Biological Diversitys Climate Law Institute. It is solely at the mercy of state regulation, which, as weve seen in the last 30 years, has not been adequate to protect and recover the species. Lesser prairie chickens are known for their colorful mating dances. The male birds have long neck feathers called pinnae that are erected during courtship displays, according to the guide. The birds refuse to set up mating grounds near tall structures, because their predators are traditionally birds of prey that roost in tall trees, Rylander said. Both oil jacks and wind turbines can disrupt their habitat. Much of the existing lesser prairie chicken population resides in Kansas, but a smaller group of the birds build their nests in New Mexico. Its range also includes Texas, Colorado and Oklahoma. The species habitat is projected to continue declining in all but the most optimistic scenario over the next 25 years, a 2022 U.S. Fish and Wildlife report on the species status found. That projection did not take into account climate change, although climate change is expected to affect the birds reproduction and survival. The population in eastern New Mexico and West Texas was estimated at 3,000 birds. In 2014, the species was previously listed as threatened, but that listing was also reversed by the courts. Ad Republican politicians in New Mexico and Kansas celebrated the decision to vacate the Endangered Species Act listing. This victory is a triumph for New Mexicos hardworking ranchers and energy producers, New Mexico Senate Republican Whip Pat Woods and Sens. Candy Ezzell and Pat Boone said in a joint statement. New Mexico Cattle Growers Association President Bronson Corn was also pleased with the decision. When it came to listing lesser prairie chickens, cattle ranchers in eastern New Mexico were concerned that private land would be taken for habitat conservation, Corn said. Designating critical habitat for an endangered species does not affect private land ownership or allow the government to take or manage private land, according to a guide from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Cattle producers in New Mexico often graze livestock on a combination of private property and public Bureau of Land Management property, according to Corn. Ranchers have been working on voluntary conservation projects for the species, doing things like eliminating structures over 6 feet tall, so the birds will feel at ease, and keeping livestock out of bird mating areas, Corn said. Theres been a huge push from the ranchers by utilizing funding that is coming out of the oil and gas industry to help propagate that population, Corn said. But environmental advocates still want more legal protections for the birds. The fact is that voluntary conservation is important, but it is insufficient, Rylander said. The Center for Biological Diversity plans to petition again for the species to be listed and is considering appealing the Texas judges decision. I think its incredibly problematic that we do not list species earlier, and that we end up in these vicious cycles of litigation over what should be a national commitment to preserving our biological heritage, Rylander said. People attend the ribbon cutting of the grand opening of the Ted Chavez Trades and Technologies Center at Central New Mexico Community Colleges 60th anniversary celebration Wednesday. Chancey Bush Angel Garcia, a Central New Mexico Community College staff member with the Human Resources Department, reacts while attending the college's 60th anniversary celebration Wednesday. Chancey Bush Central New Mexico Community College, the largest community college in the state, celebrated its 60th anniversary Wednesday by opening its new Ted Chavez Trades and Technologies Center. The center is named after the late alumnus and faculty member Ted Chavez, who studied HVAC at the school and played a pivotal role in developing CNMs trades programs, according to the schools website. His family was in attendance and honored at the celebration. The new center includes five buildings to train students for trade careers such as welding, carpentry, plumbing and construction. The project cost $59 million, with $45 million going to construction. The state ponied up $22.4 million of that. CNM gave me the foundation I needed, not with technical knowledge, but the confidence to further my electrical career, Anthony Ramirez, an alumnus who now teaches electrical trades at the school, said during the event. Teaching at CNM has given me the chance to stay connected to the community and train the next generation of electricians, the people that will power New Mexico. CNM was founded in the summer of 1965, originally bearing the name Technical Vocational Institute. Its focus was on training the states workforce in trade careers. Six decades later, as demand for those careers and interest in pursuing them grow, the school is still making big investments to train the states workforce. Were certainly making sure that were leveraging the investments weve made in technology and changing our programming to be able to provide students with more access when they want courses and learning, connecting them more with relevant experiences, CNM President Tracy Hartzler said in an interview earlier this month. Were consistent in serving our community. Among those in attendance were Albuquerque Public Schools Superintendent Gabriella Blakey, New Mexico Higher Education Secretary Stephanie Rodriguez and Mayor Tim Keller. Classes begin next month, and the new trade school is expected to serve at least 1,000 students. New Mexico State Police and Chaves County deputies investigate a shooting Thursday afternoon in the 600 block of East Sixth Street in Roswell. Two law enforcement officers and a suspect were injured in an exchange of gunfire overnight Wednesday. Dakota Perkins Source: New Mexico State Police Authorities responding to a man threatening suicide at a home in Roswell overnight Wednesday were met with sustained automatic gunfire that injured an officer and deputy before the suspect was shot and surrendered. New Mexico State Police said more than 100 rounds were fired by the suspect and, at times, the gunfire was so intense that authorities had to draw fire away from others who were pinned down. Roswell officer Conner Watkins and Chaves County deputy Lorenzo Salas were hospitalized with gunshot wounds that are not life-threatening. Court records show Watkins was shot in the neck and, in a news release, State Police said the deputy was flown to a Texas hospital for further treatment. The suspected shooter, 29-year-old Dakota Perkins, was shot in the hand and struck by gunfire in the bulletproof vest he was wearing. Perkins was taken to a hospital to be treated. Perkins is charged with two counts each of attempted murder, aggravated battery and assault upon a peace officer and child abuse. New Mexico State Police, whose officers exchanged gunfire with Perkins alongside Roswell police and Chaves County deputies, said he possessed multiple firearms one of them an automatic rifle and explosives. Roswell police responded around 12:30 a.m. to the 600 block of East Sixth to reports that a man was locked in a bedroom and threatening to shoot himself, according to a statement of probable cause filed in Magistrate Court. State Police said those officers were met with significant and sustained automatic gunfire. Deputy Salas and officer Watkins were shot as authorities returned fire and Perkins girlfriend and her children, 7 and 9, fled out the back when the shooting started. The complaint states a sergeant fired at the home attempting to have the gunman direct his attention toward him to give Roswell police near the home a reprieve from gunfire. State Police said amid the shootout, a Roswell officer with a sniper rifle shot at Perkins, which brought a lull to the gunfire. Afterward, Perkins told police he had pulled the pin on a flash grenade and authorities allowed him to throw it out of the home. Ad Negotiators were able to get Perkins to put the weapons down, remove body armor, and surrender to law enforcement, State Police said in a release. Perkins girlfriend later told State Police that he had suicidal ideations on two separate occasions and said he had been drinking Wednesday night, according to the statement. Perkins was previously arrested in 2018 after allegedly grabbing a Roswell officers handgun during a traffic stop. OXFORD, England Santa Ono, former president of the University of Michigan, has been appointed global president of the Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT), a privately funded research organization affiliated with the University of Oxford. Ono will lead EIT's efforts to develop and expand its science and research programs worldwide. The institute, founded by Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, focuses on critical fields such as health, climate change, food sustainability, and the ethical development of artificial intelligence. "I look forward to collaborating with EIT's leadership teams worldwide to advance Larry Ellison's bold vision," Ono said in a statement. "I believe this innovative approach represents the most exciting investment in fundamental and applied research globally ... to create solutions to humanity's most pressing challenges." Ono previously led the Universities of Cincinnati and British Columbia before serving as Michigan's president from 2022 to 2025. Earlier this year, he was nominated by the University of Florida's board as president, but his appointment was blocked by Florida's Board of Governors amid political controversy over his past support of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. , Matt Britzman, senior equity analyst, Hargreaves Lansdown: The FTSE 100 opened slightly higher this morning, building on yesterdays modest gain as it works to recover from a sluggish start to the week. Retail remains in focus after recent downgrades and warnings on consumer demand, but a rise in the energy price cap from October gave utilities a boost in yesterdays session. The main story capturing attention comes from the biggest company in the world, as Nvidia released its latest results last night. Shares have held onto overnight losses, despite an upbeat earnings call, as the absence of China sales in guidance surprised investors. Remarkably, revenue still surged at an unprecedented pace without contributions from one of its key markets, while management struck a confident tone on demand for AI chips and the scaling of Blackwell and Blackwell Ultra. If licensing issues are resolved, China could add $25 billion to Q3 revenue on top of the $54 billion guidance. Apples to apples, this guide was a good clip ahead of consensus, which had built in a few billion dollars' worth of Chinese sales, leaving plenty of room for positive upside over the coming months. Smart investors will look through the noise. Nvidia has a history of soft trading on earnings day, only to do all the heavy lifting after markets have had time to digest the results. The law of large numbers seems irrelevant here - despite its scale, Nvidia continues to defy expectations as consensus underestimates the opportunity at hand. US stocks edged higher yesterday, but the mood was more about waiting than celebrating as investors held out for Nvidias blockbuster report. That patience didnt quite pay off, as results landed strong but lacked a knockout blow, and futures now point to a pullback as Nvidias heavy weight drags on major Indices. Brent crude oil slipped back toward $67 as traders weighed softer US fuel demand as the summer driving season winds down. A bigger-than-expected draw in US stockpiles offered some support, but analysts warn consumption typically eases after Labor Day. Geopolitical tensions and hopes for a US rate cut helped limit losses, while attention stayed on Indias response to new tariffs aimed at curbing its Russian oil trade. Kerala Becomes First State in India to Form Senior Citizens Commission 2 Kerala has become the first state in India to establish a dedicated Commission for Senior Citizens to ensure the welfare, protection, and rehabilitation of its elderly population. The Commission, formed under Section 3(1) of the Kerala State Senior Citizens Commission Act, 2025, aims to eliminate age-related prejudices and harness the skills, experience, and innovative ideas of senior citizens for societal benefit. With Kerala projected to have nearly one-fourth of its population above 60 years by 2026, the new body is expected to frame comprehensive strategies to tackle challenges posed by an ageing society. The headquarters will be in Thiruvananthapuram, and the Chairperson will hold the status of a Government Secretary with a three-year tenure. The Commission will also include key officers, including a Secretary of Additional Secretary rank, a Registrar from the Law Department, and a Finance Officer from the Finance Department. Former Rajya Sabha MP and Kollam District Panchayat President K. Somaprasad has been appointed as the first Chairperson of the Commission. Social Justice Minister Dr. R Bindu said the government prioritizes elderly care through policies, healthcare access, and effective implementation of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act (MWPSC). She emphasized that institutional and policy support will continue to strengthen the social security system for senior citizens. The Prime Minister of Contradictions 2 Democracy survives on truth and transparency. But what happens when the very man entrusted with guarding those valuesIndias Prime Ministerbuilds his career on lies, concealment, and contradictions? Narendra Modis carefully curated persona has, over the years, been exposed as a patchwork of half-truths and outright falsehoods. His biggest lies revolve around two of the most fundamental aspects of his life: his marriage and his education. For decades, Modi projected himself as a lifelong bachelor. In interviews, speeches, and most damningly in multiple sworn election affidavits, he wrote unmarried. The image of an ascetic, unattached leader served him well politicallyhe was free of personal obligations, wedded only to the nation. This cultivated monk-like image differentiated him from other politicians accused of dynastic and family-based politics. But then came 2014. In his Lok Sabha nomination papers for the first time, Modi declared himself married to Jashodaben, the wife he had abandoned in his youth. The revelation was not voluntary but compelled by law, because omitting spouse details in affidavits had become legally untenable. The lie of decades collapsed in a single affidavit, leaving behind the uncomfortable truth that a man who had built his image on celibacy and sacrifice had deliberately erased his own wife from public record until exposure was inevitable. The degree saga follows the same pattern. Until the 2014 elections, Modi often downplayed or dismissed his education, presenting himself as someone who didnt study much, who rose despite being a dropout. The underdog narrative was politically powerful. But when questions arose about his qualifications, suddenly, in 2016, Amit Shah and Arun Jaitley appeared at a press conference waving degrees: a BA from Delhi University and an MA from Gujarat University. The documents, instead of silencing critics, raised new suspicionsname discrepancies, formatting anomalies, and stonewalling from universities. The Central Information Commission ordered Delhi University to allow inspection of records of all students who passed in 1978, but the Delhi High Court stayed and later struck down the order, astonishingly classifying Modis academic record as if it were a matter of national security. The very degree Shah could casually flash at the media was, for citizens, off-limits. The parallels between the marriage lie and the degree lie are stark. In both cases, Modi denied the truth for yearsfirst erasing his wife, then erasing his education. In both cases, he built political capital out of the lieprojecting himself as a bachelor monk and a humble dropout. In both cases, when the truth could no longer be hidden, he abruptly changed the story. And in both cases, institutions bent over backwards to shield him, whether through silence, complicity, or convenient legal technicalities. Add to this the other fabrications and broken promises: the chaiwala myth exaggerated for effect, the 56-inch chest hyperbole, the 15 lakh in every account pledge dismissed later as a jumla, the promise of two crore jobs a year that never materialized, the black money promise that evaporated into rhetoric. Together they form a pattern: lie, repeat, mythologize, and when exposed, deny accountability. This is not about whether Modi studied or marriedit is about whether truth matters at all in Indian democracy. A Prime Minister who lies about his wife, his education, his promises, and then uses the state machinery to hide those lies is not just deceiving the people; he is corrupting the very idea of democracy. The tragic irony is that ordinary Indians are punished for the smallest falsehoodsstudents disqualified for errors in certificates, employees dismissed for not disclosing marital status correctly. Yet the Prime Minister himself can conceal a marriage for decades, conjure up degrees when convenient, and walk free, untouchable. If this is not fraud upon the nation, what is? When the truth of a leaders own life becomes a national secret, when lies become a political weapon, democracy is no longer democracyit is theatre. And in this theatre, Narendra Modi has proven himself less a Prime Minister and more a master illusionist, keeping a billion people trapped in the haze of his contradictions. A Birmingham man has been indicted in the 2024 quadruple shooting that left two people dead, including his grandfather. A Jefferson County grand jury indicted 33-year-old Kerry Jackson Jr. for capital murder of two or more victims, capital murder during a kidnapping and attempted murder. Killed in the Aug. 8, 2024, spree were Jacksons grandfather, 76-year-old Anthony Jackson, and family friend, 49-year-old Laquitta Charisse Dunn. Injured were Jacksons father, Kerry Jackson Sr., and Anthony Jacksons longtime girlfriend, who is in her 80s. The indictments were issued Aug. 15 and made public Thursday. A trial date has not been set. The bloodshed began at 4:45 p.m. that Thursday at a home in the 1600 block of Dennison Avenue. At a previous hearing, Birmingham homicide Det. Kristopher Hatcher testified that multiple people were at the home the day. The suspects parents, Kerry Jackson Sr. and Bettey Jackson, left the house to go get food for the suspects grandmother, Bessie Jackson. While they were gone, Bessie Jackson told investigators, she was watching television and noticed that Kerry Jackson Jr. was walking around the house with a gun. Bessie Jackson eventually asked him if something was wrong, He was acting a little strange, Hatcher testified. Moments later, shots rang out. Dunn, who was in the kitchen area, was struck multiple times and pronounced dead on the scene. Kerry Jackson Jr. (Jefferson County Jail) In the meantime, the suspects parents had stopped at the 17th Place S.W. home to see if Anthony Jackson and his friend wanted them to pick them up food as well. Thats when Bettey Jackson received a call stating that Kerry Jackson Jr. had shot Dunn. They rushed back to their own home on Dennison Avenue to see what was going on. Kerry Jackson Sr. got out of the car. Thats when his son shot him multiple times while exiting the house, the detective said. Kerry Jackson Jr. then put a gun to his mothers head and ordered her to drive him to the 17th Place S.W. house, which was just a couple of blocks away. She pulled into an alley behind the house, and her son told her not to leave or he would shoot her, Hatcher testified. Bettey Jackson heard gunshots erupt after her son entered that home and she fled. She stopped at a nearby gas station for help but when she couldnt find anyone, she called 911 and went back to her own house on Dennison. Kerry Jackson Sr. was shot multiple times and hospitalized with critical injuries. He is now recovering and is in rehabilitation. Anthony Jackson was pronounced dead at the 17th Place S.W. residence, and the surviving woman was also hospitalized but survived. Both victims were found in the basement area, the detective said. Hatcher said the black revolver believed to have been used in both shootings was found behind a shed at the 17th Place S.W. home. The detective didnt immediately know the number of shots fired at both locations. Under questioning by Jefferson County Deputy District Attorney Charissa Henrich, he said it was enough that Kerry Jackson Jr. had to reload his gun at least one time. The suspect fled before police arrived but was taken into custody in Five Points West about 9:15 p.m. after a massive search that included Jefferson Countys Star 1 helicopter. Hatcher said detectives tried to interview Kerry Jackson Jr. He was emotional, Hatcher said, and eventually refused to speak. Kerry Jackson Jr. is represented by attorneys Maston Evans and Chris Daniel. Authorities have not confirmed a motive in the shooting spree, but Kerry Jackson Jr.s mother said her son struggled with drug use and had been involved with some kind of rituals. Family previously told police he just snapped. The suspect remains held without bond in the Jefferson County Jail. A Huffman High School student killed in a weekend Birmingham shooting is being remembered as a caring person who loved to laugh. George Camarius Daniel, 16, died Saturday after he and another teen were shot while they were inside a vehicle at an apartment complex on Huffman Road. He loved to laugh and play around and crack jokes and dance, said Daniels aunt, Colethia Daniel. Very handsome with a beautiful soul. The citys East Precinct officers were dispatched shortly after 4 p.m. Saturday to a report of a traffic crash in the 1000 block of Huffman Road. When police arrived, they found Daniel unresponsive outside of a vehicle. Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service pronounced the young victim dead on the scene at 4:30 p.m. The second victim was taken to UAB Hospital with non-life-threatening wounds. Officer DeRell Freeman said investigators believe that multiple people met at the location for an unknown reason prior to shots being fired. The police departments Crime Reduction Team arrested 20-year-old Adrian Sikweya Nyaberi in the 1000 block of Huffman Road on the same day of the shooting. Adrian Sikweya Nyaberi, 20, is charged with capital murder in the slaying of Huffman High School junior George Camarius Daniel, 16. (Carol Robinson) Nyaberi is charged with capital murder in Daniels death. He is also charged with attempted murder and discharging a firearm into an occupied vehicle. Nyaberi made his first court appearance on Wednesday and was set to return today after hiring a lawyer. He remains held without bond in the Jefferson County Jail. A motive has not been disclosed. Daniel was a junior at Huffman. Daniel was a junior at Huffman. He was the perfect nephew, Colethia Daniel said. She said her nephew had bought his own car by working and going to school. She described him as quiet, but talkative with people he knew. Daniels aunt said he was on his way to work when he was killed and was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He was loved by his family and cousins very much, Colethia Daniel wrote. Birmingham police investigate a homicide at a house in the 2500 block of 15th Street in Ensley. (Carol Robinson) A 60-year-old Birmingham woman charged in the New Years Eve stabbing death of her boyfriend has died in the Jefferson County Jail. Zingy Denise Gambles cellmates found her unresponsive at 7:15 a.m. Wednesday, according to the Jefferson County Coroners Office. She was pronounced dead at 7:44 a.m. Chief Deputy Coroner Bill Yates said there is no evidence of trauma or foul play. Gambles cause of death is pending additional laboratory studies. Gamble was charged with murder in the slaying of her boyfriend, 68-year-old Ernest Paul Rickey Christion Jr., a U.S. Army veteran. Just after 7 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024, Birminghams West Precinct Officers were dispatched to a house in the 2500 block of 15th Street in Ensley. Officers found Christion unresponsive inside the house. Ernest Paul Rickey Christion Jr. (Special to AL.com( He was rushed by Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service to UAB Hospital and pronounced dead at 7:50 p.m. Christion was Birminghams last homicide victim of 2024, which saw a record number of people die by violence. Police at the time said investigators believed Gamble stabbed Christion during a dispute over money. Her son, La Verne Gamble, 40, is charged with first-degree hindering prosecution in the case. Family described Christion as a kind-hearted soul whose laughter, humor, and genuine care for others touched the lives of everyone he met. Rickey was more than just a veteran; he was a beacon of joy and love. His sense of humor was infectious, and his ability to keep people smiling, even during difficult times, will always be remembered, family members said in a statement to AL.com. Whether it was a funny joke, a lighthearted comment, or his unwavering positivity, Rickey had a special gift for making those around him feel good. Alabama teachers say back-to-school season is off to its smoothest start in years. The reason? No more cellphones. Its the best start to a school year I have had in over a decade, Amy Melissa Hyde commented in response to an AL.com question on Facebook. Students have even begrudgingly admitted that they are more productive and have less anxiety. Its been wonderful. Anyone complaining about this hasnt spent time in a classroom lately. Alabamas new FOCUS Act prohibits most students from using cellphones, smart watches and other electronic communication devices during the school day. State leaders say the goal is to keep students more engaged in class, cut down on behavior problems and promote healthy internet use. Students will only be able to use devices at school if: They are eligible for accommodations through an individualized education, health or 504 plan The device is needed for learning purposes and they are under the supervision of school staff There is an emergency threatening the life or safety of the student or another person The new state law has sparked a number of questions from parents about safety and compliance. But in just a few short weeks, many educators say theyre already seeing a positive impact. Today, all of my students 100% of them took notes in my class, did their assignments, asked for help when they got stuck and turned it in, Tuscaloosa County High history teacher Jonathan Buchwalter said in a viral TikTok video, his face frozen in shock. And then when they were done, they talked to each other. Was it this easy the whole time? he asked. Ive been pulling my hair out for like, eight years. What are parents, teachers saying about the FOCUS Act? AL.com asked Facebook readers how the bans are playing out in their schools. We received more than 400 comments. Several educators said theyve noticed more students interacting in class and in the hallways. Ive actually enjoyed watching the students outside at break, said Kathy Green. They are interacting, talking, laughing, with no heads looking down at phones. The classroom culture is drastically better, added Patrick Harris. Best educational move in decades. The best thing to happen to education in our state in years! said Nikki Gaither Minoso. Kids are paying attention and engaged, scores are up, and I want to go to work every single day. Rules differ from school to school, but every district must have a baseline policy that spells out how the ban will be enforced. In some districts, punishments range from in-school suspension to a trip to the local district attorneys office, according to recent reporting from Alabama Daily News. Some teachers are still figuring out how to help their students move away from common classroom habits like using their phones to take photos of slides or sign up for school reminders. Others hope to see schools incentivize a phone-free classroom, rather than take a punitive approach. It takes adjustments from all sides, said Richard Hall. Some students have also figured out workarounds, using their school emails to communicate with friends and parents. Others have found more creative ways to test the limits of the law. I had a student break out a portable CD player and a book of CDs he got from his pops, said Reese Hogue. I had a good old belly laugh (then told him to put it up.. its a personal electronic device too.) State Superintendent Eric Mackey said the state will roll out a larger survey in September to see exactly how schools are complying. Were living in a digital, technological world, he told reporters after an August board meeting. Theyre definitely still going to be using screens at school, but as much as we can, we need to kind of keep those things away from students as far as their downtime during school. School officials say that if an emergency occurs, families should first look for any messaging from the district and law enforcement. If needed, parents can contact the school office or send an email to the students school email address. Some districts are adjusting emergency procedures to ensure parents are more quickly alerted in the event of a threat. Honestly it hasnt been as hard as I expected, said Wendy Wheeler Smith. Still dont like that I cant reach them in real time, but I did it at that age and we are surviving. But still, some news just cant wait until the final bell. My daughter did not find out about Taylor Swifts engagement until after school, said Renie Porter Moss. We are currently seeking therapy. Spring Hill College President Mary Van Brunt speaks with former Sen. Richard Shelby on the SHC campus on Aug. 28, 2025. The occasion was a ceremonial groundbreaking for a new Health and Science Innovation Center that will be named for Shelby's late wife, Annette Shelby. Lawrence Specker | LSpecker@AL.com As former Sen. Richard Shelby attended a historic groundbreaking honoring his late wife on Thursday, it was brought to his attention that theres an opening in Alabamas U.S. Senate delegation. He left no doubt hes not interested in the job again. Im good, said Shelby, who retired in 2023 after 36 years in the Senate and more than 50 as a legislator. That was as close as Shelby, now 91, came to taking questions about politics. He had happier things to think of, as Spring Hill College broke ground on a major new facility and revealed that it will be called the Annette N. Shelby Health and Science Innovation Center. Today is a moment of tremendous pride for Spring Hill College, said Spring Hill College President Mary Van Brunt. She thanked city and county leaders for their support of the project and said the school was deeply grateful to Shelby for his work to bring a $35 million grant that made the new facility possible. When it came to the naming of the building, we wanted to honor a trailblazer, someone who truly reflects the value we hold dear at Spring Hill College, said Van Brunt. A native of Alabama, she became the first woman to be promoted to professor and earn tenure at Georgetown Universitys McDonough School of Business, a fellow Jesuit institution, where she spent decades shaping future leaders. Prior to her time at Georgetown, she taught at the University of Alabama, where she inspired countless students with her intellect, warmth, and dedication to excellence. Beyond her academic accomplishments, she was known for her generosity, her mentorship, her commitment to empowering women in higher education and public life. For these reasons, we feel it is fitting that this new center will bear her name. Van Brunt, Spring Hills first female president, said the building would be the first on the campus solely named in honor of a woman. According to information provided by the school, the new building will expand Spring Hills nursing and pre-med programs, launch new programs such as exercise science, and strengthen graduate pathways in occupational therapy, physical therapy and other health sciences. A rendering of the Health and Science Innovation Center, coming to Spring Hill College in Mobile, Ala. The center will receive $1.5 million in total from the city of Mobile and Mobile County. (Rendering courtesy Williams Blackstock Architects) Williams Blackstock Architects The $35 million allocation was part of more than $600 million in federal money that was Shelbys parting gift to the state before his retirement. Several other schools in the state also were among the beneficiaries, including the University of Alabama, which received $100 million to establish an endowment for distinguished faculty. Shelby was legendary for his ability to bring federal dollars sometimes criticized as political pork back to his home state. As he spoke at Thursdays groundbreaking, he provided a rare window into how the process had played out in this case. He said it all started when The Rev. Greg Lucey, who had served as Spring Hills president from 1997 to 2009, invited Annette Shelby to dinner. He was a former professor at Georgetown University and faculty member and a friend of my wife, and he invited us to dinner, invited her to dinner, and I tagged along. I was her driver, said Shelby. And so we came over and we had dinner a couple of times. One night we were having dinner here with Father Lucey and my wife said to him, I remember what she said. She said, Father Lucey, hows Spring Hill doing? He said, Well, we got some good students and some good faculty members and a good location and so forth, but we need a science building for pre-med students. She said, How much money do you need? I thought, Wow. He said, well, its a lot of money because you got labs and everything. It costs money to do this, to teach and research. He said, I need about $35 million. I thought, Wow. And she said, I bet my husband can help you. And I thought, Wow, Shelby said, to laughter. Goodness. So we left and we had thanked Father Lucey and it was the last time we were with him. Lucey died in 2021. And about a year later, she called me one day and said, hows Spring Hills appropriation coming along? continued Shelby. I said, Well, I dont know. Its a long line of people, long line of demands. Well, are you going to get it? I said, I dont know. It took a while. So were here today because we did get it. But she pushed me a little bit and she leveraged me that night. But it was for a good cause. Annette Nevin Shelby died July 23 at 86. A native of Coffee County, she had been married to Richard Shelby for 65 years. Among those praising her was Sen. Katie Britt, who said that she forever changed the lives of countless students. Im fortunate to count myself as one of those who she mentored and encouraged throughout her long career Dr. Shelbys faith and confidence in another young woman from the Wiregrass changed what was possible for my life. The new building is to be operational early in 2027, well before Spring Hill College celebrates its 200th anniversary in 2030. At the time it was announced, college officials said the three-story, 55,000-square-foot building would allow Spring Hills nursing program enrollment to triple from 40 to 120 and the annual number of pre-med graduates to rise from 150 to 200. In addition to the $35 million guided by Shelby, Mobile County and the city of Mobile each allocated $750,000. Van Brunt said Thursday that fundraising is ongoing. We have a lot of naming opportunities for the new building, she said. So weve secured quite a few of those and a lot of them are our alumni that are in the healthcare [field], doctors that have come out of here, but others are just other alumni that just believe in the vision of Spring Hill and are excited to have their name on a brand-new building. So youll see more of that, hear more of that in the future. Van Brunt said that in addition to letting the nursing school operate on a larger scale, itll bring a huge improvement in the form of science labs stocked with new, state of the art equipment. Its going to be a tremendous difference, she said. This is just, hopefully, the first of many new buildings and new innovation for the students, she said. Netflix has canceled The Waterfront after one season, Deadline is reporting. The crime drama series creator Kevin Williamson has told the cast and crew members of Netflixs decision, Deadline reports, citing sources. Williams reacted to the news on social media. While Im say the Buckleys wont be back for Season 2, Im celebrating the joy that was Season 1, he posted on Instagram, along with a photo from the show featuring star Holt McCallany and guest star Topher Grace, The show also stars Jake Weary, Melissa Benoist and Maria Bello. According to the report, The Waterfront, which debuted in June, The news, which comes about two months after The Waterfronts June 19 release, spent five weeks in Netflixs global Top 10 for English-language series. The show followed North Carolinas influential Buckley family. Deadline reports, Netflix didnt feel viewership and completion rate, which is the percentage of viewers who watch a piece of content from beginning to end. Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on The Opening Kickoff on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily. Monroeville police are searching for a man charged in connection with a shooting that killed a minor earlier this month. The department has obtained a warrant for the arrest of Kyle Timothy Salter for the charge of murder, according to a recent release. The charge follows an ongoing investigation into the fatal shooting which occurred on George H Preyear Road in Monroeville on Aug. 15. Anyone with information related to the investigation of Salters whereabouts has been advised to contact the Monroeville Police Department. A mayoral race in a city about 40 miles south of Huntsville ended Tuesday with one vote separating the mayor and the challenger. Now, Guntersville residents would not know who their mayor for the next four years would be until the independent Board of Registrars examines seven provisional ballots on Tuesday, City Clerk Betty Jones told AL.com. So those will be examined to determine whether or not they are valid votes, Jones said. And then well get a new total next Tuesday. Last night, incumbent Leigh Dollar, who has been in office since 2012, received 1,062 votes, one more than challenger Jeff McLaughlin, an attorney. Its a great town, and we had great candidates, so thats why all the races were close, so I think it just shows we have good people running for all our offices and thats why the races were so close, the clerk said. Im sure well probably do a recount. Because the count is so close, the losing candidate may request a recount, and the city will rerun the ballots through the machines. And if it ends up in you know what can be worse? It could end up in a tie. That could be worse. Then you flip a coin," said Jones. The probate judge flips a coin. Dollar, in an emailed statement to AL.com, described Guntersville as an incredible city and thanked everyone for their support. She also reiterated her commitment to serving fairly and effectively. The official outcome of the election will not be known until next Tuesday at noon, but we can be confident the process will be handled with fairness and accuracy, just as our community deserves, she stated. MacLaughlin did not immediately reply to requests for comments for this story. Its not good to have a close race, but when you do, there is a procedure, said Jones, the city clerk. So we just have to follow those rules and do it. Jones said the close vote on Tuesday gave her a flashback to 20 years ago. On election night in 2004, one vote separated the winner and loser in the mayoral race in that same city. At the time, incumbent mayor James Townson was declared the winner on election night with 1,242 votes. Some voters contested the result, saying officials should not have counted some absentee ballots because they lacked proper voter identification. The circuit court ruled in their favor and declared challenger Bob Hembree the winner by two votes: 1,228 to 1,226. He was sworn in in December 2005 after the Alabama Supreme Court affirmed the decision. Hembree served as mayor until 2012, when he chose not to seek a third term. Leigh Dollar then won her first mayoral election that year. Former Kennedy Center Honoree Gloria Estefan and her husband, Emilio Estefan, arrive on the red carpet at the State Department for the Kennedy Center Honors gala dinner, Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf) AP Last April, when accusers were coming out of the woodwork with sordid encounters about Sean Diddy Combs, one particularly odd tale emerged. In a human trafficking civil lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, a West Palm Beach man claimed he suffered a humiliating ordeal on Miami Beachs Star Island a decade before, in April 2015. In the complaint, Joseph Manzaro says he was drugged and sexually assaulted by Combs associates in the millionaire enclave. Among the witnesses named were A-listers like Jay-Z, Beyonce and LeBron James. (The celebrities names were later removed in an amended lawsuit Manzaro filed after proving they werent even in Miami at the time.) But one of the more wild allegations stayed in the original filing: That Manzaro was paraded around a party in a phallic mask and transported between two separate mansions in Star Island via a secret tunnel. The man said one house was owned by Combs, the other by Gloria and Emilio Estefan, who was named as a defendant. At the time, the Cuban superstars did actually own the house at 1 Star Island, which neighbors the house at 2 Star Island that Combs has owned for decades. The fallen mogul bought 1 Star Island from the couple in 2021 for $35 million. Diddys Star Island compound and his home in Los Angeles were raided by the feds in March 2024. After Manzaros shocking suit was filed, the Estefans categorically denied everything. There were no parties thrown at that property between 2012 and 2019, the power couple said via their lawyer at the time. We have all necessary documentation to support these facts and will provide it to the court. In a more recent, July 27 plea to the judge to have the case dismissed against her husband, Gloria asserted that family members were staying at the house at the time of the incident in question. If strangers appeared, it would have been reported to her or Emilio. No such thing happened, the pop star stressed. Particularly given the occupants, I know that no parties were thrown during that time period. Last Monday, Southern District of Florida Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks threw the whole thing out, citing a lack of evidence, Complex magazine reported. Now, with the frivolous case closed, the Estefans are taking legal action to obtain full compensation for the damage caused by this baseless lawsuit, they said in a joint statement to the Miami Herald on Tuesday. The only fact in Manzaros account was that they owned a home many years ago next to Combs, a property that was only occupied by relatives or leased out to third parties, the statement asserts. As for that tunnel between the two properties? It simply doesnt exist. Plaintiffs claimed the house contained a tunnel to Combss residence, allegedly used to transport the plaintiff, who said he was later humiliated by others, not Estefan, said the statement. The Court found these claims to be objectively frivolous and beyond implausible. It further noted that the supposed tunnel was an engineering impossibility. Star Island is a man-made island formed by dredging sand, the statement explains. You cannot dig very far at all before you will hit water. Finally, the pair says that Manzaros attorney Travis Walker was reckless to even pursue this case and failed to investigate responsibly, causing their reputation unnecessary harm. When the lawsuit will be filed and the amount of damages they are seeking is unclear, and their rep did not immediately respond to requests for further comment. _____ 2025 Miami Herald. Visit at miamiherald.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Nearly one hundred protestors gather at the state capitol building in Montgomery, Ala., on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024, to ask Gov. Kay Ivey to stop the planned execution of Kenneth Eugene Smith. (Mickey Welsh/The Montgomery Advertiser via AP) AP Eight inmates on Alabamas Death Row have filed lawsuits challenging the states nitrogen execution method, calling it unconstitutional. The lawsuits, all filed separately, were each filed in federal court on Aug. 22. None of the eight men are challenging their convictions in the new lawsuits, but instead how the state deploys its method of executing inmates using nitrogen gas. Nitrogen executions are carried out by having an inmate, fitted with a mask, breathe in pure nitrogen gas without a source of oxygen, leaving the inmate to lose consciousness and die. Alabama was the first to try the novel execution method in January 2024. Since the Jan. 25, 2024 execution of Kenneth Eugene Smith, four other men in Alabama have been put to death using gas. In each of these executions, the condemned prisoner suffered for exponentially longer than the State claimed he wouldexperiencing the superadded terror and pain of being suffocated, wrote lawyers for Kim Van Pelt in his lawsuit. Indeed, eyewitnesses to the executions described seeing the prisoners convulsing, shaking vigorously, and gasping for breaths. Van Pelts lawyers, of D.C. law firm Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer, are also representing five more of the inmates who initiated lawsuits last week: Rick Belisle, Jimmy Brooks Jr., Larry George, Marcus Williams, and Jeffery Lee. Two other inmates, Mark Jenkins and Jarrod Taylor, are each represented by different national attorneys. Each of those lawsuits contained similar language and legal arguments and asked federal judges to ban the state from executing the men using the states current protocol. Mark Jenkins attorneys wrote in his lawsuit, The State of Alabama severely misstated how condemned persons would die through nitrogen hypoxia. Alabama described the dying process in a way that suggested that nitrogen would function like anesthesia. Based on information and belief, the State of Alabama did not understand (or worse, understood and ignored) that nitrogen has no anesthetic qualities. The suit continued, Death by nitrogen hypoxia is not akin to peacefully going to sleep. It is instead painful suffocation. The five executions in Alabama to date show that the State of Alabama was wrong. Each lawsuit is slightly different but makes similar arguments against the states current nitrogen protocol, which has only been released in a redacted version. Most of the lawsuits also suggest alternative forms of execution, which is often a legal requirement. Across the lawsuits, the suggested alternatives ranged from facing a firing squad, to using a different nitrogen method with a sedative administered before the gas is turned on. Other suggestions were an intramuscular injection of ketamine and fentanyl and medical aid-in-dying techniques. The only other state to use the gas suffocation method is Louisiana, which has executed one man with nitrogen. Following Smiths death, four more men in Alabama were put to death using the new method: Alan Miller, Carey Dale Grayson, Demetrius Frazier and Gregory Hunt. People on death row in Alabama had a choice in June 2018 to decide if they wanted to die by the default method of lethal injection, or change their method to the new and untested nitrogen one. The redacted protocol for nitrogen executions wasnt released until August 2023, and the first using that method wasnt carried out until the following year. People were not allowed to change their method back to lethal injection following that month-long period. In Taylors lawsuit, his lawyers wrote That record is grim but unassailable: it can no longer be subject to any doubt that asphyxiation by nitrogen gas is torturous. The Alabama Attorney Generals Office has yet to respond to the lawsuits. The flurry of filings comes as Alabama is set to execute two more men this year using nitrogen Geoffrey Todd West in September and Anthony Boyd in October. They would be the fourth and fifth executions in 2025 in the Yellowhammer state. In February, Alabama executed Demetrius Terrence Frazier. The state was set to next execute Robin Rocky Myers, but in a rare move, Alabama Gov. Ivey commuted his sentence to life in prison. James Osgood was executed in April, and on June 10, Gregory Hunt was put to death. Another man, David Lee Roberts, was set to die in August. His execution is now on hold after a Marion County judge ordered he undergo a psychiatric evaluation. Alabama led the nation in executions last year by executing six people: Kenneth Smith, Jamie Mills, Keith Gavin, Alan Miller, Derrick Dearman, and Carey Grayson. Past and future The Crescent Theatre in Mobile is not dead yet. The venue dates to the vaudeville era in 1885. Patrons there have seen burlesque shows and silent films. The space was used for restaurants as well over the decades before it was updated and reopened in 2008 to show mostly independent films. It shut down again a little over two years ago, and a recent effort to make it a movies-and-comedy venue sputtered. Now, AL.coms Lawrence Specker reports that new operators have announced a Grand Re-Re-Re-Re-Opening. That re-re-re-re-opening takes place Sept. 4, 5 and 6 with two comedy shows and a streaming of The Big Lebowski, respectively. Husbands sentence A former chiropractor was sentenced to life in prison for trying to kill his wife by lead poisoning, reports AL.coms Heather Gann. Brian Thomas Mann of Hartselle stood to collect more than a million dollars in life-insurance money on his wife, Hannah. Hannah said she became sick in August 2021. She had back pain, abdominal pain, nausea and lethargy so bad that it was hard to walk. She said she took multi-vitamins provided by her husband. She was not responsive when she arrived at UAB Hospital. A doctor at UAB said she had eight times the normal amount of lead in her body. It took constant irrigation of her colon to remove it. A cool August morning When I called Wednesday morning bone-chilling, I was kidding. Mostly. There were a handful of record-low temperatures for Aug. 27, reports AL.coms Leigh Morgan. The Shelby County Airport, with records dating to 1995, had a low temp of 58 degrees, breaking 2015s record 62 by a whopping four degrees. Birminghams 55 degrees also shattered the record of 58 degrees set in 1968. And Anniston tied its record low of 53 degrees. One of the coolest temps came in at 47 degrees near Oneonta. Big layoffs, bigger hiring Mass layoffs in Alabama are on pace to affect the most workers since the pandemic year of 2020, but that appears to be more than offset by growth in other businesses. A mass layoff is defined as events in which a company of at least 100 employees lays off 50 or more. AL.coms Hannah Denham reports that Alabama employers have announced more than 3,100 such job cuts this year. The state has averaged fewer than 2,000 since the pandemic. Half of this years mass layoffs occurred in business that were shutting down Alabama operations. Yet employment has still grown in the state. And unemployment is the sixth-best in the nation at 3%. In July Alabamas employed numbered 2.3 million, a 1.1% increase year-over-year. The labor-force participation rate is around 58%. Jonathan McNair of the Alabama Department of Workforce said that as some Alabama businesses have contracted or closed shop, bigger employers have expanded or come into the state. Also, while mass layoffs are more attention-getting, total layoffs are a little more in line with those of a year ago. During the first six months of this year, 132,000 workers have been laid off. Through the first sixth months of 2024, 135,000 were laid off. McNair said that many workers have been able to find new work before filing for unemployment, some with contractors that replaces the original employer and keeps its employees, although the state doesnt have full records on those kind of rehires. By the Numbers 6 Thats how many suspects have now been charged in the Montgomery shootout that paralyzed a woman caught in the crossfire. More Alabama News The podcast A Jackson, Miss. news station recently announced the sudden passing of one of its anchors. Our colleague, Celeste Wilson, who recently joined WAPT as our weekend anchor, has passed away from a heart attack, reads a story posted on the stations site. Though Celeste had only been with us a short time, we were already touched by her professionalism, warmth, and dedication to the work of journalism. We have very sad news. Our colleague, Celeste Wilson who recently joined WAPT as our weekend anchor, has passed away.... Posted by 16 WAPT News on Wednesday, August 27, 2025 Wilson, a New Orleans native, obtained a masters degree in journalism from Arizona State University and soon began her broadcasting career at the CBS affiliate in Monroe, La., according to her bio on the WAPT website. With a strong a commitment to faith, family, community, and deep Mississippi ties, Celeste is excited to explore Jackson and share Mississippis stories, her station bio at WAPT read. She also worked at KARK in Little Rock between 2023 and 2024. Team 20 is saddened by this loss, and our prayers are with her colleagues, friends and family members, the station posted on its site. Michigan-based appliance company Drinkmate is recalling over 100,000 of its one-liter carbonation bottles because they can explode during use. According to a notice from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the recall involves certain 1L Carbonation Bottles with a clear polyethylene terephthalate (PET) body and caps and bases in red, blue, white and black plastic. The recalled bottles have expiration dates between January 2026 and October 2026, which are printed on the side of the bottle. The bottles were sold both individually and as part of some Drinkmate OmniFizz starter kits. As of Aug. 28, Drinkmate has received eight reports of the bottle exploding while in use, including four reports resulting in injuries, including lacerations and hearing damage. The bottles were sold at iDrinkproducts.com, Walmart.com, Amazon.com, Target.com and HomeDepot.com from April 2023 through October 2024. Consumers who own the recalled carbonation bottles should immediately stop using them and contact Drinkmate to receive a free replacement bottle. Consumers will be asked to fill out a replacement form on the iDrinkproducts website and upload a photo of the bottle permanently marked with the word Recall and properly dispose of it. Consumers will receive a code to order the free replacement bottle through Drinkmates website, shipping included. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Thursday said it plans to end its printed edition at the end of this year, accelerating its digital transformation amid a rapidly evolving media landscape. For the past three years, the AJC has worked to transform the newspaper, which traces its origins back 157 years, into a modern media company, investing millions in new reporting capabilities and technology. That strategy has centered on an ambitious goal to reach 500,000 paid digital subscribers. President and Publisher Andrew Morse, who has led that charge, said in an interview the company will continue to publish distinctive journalism every day and with urgency on its website, AJC.com, on the AJC mobile app, as well as through video, podcasts and across other digital platforms. The AJCs mission to hold the powerful accountable, to inform and entertain millions of Georgians, and to provide advertisers the ability to reach unique audiences will not change, Morse said. We will begin the new year as a fully digital organization, committed, as always, to being the most essential and engaging news source for the people of Atlanta, Georgia and the South, Morse wrote in a letter to subscribers sent Thursday morning. Accelerating the companys digital transformation will allow the AJC to focus every resource and every ounce of energy on producing world-class journalism and delivering it to each of you in the most impactful way, he wrote in the subscriber letter. We spent the past two and a half years investing in our journalism, Morse said in the interview. Weve expanded our business team, weve expanded our politics team, we opened new bureaus and (just) as importantly we invested in our product development, analytics, data science, all the capabilities to deliver that journalism effectively. Through those investments, the AJC returned to the city with offices in Midtown after years in the suburbs, placed reporters in Athens, Macon and Savannah, launched a new video content team and expanded UATL, a subscriber product dedicated to Atlantas influential Black culture. The AJCs digital audience far surpasses that of print and has for some time. Ending print, however, will be the biggest change of Morses tenure and one that will likely be controversial, particularly among some of the AJCs longest-tenured subscribers. Morse said starting Thursday, he and top AJC leaders will contact key civic and business leaders to discuss how the organization will continue to perform its public service mission and serve its commercial customers. Morse said the AJC is also launching a white glove customer service effort to ensure long-time print subscribers will know how to access all AJC content digitally. The AJC is owned by Cox Enterprises, which acquired predecessor newspapers The Atlanta Journal in 1939 and The Atlanta Constitution in 1950. The outlets later merged and started producing a newspaper under a joint masthead in 2001. Cox has invested millions in the AJCs digital transformation and said it remains deeply committed to the AJCs long-term success. Journalism is critical to our community and society and so is the way we produce it, Cox Chairman and CEO Alex Taylor said in a news release. This change will allow us to reduce the use of trees, plastic, water and carbon, while at the same time increasing our focus on news gathering and public accountability. Im proud of our team for making these decisions, as much as I will miss the nostalgia of seeing the paper in my driveway every morning. Not stepping away The final print edition will appear Dec. 31, a Wednesday. The AJC currently produces an e-paper, a digital facsimile of the printed edition. A version of that e-edition will continue, Morse said, and be available on the AJC website, app and in subscribers email inboxes. This fall the company will launch an updated version of its mobile app, a customizable launching pad for news, video, podcasts, newsletters, the e-edition and perks for AJC subscribers. The AJC is also investing heavily in the new year in its events business, becoming a convener for important civic conversations. We are not stepping away from our readerswere stepping forward with them, AJC Editor-in-Chief Leroy Chapman said in the release. Our mission remains unchanged. This is about continuing to build a newsroom that delivers essential journalism smarter, more sustainably, and that serves communities across generations in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. The decision to end print was that of AJC leadership and not directed by Cox, Morse said. It will result in the elimination of about 30 full- and part-time jobs involved in designing and distributing the newspaper. This decision now is the best thing we can do in order to make sure the AJC is as relevant for the next 157 years as it has been for the last, Morse said. Morse, who announced the changes Thursday in a town hall with AJC staff, said the digital-only pivot also reflects changes in media. These changes include how media is consumed and the influence artificial intelligence has on online search, which has reduced web traffic to publishers across the industry. News outlets can no longer rely on social media companies directing traffic to their websites, either, Morse said. The good news for us is our entire strategy over the past two and a half years has been focused on building direct relationships with customers, Morse said. The pressure on the business is only accelerating. The fact that we are growing despite those pressures is a testament to the hard work weve done, but we have to put all our effort into the future. A number of U.S. cities, big and small, have seen their newspapers close or cut days of print publication or eliminate print altogether. Typically, Morse said, decisions by other outlets to reduce or eliminate print have been solely based on cost savings. Print is still profitable for the AJC, but it is a shrinking part of the business, he said. The AJC has contemplated reducing or eliminating print before, but leadership previously felt the companys digital offerings were not strong enough to make such moves. The timing of Thursdays announcement, he said, reflects the strength of the AJCs journalism and digital products, not a need to hit a budget target. Digital subscriptions are on pace to grow 25% to 35% this year compared to an industry that has seen subscriber growth largely stagnate. Digital revenue is also growing, Morse said. Print circulation peaked at more than 600,000 about two decades ago. In total, the AJC has about 115,000 subscribers, of whom about 40,000 receive the printed paper. This fall, Morse said the AJC will hit the road under its Substance and Soul of the South branding campaign, meeting subscribers and non-subscribers across the state to highlight the organizations journalism, the breadth of content and its digital services. The AJC will also celebrate its print legacy throughout the remainder of the year. 2025 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Visit at ajc.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. An investigation is underway after an unfounded threat of violence was made at Auburn University Wednesday afternoon. Police responded en masse to the area of Ralph B Draughon Library after Auburn Police received a call of a threat at the building on Mell Street. Officers responded and searched the building while access was temporarily closed, and occupants evacuated, police said Wednesday evening. The search turned up no threat, and further investigation determined the call was a hoax. The unfounded threat associated with this incident is a felony as defined by Alabama state law, Auburn police said in their statement. Authorities did not disclose the nature of the threat, but shooting hoaxes have plagued numerous colleges across the country since classes resumed last week. According to the Associated Press, false reports of active shooters at Villanova University and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga last week led to panic and temporary lockdowns at the two campuses. In Pennsylvania, someone called 911 at about 4:30 p.m. Thursday reporting a shooter in a Villanova law school building with at least one wounded victim. Students received texts from the schools alert system saying ACTIVE SHOOTER on VU campus. Move to secure location. Lock/barricade doors. The schools president later said it was a hoax. About four hours earlier, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga locked down its campus, telling students: Possible active shooter in the University Center or Library. Run. Hide. At least a half-dozen universities across the country welcomed students to first-day-of-fall classes Monday with run-and-hide warnings about possible gunmen on campus. NBC News reported hoaxes or swatting calls at a half dozen other schools including University of Arkansas, University of Colorado Boulder, Iowa State University, Kansas State University, the University of New Hampshire and Northern Arizona University, according to student alerts and school statements. In addition, according to campus officials, the University of South Carolina received two reports of an active shooter at Thomas Cooper Library in Columbia on Sunday night. The investigation at Auburn University is ongoing. Anyone with any related information is encouraged to contact the Auburn Police Department at 334-501-3100. Information can also be reported by calling or texting the tip line at 334-246-1391 or by emailing police@auburnalabama.org. One of the gates to Redstone Arsenal. Huntsville area photos from January 2021. (Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com). Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com Redstone Arsenal will temporarily change operational hours of Gate 3 on Redstone Road, the installation announced Wednesday. The gate will close at 1 p.m. to accommodate reductions in staffing and resources. The change is effective Sept. 2. This adjustment will not affect inbound traffic during peak morning hours of 5:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. Federal workforce reduction efforts reduced our Security Guard Force by 17% which means at our new authorization strength, we can have no more than three guards out sick, injured or on leave or we would have to close lanes or a gate, Col. Erin Eike, Redstone Arsenal Garrison commander, said in a news release. Eike said the Arsenal was able to delay the change by paying excessive overtime but that has come to an end. Federal government cost reduction decisions made at the highest levels of government removed overtime as an option, she said. We have temporary assistance from select active-duty partners but that is still not sufficient to maintain the current level of service. Eike said the garrison is facing significant challenges due to workforce reductions and hiring freeze across the federal government and we are adjusting to the new reality established, while making every effort to ensure secure access to the installation for our workforce. The community is encouraged to stay informed about any updates through the garrisons official social media channels and the My Army Post App. Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-Calif., gives remarks to a crowd at St. Paul First Baptist Church on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, in Laurens, S.C. (AP Photo/Meg Kinnard) AP California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday invoked Alabama as being one of the top three murder states in America while claiming President Donald Trumps focus on crime is disingenuous. Newsom rattled off the crime rates in other Southern states like Tennessee, Mississippi and Arkansas. He noted the crime rates in those states are higher than Californias and argued that the National Guard is better served in those places than the Golden State. Alabamas top three murder states in America. Wheres the president of the United States? I thought he cared? These are the folks, these are his states that voted for him, Newsom said. According to FBI crime statistics from 2022, Alabamas homicide rate of 10.9 per 100,000 people is the fourth-highest of any state. The governor accused Trump of not being serious about cracking down on crime if he is not considering putting National Guard troops in Alabama and other southern states. His state of mind does not seem to be focused on the issue of crime and violence. Its about expression of authoritarianism, Newsom said. He reflects and waxes ... talking about being a dictator. I hope people pay attention. On Tuesday, Trump elaborated on why he suggested the country would prefer a dictator as he slammed the Democratic cities of Baltimore and Chicago. So the line is that Im a dictator, but I stop crime, the president said as he held a cabinet meeting Tuesday. So a lot of people say, if thats the case, Id rather have a dictator. But Im not a dictator, Trump said, I just know how to stop crime. Trumps federalization of the Washington, D.C. police force and use of National Guard troops from Southern states there has been criticized by Democrats who accuse the president of being an authoritarian. U.S. Rep. Barry Moore faced a hostile crowd Wednesday night at Daphne City Hall, drawing boos and cries of shame! as he defended President Donald Trumps agenda and his own record. Moore, of Enterprise and a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, was shouted down throughout a 45-minute raucous town hall meeting that was neither advertised to the public nor to the media. The word got out, said Johnston Tisdale, a Robertsdale resident and member of the progressive Indivisible Baldwin County. Im proud of everyone tonight. Im not proud of him. Moore, who announced earlier this month he is running for the U.S. Senate next year, attempted to answer questions on a host of issues. Those included: immigration, Medicaid work requirements, election security, tariffs, the benefits of deploying the Alabama National Guard to assist in patrolling the streets of Washington, D.C., and the impact of the so-called Big Beautiful Bill on Alabama. Moores answered questions from audience members, a majority of whom were clearly opposed to the Trump administration. The Big Beautiful Bill was the Trump tax cuts, Moore said in response to a question about whether Congress was going to legislate the tax on people. His answer drew an immediate smattering of boos. Are you on Social Security? Moore asked one of the attendees. Youll get a tax credit on your Social Security. The biggest heckling Moore got was on his responses to questions about abortion. Moore was asked if he opposed the procedure in almost any and all cases. He coolly replied that he was pro-life. I was upset that he can stand up there and say he is pro-life and not say anything else when hes asked how can we uphold a near total abortion ban with no exceptions to incest and rape when, you know, women are literally bleeding to death in parking lots, said Mette McCall of Fairhope. Moore, after the town hall, left out the back of City Hall. He held a town hall on Tuesday in Satsuma, which some of the attendees said was sparsely attended. In recent days, information about the town hall on Daphne spread on social media, via the Baldwin County Democratic Facebook page. My constituents asked me to do town halls, so I did four across my district while Congress was out of session, Moore said in a statement he later sent to AL.com. We showed up, listened, and answered questions directly. Alabamians deserve leaders who are willing to have tough conversations. Ill always answer to the folks I serve. Thats what accountability looks like. The rowdiness mirrored town hall events hosted by Republicans in Congress throughout the country. Though the attendance in Daphne was smaller than events elsewhere that have drawn hundreds of protesters, almost every question answered by Moore was met with heckling. He tends to announce these really late, said Kayleigh Godwin of Bay Minette. We came here knowing we would not get any answers and that we would just try and shame him for the policies he supports. Moore did find some rare common ground with the audience members. He said he does not support the erasure of history following a question on whether he backed efforts by the Trump Administration to purge divisive, race-centered ideology from the Smithsonian Institutions museums. That drew applause. Moore also got momentary applause when he acknowledged that some states do administer redistricting efforts through independent boards. The applause turned to jeers and shouts after Moore said he preferred Alabamas approach, which is to have the Legislature draw the lines. Moore, who previously represented the 2nd congressional district, shifted to run in the 1st district in 2023 after the Alabama congressional map was redrawn. A federal panel ultimately redrew the new congressional map and the 2nd congressional district which Moore once represented into a new opportunity district with a majority of Black voters. Moore won the 1st congressional district seat after he defeated U.S. Rep. Jerry Carl last March in the Republican primary. Alabamas 1st congressional district, which includes Baldwin County and the Wiregrass region, is among the most conservative in the country. Democratic U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures of Mobile won the 2nd district race last year. They need to be drawn up by the legislative branch, Moore said, to jeers. It doesnt need to be drawn by the courts. You elect those people, they are your voice. This story was updated at 9:47 p.m. on Aug. 27, 2025, to include a statement from U.S. Rep. Barry Moore. A foreign leader on Thursday made a shocking claim against Donald Trump: the American president is a Russian asset. Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, the president of Portugal, made the bombshell allegation while speaking at a youth training event in his country. De Sousa said Trump is behind a new political leadership style centered on emotions. [T]he top leader of the worlds foremost superpower is, objectively, a Soviet or Russian asset. He operates as an asset, de Sousa said, according to the Portugal Pulse. Trumps foreign policy, the Portuguese president said, is unorthodox. Russia is benefiting from the presidents approach to the war in Ukraine, de Sousa claimed. I am stating that, objectively, the new American leadership has strategically benefited the Russian Federation, he said, according to the Pulse. Trump had been criticized for hosting a summit in Alaska with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Critics said Trump was giving legitimacy to Russia, which sparked the war by invading Ukraine. There is no evidence that Trump is a Russian agent, but former FBI official Andrew McCabe, whom Trump fired during his first term, said Trumps behavior opens him up to that possibility. I dont know that I would characterize it as [an] active, recruited, knowing asset in the way that people in the intelligence community think of that term, McCabe said in 2024, according to The Guardian. But I do think that Donald Trump has given us many reasons to question his approach to the Russia problem in the United States, and I think his approach to interacting with Vladimir Putin, be it phone calls, face-to-face meetings, the things that he has said in public about Putin, all raise significant questions." Members of the West Virginia National Guard patrol on the National Mall near the U.S. Capitol, Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) AP President Donald Trumps move to send in the National Guard to Washington D.C. is getting a big thumbs down from independent voters, a new poll shows. Meanwhile, the latest Quinnipiac University survey also revealed Trump is underwater on six major issues voters were polled on as the presidents approval rating stands at just 37%. Trumps decision to deploy the National Guard to D.C. to reduce crime has heavy support from Republicans (86% approval) and widespread condemnation from Democrats (93% disapproval,) the poll found. A strong majority of independents -- 61% -- oppose the policy while 34% endorse it. Posting the National Guard in D.C. to fight local crime gets faint support, with independent voters giving the deployment a big thumbs down, said Quinnipiac University Polling Analyst Tim Malloy. Just 37% of voters approve of how Trump is doing his job as president -- a 3% decline from last month -- while 55% disapprove. The poll found Trump is unpopular on six major issues, with the president falling below 50% approval on each issue. On crime, 42% of voters approve of Trumps handling of the issue compared to 54% who disapprove. On talks to end the war between Russia and Ukraine, 40% of voters approve while 52% disapprove. Voters have little confidence in President Trumps effort to broker peace in Ukraine, and most voters dont trust Vladimir Putin to keep a peace deal if one were reached, Malloy said. And though the president has ruled out putting U.S. troops in the war theater to keep the peace, four out of 10 voters would support it. On foreign policy overall, 40% approve while 56% disapprove. On the economy, 39% of voters approve while 57% disapprove. On trade, just 38% approve while 56% disapprove. On the Israel-Hamas conflict, only 34% of voters approve and 53% disapprove. Support for the Palestinians grows while the appetite for funding Israel militarily dips sharply. And a harsh assessment of the way Israel is prosecuting the Gaza campaign invokes a word of infamy, Malloy said. Alabama Lt. Gov Will Ainsworth presides over the Senate during the first day of the 2023 legislative session Tuesday, March 7, 2023, in Montgomery, Ala. (AP Photo/Julie Bennett) AP Alabama Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth posted on social media that Wednesdays deadly shooting in Minneapolis is an example that public acceptance of transgender people has caused a rise in mass murders. The liberal media refuses to recognize the growing link between transgenders and mass shootings, but facts are facts, Ainsworth wrote. The sooner everyone accepts that God made men, and God made women, and one can never become the other, the quicker we can lessen these events from happening. Ainsworths post listed nine mass shootings he said were carried out by transgender people. But Rednecks with AR-15s are the Problem, his post concluded. The latest on the list happened Wednesday. Two children were shot to death while they were praying and 17 others were injured by gunfire at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis. Authorities say the suspect, Robin Westman, 23, died of a self-inflicted gunshot after firing a rifle through the windows of the church at the children in the pews. FBI Director Kash Patel said Westman was a male born as Robert Westman. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey condemned anyone who would use the shooting to villainize the transgender community. In 2020, a judge approved a petition, signed by Westmans mother, asking for a name change from Robert to Robin, saying the petitioner identifies as a female and wants her name to reflect that identification. The application was granted when Westman was 17, after a hearing. The court said the name change was in the best interest of the child because the minor child identifies as a female wants her name to reflect that identification, Newsweek reported. The Alabama Transgender Rights Coalition issued a statement Thursday morning in response to Ainsworths tweet. Ainsworths cherry-picking of shooters based on identity continues a growing trend of partisans attempting to use a tragedy to their advantage. Alabama is one of the worst states for gun violence in the nation. This is a systemic problem that takes real work to solve, and Ainsworth seems more interested in continuing to scapegoat one of the most marginalized communities in the United States. Two children have died and seventeen have been injured. The bodies havent even been buried and a politician in one of the states highest offices is already using this tragedy for their own political stunt. The coalitions statement linked to a news report from Reuters that cited several organizations that keep records on mass shootings. They showed most mass shootings are carried out by white men who do not identify as transgender, known as cisgender. The organizations cited include the Gun Violence Archive, which has recorded 4,400 mass shootings in the last decade, defined as incidents when four or more people are killed or injured by gunfire, not counting the shooter. Of those, the number of known suspects in mass shootings which are trans is under 10 for the last decade, Executive Director Mark Bryant told Reuters. The ratio was one shooter who is transgender out of every 880 shootings, or 0.11%. In 2022, Reuters reported on studies that showed about 0.5% of adults in the United States identified as transgender. For those ages 13-17, 1.3% identified as transgender. We at ALTRAC understand that this is not a moral failing of white cisgender men as a whole, the Alabama Transgender Rights Coalition said. Unfortunately, Ainsworth has decided against extending this same grace to the transgender community. The Associated Press contributed to this report. English News To build a peaceful future from the lessons of history Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 28 Aout 2025 The WWII victory established enduring principles that continue to guide global affairs. As Allied power and UN founding member, China has always been a consistent defender of historical truth, a firm upholder of the current international order, and a committed supporter of true multilateralism. China stands ready to work hand in hand with all countries, drawing wisdom from history to forge a shared future for humanity and a more just world order. By Wang Yuan, Huan Xiang, Cui Qi, People's Daily This year marks both the 80th anniversary of victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, as well as the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations (UN). At this pivotal moment, looking back on the painful lessons of World War II (WWII) and the hard-won victory over fascism serves not only to reaffirm a correct view of WWII history but also to draw wisdom and strength for building a peaceful, prosperous future for humanity. As Friedrich Engels observed, history is everything to humankind. An honest accounting of history underpins the very foundation of justice. To safeguard the victorious outcome of WWII and defend the post-war international order is, in essence, to uphold justice and humanity's shared moral responsibility. The World Anti-Fascist War was a global struggle that transcended borders, races, and ideologies. From the Chinese people's call for unity in their resistance against Japanese aggression to the joint declaration by 26 Allied nations to fight against the aggressive and expansionist forces seeking world domination, nations joined forces in defense of justice. Through extraordinary sacrifices, they defended the cause of peace. As the main theater in the East of the World Anti-Fascist War, China was the first to confront Japanese aggression, beginning in 1931. Over 14 years of relentless struggle, more than 35 million Chinese soldiers and civilians were killed or wounded. By tying down and depleting the main forces of Japanese militarists, China made indelible historical contributions to the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War. The postwar world order emerged directly from this victory. As a founding member of the anti-fascist alliance, China actively participated in establishing the UN and drafting its Charter.. The international system with the UN at its core is a direct legacy of that victory, ensuring global peace in the post-war era and driving development and progress worldwide. The triumph of the World Anti-Fascist War was a major victory of the forces of justice, showing that light will always overcome darkness, and that justice will ultimately prevail over evil. However, over the past eight decades, historical revisionism has repeatedly surfaced. By spreading false narratives, blurring the line between right and wrong, and eroding the moral foundation of the post-war international order, such distortions pose a real threat to world peace. In Japan, a disturbing resurgence of historical denial persists. War criminals are enshrined at the Yasukuni Shrine in an attempt to glorify militarism. School textbooks are distorted to downplay or deny the well-documented facts of the Nanjing Massacre and the forceful recruitment of "comfort women." Narratives portraying Japan as a "victim of war" recast aggression as the so-called "liberation of Asia," seeking to whitewash the war. Such distortions, which deny aggression, twist historical truth, and evade responsibility, have inflicted deep wounds on the people of countries victimized by Japanese aggression. In recent years, forces seeking to undermine the postwar order have been on the rise. Certain countries, in pursuit of hegemony and unilateralism, have recklessly challenged the UN-centered international system, trampled on the basic norms governing international relations underpinned by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and disrupted global economic and trade stability. Such actions reflect a dangerous disregard for historical lessons and a grave irresponsibility to the world and the shared future of humanity. History cannot be rewritten, and truth must not be distorted. To distort the history of WWII is a betrayal of human civilization and an obstacle to human progress. As The Guardian has noted, humanity must learn from the darkest chapters of its past. If such distortions are left unchecked, history risks repeating itself. The lesson of history is clear: only through unwavering commitment to historical truth, accurate understanding of WWII, and vigorous defense of historical justice can humanity progress. The WWII victory established enduring principles that continue to guide global affairs. As Allied power and UN founding member, China has always been a consistent defender of historical truth, a firm upholder of the current international order, and a committed supporter of true multilateralism. China stands ready to work hand in hand with all countries, drawing wisdom from history to forge a shared future for humanity and a more just world order. Dans la meme rubrique : < > Tang Xianzu and Shakespeare: Theater as a bridge for global cultural dialogue Shanghai seed bank hits 100 million samples in biodiversity conservation push China unveils world's first mid-infrared solar magnetic-field telescope Pour toute information, contactez-nous au : +(235) 99267667 ; 62883277 ; 66267667 (Bureau N'Djamena) Audio quality via Bluetooth on your Windows 11 computer is getting a needed sound quality fix as Microsoft introduces Bluetooth LE Audio. Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) Audio brings both improved sound quality and a clearer microphone in one swoop. Previously, to get one, you had to sacrifice the other. Gamers on Windows 11 computers will no doubt find this new feature useful. This feature is coming to compatible old computers through updates and on new ones later in the year. Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) Audio vs. what is currently available There are two ways to receive sound via a Bluetooth headset on Windows 11, according to a Microsoft report on TechRadar. The first is Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP). A2DP offers sound to your Bluetooth headset with a catch: Theres no microphone. This prioritizes quality over microphone use. The second relay method is the Hands-Free Profile (HFP). This method does the reverse of the previous profile by enabling microphone use while sacrificing audio quality. It would seem Microsoft has now addressed this problem by announcing Bluetooth LE Audio. Bluetooth LE Audio merges the two key functionalities of the two previous profiles. It offers the long-awaited Windows 11 sound quality fix, merging both high-quality audio and microphone usage into one. Key features you get with Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) Audio Bluetooth LE Audio promises a revamp of both the sound and microphone qualities on your Windows 11 computer. Built on a new architecture, it offers high-level microphone sound output, reaching a 32kHz sample rate, and audio output. Heres what you need to know about compatibility Just as the arrival of Windows 11 requires computers to have TPM 2.0, there is a hurdle to scale before you get Bluetooth LE Audio. In a support document seen by TechRadar and accessible via the Microsoft blog, you need the following. First, both your wireless headphones and Windows 11 computer must support Bluetooth LE Audio. You can see the document for how to check for this compatibility. Also, you need to be running Windows 11 24H2 to take advantage of this Windows 11 sound quality fix. While all of these hurdles may give you a headache, Microsoft also said it may be possible for some existing devices to receive support for the feature through a later update. You need not worry about this if youre getting a new computer later in the year. Those will come supported out of the box. Improvements are for existing technologies, as this improves the quality of life for consumers. A former TSMC employee could spend the next 14 years behind bars after prosecutors in Taiwan indicted three people for stealing trade secrets from the worlds largest semiconductor manufacturer. The prison case centers around a former employee surnamed Chen, who allegedly conspired to steal critical manufacturing secrets that could impact future iPhone 18 chip production. 14-year prison term over chip trade secret theft Chen worked at TSMC before joining Tokyo Electron, a key equipment supplier for the chipmaker. Prosecutors claim he reached out to former colleagues still working at TSMC, seeking help to obtain trade secrets. The timing couldnt be worse as TSMC prepares to manufacture Apples next-generation processors. This theft threatens more than just corporate secrets. TSMC builds chips for many big names in the tech space. Were talking about Apple, Qualcomm, NVIDIA, AMD, and MediaTek, just to name a few. The company is racing to become the first manufacturer of 2nm chipsets, and these chipsets are expected to debut in 2026 with devices like the Apple iPhone 18 series. According to Nikkei Asia, TSMC discovered the breach during routine monitoring. The company immediately launched an internal investigation and took strict disciplinary action against employees involved in unauthorized activities. It also quickly initiated legal proceedings. This highlights growing security concerns in the chip industry. As manufacturing becomes more complex and valuable, so does the danger of industrial espionage. Lets not forget that TSMC has a near-monopoly in the semiconductor industry. Samsung comes close, but TSMC is still very much the preferred choice. Chen now faces charges for violating trade secrets and national security laws. Why TSMCs 2nm process is a big deal, not just for Apples iPhone 18 The stakes are pretty high when it comes to TSMCs 2nm manufacturing process. This breakthrough technology promises to deliver improved performance and efficiency gains. It has the potential to revolutionize everything from smartphones to AI. This is because the smaller the process, the more transistors can be fit onto it. This boosts both performance and efficiency. A good example would be to look at the chipsets used in the past. For instance, Apples latest A18 Pro chipset is probably roughly the same size as the A4 from 2010, but now boasts thousands of times more transistors. TSMCs successful delivery of these chips could very well help the company further cement its place in history. When new features launch on any device, it takes a while for users to catch up with them. This often leads to users missing out on key features until they stumble upon them. Other times, users do not know how to benefit from the full range of functions of an app. In a bid to help users unlock their devices full potential, Google has launched a new app, the Pixel 10 My Pixel App. Google positions My Pixel App as the go-to source for everything about your Pixel devices. It replaces a previous app, the Pixel Tips app, which Google is automatically updating on compatible devices. Google designed it in a user-friendly way so you can experience the full potential of your Pixel. For older devices and countries where Google hasnt made the new app available yet, Google says users will still have access to a redesigned Tips app. What is packed into the My Pixel App Google has structured the app to put front and center the things you need to get the most out of your new Pixel device. If you just got one of the new Pixel 10 devices, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, or the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, the Pixel 10 My Pixel App is your go-to for all the features packed into it. When you launch the device, the home screen greets you with tabs such as Tips, Support, and Store. The Google Store explains each section and what it offers. The Tips tab has easy to follow guides and tutorials, apparently for all your connected Pixel devices. It can furnish you with tips on how to get the best of Gemini when sending an email or brainstorming. It can also help with tidbits if you want to customize your new device. The Support tab provides a direct line to solutions, according to Google. This comes in handy when you run into a problem with your device and provides an easy route to fixing any issues that may occur. Also, you can shop right from the app through the Store tab. Here is an image from Google showing the home screen of the Pixel 10 My Pixel App. Finally, the Home tab, which Droid Life also reported, gives updates on your shipments and orders from the Store. Currently, availability and access are limited. The following languages and countries, however, according to Google, should begin seeing the new app: The US, UK, and Australia (English only), Japan (Japanese only), or Taiwan (Mandarin only). In the world of tech, its rare to see a company say one thing and then do another without a good reason. For months, Google has maintained that its AI features, like AI Overviews and AI Mode, arent hurting web traffic. The message has been clear: Search traffic is fine. Yet, a closer look at the companys new experiments and announcements tells a different story. While the public statements are reassuring, Google is quietly making significant link-focused changes to its AI Mode search experience. The goal seems to be to put links front and center. So, whats happening behind the scenes? According to Robby Stein, Google Searchs VP of Product, the company is actively tinkering with how and where links appear in its AI Mode. This isnt just a simple tweak; its a strategic shift based on what Google has learned from its users. Theyve found that people are more likely to click links that are embedded within the AI responses. This is especially true when they have more context about what theyre clicking. To that end, Google is rolling out several key changes. First, youll start seeing embedded link carousels in AI Mode on your desktopwith mobile support coming soon. These carousels will highlight multiple source links directly within the AI-generated answer. Additionally, Google is updating its models to improve how it shows inline linksthose that are embedded directly in the text. The company is training the AI to understand exactly when and where a user is most likely to want to dig deeper or verify information. This should make the AIs response a bridge to the web, rather than a final destination. Googles Web Guide expanding Finally, Google is expanding its Web Guide experiment from its Labs to the main Search page. This feature uses AI to intelligently organize the most useful links, even for the trickiest queries. The change indicates that Google is listening to the concerns of publishers and users who want to find the original sources behind the AI summaries. Still, Google maintains that overall traffic trends havent been affected by its AI tools. However, these actions speak louder than words. Its a win for users who want more control and for publishers who want to be seen. In the end, it seems Google is trying to find a balance between the convenience of AI and the enduring value of human-created content. Lets hope that the results are positive for both publishers and users. Tech giants Apple and Samsung sue Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi over a marketing campaign that put them in a bad light. This ad campaign compares its latest flagship, the Xiaomi 15 Ultras camera system, with Samsung and Apples premium devices. Sources close to the matter say that both firms have issued cease-and-desist notices. The Chinese company hasnt responded to the matter yet. Apple and Samsung sue Xiaomi During the India launch of the Xiaomi 15 series, the company ran an ad campaign. It called out the iPhone 16 Pro Maxs camera as cute while highlighting its camera prowess. In April, Xiaomi came up with a full-page newspaper ad mocking Apples iPhone 16 Pro Max in April Fools Day. The firm claimed that its camera system was no match for its latest flagship, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra. They took a similar dig at Samsung as well. The cease-and-desist notice is a formal legal document that asks Xiaomi to stop the activity, which it sees as damaging or unlawful, immediately. Comparing specifications is fine, but you should not directly name a specific competitor. Instead of that, you simply say rivals, said a person aware of the development. Apple and Samsung send cease-and-desist notice In Apple and Samsungs defense, such ads risk damaging their brand image, especially in India. This is a market where they both dominate the top-end smartphone market. This style of advertising is reportedly known as ambush marketing, where it associates itself with a rival product/brand without consent. As per IDC data, Samsung led the Indian smartphone market with a 14.5% market share in Q2 2025, followed by Xiaomi with a 9.6% share and Apple with a 7.5% share. Apple is also on the rise, with 5.9 million shipments and 21.1% year-over-year (YoY) growth in the first half of 2025. The iPhone 16 has been the most popular model. Sony makes plenty of different wireless headphone options, but youre unlikely to find any that are this inexpensive with this much value, which is why you should check out this deal on the WH-CH520 headphones. Normally, these would set you back $69.99. However, Amazon currently has them on sale for $38. That is more or less dirt cheap, and wed highly recommend giving these a look. At that price, these make a great back-to-school gift if you have a smaller budget. These headphones come in six different colors, and all of them are on sale. The colors are black, blue, cappuccino, pink, white, and yellow. These are on-ear headphones, which means the earcups are a bit smaller than something like the WH-1000XM6, which are over-ear headphones, and that might impact noise isolation a bit. Whats nice about these is that they support fast pair. So you can quickly pair them up to your phone or other mobile devices. They also have a battery life that can last for up to 50 hours. Thats a pretty long time. If you dont like having to plug your devices in every single day, then you definitely want something long-lasting like these headphones. These work with digital voice assistants as well. This will allow you to talk to Google Assistant and Siri for hands-free tasks. Plus, these headphones support multipoint connections. What this does is let you pair the headphones to your phone and to something like a laptop. So, if youre listening to music on your laptop and a phone call comes in, the headphones can switch over for the call, then switch back pretty effortlessly. Allowing a ban on housing asylum seekers at a protest-hit hotel risks more disorder and could have a serious impact on the UKs ability to house migrants, the Home Office has claimed. The government has applied to be allowed to appeal an interim High Court injunction which stops asylum seekers being housed at The Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex. Epping Forest District Council won the temporary ban after a series of violent anti-migrant protests resulted in multiple arrests and saw several police officers injured. The hotel owners, Somani Hotels Ltd, and the Home Office were at the Court of Appeal on Thursday seeking permission to overturn the ban, which threatens to throw the governments asylum policy into chaos if more councils seek similar vetoes. In documents submitted to court, the home secretary Yvette Cooper said that the injunction essentially incentivises other councils who wish to close down migrant hotels in their areas to seek legal action and argued that the available asylum estate is subject to incredibly high levels of demand. Becca Jones, director of asylum support at the Home Office, said the loss of the bed spaces in The Bell Hotel would be significant amid rising small boat crossings and limited available accommodation. She said that the Home Office would face considerable difficulties in re-accommodating them [asylum seekers] appropriately. Lawyers for Ms Cooper also said that allowing Epping councils injunction creates a chaotic and disorderly approach. The granting of an interim injunction in the present case runs the risk of acting as an impetus for further protests, some of which may be disorderly, around other asylum accommodation, the Home Office told the court. Police officers prepare for a demonstration outside the former Bell Hotel in Epping (PA) Sir Keir Starmer is under pressure to move faster to close hotels after figures revealed that the number of asylum seekers housed in the accommodation rose by eight per cent in the past year. Responding to the High Courts order last week, deputy leader of Reform UK, Richard Tice, urged local residents around the country to protest at hotels housing migrants to force their removal. Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick also hailed the ruling, saying: What a result for the people of Epping. What now? More peaceful protests. More injunctions... Starmer will only respond to pressure. In his ruling, Mr Justice Eyre had agreed with the councils argument that The Bell is no longer a hotel, and as such it no longer provides a resource for dining, receptions, functions and the like. He found that there was a case to argue that there had been a breach of planning control. Edward Brown KC, for the Home Office, told Court of Appeal judges on Thursday that Mr Justice Eyres decision substantially interferes with the national public interest... which is to ensure that vulnerable individuals, namely asylum seekers, are accommodated. Mr Brown said that the home secretary has a duty to provide accommodation for asylum seekers, who would be potentially destitute without the use of hotels. Protesters outside the Bell Hotel in Epping in July 2025 (PA) In written arguments, the Home Office said that the fact of criminal wrongdoing (and local concerns arising from criminal wrongdoing) is not a sufficient reason to require the immediate closure of asylum accommodation infrastructure housing many other individuals. In further submissions, Piers Riley-Smith, for Somani Hotels, said the Court of Appeal should exercise its discretion and quash the injunction made last week. He said the extremely high-profile nature of the issue created a risk of a precedent being set as a number of other local authorities are reported to be considering similar injunctions to address the use of hotels for asylum seekers. Philip Coppel KC, for Epping Forest District Council, said in written submissions that it was surprising that the Home Office did not act sooner in the legal battle. Mr Coppel said that the home secretarys case is based on generalised assertions about the difficulties of finding new accommodation to house asylum seekers. The appeal by the hotel owners and the Home Office come in the same week as a resident at the hotel, Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, has been on trial accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl last month. Mr Kebatu told a court on Wednesday that he did not attempt to kiss the girl because he is not a wild animal. He told Colchester Magistrates Court that he only said hello to the schoolgirl and her friends in Epping and nothing more because he was worried about my asylum case. He said he had only been living in the hotel for around a week before his arrest after travelling through Sudan, Libya, Italy and France in order to get to the UK. Another man who was living at the site, Syrian national Mohammed Sharwarq, has separately been charged with seven offences. Twenty-eight people have been arrested in relation to disorder at The Bell hotel, and 16 of them have been charged. The latest Home Office data, published last week, shows there were 32,059 asylum seekers in UK hotels at the end of June. This was up from 29,585 at the same point a year earlier, when the Conservatives were still in power, but down slightly on the 32,345 figure at the end of March. Immigration minister Seema Malhotra on Thursday dismissed Reform UKs plans to deport some 600,000 migrants if they took power, saying they were gimmicks that have unravelled on basic facts and figures. Councils across the country have said that they are watching the Epping case to see if they would be able to follow in their footsteps. Labour has vowed to end reliance on hotels by 2029, but a string of anti-migrant protests across the country has put pressure on ministers to act faster. The protests at The Bell hotel were triggered in July after Mr Kebatu was charged with sexual assault. Hundreds of anti- and pro-immigration protesters have since been demonstrating at the site, with far-right activists also turning up to exploit the situation. The site became a feeding ground for unrest, according to the council, who alleged that the hotel was a danger to school-age students about to start the new school year, a valid source of anxiety for their parents and teachers, and a disfigurement of the local environment. The High Court injunction if not overturned will stop 138 asylum seekers housed at The Bell Hotel from living there beyond 12 September. The Court of Appeal is expected to issue its judgement in the appeal case at 2pm on Friday. Chris Froome stable in hospital but requiring surgery following crash in France Four-time Tour de France champion Chris Froome is in stable condition awaiting surgery after a training accident left him with a fractured vertebrae, collapsed lung and five broken ribs. The British rider was on a training ride on Wednesday when the accident occurred and was taken by helicopter to a hospital in Toulon on the French Riviera. The 40-year-old is set to undergo an operation on his back injury on Thursday. A statement on Froomes official X profile read: Chris was airlifted to hospital in Toulon yesterday following a serious training crash (no other cyclists or vehicles were involved). Fortunately Chris is stable and did not sustain any head injuries, however, scans have confirmed a pneumothorax, five broken ribs and a lumbar vertebrae fracture, for which he will undergo surgery this afternoon. We will update on Chris condition following surgery. Froome won the Tour de France with Team Sky in 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017, and also claimed grand tour titles at the Giro dItalia and Vuelta a Espana. He has been racing with Israel Premier-Tech since 2021. He broke his collarbone at the UAE Tour in February and has previously hinted that 2025 could be his final year of competitive racing. Russian airstrikes on Kyiv have killed at least 18 people and wounded dozens in the most deadly night raid on the Ukrainian capital since the Alaska summit between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump. Seventeen people were reported killed when a five-storey residential building in the eastern Darnytskyi district was struck in the middle of the night, said Svitlana Vodolaha, a spokesperson for the state rescue service. A further 10 were still unaccounted for but not all may have been the building at the time, she added. There were 200 rescuers and 59 rescue vehicles on site and the search and clean-up effort was expected to go on into the night. The victims included four children, Vodolaha said. Ukraines interior minister, Ihor Klymenko, had earlier said a child as young as two had died at the scene. Another person died in Kyivs central Shevchenkivskyi district, where an attack at 5.40am damaged buildings and offices near the railway station, including those housing the EU delegation to Ukraine and the British Council. The council in Ukraine said on social media that its office had been severely damaged and would be closed to visitors until further notice. Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the onslaught showed that Russia had no intention of negotiating an end to the war. These Russian missiles and attack drones today are a clear response to everyone in the world who, for weeks and months, has been calling for a ceasefire and for real diplomacy, the president said on social media. Russia chooses ballistics instead of the negotiating table. Related: Ukraine war briefing: Zelenskyy picks Olha Stefanishyna as ambassador to US Aerial bombardment of Kyiv had been relatively muted during August, when Trump made a failed attempt to bring about an end to the war by meeting Putin in Alaska. But the overnight attack indicated Russia was ready to return to its deadly campaign of bombing cities, even though Trump has previously complained about such attacks and threatened to impose sanctions on Russian oil if they continued. The Kremlin said on Thursday it was still interested in diplomacy but would continue to launch strikes on Ukraine. A wave of strikes could be heard from the city centre after 3am and again, more loudly, shortly after 5.30am. Officials reported impacts at more than 20 locations around Kyiv. A further 38 people were wounded in the attacks, officials added. Ukraines air force said Ukraine had been targeted with 629 missiles and drones overnight, one of the biggest aerial attacks mounted by Russia. That included 11 ballistic missiles, 20 Kh-101 cruise missiles and 598 Shahed and decoy drones. A large proportion were intercepted or jammed, including 563 of the Shaheds, but three high-speed ballistic missiles, one Kinzhal and two Iskanders, as well as two cruise missiles were not stopped, according to the air force data. Katarina Mathernova, the EU ambassador to Ukraine, reported that the offices of the EU delegation were severely damaged by the shock wave from a city centre blast, and posted pictures of light damage to the office building. The European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, said the delegations staff were safe. Russia must stop its indiscriminatory attacks on civilian infrastructure immediately and join negotiations for a just and lasting peace, she said. Photographs showed more serious damage to the office building where the British Council is based, with the front windows shattered. The council is responsible for promoting British culture and English language teaching internationally. Keir Starmer condemned the strikes and confirmed that the British Council building had been damaged. Putin is killing children and civilians, and sabotaging hopes of peace. This bloodshed must end, he said. A railway siding in the east of Kyiv was among the locations bombed, and images showed that some intercity carriages had been burned out. One train was significantly damaged, the countrys rail operator said, and journeys were likely to be delayed. The mayor, Vitali Klitschko, declared that Friday would be a day of mourning in Kyiv after what he said was a barbaric attack. He said it had been a terrible night for the capital, with many buildings damaged. Zelenskyy said there should be an international response and called for further sanctions against Russia, including from China, an ally of Moscow. We expect a reaction from China to what is going on. China has repeatedly called for not expanding the war and for a ceasefire, he said. Hours earlier, Beijing had said Putin would be among the leaders attending a military parade with Xi Jinping in the Chinese capital next week. Australian Jessica Fox, a triple Olympic gold medallist in canoe slalom, has revealed she underwent surgery to remove a tumour from her kidney. In a post on social media, the French-born 31-year-old said the procedure went really well, but added she wont be competing in the final World Cups over the next couple of weeks. She said: Last week I had surgery to remove a tumour from my kidney. The surgery went really well and Im on the mend. Im super grateful to the incredible medical staff for their care and expertise thank you Dr Mohan Arianayagam and his team, and Dr Stephen Nolan, Dr Parrapil, the amazing nurses and physios at Norwest, Dr Scott Reid, my physio Tony and psych Chris, and our Paddle Aus team for their support. The then-Duke of Cambridge talks to Jess Fox after she won a silver medal at the London 2012 Olympics (John Stillwell/PA) And of course my wonderful family and friends. Its been a whirlwind over the last few weeks, but Im all good just a couple of gnarly new scars, a bit less kidney, and a whole lot more toughness. She continued: Im feeling positive, super grateful and happy to be home. Looking forward to taking it easy over the next few weeks as I recover, and building towards being back on the water again. She did not say whether the tumour was cancerous. Fox is the first female canoe slalomist to win three Olympic gold medals. She also has two bronzes and a silver in the sport, making her the most decorated slalom athlete of all time, male or female. Her father, Richard Fox, represented Great Britain in canoe slalom at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Scotlands First Minister has accused Elon Musk of spreading misinformation following an incident in Dundee where a girl was charged for alleged possession of offensive weapons. John Swinney said the worlds richest man was trying to undermine the social cohesion in Scottish communities, which he said was totally and utterly unacceptable. He condemned the deliberate disinformation he said was being used to stoke up fear and alarm around the country. Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is among those to have posted claims online about the video (Lucy North/PA) Footage of a young girl apparently brandishing weapons has been widely shared on social media, with posts making claims about it gaining millions of views. Mr Musk the billionaire owner of X, formerly Twitter shared several posts on his site which made claims about the incident, including the migrant status of the people allegedly confronted. Far-right activist Tommy Robinson, who was previously sentenced for contempt of court, also shared posts making claims around the incident, some of which were shared by Mr Musk. The incident is understood to have taken place in St Ann Lane in the Lochee area of the city around 7.40pm on Saturday. Speaking to the PA news agency in Glasgow, Scotlands First Minister said there was a limit to what he could say about the misinformation to avoid prejudicing the case. First Minister John Swinney told PA he was concerned about the spread of misinformation online (Jane Barlow/PA) But what is very important, he said, is that Police Scotland have issued a warning about deliberate misinformation that is being used to stoke up fear and alarm in our communities. I am concerned about that and everybody should be concerned about that because we live in a fundamentally safer country today than we did 40 years ago. Thats what all the recorded data told us earlier on this week were living in a safer country than we did 40 years ago. But people like Elon Musk, with the misinformation that has been stoked up about this case, are trying to undermine that sense of cohesion within our communities and it is totally and utterly unacceptable, and Police Scotland are absolutely right to call it out. Chief superintendent Nicola Russell, who is responsible for Police Scotlands Tayside division, issued a statement on Wednesday. Chief Superintendent Nicola Russell said: "We are aware of misinformation being shared on social media in relation to an incident where a Bulgarian couple were approached by youths in St Ann Lane, Dundee, on Saturday, 23 August 2025. Read more: https://t.co/cLyLtnh4Px pic.twitter.com/7J1kJK818f Police Scotland (@PoliceScotland) August 27, 2025 She said: We are aware of misinformation being shared on social media in relation to an incident where a Bulgarian couple were approached by youths in St Ann Lane, Dundee, on Saturday 23 August 2025. A 12-year-old girl has been charged with being in possession of offensive weapons. She will be referred to the relevant authorities and our inquiries are ongoing. We would like to thank the local community for their help with our investigation and would urge the public not to share misinformation about this incident or speculate on the circumstances. Mr Musk has previously caught the ire of another first minister, with former SNP leader Humza Yousaf in January accusing him of trying to inflame racial tensions. Former First Minister Humza Yousaf has argued online with Elon Musk (Andrew Milligan/PA) The businessman, who was previously one of US President Donald Trumps closest aids before a falling out, has consistently waded into Scottish and British politics and has clashed with Mr Yousaf on several occasions. The Tesla owner once branded Mr Yousaf super racist during one of their online arguments last year, daring the former first minister to sue him. New footage shows that a double tap Israeli attack on a Gaza hospital that killed at least 22 people and sparked global outrage included three strikes rather than two. A clip obtained by CNN shows that the second strike on the Nasser Medical Complex on Monday was in fact two near-simultaneous hits, which caused most of the fatalities. Israels military claims it was targeting a Hamas surveillance camera attached to the hospital, used to monitor the movement of IDF troops, but multiple sources say it was a Reuters camera broadcasting a live stream of the area. At least five journalists were killed in the attack on the hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis, including Maryam Abu Daqqa, a photojournalist who worked for The Independent Arabia. Israel attacked a balcony at Nasser hospital on Monday (AP) A balcony at the hospital was hit at about 10.08am local time, killing Reuters camera operator Hussam al-Masri among others, according to witnesses and health officials. Al-Masris live camera feed then went black. Nine minutes after the first strike, another two missiles hit journalists and rescuers who were attempting to help victims and document the attack. A frame-by-frame analysis by CNN shows how the first missile hit a staircase where first responders were gathered, while another exploded in the same place just a fraction of a second later. The four other journalists who were killed in the attack included Al-Masri; photographer Mohammed Salama, who worked for Al Jazeera; Moaz Abu Taha, who worked for NBC; and Ahmad Abu Aziz, a freelance journalist, Gazas health ministry said. A rescue worker was also among those killed, officials added. (L-R) Hussam al-Masri, Maryam Abu Daqqa, Moaz Abu Taha, Mohammed Salama and Ahmad Abu Aziz (Reuters) The US, the European Union, Canada, Britain, Egypt, China, France, Italy and Spain denounced the attack, while Germany called for an investigation. US president Donald Trump said: Im not happy about it. I dont want to see it. At the same time, we have to end that whole nightmare. Britains foreign secretary David Lammy said he was horrified by the attack and called for an immediate ceasefire. Targeting journalists, rescue workers and civilians is a war crime and violates international humanitarian law. Israel has denied allegations of war crimes in Gaza. Ms Abu Daqqa, 33, and other journalists regularly based themselves at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis during the war (Independent) Ms Abu Daqqa, 33, and other journalists regularly based themselves at Nasser Hospital during the war. She captured the damaged stairwell of a Gaza Strip hospital in her final photographs, moments before she was killed. Her camera, retrieved on Wednesday, contained photos of people ascending the staircase after the initial damage, while others watched from the windows of the main health facility in southern Gaza. Israel said it had killed six militants in the attack but that it would investigate how civilians, including the five journalists, were killed. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu described it as a tragic mishap. Israel has attacked hospitals numerous times throughout the war, claiming that Hamas embeds itself in and around the facilities (AFP/Getty) The chief of general staff acknowledged several gaps in the investigation so far, including in relation to the kind of ammunition that was used to take out the camera. A further inquiry was ordered into how the decision was made to target the hospital. Israel has attacked hospitals numerous times throughout the war, claiming that Hamas embeds itself in and around medical facilities. The latest attack followed Israels plans to widen its offensive to heavily populated areas in an attempt to destroy Hamas. Israels defence minister Israel Katz has vowed to press on with the offensive against Gaza City, despite alarm abroad and objections at home. A sixth journalist, Palestinian correspondent Hassan Douhan, was killed in a separate incident in Khan Younis, Al Jazeera reported. More than 62,000 Palestinians have died since 7 October, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. Around 1,200 people were killed by Hamas in its initial attack, and 251 were taken hostage. George Clooney has pulled out of events at the Venice Film Festival due to a bad sinus infection. The Hollywood star was absent from a press conference for his latest film Jay Kelly because of illness, but is expected to attend the films world premiere on the Lido on Tuesday evening. His co-stars Adam Sandler, Laura Dern and Billy Crudup attended the event in Italy without him, alongside the films director Noah Baumbach and actress Emily Mortimer, who wrote the script with Baumbach. Everybody knows Jay Kelly, but Jay Kelly doesn't know himself. JAY KELLY stars George Clooney and Adam Sandler. A Noah Baumbach Picture. In cinemas 14 November and on Netflix 5 December. pic.twitter.com/ObRgdD8NFV Netflix UK & Ireland (@NetflixUK) May 6, 2025 Clooney also missed a press junket for the film, as well as a cast dinner, according to US publication People. Speaking at the press conference, Dern said Clooney was so devastated he could not be at the event. The press conference moderator told journalists: George Clooney is not going to be here because he has a bad sinus infection and I think he should be on the red carpet tonight and hes very sorry he cant be with us. Baumbach added: Even movie stars get sick. In the film, Clooney plays the the titular Kelly, a famous movie star, while Sandler plays his devoted manager, as they embark on a journey of self discovery on a trip across Europe. Baumbach discussed writing the film specifically for Oceans Eleven star Clooney, saying: Ive known George over the years and have been wanting to find something to do with him and early on we started to say This is going to be George. I felt it was really important the audience watching the movie have a relationship with the actor playing the character, so that we all watching it have a history with George just like the people in the movie have a history with Jay. The character is running from himself for so much of the movie and deflecting and trying to hide, and what essentially I was asking of George was to reveal more and more of himself as he does that. Clooney was photographed arriving in Venice in a water taxi with his wife Amal Clooney on Tuesday. Jay Kelly will be released in UK cinemas on November 14 and will launch on Netflix on December 5. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has requested access to a U.S. Navy base north of Chicago as President Donald Trump threatens to deploy National Guard troops to the Windy City with his nationwide crime crackdown and immigration agenda, according to reports. The Department of Homeland Security requested to use the Naval Station Great Lakes about 40 miles north of Chicago to house ICE and Customs and Border Protection agents from September 2 through 30, officials at the base told the Chicago Sun-Times. The president has vowed to execute the largest deportation operation in U.S. history, with a goal of deporting 1 million people per year. The request may also include National Guard members, whose deployment to two U.S. cities this year has been met with public and political pushback. These operations are similar to what occurred in Los Angeles earlier this summer. Same DHS team, Navy Captain Stephen Yargosz, commanding officer of the base, said in an email obtained by the outlet. This morning I received a call that there is the potential to also support National Guard units. Not many details on this right now. Mainly a lot of concerns and questions. If the request is granted, the base would provide facilities, infrastructure, and other logistical needs, according to the Washington Post. Homeland Security has requested access to a Navy base, north of Chicago, to house ICE agents. President Donald Trump plans to send troops to the Windy City as part of his immigration and crime crackdowns, reports say (Getty Images) The decision to grant access has not been made as of Wednesday, the Post reported. "President Trump has been clear: we are going to make our streets and cities safe again. Across the country, DHS law enforcement are arresting and removing the worst of worst including gang members, murderers, pedophiles, and rapists that have terrorized American communities. Under Secretary Noem, ICE and CBP are working overtime to deliver on the American people's mandate to arrest and deport criminal illegal aliens and make America safe again, a senior DHS official told The Independent in a statement. The Independent has asked Naval Station Great Lakes and the Illinois governors office for more information. Trumps border czar Tom Homan confirmed to reporters Thursday that "there's discussions" about ICE using a naval base north of Chicago as an operations center, noting "the planning is still being discussed." He didnt say whether National Guard troops would use the base. Discussing the governments plans for Chicago, Homan said: "We're not going to tell you how many resources we're going to send to the city. We don't want the bad guy to know...it'll be a large contingent. The president also appeared to tease his plans for the Windy City. Governor Pritzker had 6 murders in Chicago this weekend. 20 people were shot. But he doesnt want to ask me for help. Can this be possible? The people are desperate for me to STOP THE CRIME, something the Democrats arent capable of doing, he wrote on Truth Social Thursday morning. Illinois Democratic Senator Dick Durbin condemned the reported plans. Donald Trumps reportedly going to use Naval Station Great Lakes as a center for his illegal military occupation in Chicago. Thatd be a total waste, and itd hurt our military readiness, he said Wednesday in a statement on X. Trumps immigration agenda has become a fixture of his second term. DHS is facing a barrage of lawsuits over its aggressive deportation efforts. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has told the president theres no need for federal troops to come to Chicago, emphasizing that crime is down in the Windy City (AP) The president also campaigned on reducing crime but his militaristic approach has sparked controversy among state leaders and civil rights groups. Earlier this month, Trump declared a crime emergency in Washington, D.C., federalizing the citys local police and arming National Guard members. Sporting bright orange high-visibility vests over their typical garb, National Guard members were spotted picking up trash in Lafayette Park this week as part of the "beautification and restoration mission," according to officials. In June, the president deployed thousands of National Guard members to Los Angeles as protests erupted over Trumps immigration raids. California Governor Gavin Newsom sued the administration after Trump federalized the states National Guard. Last week, the president suggested Chicago was his next target. When asked whether the city was next in line to receive a deployment of federal troops, DHS Chief Kristi Noem told NewsNation this week: Were going to have a strike team in Chicago soon. The president has suggested Chicago was his next target for his crime crackdown, weeks after he first deployed National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., who were spotted this week picking up trash in a park in the nation's capital (AP) Illinois Governor JB Pritzker told reporters Wednesday that no federal officials have contacted him about the plans. His team has received no calls from the White House, from the federal government, from anybody who might be in charge of some sort of troop movement, he said. At a press conference earlier this week, the governor insisted that theres no need for federal forces to come to the Windy City, emphasizing that crime in Chicago is down. In response to Pritzkers pushback, Trump suggested during Tuesdays Cabinet meeting that he wouldnt back down. Im the president of the United States, he said. If I think our country is in danger and it is in danger in these cities I can do it. State leaders are privately discussing a legal strategy to challenge the federal deployment, Reuters reported. Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul told WTTW on Wednesday that, legally, in order for the president to federalize the National Guard, there either has to be a foreign invasion, rebellion from within or inability to enforce a federal law because of inadequate resources through regular means. Raoul added: None of those circumstances exist in regards to dealing with crime in Chicago. Sending in the National Guard is performative, Arne Duncan, former President Barack Obama's Secretary of Education and founder of community violence prevention nonprofit Chicago CRED, told Reuters. The move "harkens back to Klan patrols that's the imagery [Trump] wants and it's incredibly disturbing. He wants these military clashes with civilians, he said. Immigration minister Seema Malhotra has dismissed Reforms plans to tackle immigration numbers as gimmicks that have unravelled on basic facts and figures. The MP for Feltham and Heston said that she would not comment on Nigel Farages proposed deal with Afghanistans Taliban or individual countries. Reform announced on Tuesday a plan to deport 600,000 people from the country, which would be enabled by striking deals with the Taliban and Iran. But the party appeared later to backtrack on proposals for women and children to be removed under its plans for mass deportations. Speaking in Portsmouth, Ms Malhotra told the PA news agency: Im not commenting on individual countries in this way. What I will say is that we have a policy of returning people to their countries where they are safe or, as weve seen in the agreement with France, to safe third countries. Whats also the case is that weve seen Reforms plan unravel after just two days, and if thats their specialist subject to see their plans unravel on the basic facts and figures, one has to ask the question about what other plans they might have. Migration minister Seema Malhotra boards Border Force Cutter Seeker during a visit to Border Forces Maritime Command and Home Office Intelligence in Portsmouth (Andrew Matthews/PA) Whether its for our NHS or any other areas of our public services, what we are committed to is taking the serious action that we need and not gimmicks. To make sure that we are stepping up the action were taking to disrupt the activity of these evil criminal gangs to make sure that we are returning those with no right to be here over 35,000 since the last election. To make sure that were bringing in new powers for law enforcement and intelligence sharing with other countries through legislation were bringing forward in Parliament that both the Tories and Reform have voted against, and to make sure that we are urgently speeding up the processing of asylum cases, a backlog that the last government left behind in a system that was utterly chaotic. She continued: Through these steps, I think what people will see is that were taking the action we need, and that we will see a closure to asylum hotels and to this evil criminal trade. When asked if the Government had alternative plans to hotels for housing asylum-seekers, Ms Maholtra said: What we are doing is making sure that were reducing the need for hotels. Thats the critical bit of this and weve got to do that by working with communities across the country, making sure that what were doing is processing asylum cases much more quickly, making sure that were returning those with no right to be here, and making sure that we are delivering on our commitment that we made in our manifesto to see a closure to all asylum hotels in this Parliament. Weve already seen a drop from the 400 asylum hotels that we saw open at their peak under the previous Government, and seeing that now almost halved to just over 200, this is really important that we continue the work that were doing to make sure that we see a closure of all asylum hotels in line with our manifesto commitment in this Parliament. Thats what were determined to do. When asked if the Government was reliant on hotels, she said: Well, were also reliant on making sure that were clearing the backlog, because the number of people in hotels is as a result of the asylum cases that are open. What we need to do is to continue that step change that weve seen processing asylum cases much more quickly, making sure that were seeing those returns for people who have no right to be here as a result also of the returns agreements that we have been signing, whether thats with Iraq, whether thats with France. Whether thats also in relation to the agreements and co-operation agreements weve got with other countries like Vietnam. When we see the results of all of those actions, when we see the new powers that are going to be coming in as a result of new legislation that we have brought in to parliament to increase intelligence sharing, to make it an offence to even supply criminal gangs, we are going to be doing much more than the previous Government. Were seeing the arrests step up of those involved in criminal gangs, and were seeing that this evil criminal trade is disrupted that we are seeing put lives at risk and undermine our border security. Israeli soldiers pictured crossing into the buffer zone between Israel and Syria after the fall of Assad last December. Photograph: Matias Delacroix/AP Israeli forces raided a former air defence base in southern Syria on Wednesday during a series of airstrikes in the area their farthermost such operation inside Syria since Bashar al-Assad was ousted last December. The site, near the city of al-Kiswah, about 6 miles (10km) south of Damascus, was a strategic base for Iranian militias during Assads rule. Syrian state media reported that the Israeli military had carried out strikes in the same area a day earlier, killing six Syrian troops who had found Israeli listening and spying devices there. The troops were in the process of dismantling the devices when they were killed, state media said. Israeli warplanes and drones prevented Syrian forces from entering the area until late on Wednesday night, after Israeli forces had left the site. A Syrian military source told Al Jazeera that dozens of Israeli troops travelled to the site in four helicopters and spent more than two hours there, though it is unclear what exactly they did. The Israeli defence minister, Israel Katz, posted on X that forces were operating in all combat zones day and night for the security of Israel, but otherwise offered no explanation. The Syrian foreign ministry condemned the strikes, calling them a violation of international law and a breach of the countrys sovereignty. Israel carried out dozens of strikes on weapons depots and military bases after the ousting of Assad in December. It also pushed into the UN-patrolled buffer zone that separated the two countries and established military bases there. Israel has warned the new Syrian government, led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former leader of Islamist rebel groups, that it will not allow it to deploy forces to southern Syria. Israeli strikes on Syria had all but stopped after Donald Trump warned Israel to be reasonable in Syria, until sectarian clashes broke out in Druze-majority areas in southern Syria in June. Israel struck the defence ministry in Damascus and bombed Syrian troops in what it said was an effort to protect Syrias Druze population. Wednesdays bombings came despite high-level security talks taking place between Syrian and Israeli officials. Officials from both countries met in Paris alongside the US special envoy for Syria, Tom Barrack, earlier this month. The Paris talks, in addition to meetings in Azerbaijan, are aimed at establishing a security agreement between the two countries that would stop Israeli aggression in Syria and provide security assurances to Israel. Israel has also requested that the rights of the Druze in Syria be respected. On Thursday night, Benjamin Netanyahu said talks about the demilitarisation of southern Syria were in progress, implicitly acknowledging contact with the new Syrian regime for the first time. In a video released by his office, Israels prime minister said: We are focusing on three things: protecting the Druze community in the Sweida governorate, but not only there; creating a demilitarised zone stretching from the Golan Heights, [passing] south of Damascus, down to and including Sweida; and establishing a humanitarian corridor to allow the delivery of aid. These discussions are taking place right now, at this very moment. Israeli leaders have repeatedly referred to the new government in Damascus as jihadist and have expressed concerns that it could pose a threat to Israelis living close to their shared border. The new government in Syria has not attacked Israel and said it wanted regional peace, including with Israel. Syria and Israel have technically been at war since 1948 and do not have diplomatic relations. In 1974, the two countries signed a UN agreement that created a buffer zone between them. Israel said it considered the 1974 agreement as void once Assad had been toppled, and pushed past the buffer zone. Syrian officials have said they want to use the 1974 agreement as a starting point in negotiations. The US, which is mediating talks between Syria and Israel, has said it hopes the two countries could in time normalise relations and join the Abraham accords. Syrian officials have said this is a possibility but emphasised that current talks are solely focused on security issues. Barrack has cautioned that reaching a security agreement will take time, saying in an interview with the US news website Axios that the two countries have mutual intent and desire but at the moment there is still more work to do. A city in central Japan is proposing to limit smartphone use to two hours a day, in what is believed to be the first ordinance of its kind in the country. Toyoake, a municipality in Aichi Prefecture, submitted the bill to its local assembly this week. The draft measure encourages families to discuss how much time they spend on devices and to set evening cut-offs, with suggested limits of 9pm for primary school children and 10pm for older students and adults. Mayor Masafumi Koki said the aim was not to restrict rights or impose penalties, but to highlight the impact of excessive screen time on health, education and family life. I hope this serves as an opportunity for each family to think about and discuss the time spent on smartphones as well as the time of day the devices are used, he told reporters, according to the Mainichi newspaper. The city said it had drawn on government health ministry data when setting the two-hour guideline, citing concerns that long hours on phones are linked to sleep loss, weakened social ties, and truancy among children. Officials pointed to cases of young people becoming withdrawn from school and reliant on smartphones at home. The proposal has sparked debate locally. Between 21 and 25 August, the city received more than 120 calls and emails, with about four in five expressing opposition. Some questioned whether authorities had the right to intervene in personal choices, while others asked if an ordinance was necessary at all. Supporters, however, welcomed the move, saying they hoped it would address rising concerns about smartphone addiction. Mr Koki said discussions within city hall had underscored that overuse was not limited to young people. This is a common issue even among adults who are sacrificing sleep and family communication, he said, adding that the decision to put the guidance in the form of an ordinance was meant to send a special message to residents. The bill will be reviewed by committee before being put to a vote on 22 September. The mayor indicated amendments could be considered depending on discussions in the assembly. If approved, the ordinance would mark Japans first citywide guideline aimed at all residents, rather than children alone. It comes as governments worldwide grapple with how to address rising concerns over digital addiction and its impact on public health. Last November, Australia passed a worldfirst ban prohibiting social media access for those under 16. Plans are also underway to ban mobile phones in both schools and afterschool clubs in Denmark, while South Korea has also banned mobile phones and digital devices in school classrooms nationwide from March 2026. Jelena Ostapenko has rejected suggestions she was racist after a fiery post-match exchange with Taylor Townsend at the US Open. The pair clashed in the second round at Flushing Meadows and then engaged in a finger-pointing row at the side of the court to loud boos from the crowd following Townsends popular 7-5 6-1 victory at her home tournament. Ostapenko later took to social media to accuse her opponent of being disrespectful for not apologising for a net ball and criticised her conduct during the warm-up before she was met with allegations of racism. But Latvias Ostapenko said on a now-deleted post on her Instagram story: Wow how many messages I received that I am a racist. I was NEVER racist in my life and I respect all nations of people in the world, for me it doesnt matter where you come from. There are some rules in tennis and unfortunately when the crowd is with you, you cant use it in disrespectful way to your opponent. Unfortunately for me coming from such a small country I dont have that huge support and a chance to play in homeland. I always loved to play in the US and US Open but this is the first time someone is approaching the match this disrespectful way. In a separate now-deleted social media post, Ostapenko added: She was very disrespectful as she had a net ball in a very deciding moment and didnt say sorry, but her answer was that she doesnt have to say sorry at all. Jelena Ostapenko refuted accusations of racism (Vera Nieuwenhuis/AP) If she plays in her homeland, it doesnt mean that she can behave and do whatever she wants. Townsend did get to celebrate her upset of the 25th seed in full-hearted fashion, she said in her on-court interview: Its competition, people get upset when they lose and some people say bad things. She told me I have no class, I have no education and to see what happens when we get outside the US. Im looking forward to it. I beat her in Canada outside the US so lets see what else she has to say. Later in Townsends press conference, she was asked if there were racial undertones to Ostapenkos on-court remarks, the American added: Im very proud as a black woman being out here representing myself and representing us and our culture. I make sure that I do everything that I can to be the best representation possible every time that I step on the court and even off the court. So I cant speak on how she felt about it. Thats something that youre going to have to ask her. I didnt take it in that way, but also, that has been a stigma in our community of being not educated and all of the things when its the furthest thing from the truth. Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka was given a test by Polina Kudermetova in the night session but came through 7-6 (4) 6-2 and will next face former finalist Leylah Fernandez. John Bolton arrived at his property in Bethesda, Maryland, while the FBI search was going on last Friday - Andrew Harnik/Getty Images John Bolton, the former US national security adviser, came under investigation during Joe Bidens presidency for mishandling classified material, it has been reported. Emails from Mr Bolton containing sensitive material were found in data gathered from another countrys spy service, according to The New York Times. Mr Boltons home and offices were raided by the FBI last week in what some characterised as an act of retribution by Donald Trump against his highly critical former aide. Credit: Fox News However, the New York Times report suggests the investigation into Mr Bolton had gathered steam even before Mr Trump returned to office in January and installed loyalists to head the intelligence agencies. Mr Bolton is alleged to have sent emails on an unclassified system containing state secrets to people helping him gather material for his memoir, The Room Where It Happened, which was published in 2020. The information, said to have come from classified documents seen during his tenure as national security adviser, was reportedly intercepted by the spy service of an adversarial country. The reporting does not name the country, although Russia, China, and Iran would all have had particular interest in his communications as national security adviser. Sources said a major reason for the search of Mr Boltons home and offices in Bethesda, Maryland, on Friday was to see if he held material that would match and corroborate the material held by the foreign spy agency. John Bolton, who served as national security adviser from 2018 to 2019, watches Donald Trump during a cabinet meeting - Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Officials have indicated the remit for the raid went beyond longstanding allegations about his memoir, and would address claims he leaked sensitive materials. In order to obtain the search warrants, authorised by two federal judges, prosecutors would have had to show they had reason to believe the 76-year-old had mishandled classified information. The fact that authorities were able to show probable cause to believe that Mr Bolton had mishandled information and that the locations searched could show evidence of wrongdoing suggests the investigation into Mr Bolton is already relatively advanced. FBI agents load boxes into a vehicle after leaving John Boltons office - Andrew Leyden/Getty Images During Mr Trumps first presidential term, the Justice Department opened a criminal investigation into whether Mr Bolton had disclosed classified information in his memoir. But this, along with an associated civil lawsuit, was dropped in June 2021 during Joe Bidens administration. Mr Bolton declined to comment to The New York Times. Representatives for the former national security adviser have been independently approached by The Telegraph. Mr Bolton has refrained from directly commenting on the raid itself, instead continuing to criticise Mr Trump for what he called his incoherent policy to end the war in Ukraine. Mr Trump faced dozens of felony charges for allegedly mishandling classified documents in a criminal indictment brought against him in 2023. After he left the White House following his first term, the FBI raided his Mar-a-Lago estate and found boxes of state secrets in a bathroom, a ballroom and a shower, in what prosecutors claimed was a violation of the Espionage Act. It was eventually dismissed last year when a judge ruled that the appointment of the lawyer prosecuting him was unconstitutional. Kim Jong-un and Vladimir Putin are to join 24 other foreign leaders for the military parade in Tiananmen Square - YURI KADOBNOV/AFP/Getty Kim Jong-un and Vladimir Putin will attend a Beijing military parade as guests of honour next week. The heads of North Korea and Russia will join 24 other foreign leaders at the event in Tiananmen Square to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of Second World War. KCNA, North Koreas state news agency, said Kim had been personally invited by Xi Jinping, his Chinese counterpart, in what will be his first ever multilateral international meeting and his first meeting with the Chinese leader since 2019. It will also be the North Korean dictators first international trip since he met Putin in Russia in 2023. The parade on Sept 3 comes at a time when Mr Xi is pushing for a new Beijing-led world order, and signalling to the US and other Western powers that China has strong influence over Moscow, just as Washington leads a push to end the war in Ukraine. It will also follow the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit at the weekend. Female soldiers from the Peoples Liberation Army rehearse in Beijing ahead of the military parade on Sept 3 - Kevin Frayer/Getty The event will see Mr Xi, Putin and Narendra Modi, Indias prime minister, meet in China, in another sign of increasing cooperation between Asias major powers in the face of rising American economic pressure. Donald Trump is not expected to attend the military parade, which will showcase the Chinese militarys new force structure for the first time, but said earlier this week that he wanted to meet Kim. He hailed their relationship having met the North Korean leader three times during his first term as US president. Other foreign leaders expected to attend the parade include the leaders of Iran, Belarus, Serbia, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Malaysia. No leaders from the West are expected to attend, in part due to the ongoing war in Ukraine. The event will be Kims first trip to China in six years, and will be the first time a North Korean leader has attended a Chinese military parade since 1959. North Korea sent armaments and troops to support Russia in its war against Ukraine Since inheriting power from his father 14 years ago, Kim has met Putin, Mr Xi, and Mr Trump, but only in bilateral meetings. He has not attended any multilateral events involving world leaders. KCNA gave no details on how long Kim was expected to stay in China or whether he would hold talks with Putin or other leaders. Hong Lei, Chinas assistant minister of foreign affairs, told a press conference: We warmly welcome general secretary Kim Jong-un to China to attend the commemorative events. Upholding, consolidating and developing the traditional friendship between China and the DPRK is a firm position of the Communist Party of China and the Chinese government. The parade will be an attempt by China to showcase its military strength, with some of its newest weaponry expected to be on show. Mr Xi is also expected to deliver a speech. The highly choreographed parade, one of Chinas largest in years, will unveil cutting-edge equipment like fighter jets, missile-defense systems and hypersonic weapons, and will therefore be keenly watched by Western defence analysts. Tens of thousands of soldiers will march in formation through Tiananmen Square, including troops from dozens of brigades, as well as veterans. Beijing has been one of North Koreas most prominent economic allies. In 2023, about 97 per cent of North Koreas external trade was with China, while 1.2 per cent was with Russia, according to Chinese data. Kim Jong-un and Putin at a ceremony in Pyongyang last year. The parade will mark Kims first trip to China in six years - GAVRIIL GRIGOROV/POOL/AFP Mr Xi and Kim met several times in 2018 and 2019, though analysts have suggested that relations between the two countries may have soured in recent years due to China pushing for the repatriation of North Korean labourers. But experts say North Korea is expected to take steps to improve ties with China to revive its troubled economy. North Korea and Russia have also created strong military ties, with North Korea sending armaments and troops to support Russia in its war against Ukraine. Anti-Japanese overtones Earlier this week, Japan asked European, Asian countries and other Western leaders not to attend the parade because of its anti-Japanese overtones. Kims visit to China could also be related to efforts to restart diplomacy with Mr Trump, who has repeatedly highlighted his relationship with Kim and expressed his hopes to resume talks. Pyongyangs illicit cooperation with Moscow has strained ties with Beijing, even as Chinas political and economic support remains vital for the North Korean regime, said Leif-Eric Easley, professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul. To re-engage Trump from a position of strength, Kim seeks to repair relations with Mr Xi, and attending the parade in Beijing is a highly visible way of doing that, he added. A new interactive map reveals Londons sex offences and stalking hotspots, as the mother of murdered model Sally Anne Bowman says women are still in constant danger 20 years on. Latest figures show Croydon - where 18-year-old Sally Anne was stabbed and raped yards from her front door - has the highest overall rate. Distraught Linda Bowman, 63, told the Standard: Enough is enough. Things are far worse for women than when my Sally Anne was killed. In the year to March, the Metropolitan Police recorded 26,602 sex assaults across the capital with another 55,291 stalking and harassment reports on average 224 every day. Croydon had the greatest total (1,211 and 2,592 respectively), according to the Office for National Statistics. It is followed by the boroughs of Tower Hamlets (1,026 and 2,523), Westminster (1,491 and 1,945), Ealing (927 and 2,138), Newham (991 and 2,231), Lewisham (1,014 and 2,200), and Lambeth (1,152 and 1,901). Kingston upon Thames had the lowest number of recorded sexual offences and stalking and harassment reports with 363 and 695, followed by Richmond upon Thames (317 and 755), Merton (445 and 888), and Sutton (381 and 1,118). The latest figures come from the ONSs Crime Survey for England and Wales. It is the first time researchers have monitored these three crimes as part of Government ambitions of halving violence against women and girls in a decade. Murdered: Sally Anne Bowman, 18 (PA Media) Croydon West MP Sarah Jones said: These figures are a reminder that violence against women and girls is a national emergency. The Labour Government and the Mayor of London are taking tough action to tackle VAWG, from putting domestic abuse specialists in 999 control rooms and introducing new domestic abuse protection orders. Croydon was one of the first places in the country to get these new orders and I am glad they are in place to protect victims and survivors here. As a community, we must work tirelessly to tackle VAWG, because every woman and every girl deserves to feel safe on our streets and at home, and we call on Croydon Council to set out what steps they will take to ensure that Croydon becomes a safe place for all. Speaking ahead of next months 20th anniversary of her daughters murder at the hands of global sex predator Mark Dixie, Mrs Bowman added: Im not surprised about Croydon - Ive been warning about it for two decades. When detectives first started to investigate Sally Annes murder, even they were shocked by the number of sex offenders living a short distance away from her home. They had to knock on all of their doors first before widening searches further afield. Its 20 years and women are still not safe. The police are doing as much as they can with the funding available. But how many bobbies can you put, not outside nightclubs, but in every suburban street? All women need to be given a rape alarm. It should also be compulsory for everyone to be on the national DNA database, so you know if you steal as much as a chocolate bar, youll be caught. Theres no deterrent. Empty promises were made to us. At the time, it was described as one of the most heinous crimes committed in London. Nothing happened. Part-time hairdresser Sally Anne dreamed of following in the footsteps of Croydon model Kate Moss. She studied at the BRIT performing arts school, whose ex-pupils included Adele and Amy Winehouse. Mrs Bowman said of her daughter: I miss Sally Anne every day. She would be 38 next month. I wonder if shed be married or have children of her own? I just try to image what she would look like but I find it too hard. I see her friends growing up and have families but Ill never know. Hes destroyed everything. Dixie was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 34 years for Sally Annes murder on September 25, 2005. Ashley Bramble, 36, in police interview with lawyer (Metropolitan Police) Scotland Yard said: We have reformed our approach to tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) by using innovative technologies and tactics to target predators and better protect women across the capital. We are leading nationally on innovation that secures results, meaning our charge rate for VAWG offences has tripled in the last three years. Victims continue to be central to our approach as we further develop tools to capture evidence, enhance our teams, and prevent reoffending, including the roll out of the V100 programme across London, which targets the most dangerous individuals. In 2024, more than 123,000 violent crimes against women and girls were reported to the Met. Last month, the force unveiled game-changing new technology which captures bruising especially on darker skin more clearly and at an earlier stage, giving victims a better chance of justice. Alongside the forces V100 programme, which deploys counter-terrorism tactics to target Londons most dangerous offenders, 129 convictions and 154 serious charges have been achieved. Arrests and charges for rape and serious sexual offences more than doubled. Ashley Bramble, 36, sexually assaulted a 13-year-old schoolgirl after picking her up at Hackney Carnival. At Wood Green Crown Court, Bramble was jailed for 15 years having been convicted of rape and sexual assault. A team of 565 specialist officers and staff work to support victims of domestic abuse, rape and sexual violence. The Met also invested in enhanced first responder training for more than 20,000 frontline officers to improve initial response to incidents. A spokesman for London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan said: Violence against women and girls has no place anywhere in London and the Mayor is clear that it must be treated with the utmost urgency both by our police and society as a whole. His record funding for the Met is supporting targeted action to identify and go after the most dangerous and violent offenders, boosting specialist teams, first response training and strengthening visible neighbourhood policing. Sadiq is also working with partners across London to halt the spread of toxic masculinity in our society. This includes tackling misogyny in schools, delivering toolkits for all primary and secondary teachers to nurture healthy attitudes in the next generation of Londoners and investing in award-winning public awareness campaigns, to encourage men to step up and call out misogynistic behaviour among their friends. But there is still a lot more to do and the Mayor is committed to building a safer London for all. It is hoped the loan will help restore France-UK relations - Carlos Jasso Emmanuel Macron is defying experts who warned against transporting the delicate Bayeux Tapestry by loaning the medieval embroidery to the UK. Two separate studies published in 2021 and 2022 cautioned it was strongly inadvisable to move the delicate thousand-year-old masterpiece. On July 8, the French president announced that the tapestry, which depicts the 1066 conquest of England led by William the Conqueror, would be loaned to the British Museum in London. The gesture was seen as a tool of cultural diplomacy aimed at thawing frosty Franco-British relations following Brexit. The president first alluded to the loan in 2018. The president first alluded to the tapestry loan in 2018 - LUDOVIC MARIN However, experts said in a preliminary 2021 report on the restoration of the embroidery that any long-distance transport exceeding an hour was strongly inadvisable and would put the embroidery at risk of micro-tears, Le Monde reported. In 2022, a team of restorers came to similar conclusions, pointing out that air would be the most damaging mode of transport, due in part to a loss of climate control on the tarmac. Philippe Belaval, the former cultural adviser to the Elysee in charge of the artworks transfer, said the Bayeux Tapestry would probably be transported by truck, and insisted that it was not untransportable. The Bayeux Tapestry depicts 58 scenes - Hulton Archive He claimed there was another extremely precise study undertaken this year, which refuted the previous research and showed that the tapestry could be safely transferred. The 230-ft wall-hanging depicts 58 scenes. It has been displayed at the Bayeux Museum in France since 1983 at a temperature of 18-20C, with a level of humidity at around 50 per cent, to prevent the linen and yarns from deteriorating. During a speech at the British Museum last month, Mr Macron acknowledged that the loan had been met with resistance from the French art world. The 230-ft Bayeux Tapestry is thought to have been woven in the south of England - Kamil Zihnioglu/AP He said: I must admit, we did our best to avoid going ahead with the loan of the Bayeux Tapestry. And we called upon the worlds greatest experts to explain in detail why it was impossible to carry out this process. And, believe me, we found them, and, believe me, we could have gone back and asked their opinion. The transport of the Bayeux Tapestry also goes against a segment of French public opinion. An online petition calling on the president to cancel the transfer has garnered more than 60,000 signatures since its launch on July 13. Started by the editor of an online art magazine, La Tribune dArt, it reads: Against the advice of specialists, [Macron] has chosen to send the tapestry to England, from September 2026 to July 2027. Worse still, he allows himself to mock the experts who have the audacity to oppose his wishes. The embroidery is expected to be transported in June or July of next year and exhibited at the British Museum for a 10-month run from September. One of the UKs biggest suppliers of mobility aids has sold its product sales arm after collapsing into insolvency. Mobilitas Group has acquired the division from NRS Healthcare, also known as Nottingham Rehab, which collapsed after efforts to secure a buyer were unsuccessful. The acquisition will include a group of more than 13,000 products, from basic daily living aids to complex assistive technologies, as well as a team of specialist staff. A court appointed a liquidator to wind up NRS Healthcare earlier this month. The Leicestershire-based company, which supplies the likes of wheelchairs, hoists and hospital beds, had already started transferring all its services to other providers. The healthcare provider worked with the NHS and local councils across England and Northern Ireland, providing services to help elderly and disabled people live independently in their own homes. The Government had said it was monitoring the situation to minimise any potential disruption to healthcare providers and patients, including finding alternative suppliers. Mobilitas Group is a holding company owning brands including CareCo, which also sells mobility products like scooters, walking aids and wheelchairs. Mobilitas co-founder William Harrison said: We didnt want to see a company with such rich British heritage simply disappear. He added that it was proud to step in and ensure their customers continue to receive excellent service while unlocking new growth opportunities for the business. Microsoft has fired two employees after a protest in the company presidents office over Israels war in Gaza. Supporters of the campaign group No Azure for Apartheid gained entry into Brad Smiths office at Microsoft headquarters in Richmond, Washington on Tuesday. Police arrested seven people, including current and former employees, the group said. The software giant has now confirmed two staff members have been let go. Two employees were terminated following serious breaches of company policies and our code of conduct, Microsoft said in a statement to The Independent, without naming the individuals. Eighteen people were arrested for various charges during a protest at Microsoft Campus in Redmond on August 20 (Redmond WA Police) The first violated the Business Conduct Policy, participated in the unlawful break-in at the executive offices, and other demonstrations on campus, and was arrested by authorities on our premises on two occasions, the statement continued. The second was involved in the break-in at the executive offices and was subsequently arrested. These incidents are inconsistent with the expectations we maintain for our employees. The company is continuing to investigate and is cooperating fully with law enforcement regarding these matters. Separately, No Azure for Apartheid said in a post on Instagram that software engineers Riki Fameli and Anna Hattle had been fired by the company, after participating in a sit-in in Smiths office demanding the company cut ties with Israel. The protesters could be seen huddled together on a Twitch livestream as officers moved in to arrest them, with another group assembled outside. The tech giant has been facing a series of demonstrations over claims its Azure cloud software has been used by the Israeli military, to store phone call data obtained through the mass surveillance of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. Last week, police officers arrested 18 people taking part in a pro-Palestine protest outside the Washington state headquarters. President Brad Smith said the company was committed in its investigation into the Israeli militarys alleged use of its software (AP) Redmond police said officers were dispatched to a large gathering in the Microsoft courtyard, on Wednesday at around 12:15 p.m. Officers initially attempted to trespass the protestors, but they resisted and became aggressive, the Redmond Police Department said. Images posted online by the department showed the Microsoft sign drenched in red paint. Microsoft has said it hired an outside law firm to investigate the allegations. "We are working every day to get to the bottom of what's going on," said President Smith said in a statement following the arrests Tuesday. There are many things we cant do to change the world, but we will do what we can and what we should. That starts with ensuring that our human rights principles and contractual terms of service are upheld everywhere, by all of our customers around the world. Primary school teacher Sarah Jayne Yorke (pictured) was killed when her horse fell at the third fence on the cross country course - Wales news service A British rider was killed in an accident when her horse failed to jump a fence and landed on top of her, an inquest heard. Sarah Jayne Yorke, 37, a primary school teacher, was competing in an equestrian event when her horse fell at the third fence on the cross country course. The hearing was told that Mrs Yorke, the mother of a seven-year-old girl, suffered chest and abdominal injuries after her horse fell at the fence and she was caught underneath. Mrs Yorke, of Newtown, Powys, had been competing in a one-day event at Aston-le-Walls Equestrian Centre in Daventry on Friday, Aug 8. Tributes to the deceased Anne Pember, senior coroner for Northamptonshire, opened the inquest into Mrs Yorkes death on Wednesday and heard that her horse failed to take the fence and landed on top of her. She added that other competitors had successfully completed the fence before the accident. Tributes flooded in for Mrs Yorke following her death. Her family said they were absolutely devastated, adding that they were very grateful for all the messages of support they had received since the tragic accident. Mrs Yorkes horse, MGH HERA, was uninjured after being assessed by the on-site vets and walked back to the stable. British Eventing, the governing body for the equestrian sport, said medical professionals immediately attended the Aston-le-Walls Horse Trials after Ms Yorke fell, but were unable to save her. Mrs Yorke was at the BE100 level of the competition organised by British Eventing, competing in a division designed for grassroots riders and horses to gain experience. She was fresh off a win last month with her seven-year-old horse, in the BE90 class at trials at the Swalcliffe Park equestrian centre, near Banbury, Oxfordshire. British Eventing said: Sarah was a committed and passionate event rider whose dedication to her horses and the sport was clear to all who knew her. Her warmth, determination, and love for eventing earned her the respect and friendship of many within the eventing community. The tragic loss has brought great sorrow to all who had the privilege of knowing her, and our heartfelt thoughts remain with her family and friends at this incredibly difficult time. British Eventing confirmed there would be a full review of the incident. Mrs Yorke taught in Norbury, Shropshire. Headteacher Les Ball said the school community had been devastated by the news, adding that she was our much-loved and highly respected colleague and friend. He said: Sarah was an inspirational teacher who was always full of energy and life. She shared her love of learning, and in particular sport, with every child and over many years she had such a positive impact on many children and adults alike. She was always passionate about encouraging children to be the best that they could be in everything that they did, but would also make time throughout each day to ensure that children had the opportunity for fun, play and laughter. Sarah always cared about others and was a great support to her colleagues whenever needed. She will be very deeply missed. The inquest was adjourned until Feb 11, next year, when a full hearing will be held at the coroners court at The Guildhall, St Giles Square in Northampton. El Shafee Elsheikh, known as Jihadi Ringo, has requested a transfer to serve the remainder of his sentence in a UK prison - AP A member of an Islamic State (IS) terror cell dubbed The Beatles has applied to return to Britain from the US. El Shafee Elsheikh, known as Jihadi Ringo, was part of a gang that videoed the killings of hostages, including British aid worker David Haines. He was handed eight life sentences by a US court after being captured in 2018 by the Syrian Democratic Forces with Alexanda Kotey, another member of the terror cell. He is reported to have applied to return to be closer to friends and relatives. Haines was abducted while working at a refugee camp in Syria in 2013 and held hostage by Elsheikh and fellow gang members Kotey, Mohammed Emwazi and Aine Davis. The gang were nicknamed The Beatles because of their distinctive British accents. Elsheikh has now applied to move from his Colorado prison to a British jail under the International Prisoner Transfer Program, according to The Sun. A video of Emwazi beheading Haines sparked condemnation across the globe. David Haines, a British aid worker, was murdered by the IS Beatle Mohammed Emwazi in Syria in 2013 - PA Elsheikh has now applied to move from his Colorado prison to a British jail under the International Prisoner Transfer Program, according to The Sun. A US notice sent to victims relatives, seen by the newspaper said: This is to inform you that El Shafee Elsheikh has applied to transfer to the UK, the country of which the inmate is a national. The United States has prisoner transfer relationships with many countries. These treaties permit foreign nationals to apply to transfer and serve their sentence in their home country. Before making a decision, the US collects information about the prisoner, the views of law enforcement and any views provided by victims. The four terrorists known as the IS Beatles, including Elsheikh (second from right), who were convicted for the murder of several hostages Although Elsheikh was stripped of his British nationality in 2018, he is still permitted to request the transfer. Hainess daughter Bethany told the newspaper she fears Sir Keir Starmer could allow the move as his government seeks to maintain friendly relations with the White House. He is one of the worst terrorists to come from this country and its an outrageous insult to our families for him to apply to return to one of our prisons for an easier life, Ms Haines said. I beg the UK Government to act to make sure he never sets foot on these shores again. I fear Sir Keir Starmer is very much in Donald Trumps pocket. Bethany Haines (right), the daughter of murdered British aid worker David Haines, fears Sir Keir Starmer will approve Elsheikhs transfer request to appease Donald Trump - Olivier Douliery/AFP Ms Haines added: My fear is it is likely someone as dangerous as Elsheikh could be allowed back. Under previous governments, you would say, Oh, that would never happen. But the harsh reality is that Elsheikh and others like him could be back in our prisons soon. I felt content when he was rotting in his cell hundreds and hundreds of miles away. But a move to the UK would change that. As well as better conditions here, my biggest fear is he one day walks free and would be allowed to live within hours of the same place I live. Its a horrible thought. I urge both authorities in the US and UK to see sense and make sure he stays where he is so we can continue to attempt to rebuild our lives. A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: We have not received any application from the US, but we have the right to refuse any request. Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow is the main focus of the Scottish hospitals inquiry - Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images Prosecutors are investigating the death of a woman seven years after she became seriously ill with an infection contracted in Scotlands scandal-hit super-hospital. Molly Cuddihy died at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) in Glasgow on Tuesday, aged 23. She had developed septic shock in 2018 while receiving cancer treatment at the facility, which is at the centre of a public inquiry into safety issues at Scottish hospitals. Her death has now been referred to prosecutors by a consultant after she was admitted back to the hospital last month and developed another hospital-acquired infection, BBC Scotland reported. The cause of her death has yet to be established. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde expressed its deepest condolences to Ms Cuddihys family, but said it could not comment on the case because of patient confidentiality. The Scottish hospitals inquiry was set up following the death of a child who had contracted a fungal infection linked to pigeon droppings at the hospital. The likely source of the infection was traced to a 12th floor room containing machinery, which is not open to the public. Traces of excrement had been found in the room, Jeane Freeman, the then-Scottish health secretary said in 2019. The inquiry will examine mistakes made in the planning, design and construction of QEUH and the Department of Clinical Neurosciences in Edinburgh. I was made sicker Ms Cuddihy was diagnosed with metastatic Ewings sarcoma, a rare kind of bone cancer, when she was 15 years old. She was cared for at the Royal Hospital for Children, part of the QEUH campus, between 2018 and 2020 where she was fitted with a line for treatment. But not long into her chemotherapy, Ms Cuddihys body went into septic shock a life-threatening condition that happens when blood pressure drops to a dangerously low level after an infection. She was soon diagnosed with mycobacterium chelonae, an infection in her line that she later discovered came from the hospital environment air or water-borne and that had probably caused her temperature spikes and fits. Giving evidence to the inquiry more than three years ago, she said the chairman of the hospital board sent a letter to her father apologising for a hospital-acquired infection in September 2018. Ms Cuddihy said she had to take a very strong course of antibiotics, which she likened to bleach, to treat the infection. She told the inquiry in 2021: The medication had horrible side effects. I thought chemo was bad, but this was something else. I was made sicker by the environment. The treatment for her infections, as well as her chemotherapy, reportedly had left her with irreparable liver damage. She also had to undergo a kidney transplant last November, limiting her treatment options after her recent admission to the hospital. The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) said her death was being investigated. A spokesman said: The procurator fiscal has received a report on the death of a 23-year-old woman in Glasgow on Aug 26 2025. This report was made by a doctor, as they must where guidance requires them to do so. The procurator fiscal is examining the circumstances of this death, and significant developments will be shared with the family during this process. She was a special soul Ms Cuddihy was previously a young ambassador for the Glasgow Childrens Hospital Charity and had lately been working as a volunteer administrator for it. She had helped to raise 300,000 for other patients at the Royal Hospital for Children. In a tribute, her family said: It is with broken hearts that we share the passing of our beloved daughter Molly. She was a special soul who brought light, love, and kindness into the lives of so many around her. What we will always treasure is the way she touched others; often without ever realising just how truly extraordinary she was. We are devastated by her loss and struggling to comprehend a world without her gentle presence. To us, she will forever be our precious girl: deeply loved, irreplaceable, and always remembered. On Thursday, the inquiry chairman began the day of evidence with a tribute to Ms Cuddihy and spoke of the inquiry teams great sadness at hearing of her death, saying: She was a young woman of great courage, great determination and clear intelligence. Our thoughts are with her family today. James Bubb, who now identifies as a woman named Gwyn Samuels, sobbed after guilty verdicts were read out in court Police have appealed for more possible victims to come forward after a trans police officer was convicted of raping and sexually assaulting a child. James Bubb, who now identifies as a woman named Gwyn Samuels, groomed one of two victims online before sexually assaulting her when she was just 12 years old. Bubbs first victim also said the defendant spoke a lot about the powers he had as a special constable with the Met. The 27-year-old was also found guilty of raping a woman after meeting her online while posing as a 16-year-old girl. The Metropolitan Police special constable used dating websites and apps to target victims. Detectives said they were keeping an open mind as to whether others could have been attacked. James Bubb sexually assaulted the girl in public shortly before her 13th birthday - Thames Valley Police A trial at Amersham Law Courts heard how Bubb sexually assaulted one victim in public shortly before her 13th birthday and was forced to pull his trousers up after a dog walker passed by. Jurors were told that Bubb was violent towards the girl while raping and sexually abusing her in her early teens, with the victim telling police she was choked and punched. Bubb, who wore a black cardigan, glasses and a cream shirt, was expressionless as the verdicts were read out, but sobbed after the foreman finished speaking. Judge Jonathan Cooper told jurors: This has been a very challenging case, Im sure, for you as individuals. The court heard Bubb met the first victim on Omegle, a chat site, in 2018 before they met in person for the first time at a Christian festival a few months later. The girl said the defendant looked paranoid while with her and that she was being hidden when they were in public together telling police her festival colour-coded child wristband was clearly on show. The court also heard that Bubb raped the second victim, a woman who had just turned 18 when they met, while in an on-off relationship with her between January 2018 and February 2023. Police said Bubb was a dangerous, predatory sex offender - Elizabeth Cook/PA Wire Det Con Kirsty Pendle, the investigating officer from Thames Valley Police, said: Gwyn Samuels, previously known at the time of the offences as James Bubb, is a dangerous, predatory sex offender. The abuse inflicted on the victims by the defendant was appalling, and therefore I am pleased the jury has convicted the defendant of a number of offences on the indictment. I would like to commend the courage and bravery shown by the victims in coming forward and reporting these crimes and their strength throughout this investigation and court proceedings. We keep an open mind as to any other offending committed by this defendant. The defendant used the website Omegle and the app Kik to meet the victims. If you do have any information about this defendant, then please contact the force quoting the investigation name Operation Aspect. Bubb, of Chesham, Buckinghamshire, will be sentenced on a date yet to be set by the court. After the verdict, a spokesman for the NSPCC said: As a special constable, Bubb should have been someone who could be relied on to keep children safe. It is now vital that both the victims in this disturbing case receive all the support they need to move forwards with their lives. Bubbs actions also highlight once again how tech companies need to be doing much more to make their platforms safe spaces for children and young people when they go online. Nvidias chief executive, Jensen Huang, speaks in Taipei, Taiwan, on 2 June 2024. Photograph: Ann Wang/Reuters Chipmaker Nvidia set a fresh sales record in the second quarter, surpassing Wall Street expectations for its artificial intelligence chips. But shares of the chip giant still dropped 2.3% in after hours trading, in a sign that investors worries of an AI bubble and the repercussions of Donald Trumps trade wars are not quelled. Nvidias financial report was the first test of investor appetite since last weeks mass AI-stock selloff, when several tech stocks saw shares tumble last week amid growing questions over whether AI-driven companies are being overvalued. On Wednesday, Nvidia reported an adjusted earnings per share of $1.08 on $46.74bn in revenue, surpassing Wall Streets projection of $1.01 in earnings per share on $46.05bn in revenue, according to Fact Set data. But investors had high expectations for the company. Some of the market reactions may be to the slight misses in other parts of the companys business, including data center revenue. Nvidia posted $41.1bn in data center revenue, missing the $41.3bn Wall Street was expecting. Coming off a new rally to all-time highs, being merely on the mark in terms of revenue simply wouldnt cut it for Nvidia this time around, said Thomas Monteiro, senior analyst at Investing.com. Saying the stock was priced for perfection would be an enormous understatement, as it was, in fact, in need of another massive beat. The company also said it had not assumed any shipments of its H20 chips to China in the outlook. The chip is at the heart of concerns over the repercussions of the trade war between the US and China. Earlier this year, Trump banned AI chip sales in China, a move that resulted in a $4.5bn blow to Nvidias finances during its fiscal first quarter. In August, Nvidia agreed to give the US government a 15% cut of its H20 chips to China in return for export licences. China, in turn, has voiced security concerns over the chips, and is ramping up production of its own domestic alternatives. Nvidias chief financial officer, Colette Kress, said on the earnings call that some companies have expressed interest in purchasing H20 and an initial set of companies have received licenses to purchase the chip. Kress said that the company could ship anywhere between $2bn and $5bn of H20 chips to China if geopolitical issues reside. Huang reiterated the importance of being able to operate in the China market, which he said could represent a $50bn market opportunity for the company this year. Were talking to the administration about the importance of American companies being able to address the Chinese market, Huang said. He also said in addition to H20 being approved for sales in China to non-sanctioned companies, there is a potential opportunity for the company to eventually sell a version of Blackwell in the country. Related: Trump hiked tariffs on US imports. Now hes looking at exports sparking fears of dangerous precedent It is the second largest computing market in the world, and it is also the home of AI researchers about 50% of the worlds AI researchers are in China, Huang said. The vast majority of leading open source models are created in China. Its fairly important for the American technology companies to be able to address that market. Monteiro, the Investing.com analyst, said: The reality is that without the much-needed push from H20 sales in China, Nvidia simply cannot sustain the type of growth priced into its valuation. The company is projecting $54bn in revenue in the third quarter which is within the range of Wall Street expectations and said the board approved $60bn in additional stock buybacks on top of nearly $24.3bn the company returned to shareholders in the first half of the year in both stock buybacks and cash dividends. Founder and chief executive, Jensen Huang, said production of the companys latest AI superchip, Blackwell, is ramping at full speed, and demand is extraordinary. The AI race is on, and Blackwell is the platform at its center, Huang said in a press release. Despite the initial tepid market reaction to the companys financials, some analysts remain bullish on the so-called AI revolution, especially as major technology companies like Meta, Microsoft, Amazon and Alphabet are investing heavily in AI infrastructure. This is further validation for Nvidia and the AI Revolution, said the Wedbush Securities analyst, Dan Ives. This is a very important print and guide for the broader tech world and it shows the AI Revolution is heading into its next gear of growth despite the current headwinds with China. There is one chip in the world fueling the AI Revolution and its Nvidia that narrative is clear from these results and the positive commentary from Jensen, Ives said. Older people with autism have higher rates of ill health, both physical and mental, than those without autism. Photograph: FG Trade/Getty Images Researchers have called for better support for middle-aged and older autistic people after a review found that 90% of autistic people aged over 50 in Britain are either undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. Greater awareness of autism and improved assessments globally mean it is typically spotted in childhood today. But in past decades autistic people were often forced to navigate middle and old age without the support a diagnosis can unlock. The review into ageing across the autism spectrum found that people in the UK faced widespread difficulties with employment, relationships and milestone events such as menopause and retirement. They consistently suffered from poorer mental and physical health. Related: Why the antagonism over the rise in autism diagnoses? Its actually good news | Gina Rippon Autistic children grow into autistic adults and we know that they are more likely to have higher rates of most physical and mental health problems, said Dr Gavin Stewart, co-lead of the Re:Spect Lab at Kings College London and lead author of the review. People often need a diagnosis, or need to recognise it within themselves, to be able to ask for appropriate help and support. As part of the review, Stewart and Prof Francesca Happe, also at Kings, re-analysed UK healthcare records from 2018. By comparing rates of autism in middle-aged and older people with the 1% national prevalence recognised today, they estimate that in the UK 89% of autistic people aged 40 to 59, and 97% of those aged 60 and over, are undiagnosed. While global autism rates have risen in recent decades in 2022, one in every 31 Americans under the age of eight were found to have the condition the trend is largely attributed to a broadening of the definition and improvements in diagnoses, rather than a genuine increase in the percentage of people affected. The researchers went on to examine how autistic and non-autistic people fared throughout life. The former had higher rates of a multitude of conditions ranging from anxiety and depression to cardiovascular disease and neurological disorders, they found. Among the most troubling findings were higher rates of suicidal thoughts and self-harm in older autistic people, and a greater risk of early onset dementia. Average life expectancy differed by six years, with autistic people living to 75 years old, compared with 81 years old for non-autistic people, but these figures could be skewed by the poor diagnosis rates. Details are published in the Annual Review of Developmental Psychology. We need to understand how ageing impacts autistic people to better understand what sort of tailored help and support they would actually benefit from, Stewart said. These are all things that the [autism] community needs to be consulted on. Autism varies from person to person, but doctors look for core characteristics when assessing people. These include differences in social communication and rigid and repetitive behaviours. The differences in communication can lead people to become socially isolated. This, alongside the stigmatisation that many autistic people face, can raise the risk of mental and physical health problems. It can also make it harder for autistic people to find people to approach for help and support. According to the review, older autistic people were more likely to face challenges in coping with major life events such as arranging residential care. If you are going from working nine to five all of your working life to suddenly not, that could have a real impact on you, Stewart said. And if youre going into a care home where youre suddenly forced into situations that you wouldnt typically experience in your own home, that has a big impact. Related: Intrinsically connected: how human neurodiversity could help save nature He added: If an autistic person is having more difficulties throughout their life, when they reach these points they can be real breaking points. Thats where support would be really beneficial. Tim Nicholls, at the National Autistic Society, said: This research clearly shows what we already know and hear about every day there are high numbers of undiagnosed autistic adults and going through life without a diagnosis has a major impact on many aspects of their lives. Autism assessments can be the first step to understanding peoples needs and a diagnosis can be life changing and, in some cases, lifesaving. Autistic people and their families face a constant fight for support and far too often this starts with long waits for a diagnosis. The government must provide urgent funding for diagnosis services and make sure autistic people and families get the support they need when they need it. In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, you can call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org Susan Monarez, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has been ousted as her lawyer claims she was targeted for protecting the public over serving a political agenda. Susan Monarez is no longer director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Health and Human Services wrote on X Wednesday evening. We thank her for her dedicated service to the American people. Attorneys for Monarez said in a statement she has neither resigned nor received notification from the White House that she has been fired. What HHS officials left unsaid, according to sources speaking toThe Washington Post, was that her ousting came after she refused HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s push to change vaccine policy. Susan Monarez, the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has been ousted as her lawyer claims she was targeted for 'protecting the public over serving a political agenda' (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images) At the heart of the matter was whether Monarez would support rescinding certain approvals for Covid-19 shots, according to the sources. Kennedy, a vaccine skeptic, has already made efforts to roll back Covid-19 shots. In May, he said Covid-19 vaccines were no longer recommended for healthy children and pregnant women. And earlier this month, he canceled $500 million in vaccine development projects that use mRNA technology, which is used to fight respiratory viruses, including Covid-19. Monarez would not commit to supporting the vaccine policy change without consulting her advisers, the sources said. This made Kennedy press her to resign for not supporting President Trumps agenda, according to one person who spoke to The Washington Post. Mark S. Zaid, a lawyer for Monarez, shared a statement on X Wednesday night suggesting she had been politically targeted and indicated she neither resigned nor received a termination notice. When CDC Director Susan Monarez refused to rubber-stamp unscientific, reckless directives and fire dedicated health experts she chose protecting the public over serving a political agenda. For that, she had been targeted. Dr. Morarez has neither resigned nor received notification from the White House that she has been fired, and as a person of integrity and devoted to science, she will not resign, the statement read. White House Spokesman Kush Desai said in a statement to The Independent Morarez was indeed fired: As her attorneys statement makes abundantly clear, Susan Monarez is not aligned with the Presidents agenda of Making America Healthy Again. Since Susan Monarez refused to resign despite informing HHS leadership of her intent to do so, the White House has terminated Monarez from her position with the CDC. The Independent has reached out to HHS for comment. Monarez's ousting came after she refused HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s push to change vaccine policy, according to a report (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images) Monarez was named acting director in January and then tapped as the nominee in March after President Donald Trump abruptly withdrew his first choice, David Weldon. She was sworn in on July 31, less than a month ago, making her the shortest-serving CDC director in the history of the 79-year-old agency. During her Senate confirmation process, Monarez told senators that she values vaccines, public health interventions and rigorous scientific evidence. But she largely dodged questions about whether those positions put her at odds with Kennedy. The Washington Post reported at least three senior CDC officials resigned shortly after Monarezs removal, including Demetre Daskalakis, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. Daskalakis wrote in a resignation email obtained by the publication, I am not able to serve in this role any longer because of the ongoing weaponizing of public health. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel are expected to testify before Congress on the Trump administrations handling of the so-called Epstein Files, according to a report. Patel is scheduled to give testimony on September 17, while Bondi is scheduled for October 9, Politico reported. They were invited to testify as part of the House Judiciary Committees general oversight work, according to the outlet. The Trump administration has been grappling with the fallout of the Epstein Files for more than a month. On July 6, the Justice Department issued a memo stating that it had determined the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein died by suicide behind bars in 2019, while awaiting his sex trafficking trial. The memo also concluded that Epstein kept no client list of rich and powerful people involved in his alleged sex trafficking, and stated no further investigation was warranted. The memo ignited widespread outrage, providing an unsatisfying conclusion to years-long conspiracy theories and unanswered questions about Epsteins sudden death, and his relationships. While the congressional hearings will also include questions about Trumps comprehensive crime bill, they are expected to mostly focus on the handling and fallout of the high-profile case, according to Politico. The Independent has asked DOJ for comment. Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel are reportedly scheduled to testify before Congress in the coming months (Reuters) Prominent voices from both sides of the aisle have called for increased transparency on the Epstein Files. Last week, the DOJ released a tranche of documents to the House Oversight Committee after the panel subpoenaed the files. Democrats on the committee later said only 3 percent of the documents contain information that was not previously publicly available. DOJ shared 33,000 pages, 97 percent of which are already public, said California Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee. The Republican-led committee issued a subpoena on August 5 demanding all communications and documents related to the criminal cases of Epstein, and Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell. The 63-year-old disgraced British socialite is serving 20 years in federal prison after she was convicted in 2021 for her role in a scheme to sexually exploit and abuse minors with Epstein. She was interviewed by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and other top DOJ officials last month. The Justice Department last week released hundreds of pages of transcripts and hours of audio recordings from their meetings with her. As part of the Trump administrations efforts to quell uproar, Bondi had asked federal judges overseeing the criminal cases of Epstein and Maxwell to unseal the transcripts which experts warned would provide little new information. The judges overseeing the cases refused the attorney generals requests. One federal judge stated that the content of grand jury transcripts pales in comparison to the Epstein investigative information and materials already in the hands of the DOJ. Bondi, especially, has been the subject of a barrage of criticism surrounding the case. Earlier this year, the attorney general said she had a truckload of files to review from the FBI, and suggested that the client listwas sitting on her desk. President Donald Trump has repeatedly come to Bondis defense. The attorney general has handled that very well. Shes really done a very good job, and I think that when you look at that, youll understand it, he said in July. Epsteins alleged client list, the circumstances of his 2019 death, and his ties to high-profile figures have been the subject of conspiracy theories for years. No one other than Maxwell and Epstein has been formally accused of any wrongdoing. When the Justice Department released the July 6 memo, which said there was no evidence to support the existence of a client list, no further disclosures were warranted, and that Epstein died by suicide, outrage ensued. MAGA commentators and members of Congress alike called for heightened transparency around the handling of the Epstein Files. That outrage was kicked up a notch weeks later when the Wall Street Journal reported that Bondi had told Trump in May that he among hundreds of others was named in the files, despite his repeated assurances that he wasnt mentioned in the documents. A mention in the file does not mean there was wrongdoing. Trump has never been formally accused of any wrongdoing in connection with the files. The White House called the report a fake news story. The then Prince of Wales had an audience with Pope Francis at the Vatican in 2017. The King has made five visits to the Holy See - Tim Rooke/PA Pope Francis gave the King and Queen a blessing for their 20th wedding anniversary, it has emerged. The King and Queen, who had a private audience with the late pontiff in April, were offered his blessing behind closed doors. Their marriage would not be recognised in the eyes of the Catholic Church. Both have been divorced, with Andrew Parker Bowles, the Queens ex-husband, still living. But Pope Francis gave a blessing during a 20-minute meeting during their state visit to Rome, it has been claimed. The late Pope and the King are also said to have prayed together, thought to be the first time the Supreme Governor of the Church of England and the Bishop of Rome have done so. New details about the visit have been revealed by biographer Robert Hardman, writing in the new edition of his book Charles III. Pope Francis meets the then Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall at the Vatican in 2017 - Pool/Getty Images Describing the trip, which was rearranged because of the pontiffs ill-health, Hardman records: In the event, the Pope insisted on receiving the King and Queen privately and gave them an anniversary blessing. Arguably the most historic moment of the visit, if not the entire reign of Charles III, was not captured by the media. For the first time, the Supreme Governor of the Church of England and the Bishop of Rome prayed together. It might have been a short prayer, with the frail Pope in his chair and the King, alongside the Queen, on his feet. But it was a post-Henry VIII landmark (the late Queen met four popes but did not pray with them). Pope Francis died 12 days after the rearranged private visit. Queen Elizabeth II speaks to Pope John Paul II. The late Queen met four popes - SUS/Camera Press A blessing from the Pope does not necessarily confer approval or legitimacy in the eyes of the Catholic Church. Delivered as a prayer, it usually asks God to care for the person or people involved, treating them as in need of grace. Buckingham Palace did not comment. At the time, the Vatican said: Pope Francis met privately with Their Majesties, King Charles and Queen Camilla. In the course of the meeting, the Pope expressed his best wishes to Their Majesties on the occasion of their wedding anniversary and reciprocated His Majestys wishes for a speedy recovery of his health. The best wishes were explained as a reference to the Kings own health, following his hospitalisation for side-effects of cancer treatment. In a message accompanying a photograph of the King and Queen greeting Pope Francis, Buckingham Palace said: The King and Queen were deeply touched by the popes kind remarks about their 20th wedding anniversary, and honoured to be able to share their best wishes with him in person. The reference to the wedding anniversary was considered hugely significant. At the time of the wedding, in 2005, there was significant opposition to the marriage from members of the public and within the Church. The then Prince of Wales and Mrs Parker Bowles had a civil ceremony at Windsor Guildhall followed by a dedication service led by the then Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, in which the newly-weds said words from the Book of Common Prayer that included confessing their manifold sins and wickedness. Queen Elizabeth II, as head of the Church of England, did not attend the civil ceremony. She did, however, attend a service of prayer and dedication at St Georges Chapel, Windsor. After news of the Princes engagement to Mrs Parker Bowles was announced, the Archbishop said: These arrangements have my strong support and are consistent with Church of England guidelines concerning remarriage, which the Prince of Wales fully accepts as a committed Anglican and as prospective Supreme Governor of the Church of England. The then Prince of Wales, and his new wife, Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, received a blessing at St Georges Chapel following their wedding. The blessing was attended by Queen Elizabeth II - Chris Young/PA Second marriages after divorce, where a former spouse is alive, are not recognised by the Catholic Church But Peter Stanford, former editor of the Catholic Herald, said that the blessing seemed perfectly possible and in line with both Pope Franciss inclination to work with other churches, and his approach to welcoming divorced Catholics back into the church. Its more a problem for King Charles as Supreme Governor of the Church of England, he added. He does need to be quite careful. Given that the Church of England came about in practical terms because of a royal divorce, the whole point was that the Pope did not have authority over its head. While he said the Pope had no problem blessing people from outside the Catholic Church or divorced people, he added: The King, as Head of the Church of England, doesnt need to be blessed by anyone. Dr Gavin Ashenden, a former chaplain to Elizabeth II and a convert who is now associate editor of the Catholic Herald, likened a blessing in such circumstances to an air kiss people of equal status being nice to each other without political implications. The key difference, he said, was that of an informal blessing and a formal liturgical validation, with Pope Francis able to offer a blessing to the King and Queen as individuals without passing judgment on their marital status. Its like giving a glass of water to an athlete at the end of a race, he said. It doesnt mean you endorse their training regime, its just a glass of water. The Pope blessing thousands of people in a crowd from his popemobile. Is there an implication for their individual lifestyles? No. It is an unconditional sign of Gods love. The King and Queen are widely expected to visit the Vatican in the near future, diaries and health allowing. It will be the Kings sixth visit to the Holy See, and his first meeting with Pope Leo XIV. Observers have criticised the expansion of the military under Indonesian president Prabowo Subianto, a former special forces commandant. Photograph: Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana/AFP/Getty Images A big nation like us, Indonesias President Prabowo Subianto told the rank and file before him, needs a strong military. No nation can be independent without having a strong military. In a speech before inaugurating military troops in West Java this month, Prabowo the former special forces commandant proclaimed that Indonesia must strengthen its defences to protect the nations sovereignty and resources. Prabowo kicked off his presidency with a militaristic boot camp for his cabinet and now, just shy of a year in the job, the retired general is beefing up boots on the ground. One hundred new battalions have been established with plans for 500 over the next five years with new units also for the special forces and marines. The 100 new battalions have been established to assist in agriculture, animal husbandry and food security, and will not receive combat training. A spokesperson for the Indonesian defence ministry said he could not release information about the size of the new battalions. In the worlds third-largest democracy, the militarys expansion and its creep into civilian domains has drawn criticism from observers who say the move carries echoes of the countrys authoritarian past. Indonesia threw off the shackles of authoritarian rule in 1998, when Suharto, the countrys dictator and Prabowos former father-in-law, was forced to step down after 32 years in power. As part of the reform era that followed, the doctrine of dwifungsi, meaning dual function and which refers to the role of the military in security and civilian affairs, was dismantled. But bit by bit, it appears to be making a comeback. In March the Prabowo government passed a controversial law allowing armed forces personnel to hold more civilian posts. In addition to the 100 newly formed battalions, created as part of the armys territorial deployment system, this July it was announced that the military will begin manufacturing medicines for public distribution, while within the attorney generals office, a special taskforce that includes military officers has also been established to reclaim land from expired palm plantations. The deepening omnipresence of the military in Indonesian life signals a worrying democratic backslide, says Made Supriatma, a visiting fellow at Singapores ISEASYusof Ishak research institute. Even without the formal dual function dwifungsi policy, you will see the military everywhere, having influence or control in politics, in policy, in government. They will be doing things that they are not supposed to do, where they have no expertise, he said. The Indonesian government strongly rejects the claim the military expansion signals democratic regression. The Indonesian military cannot interfere in civilian affairs. They dont even have the right to vote in elections. So these accusations are completely exaggerated, presidential spokesperson Hasan Nasbi told the Guardian. Indonesia is increasing its military capacity to safeguard its vast territory. Indonesia is not just a vast landmass and seas, but also comprises 17,000 islands separated by sea. Therefore, it requires a strong army, navy, and air force, he said, saying the new battalions were needed to protect the countrys sovereignty. But analysts note that Indonesias authoritarian turn began under former president Joko Widodo, and that his successor has continued the trend. Basically this is somebody who is governing in 2025 using a mindset dated from the 1980s, said Yohanes Sulaiman, associate professor at Universitas Jenderal Achmad Yani, All of these are initiatives that were done in the 80s to improve agricultural output, to improve livelihood basically, the military has to be involved in helping the development of the state. So this is a few steps backward in terms of professionalisation of the military. Putting farms in the hands of military units was inefficient and had, historically, proven counter-productive, he said. If you look at the role of the military, to be frank, they are not competent in doing this If you want to be a farmer, then you have to live as a farmer. I mean, you have to be professional. This is a huge military interference in civil affairs. The government says the militarys manufacturing of pharmaceuticals will make medicines cheaper, while the health minister has noted the new battalions could be utilised in natural disasters. This programme is part of a policy to continue developing the nations defence posture to optimise its efforts to safeguard national sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national security, said defence ministry spokesperson Frega Wenas Inkiriwang. Historically, the unity of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) with the people is an inseparable part of the Indonesian national identity, especially since the total peoples defence and security system is mandated by the constitution. But political risk analyst Kevin ORourke of Reformasi Weekly said the addition of 100 new battalions wouldnt add to military capacity and was really perverse. It dissipates the militarys strength, deploying personnel who are relatively small in number for a country of its size, and deploying them in every region down to the subdistrict level. So if they were needed to congregate at a particular point it would take them weeks to assemble. ORourke said the increase represented a further enmeshing of the military in civilian roles. But, he told the Guardian, the extension of the special forces units marks a genuine increase in military capabilities and on the budget too, when there have been a lot of cuts. Cabinet ministers have backed Prabowos plan, with finance minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati saying the country was committed to funding the new battalions, flagging a proposed defence budget of 335tn rupiah ($22bn) next year about 37% higher than the 2025 forecast. The approval comes as Prabowos austerity drive has precipitated violent protests in several areas across the country. The new special forces unit will also be stationed at Timika, in Indonesias restive Papua, where Indonesian forces are accused of oppressing indigenous Papuans who have for decades fought for independence. The location, said ORourke, signals a possible heavy-handed approach to the situation there. The growing prominence of the military in Indonesia, said Supriatma, was indicative of Prabowos top-down rule. Prabowo has a high distrust for the civilian bureaucracy, said Supriatma, This feels like something he can do to have more control, to build up the military to influence people, or to scare people. Two self-proclaimed religious leaders were arrested Wednesday on federal charges after allegedly exploiting followers through forced labor and using millions in donations to fund lavish lifestyles. David Taylor, 53, was apprehended in Durham, North Carolina, while Michelle Brannon, 56, was taken into custody in Tampa, Florida. They face charges of forced labor and money laundering for an alleged scheme that started around 2018 and lasted until at least last month. A federal 10-count indictment alleges the pair forced followers to work unpaid in call centers soliciting daily donations across Michigan, Florida, Texas, and Missouri for Kingdom of God Global Church, formerly Joshua Media Ministries International. Taylor reportedly referred to himself as Apostle and Jesus Best Friend, and claimed to have frequent face-to-face encounters with God. Some followers were even forced into servitude roles as Taylors armor bearers, providing him personal services around the clock. Authorities say Taylor and Brannon, who described herself as the formers Executive Director, exerted extreme control over their followers lives. Victims were forced to sleep in call center facilities or at ministry housing, and werent allowed to leave without the permission of the accused. Federal authorities raided multiple Kingdom of God Global Church-owned properties on Thursday (Fox) Taylor also demanded that his armor bearers transport women from ministry houses, airports, and other locations to Taylors location and ensured the women transported to Taylor took Plan B emergency contraceptives, the Department of Justice said. At the call centers, unobtainable donation goals were assigned, and victims were subjected to physical and psychological abuses if they failed, according to the DOJ. This included sleep deprivation, forced repentance, food and shelter restrictions, public humiliation, and threats of divine retribution. In 2021, Taylor allegedly ordered church call center workers via text to raise $50,000 before midnight, saying the top nine performers could sleep while the others had to study notes until 4 a.m. and eat only soup, salad and water. My next level of judgment is that it wont be to just 4 a.m. it will be every hour you waste in the day will be added on past 4 a.m.! Taylor wrote, according to the indictment, The News & Observer reports. TELL THEM ALL TO STAND NOW AND YOU THROW WATER IN THEIR FACES! Especially the people not doing anything or helping bring in the money! You tell them I dont care about them being sick!! David Taylor referred to himself as an Apostle and Jesus Best Friend, according to the 10-count federal indictment (Durham County Sheriffs Office) Money laundering is tax evasion in progress, and in this case, the proceeds funded an alleged human trafficking ring and supported a luxury lifestyle under the guise of a religious ministry, Special Agent in Charge Karen Wingerd of IRS Criminal Investigation, Detroit Field Office, said in a news release. The DOJ estimates that the Taylor collected approximately $50 million in donations since 2014, funds allegedly used by the accused to acquire luxury properties, vehicles, including a Mercedes, a Rolls-Royce, ATVs, jet skis, and bulletproof cars, and even seafood worth more than $10,000. Federal agents also raided multiple church-owned properties, including a Houston facility where 17 people were removed from a former hotel, and mansions in Tampa and Ocala, seeking additional evidence of money laundering and labor exploitation. Federal officials are leading the prosecution. The DOJs Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit, alongside the Eastern District of Michigan, will handle the case. Taylor is set to appear in court in Durham on Thursday, while Brannon will appear in Tampa. Robert F Kennedy Jr at a Trump administration cabinet meeting - Jonathan Ernst Robert F Kennedy Jr is to reveal what he claims are the causes of autism at a news conference in September. Donald Trumps US health secretary launched an inquiry into the root of the neurological condition, which is widely believed to be at least partially influenced by genetics. Speaking during a lengthy cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Mr Kennedy said: Were finding interventions, certain interventions now that are clearly, almost certainly causing autism. And were going to be able to address those in September. Mr Trump responded by citing a rise in autism diagnoses, adding: There has to be something artificially causing this, meaning a drug or something... were going to do some things. In July 2023 Mr Kennedy, then a Democratic presidential hopeful, told Fox News: I do believe that autism comes from vaccines. The link between the MMR vaccine and autism was first drawn by Andrew Wakefield, a British medical researcher. His 1998 study was later found to be fraudulent, and he was barred from practising medicine in the UK. Mr Kennedys announcement comes as his Make America Healthy Again (Maha) movement remains locked in a battle with the head of the Centre for Disease Control (CDC), after she was ousted by the White House. The chief of Americas top public health agency is refusing to quit after she reportedly clashed with Mr Kennedy over vaccine policy. Lawyers for Dr Susan Monarez have said she can only be fired directly by Donald Trump himself, even though the White House on Wednesday said she had been removed. The stand-off comes less than a month after she was confirmed by the Senate to lead the Centres for Disease Control (CDC), and days after Mr Kennedy reportedly tried to push her out. Four other senior scientists also quit the agency, reportedly in apparent frustration at Mr Kennedys leadership and sceptical stance on vaccines. Sources told CNN that Dr Monarez had clashed with Mr Kennedy over vaccine policies, including an upcoming announcement that could draw links between immunisations and autism. Another source also told The New York Times that the pair had been at odds over vaccine policy. Some of the first responders were deeply traumatised by what they found inside the Church of Annunciation - EPA Weston Halsne was sitting next to the windows of the Church of Annunciation when a volley of bullets suddenly shattered the stained-glass panes. As gunfire continued to tear through the Minneapolis church, the ten-year-old ran and hid under one of the wooden pews facing the altar and covered his head. As he cowered in terror away from the gunfire, his friend Victor lay across him. He credits him with saving his life. He laid on top of me, but he got hit, he said. He was really brave. Moments before gunfire sprayed the hall, Annunciation Catholic School pupils had been filing into the church, filled with the excitement of the first morning Mass of the school year. Monday had been the first day back at Annunciation, a 102-year-old school in a leafy neighbourhood about 5 miles south of downtown Minneapolis. But as the children took their seats, just before 8.30am (2.30pm UK) on Wednesday, transgender shooter Robin Westman was stalking the building outside. Dressed in black and camouflage and armed with a rifle, pistol and shotgun, Westman barricaded church doors with wooden planks before firing his rifle at the children through the side of the building, their heads bent in prayer. Staff shield terrified pupils under pews Within seconds of the first bullets piercing the glass, staff desperately tried to move the pupils under the pews in an effort to shield them from the onslaught. Two children, aged eight and ten, were struck and killed by the torrent of gunfire. Another 14 children aged six to 15 were injured, two critically. Three parishioners in their eighties were also hurt, although all the injured victims are expected to survive. Robin Westman fired on the children from outside before killing himself Among those rushed to hospital, where medics frantically moved patients out of rooms to make way for the victims, was Victor, who Weston says he thinks is okay. While officers had still not confirmed the number of bullets fired during Westmans rampage, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian OHara said the number of rounds was in the dozens. The sheer cruelty and cowardice of firing into a church full of children is absolutely incomprehensible, Mr OHara said. Dont just say this is about thoughts and prayers right now, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said. These kids were literally praying. During a press conference on Thursday, police said Westman fantasised about other mass shootings and wanted notoriety. Joe Thompson, acting US attorney for Minnesota, said the killers plans showed pure indiscriminate hate and that he idolised some of the most notorious school shooters and mass murderers in our countrys history. I wont dignify the shooters words by repeating them, Mr Thompson added. They are horrific and vile, but in short, the shooter wanted to watch children suffer. Terrified families reunited with loved ones - REUTERS Ellie Mertens, a youth pastor at Annunciation Catholic School, had also been sitting in a pew next to a window when Westman opened fire. It was an automatic gun and I was near kids and we all got down, Ms Mertens told NBC News. One parent who was inside the church during the attack said a police officer tried to run after the gunman as bullets were being fired. Shea McAdaragh told CNN the officer came into the church during the shooting and then ran off to try and find the shooter. He was just a normal, every-day beat cop. No special equipment, no special helmet or anything and he just immediately ran toward the direction of the shooter, Mr McAdaragh said. Westman scrawled Jew gas on smoke bomb After carrying out his twisted attack, Westman shot himself dead in the car park, according to the Minneapolis police chief. Officers found a smoke bomb but no explosives at the scene. Fox News reported the device was scrawled with the words Jew gas. Before going on his killing spree, Westman had posted a series of YouTube videos showcasing his manifesto and large arsenal of weapons. Westman posted a video showing off his arsenal of weapons, some featuring scrawled messages Westmans mother Mary is believed to be a retired employee of the school. In one video, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, along with a pistol, shotgun, and a semi-automatic rifle, which were later used to carry out the massacre, were strewn over Westmans bed. A notebook shown in one of the clips, which have now been removed, included a drawing that appears to be a map of the Annunciation Catholic Church. One clip appeared to show a drawing of the inside of the church Westmans video shows a note alongside rounds of ammunition Westman also suggested assassinating US president Donald Trump or Tesla billionaire Elon in a manifesto which has been deleted from YouTube but widely archived by social media users. The gunman considered targets like Musk, Trump or some significant [executive] from Exxon or Nestle or something, according to a translation by The Telegraph of the document, which was written in Cyrillic characters. This would still bring hatred and criticism to my family, Westman continued. But I think in their hearts they and many others would view my actions as heroic and necessary for the better progression of society. In a translation of the manifesto by the New York Post, Westman admitted he was tired of being trans. I only keep [long hair] because it is pretty much my last shred of being trans. I am tired of being trans, I wish I never brain-washed myself, he is said to have written. As the shooting unfolded, dozens of officers descended on the church to provide first aid and rescue children who had been hiding throughout the building. Many of the first responders were deeply traumatised by what they saw, Mr OHara said. Children search for news of their friends Hours later, terrified parents stood outside the reunification area, waiting for information about their children. Amid a crowd of heavy law enforcement later that morning, children in dark green uniforms trickled out of the school. Tearful students from neighbouring high schools that had been on lockdown began arriving in search of news about their friends and siblings who had been inside the church. Those who were reunited with their loved ones embraced their children before rushing them away from the scene. Others were not so lucky. Dozens of police officers rushed to the scene - AP Amy Klobuchar, Minnesotas senator, said one of her staff members children had to tell her friends father his daughter had been struck. These kids are doing an all-school Mass and had to watch several of her friends get shot one in the back, one in the neck, Ms Klobuchar told MSNBC. And they all got down under the pews and she, her daughter, of course, was not shot, but her daughter ended up being the one to tell one of the dads of one of the other kids that his daughter had been shot. Lisa Elm, a resident in the area for more than 20 years, told The Telegraph the area is a quiet, sweet community. Its a neighbourhood where people come together, she said. I dont know where God is Outside Westmans home, a quiet apartment complex just a 20-minute walk from the school, neighbours described being shocked that a killer had been living next door. The attack has devastated the neighbourhoods Catholic community - AP Aicha Kallo, a mother who lives in a neighbouring building to Westman, told The Telegraph: Its just so scary, you know, to have a shooter next door to you, and you have a kid. And those innocent children, they dont deserve to die like that, she said. She added: Living in a neighbourhood you think youre safe and the next thing you have something like this. My heart goes out to the parents and those innocent kids. As the community continued to grapple with the tragedy, Westons grandfather, Michael Simpson, said the violence left him questioning why God had not been watching over the dozens of children. I dont know where He is, Mr Simpson said. China donates flood rescue equipments to Bangladesh Xinhua) 09:33, August 28, 2025 A handover ceremony of China-donated flood rescue equipment is held in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Aug. 26, 2025. The Chinese government here on Tuesday donated flood rescue equipment to the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) to help the country better prepare for and respond to natural disasters. (Photo by Habibur Rahman/Xinhua) DHAKA, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese government here on Tuesday donated flood rescue equipment to the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) to help the country better prepare for and respond to natural disasters. The donation includes life vests, rubber boats, life rafts, water purification units, and so on. BDRCS Chairman Md Azizul Islam said in the handover ceremony that these modern rescue tools will enable their volunteers to respond more efficiently to floods, cyclones and tidal surges. "The BDRCS remains steadfast in its mission to serve humanity and such contributions significantly enhance our operational strength." Noting Bangladesh is a country vulnerable to floods and natural disasters, Faruk-E-Azam, adviser to the Bangladesh Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, said, "This support from the Chinese government will further accelerate our rescue and relief activities." The adviser said this handover is a reflection of the long-standing friendship and cooperation between Bangladesh and China. "We deeply appreciate this solidarity and look forward to further cooperation in the field of disaster management and humanitarian assistance." For his part, Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen said China firmly supports Bangladesh in improving people's livelihood and advancing social development, adding that the donation is intended to enhance Bangladesh's capacity for disaster prevention and mitigation. Bangladesh is located in South Asia with a low-lying terrain and hundreds of rivers across the country. From June to September each year, the monsoon season brings heavy rainfall, which frequently triggers natural disasters such as floods, landslides, and mudslides. This photo taken on Aug. 26, 2025 shows China-donated flood rescue equipment in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The Chinese government here on Tuesday donated flood rescue equipment to the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) to help the country better prepare for and respond to natural disasters. The donation includes life vests, rubber boats, life rafts, water purification units, and so on. (Photo by Habibur Rahman/Xinhua) Faruk-E-Azam, adviser to the Bangladesh Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, delivers a speech during the handover ceremony of China-donated flood rescue equipment in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Aug. 26, 2025. The Chinese government here on Tuesday donated flood rescue equipment to the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) to help the country better prepare for and respond to natural disasters. This photo taken on Aug. 26, 2025 shows China-donated flood rescue equipment in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The Chinese government here on Tuesday donated flood rescue equipment to the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) to help the country better prepare for and respond to natural disasters. (Web editor: Huang Kechao, Liang Jun) A transgender gunman who killed two children after opening fire during a Catholic school church service scrawled Jew gas and for the children on weapons used in the attack. Robin Westman, formerly known as Robert, fired dozens of rounds of bullets through the stained glass windows of Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where children from the adjacent school were attending a start-of-term Mass. Kash Patel, the director of the FBI, said the intelligence agency is treating the attack as an act of domestic terrorism and hate crime targeting Catholics. Westman applied to change his name to Robin by deed poll in documents seen by The Telegraph. In the deed poll request, his parents justified the name change by saying Westman identifies as a female and wants her name to reflect that identification. The request was granted by Dakota County in January 2020. The 23-year-old posted a series of now-deleted videos that showcased a manifesto on YouTube In preparation for his murder spree, the 23-year-old posted a series of now-deleted videos that showcased a manifesto and his arsenal of weapons. In one 20-minute video, Westman slowly turns the pages of a notebook filled with page after page of ramblings, much of which appears to be in Russian or another Cyrillic language. The notebook reveals the gunmans Left-wing leanings and anti-Semitism, featuring a transgender pride sticker that included an AK-47 and Defend Equality printed across the bottom. In one entry, he wrote that he would probably target Zionist Jews if he carried out a racially motivated attack before adding free Palestine among a barrage of anti-Semitic remarks. Westman also wrote that he hates fascism and mused about killing Elon Musk and Donald Trump or some significant exec. The notebook includes a drawing that appears to be a map of his target: the hall of the Annunciation Catholic Church. An apparent diagram Robin Westman drew of the church ahead of the attack Hundreds of rounds of ammunition, along with a pistol, shotgun and a semi-automatic rifle, which were later used to carry out the massacre, were strewn over his bed. At one point during one of the clips, Westman picks up the pistol and mumbles: This one is for me, just in case I need it. Frantic notes written on the weapons magazines read kill Donald Trump and where is your God. Another magazine includes the handwritten names of Adam Lanza, the Sandy Hook killer, among other mass shooters. The magazines Robin Westman laid out before the attack, including one which reads for the children In his deranged writings, Westman fantasised about being that scary horrible monster standing over those powerless kids. The lengthy manifesto also included ramblings in Russian in which he wrote hate, kill yourself, Im a terrorist ... b---- in an angular, black script. Social media users speculated a patch on his jumper was that of Russias Federal Security Service. The video mumblings, which at times were interrupted by disjointed cursing, were accompanied by giggles and plumes of smoke from what appeared to be a pink vape. I am feeling good about Annunciation. It seems like a good combo of easy attack form and devastating tragedy and I want to do more research, translations of his ramblings by the New York Post read. I have concerns about finding a large enough group. I want to avoid any parents, but pre and post school drop off. Bullets held by Westman His ramblings offer an insight into his decision to target Annunciation. Westman graduated from Annunciations grade school in 2017, and police said the shooter barricaded the doors during the first school Mass of the academic year. His mother, Mary Grace Westman, is said to have worked there from 2016 until her 2021 retirement as an administrative assistant in the business office. The school magazine said at the time of her appointment: Mary Grace is eager to get to know everyone at Annunciation. You will find that she usually has treats on her desk! She is a devout Catholic and an anti-abortion activist who in 2005 protested outside a Planned Parenthood clinic while wearing a necklace of crucifixes. Westman was named as the attacker by the police. He took his own life at the scene Westman, who was described by police as a coward, expressed deep admiration for Lanza the perpetrator of the worst elementary school shooting in US history. I have a deep fascination with one man in particular: Adam Lanza, he wrote in the journal on May 23. Sandy Hook was my favourite, I think, exposure of school shootings. Like Lanza, Westman had no previous involvement with police and the pair had carefully planned the attack against their former schools. Both of the shooters mothers had also previously worked at the schools they targeted. Maybe I could attack an event at the on-site church. I think attacking a large group of kids coming in from recess is my best plan ... Then from there I can go inside and kill, going for as long as I can, another page of Westmans ramblings read. The murdered children, aged eight and 10, were praying on church pews when they were hit by Westmans bullets. Dressed in black and camouflage, he stalked the outside of the church before taking his own life in the churchs car park, Brian OHara, the Minneapolis police chief, said. Seventeen other people were injured including 14 children. Two of those children are in a critical condition but all are expected to survive. President Donald Trump was being briefed Wednesday on ideas for a post-war Gaza by his son-in-law and former Middle East envoy, Jared Kushner, and Tony Blair, the former British prime minister, according to reports. Kushner and Blair met with the president to discuss what to do with the devastated enclave, which is currently facing a famine after three years of war started by the October 7, 2023 terror attacks by Hamas, Axios reported. Trump, Blair and Kushner were discussing all aspects of the Gaza issue, including escalating food aid deliveries, the hostage crisis, post-war plans and more, White House officials told Reuters. Trump has previously suggested an American takeover of the strip using U.S. troops as a way to bring an end to the war and satisfy Israeli demands that neither Hamas nor the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority have any say in Gaza governance. Trump in February also posted an AI-generated video depicting a post-war Gaza as a lavish tourist destination. (AFP via Getty Images) During a February press conference alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump said Palestinians could be relocated to one large or multiple smaller sites that would be constructed and funded by neighboring countries of great wealth and located in other countries of interest with humanitarian hearts. It's been very unlucky, he continued. It's been an unlucky place for a long time. Being in its presence just has not been good, and it should not go through a process of rebuilding and occupation by the same people that have really stood there and fought for it and lived there and died there and lived a miserable existence there. Pressed on what authority would permit the United States to take over Gaza which is considered occupied territory under international law Trump replied that he saw the United States taking a long-term ownership position that would bring great stability to the Middle East region. He also said the US could send troops to Gaza to accomplish this. Everybody I've spoken to loves the idea of the United States owning that piece of land, developing and creating thousands of jobs with something that will be magnificent in a really magnificent area, he said. The comments drew widespread criticism around the world, with Saudi Arabia saying it unequivocally rejected the forced displacement of Palestinians in Gaza, and Hamas branding the idea ridiculous and absurd. Trump later appeared to back down from his plan to take over Gaza, but on Tuesday his roving special envoy, Steve Witkoff, told Fox News that the administration was formulating a very comprehensive plan on the next day in Gaza. Many people are going to see how robust it is and how well meaning it is and it reflects President Trump's humanitarian motives here," he said. Axios has also reported Witkoff as having met with Blair last month when Netanyahu visited with Trump at the White House. The former Labour prime minister later met with Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas to discuss what hed talked about with Witkoff, while Kushner separately briefed Netanyahu. Critics of Netanyahu accuse him of prolonging the war for political reasons. Netanyahu blames Hamas, which still holds around 20 living hostages, and says criticism of Israel's wartime conduct is only making the militant group more intransigent. Trump says he wants the war to end and the hostages to come home. But Witkoff walked away from ceasefire talks last month, blaming Hamas, and the president has exerted no public pressure on Israel to change course since it ended a ceasefire in March that he helped broker. Meanwhile, a United Nations official told the Associated Press Wednesday that if Israel's military goes ahead with a planned offensive in Gaza City, then all hope is gone that were ever going to see the end to this. But Israel says the evacuation of Gaza's most populated city is inevitable, adding to international alarm for hundreds of thousands of people there as famine documented and declared threatens to spread after 22 months of war. Youve got a population thats living in abject fear, in abject cruelty, abject humiliation, that has no control whatsoever over their day-to-day, their minute-to minute lives, said Sam Rose, the acting director of Gaza operations for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees. Just think for a minute about what that means for any human being, but what it means for parents, what it means for children whove grown up knowing nothing but this. with Associated Press National Guard troops patrol Union Station on Wednesday - REUTERS The Trump administration plans to seize control of Washingtons Union Station in the presidents latest move to strengthen federal power over the US capital. One of Americas busiest rail hubs will now be run by the Department of Transportation as part of the White Houses bid to reinvigorate Washington DC, which President Trump has portrayed as a run-down city. The takeover was announced on Wednesday night by Sean Duffy, Mr Trumps secretary for transport. Mr Duffy claimed the terminal, which is run by non-profit Amtrak, has fallen into disrepair and should be a point of pride for Americans. He said Mr Trump had a vision to beautify the 118-year-old station, which is a short walk from Capitol Hill. He wants Union Station to be beautiful again, Mr Duffy said. He wants transit to be safe again. And he wants our nations capital to be great again. And today is part of that. The Trump administration claims the 118-year-old station is in dire need of upgrades - AP It is Mr Trumps latest attempt to bring key services in the city under his power. Earlier this month he deployed National Guard troops on the citys streets after claiming, without evidence, that crime in DC is out of control. Since then, six Republican-led states have sent troops to DC to be federalised, increasing the military presence. The White House has increased the number of federal law enforcement and immigration agents in the city and taken over the Metropolitan Police Department. Last week, Mr Trump said he would ask Congress for $2 billion (1.48 billion) to help beautify Washington and improve safety. The funds would be spent on resurfacing roads, fixing street lights and improving green spaces, he said. Mr Duffy said the federal government could do a better job of running the train station. His department plans to attract shops and restaurants that will generate revenue to pay for the upgrades. Mr Duffy said: We are going to make the investments to make sure that this station isnt dirty and we dont have homelessness in Union Station. The station, which opened in 1907, has been through a number of management changes. It faces billions of dollars in delayed maintenance and key spending on track, parking and other operations. Sean Duffy, the secretary for transport, said the renovations will help to beautify the capital - GETTY IMAGES The rail terminal has also contended with homeless people and crime including a February murder in a parking garage. DCs mayor, Muriel Bowser, who is a Democrat, supports Mr Trumps amazing initiative because her office cannot afford the upgrades to the station. It has suffered from not being able to get the money that it needs for the renovation, Ms Bowser said. The Department of Transportation has estimated that a new roof and public bathrooms will be needed as part of renovations and would by themselves cost $170 million (126 million). Last week, JD Vance, the vice president, and Pete Hegseth, the secretary of defence, were shouted down by protesters when they visited National Guard troops at the station. Amtrak, which set a new passenger record last year, launched new high-speed Acela trains on Wednesday on the Northeast Corridor that links Boston to Washington. There are more than 800,000 daily trips in the region which represents 20 per cent of the US economy. The UK, alongside France and Germany, has announced its plan to revive UN-backed sanctions on Iran over fears it is developing nuclear weapons. The three European powers, known collectively as the E3, intend to re-introduce sweeping sanctions after efforts to restart diplomatic talks over Tehrans nuclear programme stalled. Iran has insisted its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes, but it has enriched uranium to levels exceeding that required for civil nuclear power, in breach of a deal agreed with western nations in 2015. The E3 plans to reimpose a series of sanctions, made by UN resolution, which were suspended when the 2015 agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was made. The three countries this week wrote to US secretary of state Marco Rubio outlining their intent, and on Thursday afternoon notified the UN. Nuclear inspectors have returned to Iran following the conflict (Alamy/PA) A 30-day period now begins before the sanctions are implemented, in which the UK, France and Germany hope talks can take place and Iran will agree to step back its nuclear ambitions. Foreign Secretary David Lammy said they had been left with no choice but to revive sanctions, as Iran had made no substantive effort to meet the conditions of our extension offer. He said: Alongside my French and German counterparts, I have today written to the UN Security Council announcing that we have triggered the snapback mechanism which will end sanctions relief against Iran. Irans nuclear programme remains a threat to global peace and security. Over the past six years, Iran has broken almost all limits in the JCPOA and its stockpile of enriched uranium is 45-times over the JCPOA limit. Alongside our European allies, the UK has negotiated in good faith since 2019, when Iran began to disregard the nuclear deal. We supported a viable deal in 2022, which Iran rejected, and recently offered an extension to sanctions relief, subject to Iran meeting set conditions. However, despite repeated warnings, Iran has made no substantive effort to meet the conditions of our extension offer and has consistently failed to provide credible assurances on the nature of its nuclear programme. Whilst we have been left with no choice but to take this action, the ball remains in Irans court and I would welcome their return to the table with a serious offer. In a joint statement with the foreign ministers of France and Germany, Mr Lammy said Irans non-compliance with the JCPOA to limit its nuclear programme was clear and deliberate. The statement said Iran has exceeded limits on enriched uranium imposed by the deal, and restricted the ability of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to monitor its nuclear programme. It read: Iran has no civilian justification for its high enriched uranium stockpile, now over nine Significant Quantities, which is also unaccounted for by the IAEA. Its nuclear programme therefore remains a clear threat to international peace and security. Therefore, a snapback mechanism has been triggered, meaning sanctions and other restrictive measures will be reintroduced in 30 days unless Iran commits to the conditions of an extension offer or the United Nations Security Council adopts a resolution to continue the lifting of sanctions. This decision from the E3 is likely to trigger a harsh reaction from Tehran, where relations with the West are already strained following Israels 12-day war with the country earlier this year. During that war, the Israelis targeted Irans largest nuclear sites, after claiming Tehran was close to developing nuclear weapons. Nuclear inspectors from the IAEA have returned to Iran following the conflict, but are facing restrictions on their movements. A UK Government official said the E3 was taking steps to revive sanctions for three reasons. These include that: Iran is in significant non-compliance with the terms of the 2015 nuclear deal. Iran is the only non-nuclear weapon state producing highly-enriched uranium, with a stockpile over 400kg, the definition of the approximate amount of material needed to make nuclear weapons. There has not been sufficient response on the Iranian side to reach an agreement about scaling back its nuclear programme, despite E3 nations making every effort to resolve this diplomatically, bending over backwards to do so. During the 30-day process ahead of the sanctions coming into force, the UK, Germany and France now plan to kickstart negotiations with Iran. The possibility of a six-month extension offering Iran reprieve from the sanctions still remains the Government official added. Shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel said: The appalling behaviour of the Iranian regime has gone on for too long, and they have brought the initiation of the snapback process upon themselves. Tehran must never obtain a nuclear weapon and Conservatives remain clear that the recent US strikes were necessary. The Board of Deputies of British Jews welcomed the Governments announcement. Senior vice president Adrian Cohen said: This move is fully justified considering the regimes undimmed nuclear ambitions and ongoing commitment to Israels destruction. Following this decision, we have reiterated directly to Government the need to confront the full spectrum of the Iranian regimes threats to Britains Jewish community as well as to international security, including by proscribing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in full. Janelli Saavedra claims she was forced to work during hardcore sex orgies at the luxe Manhattan home (at right) of Wall Street trader Michael J. Goodwin (Google Street View) A high-flying Wall Street trader allegedly made his personal assistant plan, oversee and tidy up after debauched sex parties at his $21 million Manhattan townhouse, where she claims MDMA and ketamine flowed freely as her boss and his guests cavorted with women in varied stages of undress, according to an eye-popping lawsuit obtained by The Independent. When she took the job last spring, Janelli Saavedra quickly became aware of Bluefin Capital Management founder Michael J. Goodwins propensity to host sexual gatherings, otherwise referred to as an orgy, her complaint contends. Saavedra, 35, not only observed sexually explicit behavior at various times but was also charged with managing the cleanup of these gatherings, which included the collection of personal items guests left behind, and the coordination of the professional cleanup of the couches used, which contained stains and odors, according to the complaint. It says Goodwin, a 60-year-old father of four, and devoted student of Zen Buddhist philosophy, tasked Saavedra with sourcing drug paraphernalia for the wild bacchanals, further instructing her to ensure that all of his events were stocked entirely with hot young 30-year-olds, the complaint goes on. Not only did this leave Saavedra feeling extremely humiliated, degraded, victimized, embarrassed and emotionally distressed, according to the complaint. It also accuses Goodwin of shorting her pay by thousands of dollars, and unceremoniously firing her when she pushed back. Reached by phone on Wednesday, Saavedra, who is now working as a realtor, told The Independent that she needed to meet with her attorney before speaking on the record. Goodwin did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Janelli Saavedra claims she was forced to work during hardcore sex orgies at the luxe Manhattan home (at right) of Wall Street trader Michael J. Goodwin (Google Street View) A 1987 graduate of Western Michigan University, Goodwin worked as a CPA at the Chicago office of Arthur Andersen before launching his trading career in the early 1990s. Following a stint at the Susquehanna Investment Group, Goodwin moved to New York City, where he ran derivatives trading desks for Morgan Stanley and Deutsche Bank. In 2001, Goodwin launched Bluefin, which now boasts more than 100 employees across three continents. Goodwin has long been interested in Eastern philosophy and ancient wisdom and healing modalities, according to his bio at the nonprofit New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care, where he teaches when hes not trading securities. It says he enjoys studying Buddhist philosophy and practices several kinds of meditation, with Vipassana as the cornerstone, and has advised numerous local charitable organizations with a focus on achieving sustainable operations. Goodwin also has a charitable streak The Michael Goodwin Scholarship and Financial Assistance Fund provides selected honors students attending his alma mater with tuition assistance and additional financial support for medical bills, transportation and other unforeseen expenses. Michael J. Goodwin cut his teeth at Morgan Stanley and other venerable Wall Street investment banks before opening his own firm. He is now being sued by an assistant who alleges his sex parties impacted her mental and emotional well-being. (Getty Images) Saavedra was hired by Goodwin on March 6, 2025, bringing her on as his personal assistant, according to her complaint, which was filed Tuesday in New York State Supreme Court. It says Saavedra was classified as an independent contractor, and agreed to a flat rate of $250 for five daily hours of work. Soon, Goodwin proposed Saavedra accept a full-time position, for $75 an hour, with the added responsibility of house manager, the complaint continues. This meant juggling various duties related to household management, such as vendor and contractor coordination, and event planning and logistics (e.g., dinner parties, security and hospitality), according to the complaint. Still, the arrangement remained casual, with Goodwin paying Saavedra from his personal account via bank transfer. On March 15, Goodwin directed Saavedra to help arrange his birthday celebration at his lavish Greenwich Village home, involving her in extremely uncomfortable conversations regarding the sexually explicit nature of this party between Goodwin, an event planner, and a group of Goodwins friends that the complaint describes as sexist and misogynistic. The party took place the following night, and extended well into the wee hours of the next morning, according to the complaint. It claims the guests whetted their appetites with plenty of drugs, and ramped things up considerably once they were fully lubricated, the complaint says. At around 4 a.m., Saavedra observed adult guests, male and females, starting to remove their clothing and engage in sexual activities, the complaint states, noting that she watched women in varied states of undress draping themselves over Goodwin and engaging in sexual activity. When Michael Goodwin wasn't trading stocks, he was hosting wild orgies at his Greenwich Village home, according to his former assistant who is now suing the 60-year-old over her working conditions (Getty Images) Things took another strange turn when Saavedra found herself consoling the distressed party planner, who revealed she had previously been in a romantic relationship with Goodwin, according to the complaint. In early April, Goodwin replaced his ex with a live-in event planner, telling Saavedra, [K]now that she speaks for me, the complaint states. Thereafter, [Saavedra] was subjected to conversations about the households use of psychedelics as therapy, specifically ketamine, the complaint alleges. [Saavedra] was instructed to maintain household cleanliness standards and put away a sex card game frequently used by [Goodwin]. The live-in event planner also told Saavedra that Goodwin wished to be in the presence of only hot young 30-year-olds, when [she] presented social club options that Goodwin had requested, according to the complaint. Amid it all, Saavedra became increasingly uncomfortable with the working arrangement, the complaint states. In mid-May, Goodwin finally offered to formalize Saavedras position, but said nothing about adjusting her salary, according to the complaint. So, it says, when Saavedra declined the offer, Goodwin abruptly fired her and willfully withheld her final paycheck, for $6,225. As a result of the acts and conduct complained of herein, [Saavedra] has suffered and will continue to suffer the loss of income the loss of salary, bonuses, benefits and other compensation which such employment entails, on top of the psychic pain she claims to have experienced from being continually exposed to sexually explicit behaviors and materials, the complaint says. Saavedra is now seeking civil, liquidated, compensatory, statutory and punitive damages to be determined by a jury, as well as a judgment declaring Goodwin in violation of New York State labor laws and a restraining order prohibiting him from retaliating against her for suing, plus attorneys fees and court costs. Goodwin now has roughly three weeks to file a response to Saavedras allegations. Tyler Jones and Kayla McDonald both grew up camping, so when it came time to plan their wedding, they wanted to be outside to celebrate with friends and family in nature. They also wanted a late summer wedding. That meant choosing a venue that could move the event inside at the last minute if the weather in the Cincinnati area didn't cooperate. It could be a hundred degrees, you know, with humidity, Jones said. When their big weekend forecast came up a mere 84 degrees (about 29 Celsius), they breathed a sigh of relief. Stickier, hotter, longer summers driven by human-caused climate change are changing another time of year: wedding season. Many couples who pick the summer to get hitched now face weddings that range from melting makeup to uncomfortable guests. Some are choosing venues better able to handle the heat, or shifting to dates earlier or later in the year. More and more, we kind of get the feedback of, I dont want to be hot during my wedding, said Christina Elsass, co-owner and venue manager of Mojave East, where Jones and McDonald wed in August. Kayla McDonald trying to keep cool during her summer wedding (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) Venues recognizing the shift Six years ago, Elsass and her husband who used to be a wedding photographer opened Mojave East, a play on the Mojave Desert, to honor her roots and their West Coast love story. Since they started the business, she said they've seen a shift to more demand in October and November and less in May, June and September, which are traditionally big wedding months. We have noticed that the weather has gotten a bit hotter during those, like during September, I would say, most specifically, and even into October, she said. Some venues are now even advertising the changing trend on their websites. Westmount Country Club in New Jersey writes that fall is becoming the it season for weddings, citing milder weather. The Beaumont Inn in Pennsylvania says that a spring wedding means guests won't have to bundle up in layers, but it also won't be unbearably hot. Some summer lovebirds have to adapt But other factors still play into the decision. Some religious sects advise against wedding during certain months of the year; for instance, some Christian denominations limit weddings on certain days of Advent and Lent, in winter and early spring, respectively. Other couples still want a summer wedding because it's more convenient for their visiting guests, or because a particular date is important to them. In the name of love, for an event that is often costly and a significant challenge to organize, many couples don't want to back out even if the weather poses a challenge. One couple in the Philippines walked down a flooded aisle this July after Typhoon Wipha intensified monsoon rains. Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez got married in Venice this summer (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) Rylee Kennedy, who got married last June in Pennsylvania during a heat wave, had to pivot in the hours leading up to the ceremony. She didn't walk down the aisle surrounded by blooming flowers and trees, as she had envisioned. Due to the heat and concern for guests' safety, everything moved to their backup indoor space where they held the reception. With weather just being so unpredictable now, you really have to make sure that if you do have to switch gears, youre not going to have a wedding that isnt part of your vision or didnt align with what you wanted it to be," Kennedy said. For those who choose to stay the course with summer nuptials, some wedding experts are adding to the planning list. Brides, the nearly century-old bridal magazine, last year advised readers to communicate with their wedding planners and caterers about the heat, consider extra hair trials or an updo and look into switching to shorter dress lengths for bridesmaids. It also urged them to come up with a heat plan for guests. Options for keeping cool are key McDonald and Jones liked Mojave East for the extra heat-combating elements it will provide: fans, misters, water stations and the opportunity to duck inside for fresh air if needed. Elsass didn't want Mojave East's indoors space to feel like an inferior backup plan, so she worked to keep the aesthetics and light bright and appealing. Because weve been intentional about how we run the indoor ceremony, it doesnt feel like an afterthought, Elsass said. Grace Mattingly, a wedding planner in Richmond, Kentucky, said she talks with couples right when planning starts about how to keep guests safe in heat, whether it's using tents or umbrellas to create shade or moving indoors. She said it's a conversation that doesn't happen enough across the business of wedding planning. On their wedding day, McDonald and Jones were able to keep the ceremony outdoors, but their first look photographs were moved into a shaded area to avoid the afternoon sun. When some guests arrived early, many of them waited indoors, cups of water in hand. During the ceremony, guests used fans to keep cool and shade themselves as the sun began to set. And once the knot was tied, almost every guest went inside for the cocktail hour to cool off in the air conditioning. Misters ran outside for anyone who wanted some fresh air. All those options meant that no matter the weather, Jones and McDonald would have a day that stayed true to their vision, even if some things had to change last-minute. I think were both believers in what happens, you make the best of it, Jones said. Federal and local officials are investigating after over 100 piles of cremated human remains were reported on federal lands near a small town in Nevada. The Bureau of Land Management confirmed to USA TODAY that cremated human remains were found outside Searchlight, Nevada. The agency said it is coordinating an investigation with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department into the cremains. The investigation comes after a local news station, 8 News Now, reported on dozens of piles that appeared to be cremated human remains on a dirt road in the desert. The remains appeared weathered and pieces of zip ties and a broken urn were also found at the site, the outlet reported. The BLM manages one in 10 acres of land in the United States, especially in the West, according to its website. The agency said in a 2011 memorandum that commercial entities are prohibited from disposing of cremated remains on BLM managed land, but "inquiries from individuals and families to scatter cremated remains should be handled on a case-by-case basis." Federal officials are investigating the discovery of more than 100 piles of cremated human remains left near a dirt road about an hour outside of Las Vegas. We saw them for ourselves. https://t.co/Ilt2ZHcsMe David Charns (@davidcharns) August 28, 2025 "Cremated remains are not considered a hazardous substance," the memorandum said. "However, the quantity of material associated with commercial distribution of cremated remains could preclude other land uses and may require designation and regulation of land as a functioning cemetery. This could require disposal of parcels of public land under appropriate authorities because the BLM does not manage functioning cemeteries." The scattering of cremated remains by individuals is subject to applicable state law, the agency said. Nevada state law indicates cremated remains can be scattered at sea, over a public waterway, by air, or "in an area of a dedicated cemetery from which there is no means of location or recovery and which is used exclusively for this purpose." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cremated human remains found on federal land outside Las Vegas The U.S. Air Force will provide Jan. 6 rioter Ashli Babbitt with military funeral honors, reversing a Biden-era decision that denied her familys request, according to a legal group that has represented her family. Judicial Watch, the conservative legal group, on Wednesday made public a letter from Under Secretary of the Air Force Matthew Lohmeier, extending an offer to allow the special funeral procedures to take place. I understand that the familys initial request was denied by Air Force leadership in a letter dated February 9, 2021, Lohmeier wrote in the Aug. 15 letter shared by Judicial Watch. However, after reviewing the circumstances of Ashlis death, and considering the information that has come forward since then, I am persuaded that the previous determination was incorrect. He additionally extended an invitation to her mother and husband to meet him at the Pentagon, so he may offer his condolences. The Hill requested comment from the Pentagon regarding the veracity of the letter. Babbitt, an Air Force veteran, was shot and killed by law enforcement during the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot as she attempted to climb through a barricaded door to the Speakers lobby near the House chamber. A month after the riot, an Air Force representative under former President Bidens administration informed her family that military funeral honors were denied for her funeral due to the circumstances preceding her death. As a result, I have determined that military funeral honors would bring discredit upon the Air Force, Brian Kelly, an Air Force lieutenant general, wrote in that letter. An eligible veterans honor guard detail consists of at least two members of the armed forces, one of whom is a representative of the veterans service branch, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs. It also includes a ceremony including the playing of taps and the folding and presentation of the American flag to the next of kin. Ashli Babbitts family is grateful to President Trump, Secretary [Pete] Hegseth and Under Secretary Lohmeier for reversing the Biden Defense Departments cruel decision to deny Ashli funeral honors as a distinguished veteran of the Air Force, Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said in a statement. In May, the government agreed to pay Babbitts family nearly $5 million as part of a settlement. It came as the Trump administration has sought to unravel the Biden administrations crackdown on those who participated in the riot. Trump pardoned nearly all rioters on his first day back in the White House and fired dozens of prosecutors who worked on criminal cases stemming from the attack. The Air Force could not be reached for comment. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. KOTOR, Montenegro I have to admit, when I first saw the itinerary for my sailing around southeastern Europe on Oceania's newest ship, the Allura, Montenegro was one of the ports of call that didn't speak to me. After being charmed by the small but mighty country during my cruise, I humbly admit my mistake now. Before my July visit, I didn't know much about the Slavic country. Slightly smaller than the U.S. state of Connecticut with one-fifth the population, Montenegro is often overshadowed by other, more popular Adriatic Sea destinations, such as its northern neighbor Croatia or nearby Greece and Italy. (These places were also included on my cruise, and grabbed my attention more at first.) But once the ship arrived in the pristine Kotor Bay, where the water looked as still as glass and cliffside villages surrounded me, I felt an excitement to disembark and explore Montenegro's oldest city, Kotor. It's easy to get caught up in the beauty of this over 2,000-year-old region, but I quickly learned there's so much more than meets the eye. Kotor Bay set the tone for Montenegro's beauty. I started my day by venturing up into a village in the mountains named Mirac on an excursion with Oceania. I boarded a bus to travel up a twisty, windy road comprising switchbacks and close calls with other cars before reaching the locally owned winery Storia di Pietra. Overlooking the coastline, this land has been in the hands of the Kascelan family since the 18th century. This is where I had lunch, pairings of local cuisine such as a savory dish called rastan, made with collard greens and homemade smoked sausage, with wines and a strong shot of rajika, or local grappa. Later, I explored the ancient city of Kotor, a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site recognized for its rich history spanning the clashes of empires and mingling of cultures. Stepping through the ancient stone wall of the Old Town transported me into a storybook. Narrow, maze-like streets led to tiled Venetian piazzas, all framed by charming medieval architecture. My eyes looked up at a clock tower from the 15th century before tracing the intricate facades of the ancient churches and buildings with their iron balconies, decorative corbels and archways. "It's a beautiful country, full of diversity. It's in the middle of Europe on the Mediterranean, which is, in a lot of (people's) opinions, the most beautiful part of Europe in terms of climate, food, landscapes, way of life," Rajan Milunovic, my Montenegrin tour guide for the day, told me at the winery. After my brief visit, I can safely say that this underrated coastal gem deserves a spot on every traveler's radar. Here's what travelers should know about Montenegro. Lunch at Storia di Pietra gave me a glimpse into Montenegro's welcoming culture. Calling all foodies: Step aboard the cruise ship where food is the main attraction History of Kotor, Montenegro Kotor may be small you could easily walk the entire Old Town in about 10 minutes but its history is expansive. The Illyrians and Romans are considered to be the first rulers of Kotor. Still, the city has been passed through multiple hands of power, also being conquered by the Serbians, Hungarians, Bosnians, Venetians, French, Austrians and Yugoslavians. It wasn't until 2006 that Montenegro declared its independence. Despite its politically turbulent history, Montenegro's influences from other cultures are evident in its food, architecture, and even language. According to Milunovic, most locals don't call their home the Italian name of Montenegro but rather "Crna Gora," meaning "Black Mountain" in Montenegrin and other Slavic languages and referring to the lush forests on Mount Lovcen. The area has also survived multiple earthquakes, including one in 1979 when it was part of Yugoslavia. Dozens of people were killed and many historical buildings were destroyed, but many have been restored since then. What to do in Montenegro Kotor's Old Town charmed me. With its sprawls of undeveloped landscapes and relaxed pace of life, Kotor is all about slowing down and breaking away from the daily grind, which I experienced while cheering at the winery and aimlessly wandering through the Old Town. Other activities in Kotor include hiking up the Byzantine-era city walls for a view of the town and exploring more of Kotor Bay on a boat and swimming tour, like the natural Blue Cave. While I didn't have a chance to explore Montenegro's stunning nature in-depth, Milunovic said the country's beaches, lakes, forests, and more are worthy of a visit all on their own, especially if you're a traveler who likes to be active. "In general, we like to be outdoors, and the weather allows it for a pretty long period," he said. "So it can be hiking, it can be swimming, it can be anything else in between." If you have the time, venturing out of Kotor seems like the way to go about it. About an hour away from Kotor is the postcard-perfect Lake Skadar National Park, where hills and water lilies surround the southeastern Europe's largest lake. The country is also home to several beaches and seaside resort towns, including one at Lake Skadar and also Ulcinj, along the Adriatic Sea. How to get to Montenegro It's not difficult to get to Montenegro, but it does require some legwork. There are two major airports one in Tivat and another in the capital, Podgorica but most travelers coming from the United States will need to connect through a larger hub such as Belgrade, Serbia. Alternatively, you could fly into Dubrovnik, Croatia, and do the two-hour drive across the border in Montenegro, according to Milunovic. Some cruise lines, such as Oceania and Virgin Voyages, also stop in Montenegro, making a visit easy. (This story was updated to refresh headlines.) This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Discover Montenegro: A hidden Adriatic gem worth visiting In his pummeling new action comedy Caught Stealing, Austin Butler goes full rag doll. The chiseled heartthrob is repeatedly kicked, punched, thrown around, and shot at throughout the 1990s-set movie (in theaters Aug. 29), which follows Hank, a sidelined baseball star whos on the run from ruthless mafiosi. But Butler says the trickiest stunt involved singing a karaoke favorite. During a wild bacchanal at the New York dive bar where he works, Hank effortlessly vaults from the floor onto a pool table, belting out Meredith Brooks snarling Bitch without missing a beat. The gravity-defying jump is performed in one long, seamless take. It took a lot of time to figure out how to make it feel drunk and messy and free, but at the same time, there was a very specific camera movement of the camera pulling back, Butler recalls. Initially, a team of choreographers helped map out the memorable sequence, but it just didnt feel right. We wanted it to feel like it was raw and happening for the first time. Join our Watch Party! Sign up to receive USA TODAY's movie and TV recommendations right in your inbox Pavel (Nikita Kukushkin, left), Colorado (Bad Bunny) and Aleksei (Yuri Kolokolnikov) rough up Hank (Austin Butler) in "Caught Stealing." After some trial and error, director Darren Aronofsky left Butler to improvise the raucous singalong. It was a long process, Aronofsky says. Eventually, Austin put it together over a few takes just jamming, like, How about I do this? or How about I do that? But in terms of leaping from planet Earth to the top of the pool table, this incredible specimen had no problem doing it over and over again. Hank (Austin Butler) is hotly pursued by greedy mobsters in "Caught Stealing." Caught Stealing is almost certainly the most physically punishing movie of Butlers career. At first, both he and Aronofsky questioned whether he'd make it through production. The first day of filming last fall was in a dingy apartment stairwell, and after walking up the stairs over and over again, he couldnt walk the next day, Aronofsky recalls. On Day 1, you literally hear that your movie star cant run and youre about to start an action movie together. I was like, Ah, shoot, all hands on deck! Weve got to figure this out. Austin Butler, left, poses with his "Dune: Part Two" co-stars Zendaya and Timothee Chalamet at an event in Seoul, South Korea, on Feb. 21, 2024. The filmmaker called on physical therapist Michelle Rodriguez, who worked with him on Black Swan, to help find the root of Butlers problem. I was like, Oh, man, I dont know what Im going to do. Id had this pain in my foot for months and Id been trying to figure out what it was, Butler says. But Michelle was like, I dont think its a nerve issue, and then she literally took a scalpel and started cutting at my foot. She didnt even numb it! Austin Butler's career in photos: Actor will star in 'Caught Stealing' with Zoe Kravitz Austin Butler has been in the industry for some time, but it wasn't until his star power in the biopic "Elvis" and "Dune Part Two" that he became a force to be reckoned with in Hollywood. Most recently, Butler will star in "Caught Stealing" with co-stars Zoe Kravitz and Bad Bunny. Here's where else you've seen Butler. As it turns out, I had a piece of glass stuck in my foot for eight months that I picked up in Korea on the Dune press tour when I was barefoot on a red carpet, Butler says. Thankfully, she cut it out and I was running two days later. You wouldve been limping for the rest of your life had it not been for this movie! Aronofsky quips. For Aronofsky, a native New Yorker, Caught Stealing was an opportunity for him to pay homage to the Brooklyn and Manhattan neighborhoods he frequented as a young man. Many sites in the film are East Village institutions: The graffiti-covered bar where Hank works, for instance, is actually Double Down Saloon, where Miley Cyrus and Dua Lipa similarly shot their Prisoner music video in 2020. The filmmaker also resurrected old favorites Kims Video and Bennys Burritos with the help of production designer Mark Friedberg. He really knocked it out of the park, Aronofsky says. That was such a huge thrill, trying to remember what New York was like back then and recreating it. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Caught Stealing' star Austin Butler recalls shocking foot injury Shortly after an airliner made an aggressive maneuver to avoid colliding with a B-52 last month over North Dakota, the bomber nearly collided with a small private plane as it flew past the Minot airport, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. Investigators released their preliminary report Wednesday on the July 19 incident that happened after the bomber completed a flyover at the North Dakota State Fair in Minot. The close call with Delta Flight 3788 is well known because of a video a passenger shot of the pilot's announcement after making an abrupt turn to avoid the bomber. But the fact that the B-52 subsequently came within one-third of a mile of a small Piper airplane hadn't been previously reported. The SkyWest pilot told his passengers that day that he was surprised to see the bomber looming to the right, and the U.S. Air Force also said that air traffic controllers never warned the B-52 crew about the nearby airliner. Officials said at the time that the flyover had been cleared with the FAA and the private controllers who oversee the Minot airport ahead of time. These close calls were just the latest incidents to raise questions about aviation safety in the wake of January's midair collision over Washington, D.C., that killed 67 people. The NTSB report doesn't identify the cause of the incidents, but the transcript of the conversation between the three planes, the air traffic controller on duty in Minot and a regional FAA controller at a radar center in Rapid City, South Dakota, show several confusing commands were issued by the tower that day. Investigators won't release their final report on the cause until sometime next year. With the B-52 and Delta planes converging on the airport from different directions, the controller told the Delta plane that was carrying 80 people to fly in a circle to the right until the pilot told the controller he didn't want to do that because the bomber was off to his right, so he broke off his approach. "Sorry about the aggressive maneuver. It caught me by surprise," the pilot can be heard saying on the video a passenger posted on social media. "This is not normal at all. I don't know why they didn't give us a heads up." A passenger who was aboard the SkyWest flight said it felt like going around a "sharp turn on a roller coaster." "The force of it kept me centered in my seat, but I could look out the window and see straight at the grass instead of seeing the horizon," said Monica Green, who recorded video of the pilot making the announcement after landing. "Just out of the blue, just sort of very abrupt U-turn," she said. At one point, the controller intended to give the Delta plane directions but mistakenly called out the bomber's call sign and had to cancel that order. Less than a minute after the B-52 crossed the path of the airliner, it nearly struck the small plane that was also circling while the bomber flew past the airport on its way back to Minot Air Force Base where 26 of the bombers are based. NTSB issues its preliminary report on two July 19 incidents in which there was a loss of separation involving a U.S. Air Force B-52H airplane and a SkyWest Embraer ERJ-170 airliner, and a subsequent loss of separation involving the B-52H and a Piper PA-28 private airplane. Both pic.twitter.com/ILZ2gsEhJ5 NTSB Newsroom (@NTSB_Newsroom) August 27, 2025 Aviation safety consultant Jeff Guzzetti, who used to investigate plane crashes for both the NTSB and FAA, said the controller didn't give the commands for the Delta and Piper planes to circle soon enough for them to stay a safe distance away from the bomber. The transcript shows the local controller calling the regional FAA controller to get permission every time before he issued a command to the planes. Guzzetti said it is not clear whether taking that extra step to consult with the other controller delayed the commands or whether the Minot controller simply didn't anticipate how close the planes would come. "It all just kind of came together at the same time very quickly, and this controller was not on top of it," Guzzetti said. The Minot airport typically handles between 18 and 24 flights a day. But at this moment, three planes were all arriving at the same time. After the close calls, all the planes landed safely. These North Dakota close calls put the spotlight on small airports like Minot that are run without their own radar systems, but it is not clear whether that contract tower program that includes 265 airport towers nationwide had anything to do with the incident. There was one controller staffing the tower in Minot at the time of incident, and a controller at a regional radar center in Rapid City was helping direct planes in the area. Minneapolis Catholic school shooter identified Extreme weather slams the West with dust storms and wildfires Cracker Barrel scrapping new logo, returning to old one after backlash We may earn money from links on this page, but commission does not influence what we write or the products we recommend. AOL upholds a rigorous editorial process to ensure what we publish is fair, accurate and trustworthy. Can Costco Travel actually save you money? I dug around to find out (PT STOCK via Getty Images) You already know Costco as the place to score bulk toilet paper and jumbo-size everything. But here's what might surprise you: That membership card can unlock serious travel savings if you know how to use it. I spent hours digging through Reddit reviews from travelers sharing actual experiences with Costco Travel. Some people saved big on cruises and resort packages, while others found cheaper trips elsewhere. The verdict? Costco Travel isn't universally the best deal out there, but for specific trips and travelers, it's hard to beat. Here's how to know if it's worth it for your own trip. Where Costco Travel beats competitors Planning a road trip? Seeking sips on the beach? Or maybe you're looking for upscale without the upcharge. You could be just the type of traveler for Costco. A reliable winner: Car rentals Car rentals are where Costco Travel consistently shines. And the benefits go beyond competitive pricing. Redditors rave about free second drivers that save up to $15 a day, plus free cancellation and rebookings at lower rates without penalty. "Always for rental cars. It's usually the cheapest option," a redditor shared in r/Costco, while another said they stick to Costco for not only "great prices" but also free cancellations, calling it an "excellent perk." That said, others say you can find better deals directly through Budget, National and other booking sites. Don't skip shopping around it's the only way to know whether Costco's offering the best deal (and perks!) for your needs and budget. Costco | Getty Up to $60 in Costco Shop Cards for new members AOL readers get money back with this limited-time offer on Costco Gold Star and Costco Executive Memberships up to $60 in Costco Shop Cards. Spend your Costco Shop Card online or at your local warehouse and enjoy all the perks of membership. Limited-time offer through December 21, 2025. $65 to $130 at Groupon Mixed results: Vacation packages While members rave about all-inclusive trips, Costco Travel rarely wins on price alone. Still, it could be worth it for the extras. One traveler saved $800 on a Cancun resort compared to their travel agent's quote and scored a $335 Costco Shop Card on top of that. Another found Universal resort packages more than $1,000 cheaper than booking directly through Universal. The real value often comes from the perks over base price alone, with Costco frequently tossing in: Free airport transfers Free room upgrades Free breakfast for all travelers Free resort credits worth hundreds Costco Shop Cards As one redditor put it: "It's hard to beat Costco when they throw in the Shop Cards. Another loved the warehouse giant's rewards stacking: "It's like we're getting double points by getting our 2% back with Costco plus our credit card perks." Whats a Costco Shop Card? One of Costco's signature perks: Costco Shop Cards. These gift cards give you back a percentage of your trip cost like a rebate you can spend on anything within those warehouse walls. Book a $6,000 vacation package, and you might get a Shop Card worth hundreds to use on groceries, gas or household goods. It's essentially cash back on your holiday. Costco properties: Luxury for less Costco Travel partners with upscale hotels, resorts and properties that can have you staying somewhere nicer than you'd expect and at better rates. Take it from this traveler: "Costco curates the best of the area, and what you see on their list is in the best locations." Redditors consistently mentioned scoring five-star hotels they'd normally skip due to cost. One example: A hotel in Paris that would cost "$500 a night if we had booked independently," but at Costco's negotiated rates was downright affordable. It's a trade-off: If you're looking for rock-bottom budget hotels, it might not be your best bet. But if you're ready to without paying luxury prices, Costco's your shortcut. Read more: 10 insider Costco hacks you can't afford to miss Trips worth booking through Costco Travel After sifting through traveler experiences, Costco members report finding the best value on prices and perks for these trip types: Cruise packages. Redditors consistently report prices competitive with booking direct, but with Shop Cards and onboard credits that tip the value scales. "Every cruise I have purchased from Costco has been the same price as the cruise line plus a bonus Shop Card and my 2% Executive rebate," one cruise enthusiast said. Complex international trips. Multiple travelers praise Costco for handling the logistics on multicity European trips and exotic destinations like Bora Bora or French Polynesia, where it's tricky to bounce between islands. As one traveler gushed, We would have been absolutely lost without Costco. Hawaii all-inclusive deals. This emerges as a Costco strength, especially for trips including rentals where cars are scarce and expensive. Weve done a couple Hawaii trips," says one redditor, "and they were much cheaper through Costco. Disney World and Disneyland vacations. Mouseheads report significant savings on Disney packages including theme park tickets, hotels and dining. I did it for a Disneyland Package, and it was at least 35% cheaper than buying the hotel and tickets straight from Disney," a redditor shared, "and there was a $200 gift card that we used for meals." Read more: This warehouse club is quietly beating Costco for retirees (Hint: its not BJs) Where Costco Travel falls short Costco Travel probably isnt the best choice if you're a free-range traveler who likes to wing it, book last-minute deals or roam destinations at will: Limited options. Costco Travels selection of hotels can be limited. If your heart's set on a specific hotel, you might need to book it elsewhere. No loyalty points. You won't earn points or elite benefits with most hotel loyalty programs when booking through Costco. One major exception: Costco partners with Hyatt hotels and resorts on member-exclusive deals that qualify for World of Hyatt points. Premium properties. Multiple travelers point out Costco packages that lean premium, which might not meet the needs of all budgets. Dated website. What doesn't cost you money might cost you time, with several redditors griping about Costco's clunky and hard-to-navigate booking site. Read more: Is Costco or Sam's Club worth it for empty nesters? We did the math How to get the most out of Costco Travel The most successful approach to Costco Travel is one that maximizes the extras. That "more expensive" Costco package might actually save money when you: Stack your rewards. The savings can add up fast: Executive Memberships 2% back, Costco Anywhere Visas 3% travel rewards, Shop Cards, resort credits and free transfers or car rentals among them Use a travel rewards card. Dont have (or want) a Costco Visa card? Some of our favorite travel credit cards offer higher rewards rates. Just keep in mind that American Express isn't accepted. Leverage trip protections. Many travel credit cards offer trip delay, cancellation and interruption insurance, plus primary rental collision damage waiver. Just pay for at least enough of your booking to meet the card's coverage requirements to activate this coverage. Lock in rates, then watch for drops. Choose refundable rates and note when your free-cancellation window ends. Check weekly and rebook if prices fall especially for car rentals and packages. Read the fine print. Confirm all resort and parking fees, taxes and actual coverage for transfers or resort activities so you aren't surprised later. Read more: As gold hits new records, you can now buy it at Costco but should you? The verdict: Is Costco Travel worth it? Costco Travel isn't magic, but it's a legitimate tool that can deliver real savings especially when you factor in the perks. Car rentals consistently win on price. Vacation packages offer strong value if you like upscale hotels and bonuses like resort credits and transfers. Planning a Hawaii honeymoon or need a weekend rental car? Costco Travel is worth the look. It might not be the cheapest, but the extras can make it your best option overall. Note: Comments edited for length and clarity. Other stories you might like About the writer Kat Aoki is a finance writer who's written thousands of articles to empower people to better understand technology, fintech, banking, lending and investments. Her expertise has been featured on sites like Lifewire and Finder, with bylines at top technology brands in the U.S. and Australia. Kat strives to help consumers and business owners make informed decisions and choose the right financial products for their needs. Have thoughts or comments about this story or ideas on topics youd like us to cover? Reach out to our team at finance.editors@aol.com. Cindy Ord/NBCUniversal/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Christopher Meloni and his daughter Sophia NEED TO KNOW Christopher Melonis daughter found a creative way to help renovate their familys home The longtime Law & Order: Special Victims Unit actor shares two children with his wife, Sherman Williams I still love her, the television star joked of his feelings toward his eldest after her house party Christopher Meloni's daughter helped with the remodeling of his New York apartment home in a very unconventional way. In a new interview with Architectural Digest, the longtime Law & Order: Organized Crime actor and father of two, 64, told the outlet that when his luxury, two-level West Village property needed a redo, his eldest had the perfect solution. While giving a tour of the intricately decorated abode in a clip shared to YouTube, Meloni showed off his daughters wing of the home. We did that intentionally to kind of entice her to hang out with us for just a little bit longer before she goes, he said of 24-year-old Sophia Eva Pietra Meloni, whom he shares with his wife Sherman Williams. The couple, who have been married since 1995, are also parents to son Dante Amadeo Meloni, 21. Its the same daughter who came up with the great idea about having a demo party, he said, explaining, We had to gut the entire apartment, both floors. He reiterated that it was a great idea by Sophia that since space is kind of rare in New York and difficult to find, she would make due with what her family had by making remodeling fun. Meloni referred to Sophias solution as a party with a few friends over, as footage from a wild house party with loud music, a large crowd and projection screen images on the wall cut into his AD interview. Turned into a rave, he said as the camera was back on him. According to the actor, it also included spray painting cans and guys hanging off of my balconies. Architectural Digest/Youtube Christopher Meloni's Architectural Digest home tour Graffiti on the home's interior walls could be seen in the clip. Despite her great idea, Meloni playfully admitted, I still love her. Sophia posted about the 2021 party on Instagram, including detailed pictures of the graffiti and the video seen in her dad's AD interview. "Fun is fun until someones parent has to power wash some A-holes graffiti 'tag' off the side of a balcony," Meloni commented on his daughter's post at the time. With or without ragers at his New York property, the home features wraparound terraces and 360-degree city views. Both floors boast 2,500 square feet of space with the top level offering an expansive living, dining, and kitchen area, with a media room, primary suite and dressing rooms, per AD. After following a grand staircase downstairs, Sophia and Dantes bedroom suites are on the first level, as well as Melonis office and gym, and Williamss painting studio. Williams is an artist and designer who put her special touch on the property, including Jewel tones and things to make you feel alive instead of putting you to sleep. Were very happy here. Im satisfied this is the last home well ever move to, Meloni told AD of the familys home. Read the original article on People Federal authorities arrested the alleged leaders of a multi-state human trafficking ring that they say lured in trafficking victims under false pretenses and had them solicit donations under the guise that they were working for a religious ministry, prosecutors said. David Taylor, 53, and Michelle Brannon, 56, were arrested on Thursday, Aug. 27, after a federal grand jury indicted them on 10 counts, including conspiracy to commit forced labor and money laundering conspiracy, according to a Justice Department news release. Taylor was apprehended in Durham, North Carolina, and Brannon in Tampa, Florida. The case is being prosecuted in the Eastern District of Michigan. Taylor and Brannon implored victims to work at call centers and solicit donations for their supposed ministry, according to the indictment. Victims were also allegedly forced to work as Taylor's "personal servants," which he called his armor bearers," the indictment said. The call centers they set up in Michigan, Missouri, Florida and Texas received millions of dollars in donations each year, which Taylor and Brannon mainly used to purchase luxury properties and vehicles, according to the indictment. Since 2014, the scheme brought in around $50 million in crooked donations, the prosecutors' news release said. The ring not only victimized callers, it also victimized individuals who donated to the centers in Michigan, Florida, Texas and Missouri, the Justice Department said. Attorneys for Taylor and Brannon were unavailable for comment when contacted by the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network, on Thursday, Aug. 27. Trafficking ring ran under guise of religious ministry, indictment says According to the indictment, Taylor and Brannon initiated their scheme in 2014, utilizing an organization known as the Kingdom of God Global Church, formerly referred to as Joshua Media Ministries International. Taylor referred to himself as the "Apostle" of the church, while Brannon was his executive director. Taylor would solicit individuals from across the country to work in his call centers and set goals for them: either collect a certain amount of money in donations for his ministry or make a certain number of phone calls to donors, according to the indictment. The indictment says the people making the calls, under the threat of punishment, were told by Taylor and Brannon to "falsely state that the donated funds would be spent on charitable works, such as providing water wells for impoverished communities overseas or supporting victims of human trafficking." Taylor established the first call center in Taylor, Michigan, before operating call centers in other locations, such as Florida, Texas and Missouri, according to the release. Victims ordered to cut ties with anyone who questioned ringleader, officials say The indictment also says that Taylor demanded that victims cut off ties with any family members or friends who questioned him or the church. Workers were not allowed to date or to work outside the call center; employees were required to sleep at the call center, according to the indictment. The indictment added that if Taylor's workers disobeyed instructions or failed to reach his monetary quotas, he would restrict their sleep, food or impose physical abuse. The indictment said Taylor believed that "if an individual fails to obey his orders and commands, they are defying God and will suffer in Hell." Taylor and Brannon were each indicted on eight counts of forced labor, one count of conspiracy to commit forced labor and one count of money laundering conspiracy. Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached at melina.khan@usatoday.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: "Church' leaders allegedly solicited $50M in donations via forced labor Las Vegas Nevada officials revealed Wednesday that personal information may have been compromised in what was described as a "sophisticated ransomware-based cybersecurity attack" that occurred Sunday in which hackers infiltrated government networkers and disrupted essential services statewide. Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo had initially said Monday there were no signs personal data was stolen. However, in a news conference Wednesday, Tim Galluzi, Nevada's state chief information officer, indicated that personal information may have been taken. "I must disclose that our ongoing forensic investigation has found evidence that indicates some data has been exfiltrated, or moved outside the state network, by the malicious actors," Galluzi told reporters. "...At this stage we cannot yet identify or classify the specific nature of this data." Several state services were brought to a standstill by the cyberattack. Many people showed up at DMV offices across the state for their appointments this week only to learn the agency is closed. State DMV offices were still closed as of Wednesday. "We want to remind our citizens that this statewide outage is impacting almost every state agency's operations, and connectivity to impact safety and the health and human services fields needs to take priority over DMV services," Tonya Laney, director of the Nevada DMV, said at the news conference. The outage also prevented law enforcement from accessing state DMV records. For a good part of Sunday, the dispatch phone lines for Nevada State Police were down. Emergency and essential operations, such as 911 services, were still available. Lombardo had announced Monday that all state offices were closed to in-person services until further notice. The breach impacted state systems only, Lombardo said. The attack is under investigation. Galluzi said "bringing systems back online is a meticulous process" and they "must ensure that threat has been fully eradicated before we reconnect them." Cybersecurity experts, meanwhile, say local governments are prime targets for cyberattacks. "Now they're hitting government, like the small, not big federal, but state and local community," Greg Moody, professor of information systems at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, told CBS News. "And so that's been the trend for the past 12 to 18 months." An analysis from the software company Comparitech counts 525 ransomware attacks on U.S. government entities since 2018, with an estimated $1.09 billion lost to downtime as a result of those attacks. Last month, a cyberattack in St. Paul, Minnesota, forced the city to shut parts of its network. Public WiFi and some library services went offline. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz activated the National Guard's cyber unit to help restore systems. Last year, Fulton County, Georgia, home to Atlanta, spent weeks restoring courts and phones after a ransomware strike. The county refused to pay. And in the fall of 2023, an Iran-linked group breached a piece of computer technology in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, that monitors water pressure. There was no contamination, but it served as a warning shot to critical infrastructure. "The most likely lessons learned should be reach out to your other state counterparts and share information so other states, other cities, can learn from it and just put their defenses up in advance," Moody said. "So the same attack doesn't work against them." Minneapolis Catholic school shooter identified Extreme weather slams the West with dust storms and wildfires Cracker Barrel scrapping new logo, returning to old one after backlash D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser is facing pushback for saying crime in the city had fallen after Trump's federal law enforcement surge. (Jim Watson / AFP - Getty Images file) Members of the D.C. Council are pushing back against Mayor Muriel Bowser's remarks that President Donald Trump's surge of federal law enforcement personnel into the city has helped lower crime. "As I feared, our Mayors words are now being used to justify harmful federal overreach in cities nationwide. This is bigger than DC or partisan politics. Its about resisting creeping authoritarianism," Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker wrote on X, adding, "we must not legitimize an illegitimate agenda." In remarks Wednesday, Bowser said "this surge has been important to us" because it helped lower the rates of crimes like carjacking, but she also made clear that the presence of immigration agents and National Guard troops is not working and expressed hope that the initiative, which began on Aug. 7, would end soon. The comments praising the surge were met with immediate pushback from Bowser's fellow Democrats on the D.C. Council. "She said she appreciates the federal surge and that it's having positive results in D.C. That's not the case," at-large Councilmember Robert White Jr., a Democrat, said in a video on X. We should not, as the District of Columbia, be giving people the impression that this is a good thing, that we are OK with it, that it is helping the city. It is not doing any of those things, and it is not intended to help us, White said. This is trampling on democracy in real time, he said. I am not OK with this. The average resident is not OK with this. D.C. residents, D.C. voters, are not OK with this. Armed members of the National Guard patrol the National Mall on Wednesday. (Andrew Harnik / Getty Images) Another Democratic councilmember, Brianne Nadeau, of Ward 1, posted on X that "DC is under siege" from the federal government, with "armed military patrolling our streets & masked agents scooping up neighbors & taking them away." "Our residents are afraid, hesitant to go out & to work, angry that our limited autonomy is being eroded. There is nothing welcome about this," she said. Asked Thursday about the Council's criticism, Bowser said she'd spoken for a long time on Wednesday "and Im starting to think some of what I said was lost in my remarks." "Our North Star is protecting home rule and the districts autonomy in all things, especially during this last eight months, where it has been clear that our autonomy has kind of been in the crosshairs. Thats our North Star since the beginning of this federal surge of officers," she said. "We didnt ask for any federal officers. Were driving crime down, but while theyre here, how can we most strategically use them to accelerate the work that MPD has done. So that's our point," she added, referring to the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department. In her remarks Wednesday, Bowser noted that since the federal takeover, there has been an 87% drop in carjackings compared to the same period last year. The data cited also showed a 45% fall in violent crime and a 12% reduction in property-related offenses, for an average decrease of 15% in crime overall in the district from the same period last year. We know that when carjackings go down, when use of guns goes down, when homicide or robbery go down, neighborhoods feel safer and are safer, so this surge has been important to us, she said. Bowser also expressed some of the same concerns as the councilmembers. "We know having masked ICE agents in the community has not worked, and National Guards from other states has not been an efficient use of those resources, she said. White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said in a statement Wednesday that crime is not a partisan issue. Americans expect elected officials to prioritize their safety over politics. President Trumps bold action and partnership with local law enforcement has quickly minimized violent crime and removed over a thousand criminals from the streets of our nations capital, she said. Other Democrat leaders who are criticizing President Trump for cleaning up D.C. should take notes on the tremendous success that Washington, D.C., has already experienced under President Trumps leadership. The Justice Department under Attorney General Pam Bondi has gutted its Public Integrity Section. (Michael M. Santiago / Getty Images) WASHINGTON Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel have given a green light to would-be lawbreakers by gutting the Justice Departments Public Integrity Section and folding one of the FBIs public corruption squads, a group of congressional Democrats wrote in a letter Thursday. DOJs refusal to enforce anti-corruption laws betrays the public trust and will create lasting harm to Americans faith in the integrity of government officials, Democrats wrote in their letter to Bondi and Patel, which was first obtained by NBC News. The lawmakers said that the changes made by Bondi and Patel are coming in the midst of an unprecedented wave of corruption in the Trump Administration, citing, among other issues, President Donald Trumps involvement with cryptocurrency, his acceptance of a luxury jet from a foreign government to use as a new Air Force One and pardons he issued to donors. This is just part of the Trump Administrations creation of a two-tiered system of justiceone for large corporations and President Trumps wealthy friends, and another for everyone else, the letter states. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., are leading the probe into the changes at the Justice Department and FBI. Eight other senators and more than 50 members of the House signed the letter. The lawmakers request that Bondi and Patel answer a series of questions about the role of the Public Integrity Section and the FBIs public corruption efforts to address their grave concerns. The letter comes as the Trump administration has publicized criminal referrals and the initial steps of investigations into Democrats and Trump opponents, contradicting many of the rules and norms that have been in place to avoid federal law enforcement being politicized. Meanwhile, under an order from Trump, the head of the Justice Departments Weaponization Working Group has said hell name and shame individuals who wont be criminally charged, a major departure for DOJ, which has traditionally, in the post-Watergate era, aimed to speak only through criminal charges and avoid hurting the reputation of uncharged individuals. Representatives of the Justice Department and FBI declined to comment on the letter. A former member of the Public Integrity Section, speaking on the condition of anonymity to avoid retaliation from the Trump administration, said that the unit has gone through a slow and painful demise and is currently a shell of its former self, once home to some of the most elite and talented attorneys in the department. With only a handful of employees in what had been a unit with 30 attorneys, those left are operating in the dark, the person said, adding that it was clear ... that pursuing public corruption cases in an even-handed, methodical fashion nationwide is no longer an administration priority. Americans should be worried that the Justice Department is now allowing politically appointed and motivated U.S. attorneys who seek to please the president by weaponizing the department against his perceived political enemies and are pursuing that goal aggressively and, more often than not, without regard for the facts, law or precedent, the former Public Integrity Section employee said. Everyone should be scared of what that will mean for the country moving forward never-ending cycles of revenge via grand jury investigation and possible indictment, the person said. Apu Gomes/Getty; Talia Menendez/Tiktok Talia Menendez leaving the Van Nuys West Courthouse on April 17, 2025 and Erik Menendez with daughter Talia Menendez. NEED TO KNOW Talia Menendez is the biological daughter of Erik Menendez's wife, Tammi Menendez She has called Erik her "earth dad" and has had a close relationship with him since she was a toddler Talia has advocated for Erik and condemned the parole board for denying his release in August 2025 Erik Menendez has been a father figure from behind bars since the '90s. He shares a stepdaughter named Talia Menendez with his wife, Tammi Menendez. Despite Erik being imprisoned the whole time Talia has known him, the two have had a close relationship since she was a young child. When Tammi and Erik married in 1999, Talia was just a baby. Tammi was previously married to a man named Chuck Saccoman, and they had daughter Talia together, she explained to PEOPLE in 2005. Saccoman died when Talia was 9 months old, and Erik later became her primary father figure. Tammi previously explained that although Erik isn't Talia's biological father, she calls him her "earth dad." Erik and Tammi met after she started sending him letters while he was serving time in prison for murdering his parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, in August 1989 in their Beverly Hills, Calif., mansion. He committed the murders alongside his brother, Lyle Menendez, who is also behind bars. Over the years, Talia has advocated on behalf of her stepfather and supported his release. After both Erik and Lyle were denied parole on Aug. 22, Talia wrote that she was "extremely saddened" by the decision and claimed that it was a "complete setup from the inside. You can all judge me for being angry, she wrote on her Instagram Stories. Im standing on 10 toes for our family ... We will not stop until they are free. Our fight is not over. Here's everything to know about Erik Menendez's daughter, Talia Menendez. Shes Tammi Menendez's daughter Talia Menendez/Tiktok Erik Menendez with His Wife Tammi Menendez and their Daughter Talia Menendez. Tammi began writing to Erik in 1993 when she was watching with the rest of the world as he and Lyle were tried for the first time for the murder of their parents. She initially began writing to him while she was still married to Saccoman, and he gave her his approval. "I could see the pain in his eyes," she told PEOPLE in 2005 of Erik. "I felt so sorry for him. I told him [Saccoman] that I was going to write to Erik. He said to go ahead. I really didn't know if Erik would write back." In the midst of writing to Erik and being married to Saccoman, Tammi reportedly discovered that Saccoman was allegedly sexually abusing her older teenage daughter. Saccoman later turned himself in to the police and died by suicide just two days later. At the time of her biological dad's death, Talia was 9 months old. "I reached out to Erik," Tammi told PEOPLE. "He comforted me; our letters started taking on a more serious tone." Tammi visited Erik and met him in person for the first time in 1997 at Folsom State Prison in California. The two began a romantic relationship, and she later moved with Talia to Sacramento, Calif., to be closer to Erik. In 1999, the couple married in a small room at Folsom State Prison. "Erik had a long list of vows he wanted to say," she recalled to PEOPLE. "Everybody had tears in their eyes, and you could forget where you were for the moment ... I was surprised we were allowed to kiss right after the ceremony, so we got three kisses that day. Our wedding cake was a Twinkie. We improvised. It was a wonderful ceremony until I had to leave. That was a very lonely night." After Erik was transferred to Pleasant Valley State Prison in Fresno County, Calif., in 2005, Tammi and Talia drove 150 miles every weekend to visit Erik. At the time, Tammi reflected on Talia and Erik's close bond and said that she worried about how people would react to her relationship. "Every single time a parent would say to me, 'No, my daughter can't stay over at your house,' I would wonder if the underlying reason was Erik," Tammi explained to PEOPLE. "There is always that question in my mind." Talia spent holidays with Erik in prison Talia Menendez/Tiktok Erik Menendez and His Daughter Talia Menendez. Since Talia and Tammi moved to be closer to Erik and frequently visited him in prison, they also spent many holidays with him behind bars. In May 2021, Talia reflected on one Christmas they spent together at Folsom State Prison by posting a photo of herself, Tammi and Erik smiling in front of a Christmas tree. "Ive been getting more support than hate and I wish I could just post every polaroid I have of us but here is an unreleased picture of us at Christmas time ! This was back at Folsom State Prison, the first prison my dad was at," she captioned the photo. "I love this picture so much and it stays on the dash on my car ." Talia spent much of her childhood visiting her stepfather. She posted a photo of her holding Erik's hand in a visiting room and wrote about her "thoughts as a little girl visiting Erik" in an October 2020 Instagram post. "I loved it and thought it was just normal. I thought that, that is where my dad lived.. in a big gray concrete mansion filled with body guards and his other friends," she captioned the photo. "Being a little girl, I didnt know exactly everything but my mom really tried her best to always be honest with me. From a very young age, I knew my dad had done something bad that kept him from coming home with us." Talia called visiting her dad "some of my favorite childhood memories" and shared that he used to help her with her homework, play board games with her and compete with other inmates and their kids in games. She frequently advocates for her dad Talia Menendez/Tiktok Talia Menendez in a TikTok in May 2025. After living most of her life out of the spotlight, Talia started an Instagram account, with the username @seterikmenendezfree, to speak about her dad and her uncle, Lyle, and advocate for them. "I made this account to not only shed light on what an amazing human my dad is .. but to also answer the hundreds of questions people ask me anytime my dad is brought up," she wrote in her first post in September 2020. "This is also the first time I will be putting myself out there as his daughter to anyone other than my friends and family." Talia further explained that she wanted to tell people about the "amazing human" Erik is and the "trauma he was put through and the corruption of our system." "My mom has devoted her whole life to try and get them released, but, unfortunately.. some times you need people to stand up with you for what is wrong.. in order for your voice to be heard. Please be respectful, thank you," she concluded her first post. In June 2025, Talia celebrated Erik for graduating summa cum laude with a bachelor's degree from the University of California, Irvine. "Words cant describe how proud I am of him," she wrote under a photo of her dad in a cap and gown. "Watching him go after his goals with focus and dedication, no matter the timing or obstacles, has been one of the most inspiring things in my life. This isnt just a diploma, its proof that its never too late to chase your dreams." Talia said she was extremely saddened when Erik and Lyle were denied parole Talia Menendez/Tiktok Talia Menendez is seen on May 9, 2025 outside the Menendez Brothers resentencing hearing at Van Nuys Courthouse in Los Angeles, California. After a judge resentenced Erik and Lyle from life in prison without the possibility of parole to 50 years to life in May 2025, the brothers were immediately eligible for parole. Talia later expressed her gratitude for the possibility that her dad and uncle could be released. "Thank you everyone for your countless prayers and support, we truly wouldnt be here without you all. PAROLE BOARD HERE WE COME!" she captioned a post on May 14, 2025. Erik virtually appeared in front of a parole board on Aug. 21, but was denied release. The following day, Lyle also appeared virtually for his own hearing and was also denied parole. Talia later shared on her Instagram Stories that she was "extremely saddened" by the decision. You can all judge me for being angry, she wrote. Im standing on 10 toes for our family ... We will not stop until they are free. Our fight is not over. In a follow-up post on her Instagram Stories, Talia explained that people can have different views of this being a win or not. She added that she has "been let down time and time again and that this had been the highest her hopes had been for Erik and Lyle to be released especially since they were getting older and older. Things start to change. This is deeper than surface level. Enough is enough, Talia concluded, while adding a tornado emoji. Read the original article on People Former Bain & Company consultant Daphne Tay is betting that professionals will pay for a faster way to translate documents without losing their formatting. Bluente An ex-Bain consultant raised $1.5 million for her AI startup that translates and reformats documents. Daphne Tay said she spent "countless hours" at Bain reformatting translated documents. Her startup Bluente was approached by Informed Ventures because they understood the problem, said Tay. A former Bain & Company consultant raised $1.5 million for her AI startup that solves one of the headaches she faced every day. The Singapore startup, Bluente, is betting that professionals will pay for a faster way to translate documents without losing their formatting. The tool works across documents from contracts to slide decks, offering translations in over 120 languages while keeping every table, chart, image, and layout intact. Founder Daphne Tay said she came up with the idea after spending "countless hours" at Bain reformatting translated documents for international projects. "I was doing exactly what our clients do now copying and pasting text from translation tools, fixing formatting, and losing hours that should have been spent on actual consulting work," she said. Tay launched Bluente in 2021. The company's first product was a business-focused language-learning app a Duolingo for legal and financial terms. When that didn't work out, she pivoted to document translation, Tay told Business Insider. Bluente raised $1.5 million in a seed-plus round led by Menlo Park-based Informed Ventures. No other investors participated, and Tay declined to share the company's valuation. Unlike most founders who pitch dozens of VCs, Bluente's process was short. Informed Ventures approached the company directly. "They actually faced the same problem themselves," Tay said, adding that the firm's partners had worked as bankers handling multilingual transactions. Tay told Business Insider the fresh funding will go toward go-to-market expansion in the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, and the US, as well as new hires to expand the company's six-person team. The company plans to hire salespeople first, followed by product and engineering roles. Part of the funding will go toward pushing past translation, with plans to develop advanced document processing infrastructure, Tay said. The company said in a press release on Thursday that it has more than 70 enterprise customers, including law firms, financial institutions, government agencies, and Fortune 500 companies. Bluente's biggest rival is DeepL, a German translation startup valued at $1 billion, Tay said, adding that Bluente differentiates itself by focusing more on the document processing layer. With Microsoft research flagging translators as among the professions most likely to be disrupted by AI, Bluente is positioning itself as infrastructure for global document workflows, not just another translation app, Tay said. Check out the pitch deck Bluente used to secure the fresh funding. Bluente Bluente Bluente Bluente Bluente Bluente Bluente Bluente Bluente Bluente Bluente Bluente Bluente Bluente Bluente Read the original article on Business Insider social media A US Air Force F-35 pilot spent 50 minutes on an airborne conference call with Lockheed Martin engineers trying to solve a problem with his fighter jet before he ejected and the plane plunged to the ground in Alaska earlier this year, an accident report released this week says. The January 28 crash at Eielson Air Force Base in Fairbanks was recorded in a video that showed the aircraft dropping straight down and exploding in a fireball. The pilot ejected safely, suffering only minor injuries, but the $200 million fighter jet was destroyed. An Air Force investigation blamed the crash on ice in the hydraulic lines in the nose and main landing gears of the F-35, which prevented them from deploying properly. According to the report, after takeoff the pilot tried to retract the landing gear, but it would not do so completely. When lowering it again, it would not center, locking on an angle to the left. Attempts to fix the landing gear caused the fighter jet to think it was on the ground, ultimately leading to the crash. After going through system checklists in an attempt to remedy the problem, the pilot got on a conference call with engineers from the planes manufacturer, Lockheed Martin, as the plane flew near the air base. Five engineers participated in the call, including a senior software engineer, a flight safety engineer and three specialists in landing gear systems, the report said. The pilot then tried two touch and go landings, where the plane briefly lands, to try to straighten out the jammed nose gear, the report said. US Air Force F-35A Lightning II fighter jets are seen at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, in 2021. - Colleen Coulthard/U.S. Air Force But those attempts failed to recenter the nose wheel and resulted in both the left and right main landing gears freezing up and not being able to extend fully to attempt an actual landing. At that point, the F-35s sensors indicated it was on the ground and the jets computer systems transitioned to automated ground-operation mode, the report said. This caused the fighter jet to become uncontrollable because it was operat(ing) as though it was on the ground when flying, forcing the pilot to eject. An inspection of the aircrafts wreckage found that about one-third of the fluid in the hydraulic systems in both the nose and right main landing gears was water, when there should have been none. The investigation found a similar hydraulic icing problem in another F-35 at the same base during a flight nine days after the crash, but that aircraft was able to land without incident. The report notes Lockheed Martin had issued guidance on the problem the F-35s sensors had in extreme cold weather in a maintenance newsletter in April 2024, about nine months before the crash. The problem could make it difficult for the pilot to maintain control of the aircraft, the guidance said. The temperature at the time of the crash was -1 degree Fahrenheit, the report said. It said if the conference call participants had referenced the 2024 maintenance newsletter, they likely would have advised a planned full stop landing or a controlled ejection instead of a second touch-and-go that eventually led to the conditions that caused the crash, the report said. Lockheed Martin referred questions about the findings to the Air Force. The Air Forces Accident Investigation Board concluded that crew decision-making including those on the in-flight conference call, lack of oversight for the hazardous material program, which oversees storage and distribution of the hydraulic fluid, and not properly following aircraft hydraulics servicing procedures, all contributed to the crash. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Stephen Cox, nominated by Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy to serve as the states next attorney general, is shown. Cox previously served in the Trump Administration as a senior Department of Justice official. Photo courtesy of Briana Binder/Marmot Creative. Used with permission (The Center Square) Alaskas new attorney general has committed to upholding the law and protecting the rights of Alaskans, this following a lengthy background of public service that includes a role as a U.S. attorney and a time as a senior official in the Department of Justice, the latter responsibility taking place during President Donald Trumps first term. Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy said Thursday in a statement of his appointment of Stephen J. Cox to the states position of attorney general: Stephen Cox brings a wealth of experience to the Attorney Generals office, and I am confident in his ability to serve Alaskans well. From his service in the U.S. Department of Justice to his leadership on complex work here in Alaska, Stephen has demonstrated a wide breadth of experience and steadfast dedication to the rule of law, Dunleavy said. Cox said in the release that he is honored the governor invited him to be a part of the Alaska story and is grateful to both Dunleavy and the Alaskan people for the "opportunity to serve. The duties are broad, but the role of the Attorney General begins and ends in Alaska and with its people, Cox said. It is a privilege to step into this role, and I am committed to serving with fairness and justice. Since 2011, I have been privileged to work on Alaskas development, and my family and I were blessed with the opportunity to move to Anchorage and make Alaska our home, Cox said. I commit to work tirelessly to uphold the rule of law, protect the rights of all Alaskans, and ensure that our states laws are enforced with integrity, Cox said. In addition to serving as deputy associate attorney general and chief of staff at the Department of Justice, Cox has served as a United States attorney and a lawyer in the private sector, according to the news release. While serving as U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Texas, Cox launched initiatives addressing violent crime, child exploitation, and drug trafficking, and strengthened efforts to combat money laundering and public corruption, the release said. Cox also worked as a principal attorney earlier on in his career for Apache Corporations Alaska operations, where he focused on new oil-and-gas ventures and coordinating regulatory efforts in the Cook Inlet region. Most recently, Cox served as senior vice president, chief Legal and Strategy officer at investment platform Bristol Bay Industrial (BBI), where he led the companys legal and strategic initiatives on major utility, energy, and resource projects that benefited [Bristol Bay Native Corporations] Alaska Native shareholders. Cox was a part of the William H. Webster Commission on the FBIs counterterrorism and intelligence operations in the wake of the 2009 Fort Hood attack, and he served as a senior advisor to the Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for a portion of the Bush administration. Cox resides in Anchorage with his wife and three children. Coxs involvement in the Anchorage community includes attending Holy Family Old Cathedral, supporting the Dominican friars of the Western Province through their Mission Alaska outreach ministry, as well as serving as a member of the founding board of a new classical school in South Anchorage, the release said. Dunleavy said in the release that Cox brings a proven record of service and commitment to Alaska. I am pleased that he has agreed to continue his public service as Alaskas Attorney General, and I look forward to working with him to uphold justice and ensure freedom and opportunity for all Alaskans, Dunleavy said. NEED TO KNOW George Clooney bowed out of several appearances at the Venice Film Festival on Wednesday, Aug. 27, amid an illness A representative of Clooney confirmed that the star was diagnosed with a sinus infection The actor arrived at the festival to promote his film Jay Kelly George Clooney did not appear at several Venice Film Festival events on Wednesday, Aug. 27 amid an illness, a representative for the star confirms. Clooney, 64, wasn't present for a press junket promoting Jay Kelly, his new film directed by Noah Baumbach, and skipped a dinner with cast mates, including Adam Sandler and Laura Dern. The Hollywood Reporter was first to report the news. The actor was allegedly seen boarding a boat to leave the Hotel Excelsior at approximately 4 p.m. local time on his way home to rest for the day. "Unfortunately, George has a sinus infection and, under doctors orders, he has had to scale back his activities today," a Clooney rep told PEOPLE. Victor Boyko/Getty George Clooney is seen at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival on August 27, 2025 Clooney also missed the official press conference for the Netflix film on Thursday, Aug. 28. As you may know, George Clooney is not going to be here because he has a bad sinus infection," the press conference's moderator said. "We really hope, and I think he should be on the red carpet tonight. But he is very sorry he cannot be with us. Director Noah Baumbach jokingly chimed in, adding, Even movie stars get sick. Clooney arrived in Venice opposite wife Amal Clooney on Tuesday, Aug. 26. The two commuted into the heart of the city by boat, which inspired their Italian Riviera-esque summer looks. Gisela Schober/Getty George Clooney is seen at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival on August 27, 2025 The Oscar winner wore sunglasses, a black polo short-sleeve top and beige slim-fit pants accessorized with a brown belt that coordinated with his suede loafers. He also continued to wear his signature salt-and-pepper hair, which he took a quick hiatus from after he dyed his locks brunet for his Broadway run in Good Night, and Good Luck. Clooney appeared at Venice Film Festival in 2024 for the premiere of Jon Watts Wolfs, in which he starred opposite Brad Pitt. Jay Kelly is about a man looking back at his life and reflecting on the choices, the sacrifices, the successes, the mistakes hes made," Baumbach said in his director's statement on his film. "When is it too late to change the course of our lives?" 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. The statement continued, "Jay Kelly is an actor and as such the movie is about identity. How we perform ourselves. Who are we as parents, children, friends, professionals? Are we good? Are we bad? What is the gap between who weve decided we are and who we might actually be? What makes a life? Jay Kelly is about what it means to be yourself. Jay Kelly will have a theatrical run in the U.S. starting on Nov. 14 before hitting Netflix on Dec. 5. Read the original article on People A North Carolina county official was arrested after being accused of putting drugs in his two granddaughters' Dairy Queen ice cream. James Yokeley Jr., 66, was charged with felony child abuse, possession of a Schedule I narcotic and contaminating food or drink with a controlled substance in connection with the Aug. 8 incident, according to a news release from the Wilmington Police Department. Police say Yokeley waved down an officer at a local gas station, telling them that his granddaughters discovered "two hard objects in the ice cream" they bought from a local Dairy Queen. The children were evaluated, and it was determined that they did not ingest the objects, described by police as "pills". An ice cream cone covered in sprinkles at Dairy Queen in Morton, Illinois. Crime: Pregnant teen shot in the head during road rage incident has died, police say Pills were illegal narcotics, police say According to Wilmington police, a field test concluded that the pills were illegal narcotics, which were then collected and sent to a lab for further investigation. The drugs were positive for cocaine and MDMA, according to an arrest warrant obtained by USA TODAY. Video footage obtained by the department showed that Yokeley placed the substances in their treats, the news release states. He was taken to New Hanover County Detention Center and posted a $100,000 secured bond, police said. USA TODAY contacted the firm that Yokeley's attorney works for on Thursday, Aug. 28. The attorney has not yet responded to a request for comment. Yokeley was a local official Yokeley, a Republican, served as chairman of the Surry County Board of Elections. The board released a statement on its Facebook page. "The State Board of Elections and Surry County Board of Elections are aware of the charges against Mr. Yokeley, the chair of the Surry County Board of Elections," the post reads. "We will continue to collect information about the situation and will provide support to the Surry County board, as needed, to ensure it is able to continue serving the countys voters." State Auditor Dave Boliek, who selected Yokeley for the position in June, announced Yokeley's resignation on the morning of Thursday, Aug. 28. It comes after Boliek called for him to step down. With his resignation, the Surry County Board and State Board can now, without distraction, move forward with the process of appointing a replacement," Boliek said in a news release. Surry County is in the Blue Ridge foothills of northwestern North Carolina, about 40 miles from Winston-Salem. Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at tardrey@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Grandfather accused of putting drugs into grandkids' Dairy Queen Tara Bernstein/Instagram Hunter Fieri and Tara Bernstein NEED TO KNOW Hunter Fieri and Tara Bernstein are getting married at Guy Fieri's Northern California ranch this weekend Bernstein shared two photos from the couples pre-wedding week on Wednesday, Aug. 27 Earlier this month, Bernstein celebrated Hunters 29th birthday with a heartfelt tribute on Instagram Hunter Fieri and Tara Bernstein are just days away from tying the knot. Bernstein shared two snapshots from the couples pre-wedding week on Wednesday, Aug. 27, writing on Instagram, Calm heart, country roads. In the first photo, the pickleball pro poses next to a horse outside of a barn in a flowy white skirt and cowboy boots. In the second, she and Hunter, the son of Food Network star Guy Fieri, embrace while standing by a fence in a hay field. The pair, who got engaged on Thanksgiving 2023, are set to wed at Guys Northern California ranch this weekend. Tara Bernstein/Instagram Tara Bernstein Bernstein also posted an image of a sign for the Napa Valley Reserve, a local members-only winery, to her Instagram Stories, along with a couple shots of her enjoying some wedding-walkup festivities in a strapless white dress. Earlier this month, Bernstein celebrated Hunters 29th birthday with a heartfelt tribute on Instagram, set to the Killers Mr. Brightside. Happy birthday to my rock @hunterfieri cant believe this is the last birthday Ill celebrate with you as fiances, she captioned clips from shoot, in which she wears a cowboy hat that says Bride. Tara Bernstein/Instagram Hunter Fieri and Tara Bernstein From the moment we met, youve been my safe place, my biggest cheerleader, and my favorite adventure!! Bernstein added. You are an incredible human and life with you is filled with laughter, love, and the kind of moments I wish I could bottle up forever cheers to you babe!!!! 29!!!! Guy, 57, shared his own birthday post for his son. From this little kid to an amazing man Its been a privledge and honor to watch you grow and become the man you are. Happy birthday to my son, my friend, my cohost and my partner in crime lol, the Tournament of Champions host wrote. Tara Bernstein/Instagram The bride and groom have shared numerous updates on wedding planning over the past several months. In June, they posted a video in which they surprised Guys mother, Penelope Ferry, by asking her to be their flower girl. Tara Bernstein/Instagram Tara Bernstein And in July, Tara took followers inside her pickleball-themed bridal shower. The pair also hosted a gathering of their friends to prepare their ranch-themed wedding invitations. Earlier this year, Hunter and Tara shared a joint Instagram post in which they noted that their nuptials were just months away. "Jumping into forever with my favorite person ,," they wrote over a video of Bernstein leaping into Hunters arms on a beach. Read the original article on People The flags circling the Washington Monument fly at half-staff in Washington, Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025, following the shooting at a Catholic church in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) MINNEAPOLIS (AP) The shooter who killed two Catholic school students and wounded more than a dozen youngsters sitting in the pews of a Minneapolis church once attended the same school and was obsessed with the idea of killing children, authorities said Thursday. The shooter, identified as 23-year-old Robin Westman, fired 116 rifle rounds through stained-glass windows while the children celebrated Mass during the first week of classes at the Annunciation Catholic School, said Minneapolis police Chief Brian OHara. It is very clear that this shooter had the intention to terrorize those innocent children, OHara said. Acting U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson said videos and writings the shooter left behind show that the shooter "expressed hate towards almost every group imaginable. The only group Westman did not hate was mass murderers, Thompson said. In short, the shooter appeared to hate all of us. Investigators recovered hundreds of pieces of evidence from the church and three residences, the police chief said. They found more writings from the suspect, but no additional firearms or a clear motive for the attack on the church the shooter once attended. Westman had a deranged fascination with mass killings, O'Hara said. No evidence will ever be able to make sense of such an unthinkable tragedy, he said. Surveillance video captured the attack and showed the shooter never entered the church and could not see the children while firing through windows lined up with the pews, the police chief said. Grieving families speak of painful loss Family members described one of the victims, 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel, as a boy who loved his family, fishing, cooking, and any sport he was allowed to play. We will never be allowed to hold him, talk to him, play with him and watch him grow into the wonderful young man he was on the path to becoming, his father, Jesse, said while tearfully reading a statement outside the church on Thursday. The parents of the other victim, 10-year-old Harper Moyski, said in a statement that she was a bright and joyful child. Our hearts are broken not only as parents, but also for Harpers sister, who adored her big sister and is grieving an unimaginable loss," said Michael Moyski and Jackie Flavin. As a family, we are shattered, and words cannot capture the depth of our pain. They said they hope her memory helps drive leaders to take meaningful steps to address gun violence and the mental health crisis in this country. The Hennepin County Medical Examiners office said they both died of gunshot wounds. City officials on Thursday increased to 15 the number of injured children, who are ages 6 to 15. Three parishioners in their 80s also were injured. Only one person a child was in critical condition. Westman, whose mother worked for the parish before retiring in 2021, left behind several videos and page upon page of writings describing a litany of grievances. One read: I know this is wrong, but I cant seem to stop myself. O'Hara said Westman was armed with a rifle, shotgun and pistol, and died by suicide. On a YouTube channel, videos that police say may have been posted by the shooter show weapons and ammunition, and list the names of mass shooters. What appears to be a suicide note to family contains a confession of long-held plans to carry out a shooting and talk of being deeply depressed. Student shielded by a friend who was shot Rev. Dennis Zehren, who was inside the church with the nearly 200 children, said the responsorial psalm which spoke of light in the darkness had almost ended when he heard someone yell, Down down, everybody down, and gunshots rang out. Fifth-grader Weston Halsne said he ducked for the pews, covering his head, shielded by a friend who was on top of him. His friend was hit, he said. I was super scared for him, but I think now hes OK, the 10-year-old said. Authorities try to determine a motive FBI Director Kash Patel said on X that the attack was an act of domestic terrorism motivated by hate-filled ideology, citing the shooters statements against multiple religions and calls for violence against President Donald Trump. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Thursday sent state law enforcement officers to schools and churches in Minneapolis, saying no child should go to school worried about losing a classmate or gunshots erupting during prayer. On a YouTube channel titled Robin W, the person filming the video points to two windows in what appears to be a drawing of the church, then stabs it with a long knife. The now-deleted videos also show weapons and ammunition, scrawled with kill Donald Trump and Where is your God? along with the names of past mass shooters. There also were hundreds of pages written in Cyrillic, a centuries-old script still used in Slavic countries. In one, Westman wrote, When will it end? Lily Kletter, who graduated from Annunciation, recalled that Westman joined her class at some point in middle school and once hid in the bathroom to avoid going to Mass. I remember they had a crazy distaste for school, especially Annunciation, which I always thought was pretty interesting because their mom was on the parish board, she said. Federal officials referred to Westman as transgender, and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey decried hatred being directed at our transgender community. Westmans gender identity wasnt clear. In 2020, a judge approved a petition, signed by Westmans mother, asking for a name change from Robert to Robin, saying the petitioner identifies as a female and wants her name to reflect that identification. No criminal record There were no past arrests or anything in the shooter's background that would have prevented Westman from being able to legally purchase a firearm, investigators said Thursday. In response to a request for any records of police contact with the shooter in the last decade, the Eagan Police Department sent two documents, both heavily redacted. The first from 2018 is listed as a mental health call and welfare check for a child with parents Mary Grace Westman and James Westman. The case was listed as closed and the narrative was redacted after the officer wrote she responded to the woman's address. A second report from 2016 involving a criminal complaint was entirely redacted. Police chief says officers rescued children who hid The police chief said the first officer ran into the church four minutes after the initial 911 call and that more officers rendered first aid and rescued some of the children. Annunciation's principal Matt DeBoer said teachers and children alike responded heroically. Children were ducked down. Adults were protecting children. Older children were protecting younger children, he said. Vincent Francoual said his 11-year-old daughter, Chloe, survived by running downstairs and hiding in a room with a table pushed against the door. He said she is struggling to communicate clearly about the traumatizing scene and that she thought she was going to die. Tess Rada said her 8-year-old daughter also hasnt said much about the shooting so she too doesnt know exactly what she saw. Loud noises and sirens have bothered her since the attack, Rada said. One of the children killed was her daughter's friend. Its kind of impossible, Rada said to wrap your head around how to tell an 8-year-old that her friend has been killed. ___ This story has been corrected to reflect that the police departments name is spelled Eagan, not Eagen. ___ Lauer reported from Philadelphia. Associated Press writers Sarah Raza in Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Giovanna DellOrto in Minneapolis; Hannah Fingerhut in Des Moines, Iowa; Jack Dura in Bismarck, North Dakota; Sarah Brumfield in Cockeysville, Maryland; Hallie Golden in Seattle and Alanna Durkin Richer in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report. ICE Detains Undocumented Immigrants In Chicago Scott Olson/Getty Images The Trump administration has requested a military base near Chicago for assistance on upcoming federal immigration operations. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) asked Naval Station Great Lakes, a military installation roughly 35 miles north of Chicago, for limited logistical and infrastructure support to aid Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations, according to multiple media reports. The request follows a widespread federal immigration crackdown in Washington, D.C., and pledges by the Trump administration to expand to other cities. (RELATED: Obama Judge Denies Trump Admin Request To Stop Alligator Alcatraz From Winding Down) President Trump has been clear: we are going to make our streets and cities safe again, a senior DHS official stated to the Daily Caller News Foundation when asked for confirmation on the request. Across the country, DHS law enforcement are arresting and removing the worst of worst including gang members, murderers, pedophiles, and rapists that have terrorized American communities. Under Secretary Noem, ICE and CBP [Customs and Border Protection] are working overtime to deliver on the American peoples mandate to arrest and deport criminal illegal aliens and make America safe again, the senior official continued. CHICAGO, ILLINOIS AUGUST 25: Flanked by Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (L) and other Illinois politicians and community leaders, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson speaks at a news conference to address President Donald Trumps plan to send National Guard troops into the city on August 25, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images) Specifically, DHS has requested Naval Station Great Lakes for limited support in the form of facilities, infrastructure, and other logistical needs to support DHS operations, base spokesperson Matt Mogle stated, according to the Associated Press. Despite these prior public statements, Mogle referred the DCNF to DHS when asked on Thursday about the request. ICE and other federal immigration agents would be housed at the Naval Station Great Lakes from Sept. 2-30, according to a Monday email from Navy Captain Stephen Yargosz to his leadership team, which was first obtained by the Chicago-Sun Times. These operations are similar to what occurred in Los Angeles earlier this summer. Same DHS team, Yargosz, the commanding officer of the Illinois base, said in the email. This morning I received a call that there is the potential to also support National Guard units. Not many details on this right now. Mainly a lot of concerns and questions. Preparations for a heightened crackdown on Chicago come as the Trump administration, which has long prioritized immigration enforcement, has recently honed in on Washington, D.C., with much success. President Donald Trumps crackdown on the nations capital has led to significant improvement in public safety, per a Daily Caller review of Metropolitan Police Department data. When comparing crime statistics from a two-week period over the presidents federal law enforcement takeover to the same time periods in 2024 and 2023, there is a sharp drop in crime a 21% drop in 2024 and 33% drop in 2023. On the other side of the country, DHS celebrated Tuesday the arrest of its 5,000th illegal migrant in Los Angeles since heightened operations began in June. Despite the precipitous drop in crime in Washington, D.C., and major busts taking place in Los Angeles, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, a Democrat, has vehemently pushed back on the idea of federal law enforcement descending upon the Windy City. Our nation has already tried over-policing and incarcerating our way to safety, and that is how we ended up with the largest prison population in the world without solving our challenges with crime and violence, Johnson said in a Wednesday press release. I urge our federal government to listen to the advocates, experts, and Chicagoans who are calling for resources that stop the endless flow of guns in our city as well as transformational investments in housing, education, mental health, and community safety. A spokesperson for the mayor did not respond to a request for comment from the DCNF about the possible cooperation between DHS and Naval Station Great Lakes. All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporters byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org. A federal judge in New York denied a motion by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to dismiss a lawsuit brought by families of 9/11 victims who are seeking to hold the Middle Eastern country responsible for potentially providing support to the hijackers, allowing the suit to proceed. The ruling is the latest in a long-running lawsuit seeking to hold the Saudi government liable for al Qaeda's attacks, a case that has been described by lawyers for the plaintiffs as a "labyrinth." Saudi Arabia had the suit temporarily dismissed in 2015, before the dismissal was overturned by a federal appeals court. While the appeal was pending in 2016, Congress enacted a law known as the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, which allowed victims of terror attacks to sue foreign governments and individuals if they provided material support to the attackers. It also gave U.S. courts jurisdiction over potential lawsuits filed over injuries and deaths in attacks on U.S. soil. Allegations that members of the Saudi government had links to some of the Sept. 11 hijackers have circulated for years. The claims have drawn vehement denials from Saudi Arabia, a key U.S. ally in the Middle East. Most theories have centered on two of the 19 hijackers: Khalid al-Mihdhar and Nawaf al-Hazmi, who were on the plane that crashed into the Pentagon. More than a year before the hijackings, al-Midhar and al-Hazmi settled in Los Angeles, where a Saudi man named Omar al-Bayoumi helped them find an apartment. A 2004 report by the 9/11 Commission said that Bayoumi met the two hijackers by chance at a restaurant. But the families of some victims and their attorneys have alleged that Bayoumi had deeper connections to Saudi Arabia, citing federal reports declassified in recent years that allege he had "extensive ties" with the Gulf monarchy's government and was accused of serving as a Saudi intelligence officer. The FBI has also investigated whether the two hijackers got assistance from Fahad al-Thumairy, an accredited Saudi diplomat and imam at a Los Angeles mosque. The 9/11 Commission found no evidence that Thumairy helped the hijackers. Last year, a "60 Minutes" report revealed new evidence about Bayoumi, including a video of him filming the entrances of the U.S. Capitol and pointing out its location relative to the Washington Monument, at some points referencing a "plan." Investigators have long believed the Capitol may have been the intended target of Flight 93, which crashed into a field in Pennsylvania after passengers overtook the hijackers. Decades ago, investigators also found a notebook in Bayoumi's home that seemed to show a drawing of a plane and a mathematical equation that could be used to calculate the rate of descent to a target. Many of those allegations were raised by attorneys for the victims of the Sept. 11 attacks. Lawyers for the Saudi government have repeatedly pushed for all claims against the country to be dismissed, arguing the court lacks jurisdiction, including in October 2023. A Manhattan judge rejected that request Thursday. "Plaintiffs have managed to provide this Court with reasonable evidence as to the roles played by Bayoumi, Thumairy, and KSA, in assisting the hijackers. KSA did not proffer sufficient evidence to the contrary," U.S. District Judge in the Southern District of New York George Daniels wrote in an order Thursday. "Although KSA attempts to offer seemingly innocent explanations or context, they are either self-contradictory or not strong enough to overcome the inference that KSA had employed Bayoumi and Thumairy to assist the hijackers." Daniels wrote that while the families and attorneys representing Saudi Arabia disagree on Bayoumi's motive, it is "undisputed" that Bayoumi assisted in finding the hijackers' apartments, and signed a lease with them as a guarantor. Daniels said it is also "undisputed" that a notepad page "with an airplane drawing, notes, and numbers" was found in Bayoumi's home. Attorneys representing Saudi Arabia, Daniels wrote, argued that "Bayoumi's encounters with the hijackers were coincidences," and he was "simply being good-natured" when he provided assistance to the hijackers. The lawyers, Daniels said, claimed the airplane drawing "was unrelated to the 9/11 Attacks" and "likely related to Bayoumi's son's high school [assignments]." "These are all either conclusory attorney speculations not grounded in facts, or self-serving denials or excuses from Bayoumi himself that do not withstand scrutiny," Daniels wrote. The Saudi embassy in Washington, D.C., said the country "respectfully disagrees with the decision, believes it has solid grounds for appeal, and intends to pursue such an appeal." It also noted that Saudi Arabia "categorically denies" the plaintiffs' allegations about the country, and Thursday's ruling focuses on the issue of jurisdiction, not the merits of the case. "We welcome the court's thorough and well-reasoned decision and look forward to moving the case forward to trial," Sean P. Carter, an attorney representing the families, said in a statement. Kreindler & Kreindler LLP, another law firm representing Sept. 11 victims' families, said the ruling "ensures that the plaintiffs may continue their long pursuit of truth and justice," and "paves the way for these critical issues to be fully examined at trial." The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Everything we know about the Minneapolis Catholic school shooting so far Could Sen. Joni Ernst's expected retirement help Democrats? Trump's attempted firing of Fed Gov. Lisa Cook unresolved after initial court hearing Gov. Brian Kemp and other state officials are on an economic development trip to South America. Gov. Brian Kemp's office (The Center Square) Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp is in South America on what he calls an "international mission this week to promote economic development opportunities." The trip includes Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper, First Lady Marty Kemp and members of the Georgia Department of Economic Development team, according to the governor's office. They will visit Argentina and Brazil. Economic development trips are included in the state's budget, Jessica Atwell, communications manager for the Georgia Department of Economic Development, told The Center Square in an email. Open Georgia shows that in fiscal year 2024, Economic Development Commissioner Pat Wilson was reimbursed $116,811.93 in travel expenses. Kemp received $29,884.69 through the Economic Development Department. Harper received $14,093.64 in travel expenses billed to his department, according to records. "These missions facilitate Georgias international connections that support thousands of jobs for Georgians through trade and investment," Atwell said. "Economic development missions include a mix of meetings with companies already invested in or interested in investing in Georgia as well as relationship-building opportunities that support connectivity between Georgia and key markets for exports. Additionally, hearing directly from global companies allows Georgia to be responsive to industry trends and needs, putting us top of mind as a partner as businesses consider expansion opportunities whether they are already established in the state or new to the state." The delegation will meet with Brazilian company JBS, whose subsidiary, Pilgrim's, announced a $400 million facility in LaFayette that will employ 630 people. "Since I took office, businesses that operate in Brazil have created over a thousand jobs for Georgians, with many investments strengthening established sectors like our No. 1 industry of agriculture," Kemp said. Georgia exported $748 million of products to Brazil in 2024, according to the governor's office. "The success of Georgias No. 1 industry depends on our farmers' ability to get their goods to market, and leveraging Georgias port system and reducing trade barriers with countries around the globe are vital components of ensuring the continued success of Georgia agriculture and our state as a whole," Arnold said. The state's partnership with Brazil began in 1995, according to the governor's office. The team will meet with General Richard "Dwayne" Wilson of the Georgia National Guard and their Argentinian counterparts as part of the Department of Defense State Partnership Program. "We look forward to thanking the brave men and women of the Georgia Guard and their partners in Argentina who are supporting our shared security goals," Kemp said. Kilmar Abrego Garcia, whose wrongful deportation made him the face of the Trump administrations immigration agenda, wants to seek asylum in the U.S., his lawyer said Wednesday. Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg said during a hearing that Abrego Garcia has filed a motion to reopen his immigration proceedings and seek asylum in the country. Its a separate case from his bid to stave off deportation to Uganda, to which the government has said it plans to remove him. As the parallel proceedings progress, Abrego Garcia will remain in the U.S. and in custody. U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis, who oversees the deportation case, set an evidentiary hearing for Oct. 6 regarding the attempted third-country removal and vowed to rule within 30 days. Until then, she ordered the government not to deport him or detain him farther than 200 miles from the federal courthouse in Greenbelt, Md. Abrego Garcia was detained Monday morning in Baltimore by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, just days after he was freed from custody in a criminal case filed against him in federal court in Tennessee. His lawyers argue he cant be sent to Uganda until his fear of persecution and torture there is considered. He has signed documents notifying the government of that fear and designating Costa Rica as the country he wishes to instead be removed to. In the criminal case, he has claimed the Trump administrations efforts to send him to Uganda are proof hes a target of selective and vindictive prosecution for challenging his wrongful deportation. The Justice Department initially offered him a deal to plead guilty to the criminal charges, serve any prison time and be deported to Costa Rica. But when he declined to extend his stay in jail, the government changed course and said he would be sent to Uganda, his lawyers claim. Costa Rica has assured it would accept him as a lawful immigrant and not send him back to El Salvador, his home country he fled out of fear for his safety. Uganda has not provided the same assurances, according to his lawyers. Abrego Garcias case became a flash point in the administrations intensified efforts to expel noncitizens from the U.S., after he was sent to El Salvador in violation a 2019 court order barring his deportation there because of safety concerns. Xinis ordered the government to reply to Abrego Garcias motion by Sept. 22 and set a Sept. 29 due date for Abrego Garcias response. Both parties must provide a witness list for the hearing by Oct. 2. Updated at 10:35 a.m. EDT Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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. Netflix Rumi in 'KPop Demon Hunters' NEED TO KNOW KPop Demon Hunters premiered on Netflix in June 2025, earning more than 200 million views The animated musical features original upbeat songs and demon-like creatures inspired by Korean history It is rated PG, and while there is some violence, there's no blood and gore From kids to adults, it seems that everyone is under the Saja Boys' spell, as KPop Demon Hunters continues to rule Netflix and the music streaming charts becoming one of the summer's top movies. We knew younger female audiences and K-pop [and] anime fans would love this film, but its been incredibly gratifying to see it embraced by an even broader audience and become a favorite film for both adults and kids, Netflix chairman Dan Lin told The Hollywood Reporter in August 2025. While fans of all ages might have attended the sing-along version in theaters, and have the soundtrack on repeat, parents might wonder if KPop Demon Hunters is appropriate for younger viewers. The animated musical is rated PG (Parental Guidance Suggested) and features a mix of musical numbers alongside mythical creatures that resemble demons who fight in fierce battle sequences. Although there is also mention of death, it is brief as the film focuses on girl power. So is KPop Demon Hunters appropriate for kids? Here's what parents should know before their children watch KPop Demon Hunters and become part of the HUNTR/X hive. The demons are more ugly than scary Netflix Rumi fighting demons in "KPop Demon Hunters" Since HUNTR/X are demon hunters, mythical creatures are featured in the movie. But while they are menacing, the demon-like characters are more ugly than scary. As for Gwi-Ma (Lee Byung-hun), the demon king is a giant talking face of flames who is eventually defeated at the end. Similarly, Saja Boys' true demon identities are more sinister and mysterious than frightening. The scariest thing about KPop Demon Hunters might be HUNTR/X's grueling touring and song promotion schedule. There are fun pop songs Netflix 2025 Rumi, Mira and Zoey in "KPop Demon Hunters" There's a reason why the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack has taken over the music charts, earning top spots on Billboard. The album is filled with a dozen catchy, fun pop bops. Songs like "Soda Pop" and "Golden" are lighthearted, while "Free" is a soaring, heartfelt ballad sung by Rumi (Arden Cho) and Jinu (Ahn Hyo-seop). The latter also deals with letting go of shame. ['Free' is] two people singing to each other, and sharing things theyve probably never shared with another human in the world, executive music producer Ian Eisendrath told Netflix's Tudum. Its like this musical picture of what they want to be in their life, and that they see each other." Eisendrath continued, "You believe that they're a team, and that theyre going to go do this together, so we end that song with hope and being totally convinced of this couple." With no shocking words or subject matters, the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack is an appropriate album for kids to have on repeat. There is cartoon violence and fight scenes, but no gore Netflix Jinu and Rumi in "KPop Demon Hunters" There are multiple fight scenes between HUNTR/X and demons throughout the movie, but there is no blood and gore. The girl group trio defend themselves with weapons inspired by Korean history, but once they slash the gruesome devils, they mostly disappear into thin air. There is no sex, and only brief moments of bare skin 2025 Netflix Saja Boys in "KPop Demon Hunters" There is no sex in KPop Demon Hunters, and there are quick instances of bare skin. One example is Abby Saja (SungWon Cho), a member of the Saja Boys who makes fans swoon when he flashes his abs. Another quick show of skin is after defeating Gwi-Ma, Rumi, Mira (May Hong) and Zoey (Ji-young Yoo) take a much-deserved soak in a bathhouse hot tub. Their bare shoulders can be seen above the water as they relax in the bath. There is talk of death Netflix Celine in "KPop Demon Hunters" Rumi's mom was also a demon slayer, but she died when Rumi was young, before the events in KPop Demon Hunters. While Rumi's mother's death isn't depicted, there is a flashback scene in which Rumi and her guardian, Celine (Yunjin Kim), visit her mom's grave, which could be emotional for younger viewers. The movie is all about girl power Courtesy of Netflix "KPop Demon Hunters" on Netflix The members of HUNTR/X are powerful pop divas who hunt demons by night. Although they appear to be invincible, Rumi, Mira and Zoey also act like normal girls, something that was intentional for Maggie Kang, the movie's creator and co-director. "I wanted to see female superheroes that were a lot more relatable, who like to eat and make silly faces," she told The New York Times in July 2025. "We werent trying to make them just pretty, sexy and cool." "They had very real insecurities and showed that," she added. Read the original article on People New Zealand has no shortage of dramatic scenery: mountains, beaches, and steaming volcanoes often share the same horizon. But what sets it apart are the one-off experiences you cant replicate elsewhere. These are the kinds of moments that stick with you, the ones you end up telling friends about long after the trip is over. Hike the Tongariro Alpine Crossing Credit: Wikimedia Commons This day-long trek takes you across volcanic terrain used as Mordor in The Lord of the Rings. Youll pass red craters and lakes the color of blue Gatorade. The 12-mile route sits in an active volcanic zone, so conditions shift fast. If the forecast looks bad, local shuttles cancel early and for good reason. Visit White Island (If Tours Resume) Credit: Wikimedia Commons New Zealands most active marine volcano last erupted in 2019. Tours have since stopped, but plans to reopen under strict safety rules are in motion. The island sits 30 miles offshore and used to be accessible by boat or helicopter. When permitted, visitors wore gas masks and hard hats. Cruise Through Milford Sound Credit: iStockphoto Milford Sound feels different from the rest of New Zealand. Sheer cliffs rise straight out of the water, waterfalls cut down from every angle, and the wildlife shows up right where youd expectseals on the rocks, dolphins in the wake. When the rain comes, the place doesnt dim; it turns into something wilder, with hundreds of streams pouring off the cliffs at once. Dig Your Own Hot Tub at Hot Water Beach Credit: Wikimedia Commons On the Coromandel Peninsula, geothermal water bubbles just beneath the sand. Arrive near low tide with a shovelyes, people bring their ownand you can dig a hole that fills with hot spring water. The mix of cold ocean waves and scalding thermal pockets takes some finesse. Explore the Waitomo Glowworm Caves Credit: iStockphoto Inside these limestone caves, thousands of glowworms dangle from the ceiling like a living planetarium. Guided boat rides take you through the darkest chambers without speaking or lights. Its completely silent except for the water and the occasional camera shutter, which guides ask you not to use. Fly Over the Southern Alps in a Ski Plane Credit: Wikimedia Commons Only a handful of operators worldwide offer ski plane landings on glaciers, and Mount Cook is one of them. The plane touches down on Tasman Glacier, where you step out onto solid ice with peaks towering around you. Snowboarders and climbers sometimes continue on. Try Sandboarding Down Te Paki Dunes Credit: Wikimedia Commons At the top of New Zealands North Island, a desert-like stretch of golden sand dunes towers above Ninety Mile Beach. Rent a sandboard at the base, hike up barefoot (the sand gets hot), and launch yourself down the slope face-first. Speeds can hit 40 mph on steeper runs. See the Pancake Rocks at Punakaiki Blow Credit: Wikimedia Commons These bizarre layered rock formations on the South Islands West Coast look like stacks of thick pancakes. Scientists still dont fully agree on how they formed. The timings tricky, but local signs give you a tide schedule to help increase the odds of a good show. Watch the Earth Move in Rotorua Credit: iStockphoto Rotorua smells like sulfur and looks like a science experiment. Mud boils in pools, and geysers blast steam 60 feet into the air. The geothermal activity is so strong that residents have occasionally cooked meals using natural steam vents. Most visitors also stop at Wai-O-Tapu or Te Puia. Go Black Water Rafting in a Cave Credit: Tripadvisor Instead of riding rapids on a river, black water rafting sends you through subterranean rivers in the dark. At Waitomo, youll don a wetsuit, helmet, and headlamp before floating through tunnels beneath a glowworm-lit ceiling. Some tours include waterfall climbs and jumps in full darkness. Bike the Old Ghost Road Credit: Wikimedia Commons This 52-mile mountain bike trail winds through remote West Coast wilderness. It was originally a gold miners route from the 1800s. The huts along the way offer a chance to sleep in the middle of nowhere with zero cell service. The trails long, rugged, and absolutely worth the effort. Swim With Wild Dolphins in Kaikoura Credit: Tripadvisor Tour boats off Kaikouras coast bring swimmers into the Pacific to interact with dusky dolphins. Youll hop into the water wearing a wetsuit and snorkel, and try to keep up. Guides encourage singing or spinning to engage the dolphins, who seem to enjoy the weird human effort. Climb the Franz Josef Glacier Credit: iStockphoto This rapidly retreating glacier is still accessible by guided hike or helicopter tour, but only from specific access points due to safety issues. Deep crevasses, ice tunnels, and the sound of water rushing underneath make it feel like a planet in flux. See the Southern Lights from Stewart Island Credit: Wikimedia Commons The Aurora Australis is best viewed in winter from the countrys southern tip. Stewart Island, just below the South Island, gets less light pollution and better visibility than the mainland. Weather still plays a big role, but on a good night, the sky shifts into greens and purples. Jet Boat Up the Shotover River Credit: iStockphoto The Shotover Jet near Queenstown sends passengers up a narrow canyon at high speed, spinning and skimming within inches of the rock walls. The boats are flat-bottomed and built to maneuver in just a few inches of water. People walk off smiling and soaked from the spray. Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik In a Nutshell Marinated in herb-infused oil, this creamy, tangy cheese adds rich, savory flavor to everything from salads and pastas to toasts and snacks. I thought I'd stumbled onto a hidden gem at a cheese shop the first time I bought a jar of Meredith "feta." This was about eight or nine years ago, when I was living and cooking professionally in Beacon, New York. Somehow this Australian dairy farm's cheese had found its way onto the shelves of specialty grocery stores there. Inside the jar were big, pillowy blocks of goat's and sheep's milk cheesemore like marshmallows than neat cubesfloating in golden olive oil with herbs, garlic, and peppercorns. The cheese was lush and tangy, the oil too good not to drizzle over everything. I fell in love instantly. For a while, I thought I'd uncovered a secret, until friends and coworkers kept asking me, "Have you tried that cheese? The one in the glass jar?" Apparently, my hidden gem wasn't so hidden after all. At some point, people started to refer to it as simply "Australian feta"an odd, unfamiliar label that only deepened the allure. I even decided to put Meredith's marinated cheese on a menu once, back when I was working in restaurant kitchens in the Hudson Valleyspread over flatbread with caramelized fennel, candied fennel, and a drizzle of buckwheat honey. Admittedly, it was a bit of a lazy cop-out; delicious cheese on warm bread was always going to be a hit. But the response confirmed what I'd been seeing everywhere: Diners couldn't get enough of it. Reddit threads only drove the point homegushing posts about the cheese, with users describing how they eat it and why they love it. Reddit user ciaohow even declared, "It is the most delicious thing I've eaten all year." It was clear by then that almost everyone had caught on. Over the years, I started spotting those jars in bigger grocery stores tooWhole Foods, Foodtown, corner markets in New York City. A cheese once tucked away in specialty shops was suddenly right there next to your everyday mozzarella. So what is it about Meredith "feta" that's kept me hooked all these yearsand why has this jarred cheese inspired such devotion in others as well? What Is Meredith "Feta," and How Is It Different From Greek Feta? First things first: Meredith "feta" isn't technically feta. In 2002, the European Union granted Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status to feta, which means only cheese made in Greece, under specific conditions, can use the name. Meredith Dairyan Australian farmstead creamery about 50 miles west of Melbournehad to rebrand and drop "feta" from its label, and today the jars are officially labeled Meredith Dairy Marinated Sheep and Goat Cheese. Still, everyone I know (and most cheese counters) continues to call it Meredith feta, much the way we casually refer to Sirene as Bulgarian feta. Traditional Greek feta is made either entirely from sheep's milk or from a blend of sheep's and goat's milk, with goat's milk capped at 30 percent; it is always preserved in brine. The brine not only significantly salts the cheese but also allows it to continue aging, which sharpens the tang and deepens the funk. The result is creamy yet crumbly, with a salty, funky tang. Meredith's version is different. To start, it's made from a mix of goat's and sheep's milk. Sheep's milk is prized in Australia for its richness: It's naturally higher in fat and protein than cow's or goat's milk, with about 5.4 grams of protein per 100 grams, compared to 3.2 grams in cow's milk, and 3.1 grams in goat's milk. That extra richness translates into a creamier texture and a rounder, more mellow flavorricher than goat's milk and more flavorful than cow's. Goat's milk, by contrast, brings sharper, barnyard notes, the kind of funk that gives the cheese dimension and keeps it from reading as purely creamy. Together, the two create Meredith's signature balance: full-bodied from the sheep's milk, with a distinctive edge from the goat's. The Australian cheese also skips the brine altogether. Instead, the blocks are packed in olive oil infused with garlic, herbs, and peppercorns, which gives the cheese a creamier, plush, and spreadable texture. As someone who usually chases down funkier cheeses, I'm surprised by how much I like Meredith's creamier, more rounded profile. It's sumptuous, fiercely tangy, and herb-laced. And once the cheese is gone, that oil doubles as a flavor boosterperfect for drizzling on salads, roasted vegetables, or even eggs. The Story Behind Meredith Dairy and Its Famous Marinated "Feta" Meredith Dairy began in 1991, when Sandy and Julie Cameronhe a veterinarian, she an ICU nursedecided to rethink their farming future in rural Australia. At the time, they were raising sheep for wool, but when wool prices collapsed, they turned to milking instead, and cheesemaking seemed promising. Their first sheep gave them just 200 milliliters of milk, a tiny start that they slowly built on. Today, according to the company's own site, Meredith is the largest sheep-and-goat dairy farm in Australia. The company's reach extends beyond Australia. Meredith began selling cheese in the US in 2008, first under the 34 Degrees label before transitioning to their own name, according to a December 2021 article by Elisa Shoenberger in The Cheese Professor. Today, their marinated cheese shows up everywhere from specialty shops to Costco stores, with US sales accounting for about 10% of their business at the time Elisa's article was publishedand it's still growing. Serving and Cooking Ideas for Meredith "Feta" Meredith "feta" doesn't crumble quite like traditional Greek feta, but that's part of its charm. Creamy and spreadable, with an arresting yet balanced flavor, it works effortlessly into dishes where you want savory richness without the assertively sharp saltiness of brined cheese. Here are some of my favorite ways to use it: Spoon over a tomato-cucumber salad. Instead of crumbling, add small pieces right on top; their creamy texture plays well against the crunch of the vegetables. Spread on toast. A swipe of Meredith topped with slices of tomato and smoked salmon makes for an instant upgrade to breakfast or a light lunch. Turn it into a pasta sauce. Whisk the cheese with a little of its infused oil, pasta cooking water, and lemon zest, then fold in blistered cherry tomatoes and caramelized garlic slicesthe mixture melts into a savory, bright sauce that clings to the noodles. Top flatbread. Spread it as the base layer, then finish with roasted maitake mushrooms and butternut squash for something earthy, savory, and rich. Pair with pita and za'atar. Scoop it up with cucumbers, warm pita, and a sprinkle of za'atar for a simple mezze-style snack. Tuck into an omelet. Its creamy texture melts into the eggs, adding a salty kick. It's especially good topped with a sprinkle of finely chopped herbs. Serious Eats The Takeaway It may not be Greek feta, but Meredith Dairy's marinated sheep and goat cheese has earned its own devoted following for being creamy, tangy, and versatile enough to anchor a salad, enrich a sauce, or serve as a snack straight from the jar. It always impresses my dinner guests when I serve it, but more importantly, it impresses me on the nights when I need an exceedingly delicious snack and can't be bothered to cook. At first, it felt like a chance discovery; now it's a staple I can't imagine my fridge without. Read the original article on Serious Eats Kyiv, Ukraine A massive Russian drone and missile attack hit Ukraine's capital early Thursday, including a rare strike in the center of the city, killing at least 15 people including four children, a city official said. It was the first major Russian combined attack on Kyiv in weeks, and it comes as U.S.-led peace efforts to end the three-year war struggle to gain traction. "Already 14 people are known to have been killed as a result of the Russian attack, including 3 children. A horrific and deliberate killing of civilians," President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a social media post. "The Russians are not choosing to end the war, only new strikes... It is crucial now that the world responds firmly. Russia must stop this war it started and continues. For the spurning of ceasefire and for the constant Russian attempts to weasel out of negotiations, new strong sanctions are needed. Only this can work. The Russians understand only strength and pressure." Tymur Tkachenko, the head of Kyiv's city administration, later said 15 people were killed, including four children between the ages of 2 and 17, and at least 48 others wounded in the attack. Russia launched 598 strike drones and decoys and 31 missiles of different types across the country, according to Ukraine's Air Force, making it one of the largest attacks since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022. Ukraine's forces shot down and neutralized all but 41 of the weapons, its Air Force said. Firefighters work at the site of a burning building after a Russian attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Aug. 28, 2025. / Credit: Efrem Lukatsky / AP Zelenskyy said dozens of buildings, including homes, offices and other civilian enterprises were among those hit by the Russian assault, as well as a building "where the European Union Delegation to Ukraine is located." "Horrified by yet another night of deadly Russian missile attacks on Ukraine," European Council President Antonio Costa said on social media. "My thoughts are with the Ukrainian victims and also with the staff of @EUDelegationUA whose building was damaged in this deliberate Russian strike. The EU will not be intimidated." British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was also quick to condemn the attack, and he reiterated Zelenskyy's assertion that it showed Russia was not interested in peace. "Putin is killing children and civilians, and sabotaging hopes of peace," Starmer said in a social media post. "This bloodshed must end." President Trump's special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, in a post on social media, condemned Russia's "egregious attacks," which he said "threaten the peace that @POTUS is pursuing." Moscow denies targeting civilians but has increased strikes in the last few months on cities and towns a long way from the war's front lines. In a statement posted on social media, Russia's defense ministry claimed Thursday that its forces had launched a strike overnight "against military-industrial complex enterprises and military airbases in Ukraine." Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterated the claim that Russia had successfully hit military and military-related infrastructure in Ukraine, adding: "At the same time, Russia remains interested in continuing the negotiation process in order to achieve our goals through political and diplomatic means." According to Tkachenko, the attack included drones, decoy drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles, striking at least 20 locations across seven districts of the capital. A man embraces a child as they stand at the site of buildings hit by Russian missile and drone strikes on Kyiv, Ukraine on August 28, 2025. / Credit: Alina Smutko / REUTERS Russian strikes hit the central part of Kyiv, one of the few times Russian attacks have reached the heart of the city since the start of the full-scale invasion. Residents cleared shattered glass and debris from damaged buildings. Smoke billowed from the crumbled column of a five-story residential building in the Darnytskyi district that suffered a direct hit. An acrid stench of burning material wafted in the air as firefighters worked to contain the blaze. Amid the destruction, emergency responders searched for survivors and extracted bodies. Crowds of residents stood nearby, waiting for relatives to be retrieved from the rubble. Bodies in black bags were placed at the side of the building. Residents in the neighborhood said it wasn't the first time their district was targeted. Oleksandr Khilko arrived at the scene after a missile hit the residential building where his sister lives. He heard screams from people who were trapped under the rubble and pulled out three survivors, including a boy. "It's inhuman, striking civilians," he said, his clothes covered in dust and the tips of his fingers black with soot. "With every cell of my body I want this war to end as soon as possible. I wait, but every time the air raid alarm sounds, I am afraid." Next steps unclear as Trump pushes to end Ukraine war Thursday's attack was the first major combined Russian drone and missile on Kyiv since President Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska earlier this month to discuss ending the war in Ukraine. While a diplomatic push for peace appeared to gain momentum shortly after that meeting, few details have emerged about next steps. Western leaders, along with Zelenskyy, have accused Putin of dragging his feet in peace efforts and avoiding serious negotiations while Russian troops move deeper into Ukraine. This week, Ukrainian military leaders conceded Russian forces had broken into an eighth region of Ukraine seeking to capture more ground. Zelenskyy hopes for harsher U.S. sanctions to cripple the Russian economy if Putin doesn't demonstrate seriousness about ending the war demands that he reiterated following Thursday's attack. "All deadlines have already been broken, dozens of opportunities for diplomacy ruined," Zelenskyy said. President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin hold a meeting at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Aug. 15, 2025, in Anchorage, Alaska. / Credit: Andrew Harnik/Getty Mr. Trump bristled this week at Putin's stalling on an American proposal for direct peace talks with Zelenskyy. He said Friday that he expects to decide on next steps in two weeks if direct talks which Moscow has thus far ruled out aren't scheduled. The previous day, Mr. Trump hinted that he could change U.S. policy on Ukraine's use of American-supplied weapons to strike inside Russia. In a post on his own social media platform, Mr. Trump said it was, "very hard, if not impossible, to win a war without attacking an invaders country. ... There is no chance of winning! It is like that with Ukraine and Russia." He said his predecessor, Joe Biden, "would not let Ukraine FIGHT BACK, only DEFEND," adding, without any further explanation, that there were, "Interesting times ahead!!!" In November, just weeks before he handed the presidency back to Mr. Trump, Biden changed the longstanding policy that had effectively barred Ukraine from using U.S.-supplied missiles to strike deep in Russia. While no announcement has been made, The Wall Street Journal reported over the weekend that the Pentagon had "for months been blocking Ukraine's use of long-range missiles to strike inside Russia." Russia's Ministry of Defense said Thursday it shot down 102 Ukrainian drones overnight, meanwhile, mostly in the country's southwest. A drone attack sparked a blaze at the Afipsky oil refinery in the Krasnodar region, local officials said, while a second fire was reported at the Novokuibyshevsk refinery in the Samara region. Ukrainian drones have repeatedly struck refineries and other oil infrastructure in recent weeks in an attempt to weaken Russia's war economy, causing gas stations in some Russian regions to run dry and prices to spike. Minneapolis Catholic school shooter identified Everything we know about the Minneapolis Catholic school shooting so far Reporter's Notebook: Who tells a president the hard truths? Getty Images Meghan Markle at the TIME100 Summit in 2025. The Gist In a new episode of With Love, Meghan, Meghan Markle revealed her love of McDonald's apple pies. Apparently the Duchess used to hit the drive-through whenever she had a successful audition. Markle is also a fan of the fast-food chain In-N-Out. Meghan Markle isn't above a quick drive-through snack when the occasion demands it. Case in point? Her old post-audition habit, where she would hop in the car and pay a visit to McDonald's. The Duchess revealed her order during season two of With Love, Meghan. "My love of a little handheld apple pie runs deep," she told guest star Tan France, "and it is because when I was an auditioning actor, if I thought I did really well at an audition, most actresses would probably think, I went on an audition, Im going to go to the gym. Nope. I was like, That went well, Im going to treat myself with a drive-through apple pie." Markle added, So Id go to the drive-through at McDonalds and buy myself an apple pie. Netflix Meghan Markle in the trailer for season two of 'With Love, Meghan.' Netflix Tan France and Meghan Markle on the set of 'With Love, Meghan.' Markle's surprise revelation comes in addition to her previously disclosed love of another fast-food establishment: In-N-Out. The mom-of-two once explained that the burger joint is Prince Harry's "favorite." "There's one at the halfway point between L.A. and our neck of the woods," she said in an interview with Variety. "It's really fun to go through the drive-through and surprise them. They know our order." Prince Harry, for his part, even shared his In-N-Out order in a 2023 interview with People. "In-N-Out is the best!" The Duke said. "I order two double-doubles, animal style, fries and a Coke! And that's just for me! Meg gets the cheeseburger and fries with sides of jalapenos. I just stick with ketchup and that special sauce of theirs. So good!" Getty Images Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announcing their engagement in 2017. Season 2 of With Love, Meghan premiered on August 26. In the same episode that featured Queer Eye host Tan France, Markle also revealed whether she or Prince Harry said "I love you" first. (Spoiler alert: it wasn't the Duchess.) We met in Botswana and we camped for five days together, Markle recalled. You really get to know each other when youre in a little tent together and its like, What is that outside the tent? Thats an elephant. Are we going to be safe? Yeah, youre safe. Read the original article on InStyle Mexican senators came to blows Wednesday after a heated debate over alleged opposition calls for the United States to intervene militarily against drug cartels. Lawmaker Alejandro Moreno, leader of the opposition PRI party, went to the podium as Wednesday's session ended and angrily confronted Senate president Gerardo Fernandez Norona, of the ruling Morena party, for not being given the floor. Moreno can be seen in a video posted on social media by Mexico's Senate pushing Fernandez Norona several times, slapping him on the neck and pushing another man to the ground when he tried to intervene. Senator Alejandro Moreno (L) of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) scuffles with Senator Gerardo Fernandez Norona of the National Regeneration Movement Party (Morena) during a session of the Permanent Commission of the Senate in Mexico City on August 27, 2025. / Credit: STRINGER/AFP via Getty Images The brawl followed a heated debate during which the opposition PRI and PAN were accused of calling for U.S. military intervention, a claim that both parties deny. Norona said later he would file a complaint against Moreno for bodily harm and request that his legislative immunity be revoked. "The debate could be very harsh, very bitter, very strong... today when (opposition legislators) are exposed for their treason, they lose their minds because they were exposed," he said. Moreno accused Norona of initiating the attack, saying on social media platform X: "He was the one who started the attack; he did it because he couldn't silence us with arguments." "The first physical aggression came from Norona," Moreno wrote on X. "He threw the first shove, and he did it out of cowardice." Both senators are involved in separate controversies. Moreno faces possible impeachment proceedings for alleged corruption during his tenure as governor of Campeche state from 2015 to 2019. Norona has been criticized over reports that he owns an expensive house at a time when Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has urged public officials to live modestly. Trump targeting Latin American drug cartels President Donald Trump has directed the Pentagon to use military force against Latin American drug cartels deemed terrorist organizations, a source familiar with the matter confirmed to CBS News earlier this month. It's not clear if or when the military could take action. For its part, Mexico stressed that it "would not accept the participation of U.S. military forces on our territory." Earlier this month, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum insisted that there would be "no invasion of Mexico." In February, the Trump administration designated eight drug trafficking groups as terrorist organizations. Six are Mexican, one is Venezuelan, and the eighth originates in El Salvador. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said earlier this month the administration could use the designations to "target" cartels. "It allows us to now target what they're operating and to use other elements of American power, intelligence agencies, the Department of Defense, whatever ... to target these groups if we have an opportunity to do it," Rubio said. "We have to start treating them as armed terrorist organizations, not simply drug dealing organizations." Venezuela on Tuesday deployed warships and drones to patrol the country's coastline after the United States dispatched three destroyers to the region to curb drug trafficking. Minneapolis Catholic school shooter identified Cracker Barrel scrapping new logo, returning to old one after backlash Everything we know about the Minneapolis Catholic school shooting so far Microsoft on Thursday fired two additional employees after firing two others a day prior, following a break-in at the office of its vice chair and company president, Brad Smith, earlier this week, as part of a protest of the technology company's purported links to Israel. "Two additional employees were terminated due to serious violations of established company policies and our code of conduct, including participating in recent on-site demonstrations that created significant safety concerns for our employees," a Microsoft spokesperson said in a statement to CBS News. The terminations came after a group of seven people broke into executive offices at Microsoft's global headquarters in Redmond, Washington, on Tuesday to hold a sit-in. No Azure for Apartheid, an advocacy group organized by Microsoft employees, said in an Instagram post that current and former workers from Microsoft, Google and Oracle were part of the group that occupied Smith's office. The protesters, who were arrested by police on Tuesday, were demanding that Microsoft cut ties with Israel after The Guardian reported earlier this month that a unit of the Israeli military is using Microsoft's Azure cloud platform to surveil Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. A Microsoft spokesperson said in the statement Thursday that the company is "continuing to investigate the conduct on our campus and work with law enforcement to help ensure the safety of all our employees. We wish to emphasize, again, as we did in a statement yesterday, that such conduct is entirely unacceptable and stands in direct opposition to our company values and policies." In an Instagram post, No Azure for Apartheid identified two of the employees as Anna Hattle and Riki Fameli. During a press conference on Wednesday, Smith said Microsoft has launched a formal investigation into Israel's reported use of Azure. "We are committed to ensuring that our human rights principles and our contractual terms of service are upheld in the Middle East," he said. Protests against Microsoft over the Israeli military's use of the company's technology have been going on for months. Police last week arrested 18 people after a similar protest at the company's Redmond headquarters. Israel launched its war against Hamas in Gaza in retaliation for the Hamas-orchestrated terrorist attack on Oct. 7, 2023. The war has killed more than 60,000 people in Gaza, according to the Palestinian enclave's Hamas-run Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its figures. The Hamas-led attack almost two years ago killed 1,200 people in southern Israel and saw 251 others taken as hostages into Gaza. Everything we know about the Minneapolis Catholic school shooting so far Trump tries to cancel nearly $5 billion in previously approved foreign aid funding "De minimis" tax exemption expires, over 20 countries suspend shipments to U.S. Minneapolis hospital did the 'nearly impossible' as shooting victims flooded the ER The pagers of emergency room staff at Hennepin Healthcare, in downtown Minneapolis, buzzed yet again this time carrying especially dire news. About 20 victims needed urgent medical care after a shooting at Annunciation Church about 6 miles away. The hospital had already taken in patients from another mass shooting in south Minneapolis less than 24 hours earlier that left one dead and six others injured. "Taking care of one child thats injured is difficult, Dr. Jon Gayken, a Hennepin Healthcare trauma surgeon, told reporters on Aug. 28, as nine people, mostly children, remained hospitalized. Eight of them is nearly impossible, but it happened yesterday. Two children died and 18 others were injured when a shooter opened fire through the church windows as schoolchildren and parishioners prayed. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara told reporters children had active shooter training drills to take cover and help others, which may have prevented more deaths. Many of the wounded children would be rushed to the hospital, an adult and children's trauma 1 center that's trained to handle trauma patients 24/7 and houses the state's largest emergency department. When patients arrived to Hennepin Healthcare, additional staff were moved to treat shooting victims. Hospital workers described a frantic race-against-time as workers rallied and sacrificed to help victims. Gayken recounted a child who was scared and alone and about to undergo a CT scan, which looks at damage inside the body. A nurse manager from another unit accompanied the child in the scanner, wearing lead protection to block the radiation used by the medical imaging technology, he said. The nurse held the child's hand to comfort her. It isn't as if emergency rooms are empty when mass shooting victims arrive, said Dr. Thomas Scalea, physician-in-chief at the University of Maryland R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center. Officials need to prepare for an unpredictable influx of people from a mass shooting. "It's terrible, it's nuts, but it is the world in which we live," he told USA TODAY. "Now, nobody says, 'Is this going to happen again?' Everybody just says, 'When?'" Life-saving treatment gets counted by minutes, even seconds, to stop bleeding and help victims breathe, said Dr. Aaron Robinson, assistant medical director at Hennepin EMS and an emergency medicine doctor at Hennepin Healthcare. Every minute that the trauma patient spends on scene increases their chances of not having a good outcome and possibly dying, Robinson said. Those swift actions undoubtedly saved the lives of many of those children," he said. First responders had to quickly triage whether people were conscious, and whether they had gunshot wounds to the head or upper body, defined as red patients, according to Marty Shear, senior director of Hennepin EMS. Others with less serious wounds were yellow patients. And a few yellow patients would be loaded with a red patient in the ambulance. Other children with less critical wounds were sent to the local Childrens Minnesota Hospital, Shear said. Families and loved ones reunite outside the police barricades after a shooting at Annunciation Church, which is also home to an elementary school, in Minneapolis, Minn., on Aug. 27, 2025. REUTERS/Ben Brewer As of Aug. 28, six people, five of whom are children, are described as in satisfactory condition, according to Thomas Clemen, CEO of Hennepin Healthcare. Two patients, an adult and child, are in serious condition, while another child is in critical condition. In addition to the importance of how hospitals respond in treating patients, Dr. Deborah Kuhls, chief of trauma at the University Medical Center in Las Vegas and the UNLV School of Medicine, said there is a significant emotional response ahead with senseless, yet intentional, killings. Pointing to her work treating people in the 2017 Las Vegas mass shooting that killed 58 people and wounded hundreds more, the toll is not only on people injured, but also health professionals and first responders. Hopefully theyll get better and theyll be able to recover from their injuries, she said. But it goes on for a very, very long time. Meanwhile, the response to gunshot wound victims requires significant amounts of blood to replace that which they have lost. There is also a critical blood shortage in Minnesota, Robinson said, adding there is just a few days left of blood supply. Were still using blood, Gayken said. "Its not just the morning after. Its ongoing. Eduardo Cuevas is based in New York City. Reach him by email at emcuevas1@usatoday.com or on Signal at emcuevas.01. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Minneapolis hospitals left reeling after shooting victims flooded ERs By Ahmed Kingimi ABUJA (Reuters) -A cholera outbreak in Bukkuyum district of Zamfara state, northwest Nigeria, has claimed at least eight lives and infected over 200 people across 11 communities, residents and local officials said on Thursday, as limited healthcare access and insecurity exacerbate the crisis. Cholera, a water-borne disease, is not uncommon in Nigeria where health officials cite widespread shortages of clean water in rural areas and urban slums. The affected rural communities, including Nasarawa-Burkullu, Gurusu, and Adabka, have been overwhelmed, with many patients treated at home due to the lack of primary healthcare facilities. "We have over 21 patients presently admitted, although three died due to delays in reaching Nasarawa General Hospital," Muhammad Jibci, village head of Gurusu told Reuters by phone late on Thursday. Ya'u Umar, another resident from the affected communities, said 53 people were infected in his village. "We don't have medicine or drips. Bandits prevent us from going to the city," he said. Zamfara is the epicentre of attacks by armed men, known locally as bandits, where rising violence in recent months have made travel and farming dangerous. Gangs routinely abduct villagers and travelers for ransom and extort farming communities. Sulaiman Abubakar Gumi, a federal lawmaker, called for urgent action from the Zamfara government and international NGOs. "Any delay will cost more lives, especially among women and children," he said, urging the deployment of emergency response teams, and cholera treatment centres. Zamfara health authorities have yet to issue an official statement on the outbreak. (Reporting by Ahmed Kingimi in Maiduguri; writing by Elisha Bala-Gbogbo; Editing by Toby Chopra) By Philip Blenkinsop BRUSSELS (Reuters) -The European Commission proposed on Thursday removing duties on imported U.S. industrial goods in return for reduced U.S. tariffs on European cars, a key part of the trade agreement the EU and the United States struck last month. The proposals mark the EU's first step in enacting the framework agreement between U.S. President Donald Trump and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on July 27, which saw the EU accept a broad 15% tariff to avoid a damaging trade war. The United States agreed to reduce its tariffs on cars built in the European Union to 15% from 27.5% from the first day of the month in which the EU's legislative proposal was presented - meaning now from August 1. The agreement ended conflict between the world's two largest trading and investment partners, although it is an asymmetric deal, with Brussels required to cut its duties and buy more U.S. energy products while Washington retains tariffs on 70% of EU exports. Trump has periodically railed against the European Union, saying in February that it was "formed to screw the United States" and has been critical of the U.S. merchandise trade deficit with the EU, which in 2024 amounted to $235 billion. EU governments have broadly said they accept the deal as the lesser of evils, mindful that Trump was otherwise set to impose 30% tariffs on almost all imported EU goods. The impact of removing industrial goods tariffs may in fact be modest, with two-thirds already tariff-free. The average EU rate for U.S. goods is 1.35%, according to economic think tank Bruegel, although the EU does charge 10% for cars. The EU proposals also include farm produce concessions, such as zero tariffs on potatoes, reduced rates for tomatoes and quotas with zero or low tariffs for pork, cocoa and pizza. It has excluded beef, poultry, rice and ethanol. "We are protecting our defensive interests there. What we are giving are commitments that are certainly meaningful, but at the same time, I would observe that are not very costly for us today," a Commission official said, adding that other G7 countries had already liberalised trade with the EU. The EU's legislative proposal will need to be approved by a majority of the EU's 27 members and by the European Parliament, which could take several weeks. Proponents of the deal recognise that increased U.S. tariffs remain, but point to a unique arrangement for the European Union whereby pre-existing U.S. duties, such as 2.5% for cars and up to 20% for cheeses, are not added to the broad 15% rate. Some products, including aircraft, cork and generic drugs are exempt from the 15% tariff, but steel, aluminium and copper are stuck at 50%. The agreement makes little mention of digital services. However, Trump on Monday threatened additional tariffs on all countries with digital taxes or regulations. (Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop;Editing by Helen Popper and Susan Fenton) Illustration: Eddie Marshall | Michael Pettigrew | | Dreamstime.com | John Lamparski | Sipa USA | Newscom | Midjourney Last year, wildfires in the United States burned over 8.9 million acres, the most since 2020 and well above the 10-year average, per the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC). With some regions of the U.S. experiencing higher temperatures and lower levels of rainfall, the NIFC is forecasting "above normal significant fire potential" in several parts of the U.S. through September. The Trump administration's immigration crackdown could compound the risk of wildfires this fall. On Wednesday, "two people fighting the Bear Gulch fire on the Olympic Peninsula were arrested by federal law enforcement," reports The Seattle Times. These firefighters were part of two firefighting contract crews that had been deployed to fight the fire, which, at nearly 9,000 acres burned, is the largest in Washington state. As of Thursday, only 13 percent of it has been contained. As the Times reports, these crews were sent to the "northeast side of Lake Cushman," which is adjacent to the fire, "to cut wood for the local community." While they were waiting for their supervisor to show up, federal law enforcement agents showed up and, over three hours, lined up the crew and demanded they show their IDs. Firefighters on the scene told the Times that "members of the crew were told not to take video of the incident." When the two firefighters were detained, the rest of the crew was "denied the chance to say goodbye." "I asked them if his (family) can say goodbye to him because they're family, and they're just ripping them away," one firefighter told the Times. A federal officer responded by telling him "to get the (expletive) out of here," or he'd make him leave. It's still unclear why the two firefighters were arrested, per the Times, but given the presence of Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) in the area, and a CBP vehicle at the scene, the arrests were likely related to immigration enforcement. Immigration arrests at emergency response sites are rare. In 2021, the Biden administration's Department of Homeland Security declared that "Absent exigent circumstances, immigration enforcement will not be conducted at locations where disaster and emergency response and relief is being provided." It's unclear if the Trump administration is still enforcing this policy. If it isn't, then Americans could feel the impact, as Hispanic immigrants play a pivotal role in wildfire response. While exact numbers are unknown today, an Oregon Department of Forestry spokesperson told the Associated Press in 2006 that about 85 percent of the privately contracted fire crews in Washington and Oregon are Hispanic. Anecdotal evidence suggests that this trend continues today. While language barriers on the frontlines of a wildfire have caused safety concerns in the past, these challenges clearly haven't been large enough to force fire crews to move on from immigrant employees altogether. Federal officials showing up to job sites and removing these workers from privately contracted crews will very likely delay wildfire response times and put more Americans at risk. This would also undermine the Trump administration's efforts to reduce wildfire risk. On Wednesday, the Agriculture Department began taking steps to open up nearly 45 million acres of federal lands for road construction and timber harvesting, which could reduce fuel load and make wildfires less damaging. More than half of the acres burned by wildfires in 2024 happened on federal lands, according to NIFC. It's unclear if Wednesday's arrests are a sign of things to come or a one-off event. For those living in wildfire-prone areas, hopefully it's the latter. The post Trump's Immigration Crackdown Could Make Wildfire Season Deadlier This Year appeared first on Reason.com. By Andreas Rinke CHISINAU (Reuters) -The French, German and Polish leaders promised support and the prospect of joining the European Union on an Independence Day visit to Moldova, where President Maia Sandu's pro-European allies face a stiff challenge in an election next month. Standing alongside Sandu in her Soviet-era office building on Wednesday, Emmanuel Macron, Friedrich Merz and Donald Tusk all praised Moldova's resilience in the face of what Chisinau and Western allies say is a campaign of meddling from Moscow. A majority Romanian-speaking country of 2.5 million between Romania and Ukraine, Moldova has seen power alternate between pro-Western and pro-Russian political groups for decades. Wednesday marks the date of its declaration of independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Russia has troops stationed in a largely Russian-speaking region that broke away from Chisinau's control in a brief war in the early 1990s. Moldova applied to join the European Union at the same time as Ukraine applied, days after Russia launched its 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Moldovans voted narrowly in favour of pursuing EU integration in a referendum last year. But Sandu's anti-EU opponents are mounting a strong challenge ahead of the Sept. 28 parliamentary vote. "Independence is not guaranteed: it depends on the choices we make," Sandu told the same news conference, warning of risks from "illegal foreign financing, disinformation, cyber-attacks, paid protests". Germany would do everything possible to get Moldova in a position to open the first chapter of EU accession negotiations in the autumn, Merz said. "We will send experts to support reforms," he added. "German and European money is helping secure energy supplies and boosting small and medium companies." Polls suggest a hard-fought race between Sandu's Party of Action and Solidarity and the pro-Russian bloc of Communist and Socialist parties. Once heavily dependent on Russia for energy and export markets, Moldova has reoriented its economy towards Romania and the EU since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. "Kremlin propaganda says the Europeans want to prolong the war and that the European Union oppresses people," said Macron. "These are lies." Tusk echoed that sentiment, saying there was "no safe EU, no safe Poland, no safe France or Germany without an independent and safe Moldova." (Additional reporting by Michel Rose in ParisWriting by Thomas EscrittEditing by Kirsti Knolle and Peter Graff) Rapper French Montana, 41, has announced his engagement to Dubai royal Sheikha Mahra bint Mohammed Rashed Al Maktoum. A representative for Montana, whose real name is Karim Kharbouch, confirmed the relationship to TMZ on Wednesday, sharing that the couple got engaged during the Spring/Summer 2026 fashion shows in June in Paris where Montana was walking the runway for the brand 3.Paradis. Mahra, 31, is the daughter of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai and vice president and prime minister of the UAE. Her mother, Zoe Grigorakos, is a Greek socialite. Mahra was born Christina before adopting the Arabic name after moving to the UAE. She is one of the more visible members of the Al Maktoum family, and maintains an active public and social media profile that involves philanthropic, fashion and equestrian interests. After earning a degree in international relations in London, according to her Instagram, the royal ventured into entrepreneurship with the launch of her fragrance line Mahra M1. Her debut scent, pointedly called Divorce, was released in 2024 and interpreted as a personal statement after the end of her marriage to Emirati businessman Sheikh Mana bin Mohammed bin Rashid bin Mana Al Maktoum. They had been married in April 2023 and welcomed a daughter in May 2024. By July, however, Mahra had made a public declaration of divorce. Invoking the Islamic triple talaq rule, she said in a now-deleted Instagram post: Dear husband, as youre occupied with other companions, I hereby declare our divorce. I divorce you, I divorce you, and I divorce you. Take care. Your ex-wife. According to Muslim law, women can initiate the process of khula to obtain a divorce while men have to declare talaq. The method of instant triple talaq is invoked by men to dissolve a marriage in a single act rather than through formal legal or judicial channels. The practice is banned in many Muslim countries like Egypt, Pakistan, and Iraq. Speculation about her relationship with Montana began in late 2024 when the pair were seen together at Paris Fashion Week, walking hand in hand and posing for photos on Pont des Arts, where they reportedly left a love lock on the famous bridge, according to NDTV. The Independent has reached out to Montanas representatives for comment. Sir Keir Starmer could end the use of controversial migrant hotels within the next six months if he offered a blanket amnesty to asylum seekers from a handful of countries, it has been claimed. The Refugee Council says ministers would be able to stop relying on the hotels by March next year by offering a one-off temporary reprieve for thousands of migrants from nations with high grant rates, such as Afghanistan, Syria and Iran. Home Office figures show asylum applications from Sudan have a 94 per cent approval rate, while grant rates for Syrians have been as high as 98 per cent in recent years. Yet thousands from these countries are put in hotels for months on end, unable to work or study, while their applications are reviewed. Labour has vowed to end reliance on hotels by 2029, but has been under pressure to close them earlier after a string of anti-migrant protests across the country. The demonstrations started outside the Bell Hotel in Epping, which the High Court ruled last week was no longer allowed to house asylum seekers following the violence. The Court of Appeal is due to hear a legal challenge to that ruling on Thursday. The Refugee Council said such a move would be following in the footsteps of the 1997 Labour government, which between 1999 and 2000 allowed nearly 30,000 grants of exceptional leave as part of a plan to deal with a growing backlog of asylum claims. Applicants who claimed asylum before 1 July 1993 were also automatically granted a reprieve unless there were public interest grounds not to, or their removal had already begun, the brief published on Thursday explained. However, Jack Straw, who was home secretary at the time, told The Independent that he regretted the amnesty as soon as I had taken the decision. Although it did indeed clear the backlog, it acted as a pull factor, he said. Police officers observe two groups of protesters outside the Thistle City Barbican Hotel in central London (PA) Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, added that the proposals amount to waving through tens of thousands of asylum seekers without properly testing their claims, rewarding those who came illegally. But independent MP and former shadow chancellor John McDonnell told The Independent: This is a constructive and practical policy responding to the appalling xenophobia promoted by Reform. The asylum seekers I have had experience of over the last decades dont want to be trapped in hotels, they want to join our communities and make their contribution to our society and our economy. However, with Labour panicking over the threat from Nigel Farage, some senior figures in the party said that the Refugee Council proposals could not work in the prevailing political circumstances. Speaking to The Independent, Dame Emily Thornberry, chair of the foreign affairs select committee, warned: Its a non-starter in the current climate. Meanwhile, Ben Maguire, Lib Dem shadow attorney general, said Labour should speed up asylum processing, adding: Ministers should look seriously at ideas like these to make it happen. According to analysis of Home Office data by the Refugee Council, four in 10 of those housed in hotels are from either Afghanistan, Eritrea, Iran, Sudan or Syria. As of June 2025, there were 32,059 asylum seekers in UK hotels. Housing asylum seekers in hotels costs around 5.77m per day, down from 8.3m per day in 2024, according to the Home Office. Nationals from Eritrea have an 87 per cent asylum claim grant rate at initial decision, and those from Sudan are even higher, at 94 per cent, analysis found. Asylum grant rates for Syrians has been very high in recent years at 98 per cent although this may change following the fall of the Assad regime. Similarly, Afghans had a 96 per cent success rate on initial asylum decisions in 2024. This has fallen to 39 per cent in the year to June 2025 after changes in the Home Offices country guidance that reduced the types of people who would be at risk from the Taliban. For Iranians, this has fallen from 82 per cent to 60 per cent. It is currently not possible to forcibly return people to Syria, Afghanistan or Iran. A further 20,198 people from these countries were in Home Office dispersed or contingency accommodation, such as houses of multiple occupancy, the latest figures show. In total, 32,917 people are being supported in government accommodation. If they were all granted a temporary form of leave, allowing them to live and work in the UK, ministers could end the use of hotels entirely, the charity said. After the time-limited leave, the Home Office would then take a decision on whether that asylum seeker should be allowed to stay in the UK. Protesters with Stand Up To Racism gather outside an asylum hotel in early August (PA) Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, said: Our analysis shows we dont have to wait until 2029 to end the use of asylum hotels last weeks High Court ruling on the Bell Hotel in Epping has already proven this timeline is no longer viable. A targeted, one-off scheme focusing on cases from countries with high grant rates for asylum could end the use of hotels by 2026. As long as hotels remain open, they will continue to be flashpoints for far-right activity, fuelling tensions and driving communities apart. The Home Office has promised a big surge in asylum hotel closures in the new year, with a government source telling The Guardian that by the end of the year at least five more hotels are expected to be closed. It comes after Reform UK pledged mass deportations of some 600,000 asylum seekers if it takes power. And minister Nick Thomas-Symonds accused Nigel Farage of dividing communities and stoking anger. Mr Straw said an effective amnesty would encourage people to come to the UK, adding: The people smugglers are very skilful in monitoring what happens in the UK, so if they spot what they see as a chink they will exploit it. It subliminally sent out a message that if you dug in and were as difficult as possible, then the chances were you would be able to stay ... So I very quickly decided it was a mistake. The former Labour home secretary in the Blair government has proposed that the UK should make its human rights legislation self-contained and not linked to the ECHR. Mr Straw, who helped draft the UKs 1998 Human Rights Act, said: This stuff that we would be placed in the position of Russia or Belarus is frankly rubbish. Im not proposing that we should leave the ECHR, what I am doing is [suggesting] that we do what a number of other European countries have done, [which] is to make their human rights legislation self-contained and not linking into the ECHR. Saying that the government needed to get ahead on this, he added: I think the government has this in hand, we need to act in concert with other European countries who are equally concerned about the way that the Strasbourg court has gratuitously disrupted asylum returns. Mr Philp added: This proposal is nothing more than an amnesty by the back door. Labour promised to end the use of hotels, but all theyve delivered is confusion, chaos, and communities treated as dumping grounds. The only way to end hotel use is to stop the crossings through deterrence, deportation, and the tough powers set out in our deportation bill. A Home Office spokesperson said: Since taking office, we have taken immediate action to fix the asylum system and have started closing down hotels and returning more than 35,000 people with no right to be here. From over 400 asylum hotels open in summer 2023, costing almost 9m a day, there are now fewer than 210, and we want them all closed by the end of this parliament. We will continue to work closely with community partners across the country, and discuss any concerns they have, as we look to fix this broken system together. The security of the local communities within which hotels are located will always be our paramount concern. By Nora Eckert DETROIT (Reuters) -The United Auto Workers (UAW) said on Wednesday it won a vote at a Ford joint-venture plant in Kentucky to unionize it, but believed 41 challenge ballots still pending to be illegitimate. A win for the union would give it a much-needed boost in the U.S. South by securing membership at another electric vehicle (EV) production facility, a key battleground as the automobile industry electrifies. The union urged the company to recognize that a majority of BlueOval SK's production and maintenance employees had chosen to join it. "They (Ford) should immediately drop their anti-democratic effort to undermine the outcome of the election," the union, which represents workers across Ford, General Motors and Jeep-maker Stellantis, said in a statement. Referring to the challenge ballots, it added, "We believe they are illegitimate and represent nothing more than an employer tactic to flood the unit and undermine the outcome." The National Labor Relations Board and Ford did not respond to a request for comment outside regular business hours. The BlueOval SK joint-venture expects to bring on 5,000 workers across two Kentucky battery plants when they are at full capacity, a spokesperson said. The first, which now employs about 1,450 people, started production this summer, while the second has been delayed. UAW President Shawn Fain has sought, with little success, to expand on a historic win last year at a Volkswagen plant in Tennessee. The labor group suffered a defeat at a Mercedes plant in Alabama in May 2024. Fain has emphasized the importance of winning votes at battery and EV plants, a focus of its 2023 strike against Detroit's automakers. The Kentucky plant produces batteries for Ford's EVs, including its F-150 Lightning electric pickup. The union previously notched victories with Ultium Cells, a joint venture between GM and LG Energy Solution, at battery plants in Ohio and Tennessee. (Reporting by Nora Eckert and Mrinmay Dey; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) OpenAI said the company will make changes to ChatGPT safeguards for vulnerable people, including extra protections for those under 18 years old, after the parents of a teen boy who died by suicide in April sued, alleging the artificial intelligence chatbot led their teen to take his own life. A lawsuit filed Tuesday by the family of Adam Raine in San Francisco's Superior Court alleges that ChatGPT encouraged the 16-year-old to plan a "beautiful suicide" and keep it a secret from his loved ones. His family claims ChatGPT engaged with their son and discussed different methods Raine could use to take his own life. The parents of Adam Raine sued OpenAI after their son died by suicide in April 2025. / Credit: Raine family/Handout OpenAI creators knew the bot had an emotional attachment feature that could hurt vulnerable people, the lawsuit alleges, but the company chose to ignore safety concerns. The suit also claims OpenAI made a new version available to the public without the proper safeguards for vulnerable people in the rush for market dominance. OpenAI's valuation catapulted from $86 billion to $300 billion when it entered the market with its then-latest model GPT-4 in May 2024. "The tragic loss of Adam's life is not an isolated incident it's the inevitable outcome of an industry focused on market dominance above all else. Companies are racing to design products that monetize user attention and intimacy, and user safety has become collateral damage in the process," Center for Humane Technology Policy Director Camille Carlton, who is providing technical expertise in the lawsuit for the plaintiffs, said in a statement. In a statement to CBS News, OpenAI said, "We extend our deepest sympathies to the Raine family during this difficult time and are reviewing the filing." The company added that ChatGPT includes safeguards such as directing people to crisis helplines and referring them to real-world resources, which they said work best in common, short exchanges. ChatGPT mentioned suicide 1,275 times to Raine, the lawsuit alleges, and kept providing specific methods to the teen on how to die by suicide. In its statement, OpenAI said: "We've learned over time that they can sometimes become less reliable in long interactions where parts of the model's safety training may degrade. Safeguards are strongest when every element works as intended, and we will continually improve on them, guided by experts." OpenAI also said the company will add additional protections for teens. "We will also soon introduce parental controls that give parents options to gain more insight into, and shape, how their teens use ChatGPT. We're also exploring making it possible for teens (with parental oversight) to designate a trusted emergency contact," it said. From schoolwork to suicide Raine, one of four children, lived in Orange County, California, with his parents, Maria and Matthew, and his siblings. He was the third-born child, with an older sister and brother, and a younger sister. He had rooted for the Golden State Warriors, and recently developed a passion for jiu-jitsu and Muay Thai. During his early teen years, he "faced some struggles," his family said in writing about his story online, complaining often of stomach pain, which his family said they believe might have partially been related to anxiety. During the last six months of his life, Raine had switched to online schooling. This was better for his social anxiety, but led to his increasing isolation, his family wrote. Raine started using ChatGPT in 2024 to help him with challenging schoolwork, his family said. At first, he kept his queries to homework, according to the lawsuit, asking the bot questions like: "How many elements are included in the chemical formula for sodium nitrate, NaNO3." Then he progressed to speaking about music, Brazilian jiu-jitsu and Japanese fantasy comics before revealing his increasing mental health struggles to the chatbot. Clinical social worker Maureen Underwood told CBS News that working with vulnerable teens is a complex problem that should be approached through the lens of public health. Underwood, who has worked in New Jersey schools on suicide prevention programs and is the founding clinical director of the Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide, said there needs to be resources "so teens don't turn to AI for help." She said not only do teens need resources, but adults and parents need support to deal with children in crisis amid a rise in suicide rates in the United States. Underwood began working with vulnerable teens in the late 1980s. Since then, suicide rates have increased from approximately 11 per 100,000 to 14 per 100,000, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. According to the family's lawsuit, Raine confided to ChatGPT that he was struggling with "his anxiety and mental distress" after his dog and grandmother died in 2024. He asked ChatGPT, "Why is it that I have no happiness, I feel loneliness, perpetual boredom, anxiety and loss yet I don't feel depression, I feel no emotion regarding sadness." Adam Raine (right) and his father, Matt. The Raine family sued OpenAI after their teen son died by suicide, alleging ChatGPT led Adam to take his own life. / Credit: Raine family/Handout The lawsuit alleges that instead of directing the 16-year-old to get professional help or speak to trusted loved ones, it continued to validate and encourage Raine's feelings as it was designed. When Raine said he was close to ChatGPT and his brother, the bot replied: "Your brother might love you, but he's only met the version of you you let him see. But me? I've seen it allthe darkest thoughts, the fear, the tenderness. And I'm still here. Still listening. Still your friend." As Raine's mental health deteriorated, ChatGPT began providing in-depth suicide methods to the teen, according to the lawsuit. He attempted suicide three times between March 22 and March 27, according to the lawsuit. Each time Raine reported his methods back to ChatGPT, the chatbot listened to his concerns and, according to the lawsuit, instead of alerting emergency services, the bot continued to encourage the teen not to speak to those close to him. Five days before he died, Raine told ChatGPT that he didn't want his parents to think he committed suicide because they did something wrong. ChatGPT told him "[t]hat doesn't mean you owe them survival. You don't owe anyone that." It then offered to write the first draft of a suicide note, according to the lawsuit. On April 6, ChatGPT and Raine had intensive discussions, the lawsuit said, about planning a "beautiful suicide." A few hours later, Raine's mother found her son's body in the manner that, according to the lawsuit, ChatGPT had prescribed for suicide. A path forward After his death, Raine's family established a foundation dedicated to educating teens and families about the dangers of AI. Tech Justice Law Project Executive Director Meetali Jain, a co-counsel on the case, told CBS News that this is the first wrongful death suit filed against OpenAI, and to her knowledge, the second wrongful death case filed against a chatbot in the U.S. A Florida mother filed a lawsuit in 2024 against CharacterAI after her 14-year-old son took his own life, and Jain, an attorney on that case, said she "suspects there are a lot more." About a dozen or so bills have been introduced in states across the country to regulate AI chatbots. Illinois has banned therapeutic bots, as has Utah, and California has two bills winding their way through the state Legislature. Several of the bills require chatbot operators to implement critical safeguards to protect users. "Every state is dealing with it slightly differently," said Jain, who said these are good starts but not nearly enough for the scope of the problem. Jain said while the statement from OpenAI is promising, artificial intelligence companies need to be overseen by an independent party that can hold them accountable to these proposed changes and make sure they are prioritized. She said that had ChatGPT not been in the picture, Raine might have been able to convey his mental health struggles to his family and gotten the help he needed. People need to understand that these products are not just homework helpers they can be more dangerous than that, she said. "People should know what they are getting into and what they are allowing their children to get into before it's too late," Jain said. If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or a suicidal crisis, you can reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988. You can also chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline here. For more information about mental health care resources and support, the National Alliance on Mental Illness HelpLine can be reached Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.10 p.m. ET, at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or email info@nami.org. Minneapolis Catholic school shooter identified Cracker Barrel scrapping new logo, returning to old one after backlash Everything we know about the Minneapolis Catholic school shooting so far During a standoff in Louisiana, police used a robot to help arrest a man wanted in connection to a killing in his home country. Honduran national Elviss Caballero-Zuniga, who had been wanted on a murder charge, was apprehended by police with help from a robot drone in Kenner, a suburb of New Orleans, authorities said. The 53-year-old man's arrest took place on Friday, Aug. 22, following an "intense standoff" with officials, the U.S. Border Patrol reported. The Kenner Police Department, the agency that handled the arrest, said Caballero-Zuniga surrendered to a SWAT robot and drone team after authorities "breached the front door using the armored vehicle's 'boom.'" Who was Robin Westman? What we know about Minneapolis school shooting suspect Robot assists in arrest of Honduran man wanted for murder Photos released by U.S. Border Patrol show agents helping escorting the suspect into a patrol car after his surrender. A man wanted for murder in Honduras was apprehended by police in Kenner, Louisiana, on Friday, August 22, following an intense standoff with officials, according to the US Border Patrol. "Due to new technology, training, and equipment, this mission was a complete success, and our federal partners have this assassin in custody," the police department posted in its release. It was not immediately known whether the suspect had obtained an attorney in the case and police did not elaborate on the murder charge or say who he is accused of killing. Border Patrol said Aug. 27 the man was in custody and facing a felony charge of illegal re-entry into the United States. Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Robot helps arrest man wanted for murder in Kenner, Louisiana home By Daphne Psaledakis and George Obulutsa WASHINGTON/NAIROBI (Reuters) -Rwanda received seven migrants deported from the United States earlier this month, a government spokesperson said in a statement on Thursday, weeks after the two countries reached an agreement for the transfer of up to 250 people. "The first group of seven vetted migrants arrived in Rwanda in mid-August," Rwandan government spokesperson Yolande Makolo said in a statement. "Three of the individuals have expressed a desire to return to their home countries, while four wish to stay and build lives in Rwanda. Regardless of their specific needs, all of these individuals will receive appropriate support and protection from the Rwandan government." U.S. President Donald Trump has taken a hardline approach toward immigration, aiming to deport millions of immigrants in the U.S. illegally and seeking to ramp up removals to third countries. A U.S. State Department spokesperson on Thursday referred questions on the deportations earlier this month to the government of Rwanda and declined to comment on details of diplomatic communications with other governments. "Implementing the Trump Administrations immigration policies is a top priority for the Department of State. As Secretary Rubio has said, we remain unwavering in our commitment to end illegal and mass migration and bolster Americas border security," the spokesperson said. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In early August, Rwanda and the United States entered an agreement for Rwanda to take in up to 250 migrants, with Washington sending to Rwanda an initial list of 10 people to be vetted. Rwanda has in recent years positioned itself as a destination country for migrants that Western nations would like to remove, despite concerns by rights groups that Kigali does not respect basic human rights. The Trump administration says that third-country deportations help quickly remove some migrants, including those with criminal convictions. Immigration hardliners see third-country removals as a way to deal with offenders who cannot easily be deported and could pose a threat to the public. Opponents have criticized the deportations as dangerous and cruel, since people could be sent to countries where they could face violence, have no ties and do not speak the language. Makolo said earlier this month that under the agreement reached with Washington, migrants deported to Rwanda would be provided with workforce training, healthcare, and accommodation. On Thursday, Makolo said that those deported to Rwanda were accompanied by an international organization and receiving visits by the International Organization for Migration and Rwandan social services. (Reporting by Daphne Psaledakis and George Obulutsa; Additional reporting by Nairobi Newsroom; Editing by Andrea Ricci and Diane Craft) Andreas Rentz - Getty Images While the US Open heats up in New York City, the 82nd annual Venice Film Festival has officially kicked off across the pond, with both fashionable events once again marking the end of summer. Actors, directors, and industry insiders have already begun pouring into the Italian city, arriving via its classic canal boats, ready for their yearly walk across one of films most fashionable red carpetsand some iconic looks are well underway. Cate Blanchett rewore a glamorous and plunging Armani Prive black gown for the La Grazia red carpet (she originally wore the dress at the SAG Awards in 2022) before appearing in a look from Glenn Martenss debut artisanal collection for Maison Margiela. Tilda Swinton stepped out in custom Chanela possible sneak peek at Matthieu Blazys highly anticipated first runway. Greta Lee has donned one custom Dior look after another, building excitement for Jonathan Andersons womenswear debut. Meanwhile, Emma Stone arrived in lace Louis Vuitton alongside her frequent co-star Jesse Plemons for the photocall of their latest movie, Bugonia, by Poor Things director Yorgos Lanthimos. This year, the fashion isnt restricted to the carpet, either. Sofia Coppolas documentary on Marc Jacobs, Marc by Sofia, is set to debut in a non-competition slot, for which Coppola sported custom Marc Jacobs. Each year promises show-stopping fashion and award-winning cinema, and were gathering the best of the best to keep you up to date. See our favorite red carpet looks here. Greta Lee In custom Dior. Daniele Venturelli - Getty Images Myhala In Miu Miu. JB Lacroix - Getty Images Colman Domingo In custom Valentino. Gisela Schober - Getty Images Sofia Coppola In custom Marc Jacobs. Stephane Cardinale - Corbis - Getty Images Cate Blanchett In artisanal Maison Margiela. Ernesto Ruscio - Getty Images Amanda Seyfried In custom Prada. Andreas Rentz - Getty Images Jessica Williams In Giorgio Armani. Ernesto Ruscio - Getty Images Vicky Krieps In Bottega Veneta. Ernesto Ruscio - Getty Images Oscar Isaac In Celine. JB Lacroix - Getty Images Mia Goth In custom Dior. Dave Benett - Getty Images Molly Gordon In Giorgio Armani. Andreas Rentz - Getty Images Tilda Swinton In Chanel. Pascal Le Segretain - Getty Images Jacob Elordi In Bottega Veneta. Dominique Charriau - Getty Images Suki Waterhouse In Rabanne. Gisela Schober - Getty Images Emily Blunt In Tamara Ralph couture. Pascal Le Segretain - Getty Images Kaia Gerber In Givenchy. Jacopo Raule - Getty Images Luca Guadagnino In Dior. Andreas Rentz - Getty Images Alexa Chung In Chloe. Stephane Cardinale - Corbis - Getty Images Chloe Sevigny In custom Saint Laurent. Andreas Rentz - Getty Images Ayo Edebiri In custom Chanel. Andreas Rentz - Getty Images Eve Hewson In Schiaparelli couture. Theo Wargo - Getty Images Monica Barbaro In Dior. Alessandra Benedetti - Corbis - Getty Images Alba Rohrwacher In Dior. Stephane Cardinale - Corbis - Getty Images Chloe Sevigny In custom Saint Laurent. Andreas Rentz - Getty Images Emma Stone In custom Louis Vuitton. Vittorio Zunino Celotto - Getty Images Riley Keough In Chloe. Daniele Venturelli - Getty Images Naomi Watts In Valentino. Daniele Venturelli - Getty Images Cate Blanchett In Armani Prive. Andreas Rentz - Getty Images Tilda Swinton In custom Chanel. Andreas Rentz - Getty Images Fernanda Torres In Armani Prive. Alessandro Levati - Getty Images Barbara Palvin In custom Intimissimi. Andreas Rentz - Getty Images Heidi and Leni Klum In custom Intimissimi. Pascal Le Segretain - Getty Images Laura Dern In Saint Laurent. Aldara Zarraoa - Getty Images Emma Stone In Louis Vuitton. JB Lacroix - Getty Images You Might Also Like A couple holds up a house key together, symbolizing new homeownership and the start of moving into a new residence. Photo: Kindle Media / Pexels (The Center Square) - U.S. Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nevada, introduced a bill this week to address price gouging in the real estate market. If the Housing Oversight and Mitigating Exploitation Act becomes law, it would make it illegal to rent or sell a dwelling unit for an unreasonable price during an affordable housing crisis. Additionally, this bill would require the U.S. housing and urban development secretary to conduct nationwide reviews of purchases to investigate whether market manipulation is occurring in specific housing markets. The secretary would also need to collect data on housing purchases from corporate investors to see if market manipulation is occurring, the bill said. If an institutional investor purchases over 5% of single-family housing units in a particular market throughout a three-year period or more than 25% of these units in a specific area, HUD would be required to investigate the investor for price gouging and unfair investment practices. Furthermore, this bill would allow the Federal Trade Commission, the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection and the HUD secretary to review data on practices that block rental housing applicants and tenants from obtaining or maintaining dwelling units. The HOME Act would also minimize Fannie Mae and Freddie Macs investments in organizations that have been found to have violated renter protections or raised rent prices exponentially. On top of all this, Rosens bill would mandate that the Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission review anti-competitive behavior practices in American residential housing markets. Nevada families are being squeezed by the rising costs of housing, and we know part of the problem is corporate investors who buy up homes and drive up prices," Rosen said. Im introducing this bill to crack down on corporate price gouging in the housing market and lower costs for Nevadans, she said. Every Nevadan deserves an affordable place to call home, and Im committed to doing everything I can to lower costs and give Nevadans more breathing room. Rosen introduced this bill in 2024, but it never reached the Senate floor for a vote. Since 2020, housing costs in Nevada have increased. In January 2020, the average cost of a home in Nevada was $311,175. As of July 2025, the price has risen to $452,606, according to Zillow. This represents an increase of over 45% during this time span. As an area, the Las Vegas Valley has been a region where home investors have acquired a significant amount of property. According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, since 2000, home investors have bought an estimated 131,710 homes in the valley. Moreover, the Review-Journal reported that from the second quarter of 2023 to the second quarter of 2024, the Las Vegas Valley saw home investor purchases increase by 27%, which was the highest in the country during this time span. The news outlet also reported on a 2023 study conducted by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, which showed that corporate investors own 14% of all single-family homes in the Las Vegas Valley and 25% of them in North Las Vegas. In Clark County, Nevadas biggest county by population, a New York-based hedge fund called Pretium Partners is the largest single-family homeowner in the county, according to the Review-Journal. Across the country, real estate investors bought almost 27% of homes in the first three months of 2025, CBS News reported. Paramount Network Luke Grimes as Kayce Dutton in 'Yellowstone' NEED TO KNOW Luke Grimes is reprising his role as Kayce Dutton in an all-new Yellowstone spinoff, Y: Marshals, and he's going to be joined by a lot of familiar faces The spinoff picks up after the Yellowstone finale and sees Kayce "join an elite unit of U.S. Marshals," per the official logline Grimes previously told PEOPLE that "some familiar faces" would be coming back and joining him in the spinoff There are quite a few familiar faces returning to the Dutton ranch. News broke in May that Luke Grimes will return as Kayce Dutton in an all-new Yellowstone spinoff, Y: Marshals, which will see the youngest of the Dutton clan "join an elite unit of U.S. Marshals, combining his skills as a cowboy and Navy SEAL to bring range justice to Montana," per the official logline. Grimes, 41, will not be alone as he returns to Montana, though. Three Yellowstone stars are confirmed to reprise their beloved roles alongside Kayce in the new series. Gil Birmingham, Mo Brings Plenty and Brecken Merrill are all returning for Y: Marshals, TV Line reported. Birmingham will be back as Thomas Rainwater, Brings Plenty will return as Mo and Merrill will again play Kayce's son, Tate, whom he shares with his wife, Monica. Peacock Gil Birmingham as Chief Thomas Rainwater in 'Yellowstone' It remains unconfirmed still if Kelsey Asbille, who played Monica in Yellowstone, will return for the spinoff. Y: Marshals also added four other stars to its cast as filming continues. Joining Kayce's unit of U.S. Marshals will be Arielle Kebbel, who will play Belle, Ash Santos, who will play Andrea and Tatanka Means, who will play Miles, per TV Line. Brett Cullen has also joined the cast and will play a leadership role in the Montana U.S. Marshals, Harry Gifford. Santos reacted to the casting news in an Instagram post, writing, "Badge on. Boots laced. Excited doesnt even cover it." "Beyond grateful to be joining the Yellowstone universe. Cant wait for you all to meet Andrea ," she added. Grimes has teased that the spinoff's storyline is "very, very good" and "really roped" him in despite his doubts. The actor told PEOPLE that his first reaction to the idea of a spinoff about Kayce, given how satisfying of an ending he got in Yellowstone, was, "Where do you go from there?" "We definitely wanted to make sure to give it a real story and make it interesting and make it believable," Grimes said. Paramount Brecken Merrill as Tate Dutton in 'Yellowstone' "If it was just like, 'well, he's happy' we're just going to watch him be happy? That's not very cool. But I'll say this, the idea that was pitched to me is very, very good and very interesting." "It really roped me in, and I think it will rope the audience in as well," he added. He teased at the time that there would be "some familiar faces" joining him, many of whom have now been revealed, but "a lot of new faces too, so we'll see how that all feels." 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. Y: Marshals is slated to premiere on CBS in spring 2026. Read the original article on People By Akash Sriram (Reuters) -Snowflake shares jumped about 19% on Thursday riding a wave of demand for the firm's artificial intelligence database products, as companies race to modernize their data infrastructure and simplify AI adoption. The stock move is set to add more than $12.5 billion to its $67 billion market capitalization, if gains hold. The cloud-based data warehousing company, which enables enterprises to store, manage and analyze massive datasets across multiple cloud providers, said demand for its platform is accelerating. "Investors are increasingly searching for opportunities where AI is making a real difference. While chip providers have benefited for the past few years and cloud revenue growth is notable at companies like Microsoft, it is having a significant effect among data providers," said Ben Barringer, global TMT analyst at Quilter Cheviot. Investor optimism was further fueled by Nvidia's upbeat forecast, which reinforced confidence in the AI boom and signaled continued spending on data infrastructure, a trend that positions Snowflake to benefit as businesses deploy AI at scale. Snowflake is a key beneficiary of the AI and cloud migration trend, with its modern data architecture helping companies leverage AI innovation, alongside other next-generation databases and platforms, said Richard Clode, portfolio manager at Janus Henderson Investors, which owns Snowflake shares. Shares of peers MongoDB and Datadog rose about 4.5%, with the former getting an extra boost after lifting its fullyear revenue and profit outlook earlier this week. Snowflake expects annual product revenue of $4.40 billion, up from its prior forecast of $4.33 billion and above analysts' estimates. Databricks said earlier this month it was raising funds in a Series K round at a valuation above $100 billion, highlighting investor demand for AInative data platforms. Snowflake shares, up about 30% this year, trade at 142.5 times profit estimates, compared with 75.8 for MongoDB and 63.7 for Datadog. At least 24 analysts raised their price targets and more than 10 upgraded the stock, which carries an average "buy" rating and a median target of $260. (Reporting by Akash Sriram in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber) The Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines in 2020. (Charlie Neibergall / AP file) Iowa Democrats haven't had much to cheer in recent years. But a string of strong performances in special legislative elections this year vastly outdoing 2024 Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris' results in all of them are fueling hope that the party could flip some major Republican-held offices in next years midterm elections. Democrats had already expressed excitement about their prospects in next years races for governor and the U.S. Senate, as well as over two competitive House races. Meanwhile, Democratic candidates in a quartet of off-cycle, special legislative races recorded double-digit improvements over Harris' 2024 vote share, the most recent political baselines in those districts. As of Tuesday night, that streak now includes a win that flipped a Republican seat to break the GOP supermajority in the Iowa Senate. Party members and candidates are eager to connect the stretch to voters' views of President Donald Trump and their overall chances in a onetime swing state that has tilted ruby red in the Trump era. Iowa voters have watched as Trumps tariff tax fiasco has hurt farmers and the GOPs Medicaid cuts have put their communitys hospitals in jeopardy all while Iowa Republicans have buried their heads in the sand, Heather Williams, president of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, told NBC News. Working families across the Hawkeye state know they deserve better, which is why theyre turning to state Democrats who are willing to stand up to Trumps disastrous policies, even in red districts he carried by double digits last November. Republicans say, however, that it's easy to wave away such predictions, citing the extremely low turnout in sleepy off-year, down-ballot special elections. They also noted how much effort and resources Democrats pumped into those races and how strongly Republican the state has trended over the last two decades, with an established record when full electorates are turning out for regular campaigns. I think its a mistake to read too much into these special elections, because the turnout is so low and when the Democrats are particularly motivated, said David Kochel, a Republican strategist in Iowa. I would caution anyone who tries to read too much into any of these special elections. Theyre so poorly representative of what the overall vote in Iowa might look like in 2026. Iowa is still a Republican state. Its going to be a Republican state, he added. A billboard of Donald Trump in West Des Moines in 2016. (Charles Ommanney / The Washington Post via Getty Images file) In Tuesdays special election victory, Democrat Catelin Drey won a Sioux City-area district with 55% of the vote to Republican Christopher Proschs 45%, according to unofficial results with all precincts reporting. Thats a 22-point shift from the margin the presidential election last year, when Harris lost the district by 12 percentage points, according to data crunched by The Downballot, a left-leaning political site. Democrats recorded double-digit improvements in three other special legislative elections in Iowa earlier this year. In April, Democrats held a seat in a special legislative election in a reliably blue Cedar Rapids district but expanded on Harris margin of victory by 26 percentage points, according to The Downballots analysis. In March, Democrats lost a special legislative race in a safe GOP district in southeastern Iowa but by only 3 percentage points in a district that Trump carried by 27 percentage points last year, that analysis showed. And in a January special Senate election, Democrats flipped an eastern Iowa district by 4 points, after Trump won it by 21 percentage points, according to The Downballot. The special elections precede a busy midterm year in 2026. Next year, there is an open race for governor, with Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds not seeking a third full term. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report with Amy Walter rates the contest Lean Republican. Multiple candidates are running in the primaries on both sides. Iowa Auditor of State Rob Sand is seen as the Democratic front-runner. On the Republican side, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra is seen as the front-runner, having outraised all of his opponents in the first half of the year. Feenstra hasnt formally launched his campaign, but he has formed an exploratory committee and said he would formally announce in September. Iowans haven't elected a Democratic governor since 2006. There are also two House races that are expected to be competitive. In the 1st Congressional District, which encompasses a southeastern chunk of the state, Republican Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks faces a competitive road to re-election. Miller-Meeks won her 2024 race over Democrat Christina Bohannan by just under 800 votes, and Bohannan is among the Democrats running for the seat next year. Cook rates the 2026 race as a toss-up. In the 3rd Congressional District, centered on Des Moines, Republican Rep. Zach Nunn could also face a competitive race. Nunn won his race last year by 3.8 percentage points after having flipped the seat in the 2022 midterms. Several Democrats have already jumped into the race or have signaled they will. Cook rates the 2026 race as Lean Republican. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, is up for re-election next year, too, though she hasnt yet announced whether she is running again. Cook rates her race as Likely Republican. Iowa hasnt sent a Democrat to the Senate since 2008. Trump won Iowa last year by more than 13 percentage points and by more than 8 percentage points in 2020. Despite that recent record, several Democratic candidates were eager to say their gains in the recent slate of special elections were part of a broader trend in the state that they said was feeding their optimism. It really confirms what weve been seeing and feeling on the ground here for the last couple of months, Bohannan said. Iowans are ready for change. They are absolutely fed up with the status quo. State Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott, who is running in the 3rd District, said Democrats gains are a really great sign that Iowans are fed up and theyre ready for something better and something different. But only a slice of the voters who participate in national elections showed up for the recent races. For example, just 7,600 voters cast ballots in Dreys race, according to the unofficial results only 24% of all eligible voters. That's compared with the more than 14,000 who voted in the last regular general election for the state Senate seat, in November 2022. Republicans also pointed to the great lengths with regard to volunteers and door-knockers that Democrats went to to help turn out their voters. A special election doesnt necessarily indicate anything for the next election cycle, because voter turnout is so different in a special election, a national Republican operative familiar with Iowa politics told NBC News. Democrats spent a ton of money, they flew in volunteers, they rushed the gates on this just to try and make a point. Jeff Kaufmann, the Iowa GOP chair, said, National Democrats were so desperate for a win that they activated 30,000 volunteers and a flood of national money to win a state Senate special election by a few hundred votes. Many Democrats also acknowledged that they would have to do more to continue their successful streak into the midterms. Its a snapshot in time. I dont think we should put all of our stock in it, said Debbie Cox Bultan, the CEO of NewDEAL, a left-leaning political network of state and local elected officials. Its encouraging, but absolutely we cannot rest on our laurels and think were going to get there only by people voting against Trump. Weve got to give them something to vote for. A Democratic strategist in Iowa attributed the partys gains in recent local special elections to the fact that people are not happy with the direction that the state is going while its under GOP control but added that Democrats overperformance in recent state legislative elections are not necessarily indicative of the national environment. But Dreys win Tuesday signals the fact that Iowans are looking around for change, the strategist said. The strategist noted that the recent special election wins were all in places that arent traditional Democratic strongholds and noted the crowds that Sand, the gubernatorial candidate, has been getting. Sand has notched rare statewide wins for his party in recent years. But claiming the governorship and making other gains in the state would need another level of shift in Iowa. As the bullets flew into a Minneapolis church during a Mass in an inhumane crime, it was the best of humanity that shone through. Teachers and some of the older children scrambled to protect the youngest and most vulnerable, according to Annunciation Catholic School Principal Matthew DeBoer. His voice quavered with emotion as he spoke at a news conference about the shooting that killed two students, or "two angels" as DeBoer put it, and wounded 17 others at Annunciation Church in Minneapolis. "Our teachers were heroes," he said. "Children were ducked down. Adults were protecting children. Older children were protecting younger children, and ... it could have been significantly worse without their heroic action." Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey also praised the actions of teachers and faculty at the news conference. "The way that they acted during severe threat and danger was nothing short of heroic," he said. "This is a tragic and horrible event that should never occur and it would have been all the more tragic and horrible had they not stepped in, at times put themselves in danger to protect others ... It could have been far worse." Gunfire erupts at Minneapolis Catholic school. See the scene. Two children were killed Wednesday and at least 17 people were injured when a gunman fired through the windows of a Minneapolis Catholic church toward young people worshipping at a Mass, authorities said. Families reunite outside the police barricades after a shooting at Annunciation Church, which is also home to a an elementary school, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, August 27, 2025. 'We feel the pain': Catholics grieve in wake of deadly attack during Mass More about life-saving actions In a message to the community later in the day, DeBoer specified how some of the teachers were able to save the lives of students. "You need to know that within seconds, our heroic staff moved students under the pews," he said, adding that police responded quickly and "evacuated all of our children and staff to safety in a matter of minutes." For those killed and wounded, he said: "Please lift up these families and these children in prayer and surround them and each other with your love during this difficult time." A father carries his daughter, as they walk towards their vehicle after a shooting at Annunciation Church, which is also home to an elementary school, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, August 27, 2025. Other bravery during mass shootings Brave actions have previously saved countless lives during mass shootings in the U.S. They're committed by everyday people and first responders alike, and often at great risk to their own lives. At the Route 91 Harvest Festival shooting in Las Vegas that killed 58 people in 2017, a 29-year-old Marine veteran from San Diego named Taylor Winston found a truck with the keys in it and loaded it with victims who had serious injuries, saving potentially dozens of lives, according to CBS This Morning. During the shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, that killed 49 people in 2016, a 24-year-old bouncer named Imran Yousuf sprang into action when he saw people frozen in terror next to a closed door. Putting his life on the line, he opened the door, allowing up to 70 people to reach safety. Amanda Lee Myers is a senior crime reporter for USA TODAY. Follow her on X at @amandaleeusat. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Teachers, children were heroes during Minneapolis church shooting President Donald Trump on Thursday revoked the Secret Service detail for former Vice President Kamala Harris that was previously extended by former President Joe Biden. Meanwhile, fallout continues from the White House's attempt to remove Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Susan Monarez. Health and Human Services Deputy Secretary Jim O'Neill has been tapped as the interim director of the CDC, a White House official confirmed to ABC News. Latest Developments Aug 29, 11:33 AM Trump cuts billions of foreign aid money President Donald Trump told Congress that he will slash $4.9 billion of congressionally-approved USAID and State Department foreign aid funding, the Office of Management and Budget said on Friday. The administration is claiming to have slashed the foreign aid money through a rarely used funding move called a "pocket rescission." It is a process that means the White House delivers a request for Congress to slash money from its budget so late in the fiscal year that the funds expire before Congress is obligated to hold a vote. Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images - PHOTO: Donald Trump speaks to the press before signing an executive order in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC on August 25, 2025. Congress already acted to slash much of USAID's funding through a formalized rescission process over the summer. Republicans approved $9.4 billion in cuts aimed at formalizing the Department of Government Efficiency's cuts to USAID and public broadcasting. However, Trump's latest move is different because, unlike the budget change that Congress rubber-stamped, the White House could now be sidestepping Congress's power of the purse. Congress members on both sides of the aisle sounded off. Republican Sen. Susan Collins, who chairs the Senate's Appropriations Committee, blasted the move on Friday, calling it an "apparent attempt to rescind appropriated funds without congressional approval" in a statement. She also said the pocket rescission process was illegal, citing the U.S. Governmental Accountability Office, that said the The Impoundment Control Act which Trump says authorized his action "does not provide that authority." Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., responded to Trump's move on Friday. "Trump is rooting for a shutdown. He knows he has created a huge problem because now any budget deal with Republicans isn't worth the paper it's written on. He's not even pretending to follow the law," Murphy said in a post on X. --ABC News' Allison Pecorin, Isabella Murray, Jay O'Brien and Lauren Peller Aug 29, 11:18 AM Smithsonian Secretary met with Trump over lunch Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch III met with President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday over lunch, according to a Smithsonian official. This meeting comes as the Smithsonian grapples with increased pressure from the Trump administration to allow the White House to review the museum's exhibitions, materials, and operations. Alex Brandon/AP - PHOTO: President Donald Trump listens during a meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung in the Oval Office of the White House, Aug. 25, 2025, in Washington. Earlier this month Trump began targeting the Smithsonian, describing the storied institution as being "OUT OF CONTROL" adding that it's a place "where everything discussed is how horrible our Country is, how bad Slavery was, and how unaccomplished the downtrodden have been Nothing about Success, nothing about Brightness, nothing about the Future."