Category: World

Russia unleashed a major drone and missile attack on Ukraine overnight, killing three people, injuring dozens more, and damaging infrastructure and residential buildings, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Saturday.

Despite diplomatic efforts to find ways to end the war that began when Russia invaded in February 2022, the fighting has intensified in recent months.

In a statement on the Telegram app, Zelenskiy said Russia had launched around 580 drones and 40 missiles targeting infrastructure, civilian manufacturing companies and residential areas in different parts of the country.

Air defences shot down 552 of the drones and 31 missiles, Ukraine’s air force said.

RUSSIA IS ‘TERRORISING’ CIVILIANS, SAYS ZELENSKIY

“All night, Ukraine was under a massive attack by Russia,” Zelenskiy said. “Every such strike is not a military necessity but a deliberate strategy by Russia to terrorise civilians and destroy our infrastructure.”

Russia denies targeting Ukrainian civilians.

In the central city of Dnipro, a missile with a cluster munition hit a residential apartment building, Zelenskiy said.
One person was killed, and at least 26 people were injured in Dnipro, regional officials said.
Two people were also killed in the Chernihiv region in the north and the Khmelnytskyi region in the west of the country, regional officials said.

Reuters could not independently verify the battlefield reports.

“I could hear the ‘Shahed’ (drone) getting closer and closer. I understood it was flying towards us. My child and I were very frightened,” Yulia Chystokletova, a resident of Kyiv, told Reuters.

“It should not be happening in the 21st century. We are all people. Agree… sit down at the negotiating table.”

Kyiv faces increasing pressure in eastern Ukraine, where Russian troops are keeping up their grinding advance, devastating villages and towns and claiming new territory.

Source : https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-hits-ukraine-with-barrage-drones-missiles-kills-3-kyiv-says-2025-09-20/

Sir Keir Starmer is expected to announce the UK’s recognition of a Palestinian state in a statement on Sunday afternoon.

The prime minister said in July that the UK would shift its position unless Israel met several conditions, including agreeing to a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and committing to a long-term peace process leading to a Palestinian state co-existing alongside Israel.

The Israeli leadership has ruled this out since the start of the war following Hamas’s attack in southern Israel on 7 October 2023 in which 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage.

The PM’s move has drawn fierce criticism from the Israeli government, families of hostages held in Gaza and some Conservatives.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu previously said recognition of a Palestinian state “rewards terror”.

The decision to recognise a Palestinian state represents a major change in UK foreign policy, after successive governments said recognition should come as part of a peace process and at a time of maximum impact.

However, ministers argue there was a moral responsibility to act to keep hopes of a long-term peace alive.

Efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza – let alone a long-term solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict – have faltered. Israel recently sparked international outrage when it carried out an air strike on a Hamas negotiating team in Qatar.

Government sources said the situation on the ground had also worsened significantly in the last few weeks. They cited images showing starvation and violence in Gaza, which Sir Keir previously described as “intolerable”.

Israel’s latest ground operation in Gaza City, described by a UN official as “cataclysmic”, has forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee.

It is the latest Israeli offensive in the nearly two-year war which has seen much of the Palestinian territory’s population displaced, its infrastructure destroyed, and at least 65,208 people killed, according to Hamas-run health ministry figures.

Earlier this week, a United Nations commision of inquiry concluded Israel had committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, which Israel denounced as “distorted and false”.

Ministers have also highlighted the continued expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, which are illegal under international law, as a key factor in the decision to recognise Palestinian statehood.

Justice Secretary David Lammy, who was foreign secretary when recognition was proposed, cited the controversial E1 settlement project – which critics warn would put an end to hopes for a viable, contiguous Palestinian state – as well as violence from Israeli settlers in the West Bank.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed the UK’s recognition pledge when he visited Sir Keir earlier this month, with Downing Street saying both leaders had agreed Hamas should play no role in the future governance of Palestine.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said she wanted to see a two-state solution in the Middle East.

But she wrote in The Telegraph over the weekend: “It is obvious, and the US has been clear on this, that recognition of a Palestinian state at this time and without the release of the hostages, would be a reward for terrorism.”

Meanwhile, in an open letter to Sir Keir on Saturday, family members of some of the hostages taken by Hamas urged the prime minister not to take the step until the 48 still in Gaza, of whom 20 are thought to still be alive, had been returned.

The announcement of the forthcoming recognition had “dramatically complicated efforts to bring home our loved ones”, they wrote. “Hamas has already celebrated the UK’s decision as a victory and reneged on a ceasefire deal.”

Sources in government said ministers will be setting out next steps for sanctioning Hamas in the coming weeks.

During a state visit to the UK this week, US President Donald Trump also said he disagreed with recognition.

Sir Keir had set a deadline of the UN General Assembly meeting, which takes place this week, for Israel to take “substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza, agree to a ceasefire and commit to a long-term, sustainable peace, reviving the prospect of a two-state solution”.

He said in July: “With that solution now under threat, this is the moment to act.”

A number of other countries including Portugal, France, Canada and Australia have also said they will recognise a Palestinian state, while Spain, Ireland and Norway took the step last year.

Palestine is currently recognised by around 75% of the UN’s 193 member states, but has no internationally agreed boundaries, no capital and no army – making recognition largely symbolic.

The two-state solution refers to the creation of a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Israel currently occupies both the West Bank and Gaza, meaning the Palestinian Authority is not in full control of its land or people.

Recognising a Palestinian state has long been a cause championed by many within the Labour Party. The PM has been under mounting pressure to take a tougher stance on Israel, particularly from MPs on the left of his party.

Shortly before he gave his speech in July, more than half of Labour MPs signed a letter calling for the government to immediately recognise a Palestinian state.

Source : https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce800enrglzo

Pop Mart has been building on the success of the Labubu doll with new character lines and collaborations with established intellectual property. However, trends change and it remains to be seen if the company can keep up.

Last August, Mr Terry Khoo headed to Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre before the crack of dawn, just for the Pop Toy Show, a convention for pop-culture toys and collectibles. He was determined to get his hands on the Merlion Labubu, a Singapore-exclusive edition of the popular Labubu doll.

The annual convention has been organised in Singapore since 2023 and in China since 2020 by Pop Mart, the company behind popular collectible toys, most notably the ubiquitous Labubu – a furry toy known for its iconic rabbit-like ears and mischievous, sharp-toothed grin.

Mr Khoo, a 29-year-old project manager, said: “I thought it was early but when I reached at 5am, I was already way at the back (of the queue). I was speaking to some people and some of them were there from as early as 3am.”

He estimated that there were already 200 to 400 people ahead of him by the time he arrived, and the queue had snaked out of the convention centre and spilled onto the road.

Still, he waited in line for six hours, only to find that the launch of the limited edition toy was abruptly cancelled after a scuffle erupted between convention-goers over the collectible.

Although he has yet to acquire the Merlion Labubu, he now owns around 30 Pop Mart figurines, which he stores in two display cabinets – one at home and the other in his office.

Mr Khoo and other Labubu buyers have contributed to the runaway success of the Beijing-based Pop Mart, a company founded in 2010 that only recently became a household name when the Labubu craze erupted in early 2024.

Ms Ripple Sim, for instance, has spent thousands of dollars to date on her Pop Mart collection. She has more than 100 items that include several popular characters such as Labubu, Twinkle Twinkle, Skullpanda and Dimoo.

The event stylist, 41, began collecting Pop Mart merchandise in August last year, saying she started because of the rising Labubu hype at the time, which played into her fear of missing out.

Ms Sim also films herself unboxing Pop Mart blind boxes live and posts these videos on her social media accounts.

“I love unboxing blind boxes as well as watching people unbox, so I decided I might as well live(stream) it, so anyone who’s keen or free to watch can just join in the fun,” she said.

To date, the most expensive Labubu toy she owns is a larger-sized “Zimomo Angel in Clouds”, which she bought for more than S$300.

Her most precious one is a “Chestnut Cocoa” – a rare Secret V1 Labubu doll that has a one-in-72 chance of being found in a blind box – which she unboxed live on camera to the delight of viewers tuning into her livestream.

“It’s a core memory to have pulled a Secret on TikTok livestream, (especially) during the peak of the Labubu hype,” Ms Sim said.

Blind-box toys are sold in sealed, opaque packaging that conceals the exact figurine within, making the box’s content a mystery to buyers until opened.

A third Pop Mart fan, a civil servant in her mid-30s who declined to give her name, began collecting Pop Mart figurines about a year ago. She has since amassed a collection of more than 300 items, which cost her about S$5,000 in total.

Her first blind-box figure was from the series called “Pucky the Feast”, but her collection is now made up of various Pop Mart character lines, including Labubu, Skullpanda, Crybaby, Hirono, Dimoo and Molly. As long as she likes the design, it can join her collection.

“The thrill of blind boxes is in the unboxing process and not knowing what to expect.”

She recalled feeling “quite disappointed” after failing to pull her desired toy from that first Pucky the Feast blind box, but added that this uncertainty was part of the fun.

Beyond the excitement of this pursuit, she has also found a sense of community among fellow Pop Mart collectors. She described the hobby as having evolved into more of a social pastime.

“Over time, it became less about the toys and more about its social aspects,” she said.

“With friends and colleagues, it became a discussion topic. And within the Pop Mart community, there are also regulars who teach you tips on how to find your desired blind box figurine. You make new friends and learn from one another.”

Such unwavering demand from fans have made Labubu a global phenomenon.

In August this year, Pop Mart reported an almost 400 per cent surge in net profit for the first half of the financial year, with revenue leaping 204.4 per cent year-on-year to 13.88 billion yuan (US$1.95 billion).

Yet, as successful as Pop Mart has become, it also remains polarising, as opinions on the toys it sells can be sharply divisive.

Many observers who are not swept up by the Labubu fever find themselves baffled: What exactly is driving this obsession with toys that are not even conventionally cute, to the point where collectors are willing to jostle or even turn violent over them?

Source : https://www.channelnewsasia.com/today/big-read/pop-mart-labubu-worldwide-craze-5354541

Estonia requested a consultation of NATO powers after the Baltic nation said three Russian fighter jets violated its airspace in a “brazen” 12-minute incursion. Estonia’s president said air defense “must be a priority.”

What you need to know

Three Russian fighter jets violated NATO member Estonia’s airspace for 12 minutes on Friday in an “unprecedented brazen” incursion, its government said.

Russian jets have violated Estonian airspace in the past, but usually only briefly. The length of Friday’s incursion was unusual.

However, a statement from Russia’s Defense Ministry said the flight was in keeping with “international rules governing airspace” and “did not violate” Estonia’s borders.

Meanwhile, Poland deployed aircraft during a massive overnight Russian attack on neighboring Ukraine.

Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy said at least three people were killed and dozens of others were hurt.

This blog is now closed. Please read below to learn about the news on Russian violation of Estonian airspace as well as the latest developments in Russia’s war in Ukraine on September 20.

Austria’s OMV fires executive accused of spying for Russia — report

Austria’s majority state-owned energy group OMV has dismissed an executive over allegations of espionage for Russia, according to an exclusive report published by the Austrian news magazine Profil.

According to the magazine, the OMV employee attracted attention after meetings with a Russian diplomat suspected by Western intelligence services of being linked to Russia’s domestic intelligence service, the FSB.

Austria’s domestic intelligence agency DSN had reportedly been monitoring the executive for several months.

OMV told Reuters that the employee’s contract was terminated with immediate effect and said it is fully cooperating with authorities. The company declined to provide further details, citing data protection.

Austria’s Foreign Ministry has summoned the Russian charge d’affaires in Vienna, who was asked to waive the Russian diplomat’s immunity.

“Otherwise, he would have been considered persona non grata and would have had to leave Austria,” the ministry told Reuters.

According to Profil, the OMV executive had been temporarily assigned to the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc), which owns a 25% stake in OMV.

The two companies are planning to merge their petrochemical subsidiaries, Borouge and Borealis. The employee reportedly had insights into both firms and passed information to the Russian diplomat during meetings in Vienna.

Source : https://www.dw.com/en/estonia-seeks-nato-consultations-after-russia-jets-incident/live-74071954

Last night a close pal of Fergie said she wrote the email at a time when she had been threatened with legal action by Epstein.

Sarah Ferguson said sorry to Jeffrey Epstein after linking him to paedophilia in an interview, telling him: “I did not use the P word about you”.

In the interview published on March 7, 2011, the Duchess of York apologised for having accepted £15,000 from Epstein — a long-time associate of her ex-husband Prince Andrew.

She said: “I abhor paedophilia and any sexual abuse of children and know that this was a gigantic error of judgment on my behalf.

“Whenever I can, I will repay the money and will have nothing to do with Jeffrey Epstein ever again.”

But just over a month later, on April 26, the Duchess secretly wrote to Epstein from her personal email address stating: “As you know I did not, absolutely not, say the P (paedophile) word about you.”

A close friend of Fergie last night insisted she wrote the email when she had been threatened by aggressive legal action by Epstein.

The pal said: “The threats from Epstein were extremely aggressive and unpleasant.

“He was furious she had done the right thing and condemned him publicly, and wanted revenge.

“She felt she had no option but to write in the way she did — trying to appease him and make it all go away.”

The email lays bare how evil Epstein was able to exert powerful influence over the Duke of York and his family via his vast wealth.

The Duchess had told the convict: “I know you feel hellaciously let down by me.

“And I must humbly apologise to you and your heart for that.

“You have always been a steadfast, generous and supreme friend to me and my family.”

Her email continued: “I am apologising to you today for not replying to your email or reaching out to you. I was bedridden with fear. I was paralysed.

“I was advised in no uncertain terms, to have nothing to do with you and to not speak or email you.

“And if I did — I would cause more problems to you, the Duke and myself. I was broken and lost.

“So please understand. I didn’t want to hurt Andrew one more time. I was in over-riding fear. I am sorry.”

Last night, a spokesman for the Duchess said: “The Duchess spoke of her regret about her association with Epstein many years ago, and as they have always been, her first thoughts are with his victims.

“Like many people, she was taken in by his lies.

“As soon as she was aware of the extent of the allegations against him, she not only cut off contact but condemned him publicly, to the extent that he then threatened to sue her for defamation for associating him with paedophilia.

“She does not shrink back from anything she said then. This email was sent in the context of advice the Duchess was given to try to assuage Epstein and his threats.”

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/royals/15224768/sarah-ferguson-jeffrey-epstein-apology-email/

According to a senior US official, those who are visiting or leaving the country, or visiting India, don’t need to rush back before Sunday or pay the $100,000 fee.

Amid tensions after the hike in the application fees for the H-1B visa holders, the Indian Embassy in the US has issued an emergency assistance number for Indian nationals seeking support.

“Indian nationals seeking emergency assistance may call cell number +1-202-550-9931 (and WhatsApp). This number should be used only by Indian nationals seeking immediate emergency assistance and not for routine consular queries,” the Indian Embassy in the US said in a post on X.

See more

Indian nationals seeking emergency assistance may call cell number +1-202-550-9931 (and WhatsApp). This number should be used only by Indian nationals seeking immediate emergency assistance and not for routine consular queries.

— India in USA (@IndianEmbassyUS) September 20, 2025

The move by the US administration has sparked concerns for the Indians, as 71-72 per cent of H-1B visas are going to Indians.

Earlier, a senior US official clarified that the individuals currently holding H-1B visas, including those visiting India or abroad, won’t be affected.

“Those who are visiting or leaving the country, or visiting India, don’t need to rush back before Sunday or pay the $100,000 fee. $100,000 is only for new and not current existing holders,” the official told ANI.

Meanwhile, the Indian government on Saturday advised all its missions/posts to extend all possible help to Indian nationals who are travelling back to the US in the next 24 hours or so.

India Reacts To H-1B New Visa Fees

Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal, in an official statement, said that industry in both India and the US has a stake in innovation and creativity and can be expected to consult on the best path forward.

“The Government has seen reports related to the proposed restrictions on the US H1B visa program. The full implications of the measure are being studied by all concerned, including by Indian industry, which has already put out an initial analysis clarifying some perceptions related to the H1B program,” read the official statement.

PM Modi Calls For Self-Reliance

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Saturday, after laying the foundation stone for several developmental projects in Gujarat, highlighted the importance of self-reliance.

“Today, India is moving forward with the spirit of ‘Vishwabandhu’. We have no major enemy in the world. Our biggest enemy is our dependence on other countries. This is our biggest enemy, and together we must defeat this enemy of India, the enemy of dependence,” he said.

Source : https://www.news18.com/world/indian-embassy-in-us-issues-helpline-number-amid-concerns-over-h-1b-visa-fees-9586534.html

At least 72 people, including three policemen, were among the dead during the violent protests against alleged corruption and a ban on social media on September 8 and 9.

Nepal ‘Gen Z’ group, whicg spearheaded the recent protests against the government, has listed two demands – the arrest of deposed prime minister K P Sharma Oli and then home minister Ramesh Lekhak over their alleged role in a shootout that killed 19 people during the anti-government protests on September 8 and the formation of a high-level probe commission to investigate the wealth of all high-ranking leaders and government officials since 1990. Oli quit on September 9 shortly after hundreds of agitators entered his office demanding his resignation.

Addressing a press conference at Sambad Dabali, Dr Nicholas Bushal, one of the advisers to the Gen Z group that spearheaded the protests, said Oli, Lekhak and Chief District Officer of Kathmandu Chhabi Rijal should be arrested immediately as they were directly responsible for the shootout at Naya Baneshwor in which 19 activists were killed.

Separately, the Gen Z activists also organised a sit-in demanding Oli and Lekhak’s arrest at Maitighar Mandala near Singhdurbar Secretariat in Kathmandu, from where they started their protest rally on September 8.

At least 72 people, including three policemen, were among the dead during the violent protests against alleged corruption and a ban on social media on September 8 and 9.

No Shooting Orders Given, Says Deposed PM Oli; Calls For Probe
However, Nepal’s former prime minister KP Sharma Oli on Friday denied that he had given any shooting orders during the Gen Z demonstrations, saying bullets were fired at protesters from automatic guns that the police did not possess and called for a probe into the matter.

In his first public statement since his ouster, the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) chairman blamed the infiltrators for the violence during the “peaceful protest” by Gen-Z. “The government didn’t order to shoot at the demonstrators,” 73-year-old Oli said in a message issued on the occasion of Constitution Day.

“The bullets were fired at the protesters from automatic guns, which were not possessed by the police personnel, and this must be investigated,” Oli said.

Normalcy Returns To Nepal
There have been signs of normalcy gradually returning to Nepal after days of turmoil. Curfew restrictions were eased as Karki was sworn-in as the country’s interim prime minister. The Army has also scaled back its presence, markets have reopened and traffic has resumed.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/world/asia/nepals-gen-z-turns-up-pressure-on-ousted-pm-kp-sharma-oli-lists-two-key-demands-article-152863973

Relatives of Peter Reynolds, 80, and his wife Barbara, 76, had made repeated pleas about their deteriorating health since their arrest in February.

The Taliban on Friday released a British couple held in Afghanistan for more than seven months on undisclosed charges, an official said.

The case of Peter and Barbie Reynolds, aged 80 and 75, underlined the Western concerns over the actions of the Taliban since they overthrew the country’s NATO-backed government four years ago.

What is the background to their detention?

The couple had lived in Afghanistan for 18 years and ran an educational institution in the country’s central province of Bamiyan.

The Reynolds’ family members repeatedly called for their release, saying they were being mistreated. The Taliban dismissed the abuse allegations. What prompted the couple’s detention was never revealed by the Taliban.

What did the Taliban and the UK have to say?

“Two British nationals named Peter and Barbara Reynolds, who had violated the laws of Afghanistan, were released from custody today following the judicial process,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi said on social media.

He said that the Taliban “does not view the matters of citizens from a political or transactional angle.”

The elderly couple were handed over to Britain’s special representative to Afghanistan, Richard Lindsay, Balhki added.

What did the UK have to say about their release?

The UK foreign office said it was relieved over the couple’s release.

“The UK has worked intensively since their detention and has supported the family throughout,” Hamish Falconer, minister for the Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan, said in a statement.

“The State of Qatar played an essential role in this case, for which I am hugely grateful.”

The move by the Taliban is seen as part of a broader effort to get the regime international recognition, years after resuming power in 2021.

Source : https://www.dw.com/en/taliban-release-british-couple-after-seven-month-ordeal/a-74059854

The H-1B visa program is used extensively by tech companies to attract skilled foreign workers. India and China account for the vast majority of workers under the program.

US President Donald Trump on Friday signed a proclamation that attaches a new annual $100,000 fee to H-1B visa applications as his administration continues in its efforts to tighten immigration policy.

The visa program provides a path for highly skilled workers to lawfully work in the US for a limited period of three years.

US tech companies have routinely used the visa program to bring in workers, with applicants from India and China receiving the most visas.

In 2025, over 70% of approved beneficiaries under the program came from India.

Every year, a limited number of 85,000 visas are offered under two categories. Currently, visa applicants pay a small fee to enter a lottery, and if an application is selected, another fee is paid to formally process the application. Companies recruiting workers generally pay the fees.

Trump administration cracks down on H-1Bs
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the new fee is aimed at getting companies to recruit more US citizens as workers.

“All of the big companies are on board,” Lutnick said. “We’ve talked to them.”

“If you’re going to train somebody, you’re going to train one of the recent graduates from one of the great universities across our land. Train Americans. Stop bringing in people to take our jobs,” he said.

“We need workers. We need great workers, and this pretty much ensures that that’s what’s going to happen,” Trump said from the Oval Office.

While announcing the new fee, Trump also introduced a $1 million “Trump Gold Card” visa with a potential pathway to US citizenship for accepted applicants under an expedited process. Companies can sponsor a person for $2 million.

Tech companies in focus
Critics of cracking down on skilled foreign workers have said the US risks losing its competitive edge in tech, while costing companies millions in added costs. Others say the system is in need of reform, and has been subject to widespread fraud and abuse by companies looking for cheap labor.

It is currently unclear how and when the new fee will take effect, or if it will be challenged in court. New visa fees are usually set by Congress after months of public deliberation.

According to CBS News, current fees range from $1,700 to over $4,000. According to government data, Amazon and its cloud computing unit AWS led the number of approved visas so far in 2025 at 12,000. Microsoft and Meta saw 5,000 visas approved.

Source : https://www.dw.com/en/trump-announces-100000-fee-for-h-1b-visa-applications/a-74071063

 

Some have pointed to a dark shape in the crater, claiming it resembles an alien body

A CHILLING 22-minute video titled The Roswell Incident has appeared in the National Archives, showing what some claim could be debris and alien bodies from the infamous 1947 crash.

The footage blends still images, motion-controlled camera shots, and extracts from the published Roswell Report, as well as UFO magazines and books.

The footage was likely uploaded on September 17, just two days ago.

It opens with the book The Roswell Report: Fact Versus Fiction in the New Mexico Desert and ends on a stark black-and-white shot of a crater littered with metallic debris.

The scene has triggered online speculation that the footage may be the first images of the crash site.

The original incident took place in New Mexico in July 1947, when a rancher reported scattered debris, prompting authorities to investigate.

Some viewers have pointed to a dark shape in the crater, claiming it resembles an alien body.

Major Jesse Marcel, who recovered debris at the time, described the area as “a large area heavily scattered with metallic debris from a single impact point that scarred the earth.”

UFO expert Mark Lee told the Daily Mail the crater image is likely intended to add intrigue rather than provide proof.

“In my opinion, it’s either a hoax,” Lee said.

“Just because it’s been added to the National Archives doesn’t give it scientific validation.

“If it came out as a release from the military or Congress, I would take it a lot more seriously.”

Lee added that the alleged alien is likely pareidolia, a psychological effect where the brain sees familiar shapes in random objects.

The US military conducted its own investigation, concluding in 1994 that the debris was likely from a high-altitude balloon from Project Mogul, a top-secret program designed to detect Soviet nuclear tests.

Despite the official explanation, the video has reignited debates online, with users posting widely differing interpretations.

One user tweeted, “National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) has uploaded a video of the Roswell 1947 UAP Crash site.”

Others suggested the footage may simply be B-roll used in the 1996 Roswell Report presentation.

Some claimed a grey alien appears in the official video, while others warned the images are not labeled as the actual debris site.

Jesse Marcel Sr., the first military officer on the scene in 1947, told his son he believed the materials were extraterrestrial and may have shown him parts of a flying saucer.

The debris reportedly spread across a triangular area roughly 200 to 300 feet wide and three-quarters of a mile long.

The War Department quickly retracted its initial claim of a “flying disc,” stating the wreckage came from a weather balloon.

The US Air Force later confirmed it was part of Project Mogul, designed by Columbia University, NYU, and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

Despite decades of secrecy, many ufologists remain unconvinced by the balloon explanation.

Veteran researcher Kevin Randle has argued that “something fell at Roswell” and all terrestrial explanations have been eliminated.

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/news/15220778/ufo-debris-alien-bodies-roswell-incident-video-new-mexico

US President Donald Trump said on Friday (Sep 19) that he and Chinese President Xi Jinping made progress on a TikTok deal and agreed to a face-to-face meeting as soon as next month in South Korea.

It was the first call between the two leaders in three months, as they sought to lower tensions in a strained relationship that has been marked by successive trade talks.

“We made progress on many very important issues, including trade, fentanyl, the need to bring the war between Russia and Ukraine to an end, and the approval of the TikTok Deal,” Trump wrote on social media.

Trump said that the two leaders would meet at the APEC summit in South Korea that begins next month and that he would go to China early next year. He also said Xi would come to the US at a later date.

“The call was a very good one, we will be speaking again by phone, appreciate the TikTok approval, and both look forward to meeting at APEC!” Trump wrote.

But China’s readout made no reference to a final TikTok agreement. According to Xinhua, Xi told Trump that China “respects the will of firms and welcomes companies to conduct business negotiations on the basis of market rules to reach a solution consistent with Chinese laws and regulations while balancing interests”.

The statement did not spell out the terms of an agreement between the leaders on TikTok.

The White House did not immediately comment.

On Thursday, Trump told Fox News it sounded like China had approved a deal to change ownership of video-sharing app TikTok.

The US president had on Tuesday announced that a deal was struck that would keep the app operating in the United States, transferring its US assets to US owners.

“We had a very good meeting the other day, and it sounds like they’ve approved TikTok.”

A deal for the app, which has 170 million US users, is a breakthrough between the two largest economies.

Trump has repeatedly put off a ban against TikTok under a law designed to force the app’s sale from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, for national security reasons.

US and Chinese officials announced the deal in principle in Madrid following trade talks, but did not give details or answer key questions then. The terms of the deal were also not disclosed, but “the commercial terms have been agreed upon”.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said at the time that the objective of the deal would be to switch to American ownership.

The US president, speaking in the UK on Thursday, said the TikTok deal would be “owned by all American investors, and very rich people and companies”.

“Very, very straight, very legitimate companies and really companies that love America, so they’re going to be owning it,” he said.

Source : https://www.channelnewsasia.com/world/us-president-trump-chinese-president-xi-jinping-tiktok-5357431

Estonia has requested a consultation with other Nato members after Russian warplanes violated its airspace on Friday.

Estonia’s foreign ministry condemned the incursion as “brazen”. It said three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets entered the Estonian skies “without permission and remained there for a total of 12 minutes” over the Gulf of Finland.

A Nato spokesperson said the military alliance “responded immediately and intercepted the Russian aircraft”, calling it “yet another example of reckless Russian behaviour and Nato’s ability to respond”.

Italy, Finland and Sweden scrambled jets under Nato’s mission to bolster its eastern flank. Later Russia denied violating Estonian airspace.

Russia’s defence ministry said the jets were on a “scheduled flight… in strict compliance with international airspace regulations and did not violate the borders of other states, as confirmed by objective monitoring”.

It said they flew over neutral Baltic waters, more than 3km (two miles) from Vaindloo Island, which belongs to Estonia.

Estonia’s foreign minister, Margus Tsahkna, said the move was a “clear provocation” and called on Nato members to show unity in their response.

“Twelve minutes violation – heavy violation – of Nato airspace needs a solid response on a political level as well as on a practical level,” he said.

Tensions have escalated between the Nato military alliance and Russia since Moscow launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

They have risen in the last week, after Poland and Romania – both Nato members – said Russian drones breached their airspace. In response, Nato pledged to move military assets, including fighter jets, eastwards to strengthen defence.

Speaking later on Friday, Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal said his government had “decided to request Nato Article 4 consultations” at an urgent meeting.

“Nato’s response to any provocation must be united and strong. We consider it essential to consult with our allies to ensure shared situational awareness and to agree on our next joint steps,” Michal said.

Article 4 of the Nato treaty formally starts urgent consultations within the 32-member alliance, which ties the US and many European nations together on collective defence.

It is the second time in a week that a Nato member has requested Article 4 consultations. Poland did so after Russian drones entered its airspace.

US President Donald Trump told reporters he was due to be briefed on the incident later on Friday.

He said: “I don’t love it. I don’t like when that happens. Could be big trouble. But I’ll let you know later.”

Estonia’s foreign ministry earlier said it had summoned the Russian chargé d’affaires “to lodge a protest” over Friday’s incursion, while top EU diplomat Kaja Kallas described the incident as “an extremely dangerous provocation”.

The minister added Russia had already violated Estonia’s airspace four times in 2025. Estonia shares a border with Russia to the east.

Estonia said the aircraft entered its airspace from the north east and were intercepted by Finnish jets over the Gulf of Finland. Once inside Estonian airspace, Italian F-35 jets, based in Estonia, were deployed under Nato’s Baltic Air Policing mission to escort the aircraft out.

The government said the Russian jets had no flight plans, had their transponders turned off and also did not have two-way radio communication with Estonian air traffic control.

Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur told the BBC: “It is unprecedented that for 12 minutes the Russians were in our airspace.”

He added that “in this situation, the only right thing to do is to push them out of Estonian airspace”.

Michal also said the Russian incursion showed its war of aggression in Ukraine was not proceeding as the Kremlin had planned.

“The aim is to draw attention and assistance away from Ukraine by forcing Nato countries to focus more on the defence of their own territories,” he added.

In a post on X, Kallas, who is an Estonian national, said the EU “will continue to support our member states in strengthening their defences with European resources”.

She said Russian President Vladimir Putin was “testing the West’s resolve. We must not show weakness”.

Echoing her words, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on X: “We will respond to every provocation with determination while investing in a stronger Eastern flank.”

“As threats escalate, so too will our pressure,” she added.

Estonia’s ambassador to the UK, Sven Sakkov, told the BBC that “clear, practical steps” to increase the protection of airspace above Nato’s eastern flank were needed in light of Friday’s incident.

“If we had to face such times as we are living in now alone, we would be extremely concerned,” he said, adding that Estonians nonetheless felt “determined” to defend themselves.

Source : https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czrp6p5mj3zo

Jimmy Kimmel predicted his own demise the day after President Donald Trump won the 2024 election, assuming he was on the president’s “list of enemies’’ and should give up — before vowing reverently to keep his own “very important voice’’ on air.

Kimmel, who was “indefinitely” sidelined from his eponymous show on Wednesday, told his sidekick Guillermo in a “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” opening sketch taped after Vice President Kamala Harris’ brutal loss to Trump last November that he was “leaving the country.”

“I can’t stay for another four years of this — who knows what he’s going to do?” he balked. “You’ve heard him. He said he has a list of enemies. You think I’m not on that list?”

Guillermo, whose full name is Guillermo Rodriguez, countered, “Jimmy, we need you to help us get through this. You have a very important voice.”

“I do?” Kimmel replied. “Maybe you’re right.”

The TV host then spent his 10-minute, sometimes-teary monologue grousing about Trump’s victory and how it was “a terrible night for women, for children, for the hundreds of thousands of hard working immigrants who make this country go, for health care, for our climate, for science, for journalism, for justice, for free speech.”

“It was a terrible night for poor people, for the middle class, for seniors who rely on Social Security, for our allies in Ukraine, for NATO and democracy and decency,” he continued in a mawkish tone.

“And it was a terrible night for everyone who voted against him. And guess what? It was a bad night for everyone who voted for him too. You just don’t realize it yet.”

After making a “joke” about sharing a jail cell with Taylor Swift, Kimmel quipped: “We’ll see how funny that is in six months. When the great talkshow host roundup begins.”

Ten months later, ABC executives pulled him off the air — but his ratings had started nose-dived almost immediately after the election, as he resumed his Trump tirades.

Monthly Nielsen figures showed “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” fell to just 1.1 million total viewers in August 2025, were cut nearly in half from January’s 1.95 million, trailing behind every one of his late night peers.

Kimmel’s August household rating of 0.35 was his lowest point of the year. Viewers between the ages of 18 and 49 were his worst demographic.

The “Man Show” alum averaged only 129,000 viewers in that bracket in August, off from 212,000 in January and less than half his June peak of 284,000.

Kimmel was indefinitely canned got into trouble early in his monologue Monday night when he decided to talk about the brutal killing of Kirk at an event at Utah Valley University in Orem last week.

“We hit some new lows over the weekend, with the MAGA gang trying to characterize this kid who killed Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” he told the audience at the El Capitan Entertainment Centre in Hollywood, California.

Kirk, 31, was fatally shot amid his “American Comeback” college speaking tour on the campus of Utah Valley University on Sept. 10.

Tyler Robinson, a “radicalized” 22-year-old with a live-in trans partner, was captured 33 hours later and charged with Kirk’s murder.

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox had told The Wall Street Journal in a piece published Sept. 13 that Robinson subscribed to a “leftist ideology.”

Kimmel’s deal with ABC had been slated to run through May 2026 under a three-year extension signed in September 2022 — but he was abruptly pulled before his show aired Wednesday night.

Source : https://nypost.com/2025/09/19/us-news/jimmy-kimmel-predicted-his-own-demise-after-trump-win-pledged-to-keep-very-important-voice-on-tv-before-ratings-dive

Russia and Vietnam have developed a back-door method of concealing arms deal payments to avoid American and other Western sanctions, using the profits from joint oil and gas ventures to pay off defense contracts without any open transfers of cash through the global banking system, according to internal Vietnamese documents obtained by The Associated Press.

Under the system, Vietnam has purchased Russian military equipment including fighter jets, tanks and ships on credit from Moscow, then paid that credit back from its share of profits from a joint Vietnam-Russia oil company operating in Siberia. Such transactions are irregular in international financial markets and in this case are designed to keep cash quietly flowing even if sanctions aimed at ending Russia’s war on Ukraine are strengthened, the documents make clear.

The revelation comes at a precarious time when the U.S. is trying to strengthen ties with Vietnam as a bulwark against growing Chinese assertiveness in Southeast Asia, and has ongoing trade negotiations with Hanoi after the White House imposed 20% tariffs, while at the same time President Donald Trump is threatening even more stringent sanctions on Moscow.

The European Union has also added a raft of new sanctions to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war, and Trump recently issued an executive order doubling tariffs on India to 50% to pressure New Delhi to stop buying Russian oil and military equipment, which he said was helping enable the war against Ukraine.

The Trump Organization, the president’s family business, also broke ground earlier this year on a $1.5 billion luxury golf complex outside the capital, Hanoi, after Vietnam fast-tracked approval. The president’s sons run the organization, but financial disclosures in June indicated that Trump himself benefits from many of its activities.

News that the unorthodox arrangement was in the works leaked in 2023. But rather than shutting it down, an internal document from last year reveals that Russia and Vietnam finalized and implemented it, while also making agreements to ensure it would produce sufficient funds for future military purchases.

The Vietnamese government document that was leaked in 2023 and the newer government document from last year were provided to The Associated Press by an official who said that he was part of a faction opposed to closer ties to Russia at the risk of jeopardizing the growing relationship with Washington. He provided the documents on condition of anonymity to protect himself from possible reprisals from Vietnam’s authoritarian government.

An AP reporter displays an excerpt from a June 11, 2024 memo from Vietnam’s Oil and Gas Group (PVN) to the Ministry of Industry and Trade detailing an arrangement to avoid potential American sanctions when purchasing Russian defense goods, in Bangkok, Thailand, on Sept. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

The U.S. State Department refused to comment specifically on the documents or the payment plan designed to skirt American sanctions, referring comments to the Vietnamese government. It reiterated broadly, however, that “our sanctions remain in place.”

“Those engaging in certain transactions or activities with sanctioned entities and individuals may expose themselves to sanctions risk or be subject to an enforcement action,” the State Department said in an email to the AP this week.

Source : https://apnews.com/article/vietnam-russia-money-transactions-united-states-a71a83e7d60672a63565cc9fe28945d7

Prince Harry could be heading back across the pond.

The Duke of Sussex dropped a major hint that he and wife Meghan Markle are considering returning to his home country while chatting with Joss Stone at London’s WellChild Awards last week.

The singer, 38, told Hello! magazine on Monday that the royal, 41, spoke with her about her recent relocation back to the United Kingdom.

“He was saying how wonderful the schools are here and how important community is for children,” the Grammy winner recalled. “It was nice to share that with him because it’s exactly why we felt drawn to come back.”

Stone, who shares four children with husband Cody DaLuz, wanted to raise her little ones in “a safe environment … surrounded by family, friends and a strong sense of belonging.”

Harry appeared “genuinely interested” in Stone’s move, she went on to tell the outlet.

“He … asked about how we were settling back in,” the songwriter noted. “He’s just very warm and down to earth, as always. Maybe Harry will move back too. That would be nice.”

Harry left England in 2020 with Markle, 44, and their now-6-year-old son, Prince Archie.

After briefly staying in Los Angeles and Canada, the couple moved into a Montecito, Calif., mansion, where they remain with their son and 4-year-old daughter Princess Lilibet.

King Charles III has only met Lilibet once when the family of four traveled across the pond for the late Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022.

In May, Harry expressed a desire to reconcile with his dad, whom he has been estranged from for years.

“There’s no point in continuing to fight,” the prince said to BBC News at the time, noting that Charles “won’t speak” to him. “It would be nice to reconcile.”

Source : https://pagesix.com/2025/09/19/royal-family/prince-harry-drops-major-hint-he-and-meghan-markle-are-planning-move-back-to-uk

Trump Administration’s twin moves come even as the US and India just restarted negotiations for a trade deal amid strain in ties.

Donald Trump’s administration on Thursday moved to make it difficult for India to continue its role in the operations of the Chabahar Port in Iran, even as the United States embassy in New Delhi revoked and subsequently denied visas for “certain business executives and corporate leadership” of India for their alleged involvement in trafficking fentanyl precursors.

The back-to-back moves by Washington, D.C., came even as the exchange of positive vibes between Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently led to the restart of negotiations for a trade deal between the two nations, even as the US president’s 50% tariff on all imports from India strained the bilateral relations.

In keeping with Trump’s policy to exert “maximum pressure” on Iran, his Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has revoked the sanctions exception issued in 2018 under the Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act (IFCA) for assistance for reconstruction and economic development of Afghanistan, with effect from September 29 next.

Source: https://www.deccanherald.com/india/us-ends-chabahar-port-waiver-revokes-visas-of-some-indians-for-narco-trafficking-3735252

TSUNAMI warnings were issued after a massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocked to coast of eastern Russia.

The tremor’s epicentre fell off the coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula in the country’s Far East.

Across the Pacific, a tsunami advisory was announced in Alaska following the quake.

Authorities warned of waves that could reach as much as three metres above standard tide levels.

The quake left residents stunned as objects shook inside their houses.

Videos posted on social media show furniture and lights rattling as the tremors struck.

Cars were rocked back and forward on the streets to the horror of their owners.

Locals were also seen rushing out of their homes in panic.

Regional governor Vladimir Solodov said on Telegram: “This morning is once again testing the resilience of Kamchatka residents.

“There are currently no reports of damage. I ask everyone to remain calm.

“A tsunami warning has been issued for the east coast of the peninsula. The public is being alerted.”

One advisory for tsunamis, which covered the Aleutian Islands and the Amchitka Pass, was cancelled after two hours.

The Kamchatka Peninsula often sees seismic activity due to its location on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire.

Last week, another 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck the same part of Russia.

A brief tsunami threat alert was also issued following this tremor, but was subsequently dropped.

That quake also came just weeks after a terrifying 8.8 magnitude earthquake shook the same region in July.

It saw tsunami warnings announced across the Pacific Rim.

Such was its magnitude that this earthquake was the sixth largest ever recorded by humans.

A volcano in Kamchatka also send a vast column of ash surging into the atmosphere with its first eruption in centuries in August.

Source: https://www.the-sun.com/news/15216886/tsunami-warning-massive-magnitude-earthquake/

A WOMAN claiming to be Donald Trump’s wife has been nabbed while trying to hand deliver a letter to the president.

Christy Renee Kimbrell was arrested at Mar-a-Lago while Trump was heading to the UK for a state visit.

Palm Beach Police arrested Kimbrell, 49, and charged her with trespass, reported the Palm Beach Post.

The worrying incident comes just days after the horrific assassination of Charlie Kirk, and more than a year after Trump was the target of an assassination attempt at a Pennsylvania rally.

Kimbrell was taken into custody on September 16 and faces the single misdemeanor charge, according to court records, said the Post.

She was arrested at the president’s posh resort-like club in Palm Beach, Florida, after midday on Tuesday while claiming to be his wife.

However, Trump has been married to his third wife, Melania Trump, since 2005.

Cops were warned that an “unwanted guest” had arrived on the scene, reported NBC-affiliate WPTV.

A United States Secret Service agent informed officers that Kimbrell indicated she was keen to meet Trump, 79.

Police said they knew of Kimbrell from previous surprise visits.

When cops asked the Trump fan for her ID, she claimed her full name was “Christy Renee Trump.”

The woman claimed to officials that she had recently changed her surname from Kimbrell to Trump, the broadcaster added.

Four special operations soldiers are understood to have been on board

A MILITARY helicopter carrying four soldiers has crashed near an army base, according to a defence spokesperson.

The Black Hawk came down at around 9pm near the Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state.

Four special operations soldiers are understood to have been on board when it crashed.

Reports claim the chopper came down around 35 miles west of the base.

It is not yet known if there were any casualties.

The Thurston County Sheriff’s Department were called out to reports of an explosion in the area.

A spokesperson said: “Deputies have located what is believed to be the scene.

“We have been advised that the military lost contact with a helicopter in the area, and we are working closely with JBLM to deploy any resources needed to assist.

“Deputies located the crash site but have been unable to continue rescue efforts as the scene is on fire and is starting to overheat their footwear.”

Army Special Operations Command has described the horror crash as a “mishap”.

The troops on board are believed to be in the hardened “Night Stalkers” special operations regiment.

“Four service members assigned to the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) were on board an MH-60 Black Hawk helicopter involved in an aviation mishap in a rural area near Joint Base Lewis-McChord,” a spokesperson said.

A “great unwokening”? Along with the late-night talk show host’s suspension, several signs point towards a sharp shift to the right in the US media and Hollywood.

Robert Redford’s death this week wasn’t just the loss of a screen legend. It closed the book on a Hollywood that once saw itself as America’s progressive conscience. Redford, on screen as a Watergate journalist Bob Woodward in “All the President’s Men,” off screen as an activist for environmental issues and Indigenous rights, embodied a liberal vision of the US entertainment industry, one that championed independent voices and socially-conscious storytelling.

The week he died, however, brought further signs of a rightward shift in the US entertainment business, with the balance of cultural power increasingly tilting away from Redford’s Hollywood and toward something closer to Donald Trump’s America.

This was clear in the US media’s reaction to the murder of far-right activist Charlie Kirk. On Wednesday, national network ABC announced it was taking popular late-night (and former Oscar) host Jimmy Kimmel off the air “indefinitely” after comments he made suggesting Kirk’s killer may have been a MAGA Republican.

The move came after Brendan Carr, head of national broadcasting regulator the Federal Communications Commission, threatened that he would take action against ABC for Kimmel’s comments.

This suspension comes just weeks after rival network CBS said that it was cancelling “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” at the end of the season, citing financial reasons.

David Ellison: Paramount media mogul aligns with Trump
But the timing of the cancellation led to questions and accusations that Stephen Colbert’s show was canceled for political reasons.

In July, Paramount’s CBS arm quietly paid Trump $16 million (€13.5 million) to settle a lawsuit over a 2024 “60 Minutes” interview with Kamala Harris. (Trump had claimed, without much evidence, that “60 Minutes” altered the interview to make Harris look better). CBS canceled Colbert’s show after the host blasted the payout as a “big fat bribe.” Colbert still collected an Emmy last Sunday, but he’ll be off the air by May 2026.

This week also saw further speculation that David Ellison — son of Oracle billionaire Larry Ellison, the second-richest man in the world and a longtime Trump ally — will follow up his $8 billion takeover of Paramount with a bid for another Hollywood jewel: Warner Bros. Discovery. Such a move would unite Paramount’s holdings, including CBS and the “Mission: Impossible” and “Star Trek” franchises, with Warner’s stable of assets: DC Studios (“Superman,” “Batman”), along with CNN and HBO.

In another era, the deal would have triggered major antitrust alarms. But under Trump, regulators have shifted focus. Officials now emphasize political “neutrality” over competition concerns, with CNN expected to face particular scrutiny.

Ellison has already shown a willingness to align with Trump’s agenda. He installed conservative think-tank head and Trump advisor Kenneth Weinstein as CBS News ombudsman. He held talks with Bari Weiss, founder of the “anti-woke” Free Press, about a possible role at CBS.

A series of defamation lawsuits
Paramount isn’t alone in appearing to capitulate to powerful right-wing actors. ABC News recently agreed to pay $15 million to resolve a defamation case involving Trump-critical comments made by presenter George Stephanopoulos.

The Wall Street Journal and New York Times still face similar multi-billion-dollar lawsuits from Trump.

There’s also a business rationale to ABC’s decision to pull Kimmel. Nexstar, which owns dozens of ABC affiliates, is currently angling for a mega-merger that would make it the biggest station owner in the US. As the pending merger still requires government approval, Nexstar pre-empted the late-night talk show on its stations. A few weeks ago, its CEO also praised the Trump administration as the company announced its upcoming $6.2 billion merger with TV rival, Tegna.

Critics warn the effect of these actions has been a chilling one, with networks, studios and streamers increasingly cautious about programming that could draw presidential ire.

Media giants renounce ‘woke’ values
Disney recently renounced “woke” values, with the company’s CEO, Bob Iger, declaring that its mandate is to “entertain” rather than to advance “any kind of agenda.”

In the months following Trump’s reelection, major studios quietly rolled back their diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Disney rebranded its cultural initiatives, while Amazon and Paramount eliminated hiring targets and training once tied to DEI. The changes follow Trump’s executive order dismantling federal DEI programs and signaling regulatory scrutiny for companies that maintain them.

Churning out the conservative content
The programming shift is equally visible. Amazon is paying a jaw-dropping $40 million for two documentaries by and about Melania Trump, one directed by Brett Ratner, a director/producer cancelled during the #MeToo era. The streamer is also re-running the first seven seasons of “The Apprentice,” the reality-TV show starring Trump which helped make him a household name in America.

Hollywood’s conservative shift was already underway before the second Trump presidency. Taylor Sheridan’s neo-Western “Yellowstone” and its spin-offs — soapy prime-time shows that embrace a worldview more at home in middle America than in the coastal urban centers — have become billion-dollar franchises despite being snubbed by the Emmys. Sheridan’s latest, “Landman,” places oil workers at the center of its narrative, with characters railing against clean energy and government bureaucracy.

There’s been a rebirth of Christian-themed films and TV series as well. Angel Studios, a “faith-friendly” production company based in Utah, has become a breakout player. Its “Sound of Freedom” starring “The Passion of the Christ” actor Jim Caviezel, grossed $250 million worldwide. “The King of Kings,” an animated film about the life of Jesus, brought in another $77 million.

Source: https://www.dw.com/en/jimmy-kimmel-suspension-the-us-medias-shift-towards-trumps-maga/a-74043672

Jimmy Kimmel was spotted on his way to his lawyer’s office less than 24 hours after ABC suspended his talk show after his comments about Charlie Kirk’s death.

The “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” host flashed a smirk at paparazzi while behind the wheel of his Audi S8 in Los Angeles on Thursday, according to photos obtained by the Post.

He dressed up in a blue long-sleeve button-up and sported sunglasses for the outing.

Page Six confirmed that Kimmel’s late-night show was “indefinitely” off-air on Wednesday after he made remarks about Kirk’s death on Sept. 10 and the “MAGA gang.”

“We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang trying to characterize this kid who killed Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them,” the comedian said on Monday’s episode.

The conservative Turning Point USA co-founder was fatally shot during an appearance at Utah Valley University, and the suspected killer has since been arrested.

At the time, Kimmel, 57, offered his condolences to Kirk’s family via social media, writing, “Instead of the angry finger-pointing, can we just for one day agree that it is horrible and monstrous to shoot another human?

“On behalf of my family, we send love to the Kirks and to all the children, parents and innocents who fall victim to senseless gun violence.”

Insiders, meanwhile, told the Daily Mail that the TV personality was “absolutely f–king livid” that ABC pulled his show, alleging that he’s been wanting to “break his relationship with [the network] forever.”

The source claimed that Kimmel “didn’t even say anything that bad” about Kirk, explaining that he should be able to exercise his First Amendment rights.

“This is persecution, and Jimmy isn’t going to stand for it,” they shared. “And he has a lot of friends who are going to cause problems if suddenly he doesn’t have a show.”

On Wednesday, Kimmel was given a list of requirements by Sinclair, the largest affiliate group of ABC, that he must fulfil if he wants his late-night show to make a comeback.

Source :https://pagesix.com/2025/09/18/celebrity-news/jimmy-kimmel-spotted-heading-to-lawyers-office-in-first-public-sighting-since-late-night-show-suspension/

Justin Baldoni has beefed up his legal team with a high-powered lawyer.

The “It Ends With Us” director has brought on renowned defense attorney Alexandra Shapiro to join his stacked legal team in his ongoing battle against his former co-star Blake Lively.

A court document filed Monday and obtained by Page Six informs the New York federal court, “Please take notice that Alexandra A.E. Shapiro of Shapiro Arato Bach LLP hereby appears as counsel for” Baldoni and his co-defendants, including publicists Melissa Nathan, Jennifer Abel and Wayfarer Studios CEO Jamey Heath.

Shapiro is no stranger to high-profile cases, as she is currently also representing Sean “Diddy” Combs, who was recently found guilty of prostitution charges but acquitted for sex trafficking.

The experienced trial lawyer was in the courtroom representing the Bad Boy Records founder, 55, earlier this year alongside Marc Agnifilo, Teny Geragos, Anthony Ricco and Anna Estevao.

Page Six has reached out to Baldoni’s reps for comment on the latest addition. It does not appear that Shapiro will replace the “Jane the Virgin” alum’s lead lawyer, Bryan Freedman, however, as the latter is still listed on the case’s docket under Baldoni’s team.

The increase in representation comes just before the case’s discovery deadline draws close and shortly after Baldoni, 41, was hit with new harassment allegations.

Earlier this month, a person whose name has been redacted — filed docs claiming they had “repeated, negative interactions with Mr. Baldoni and his associates, including verbal abuse by Mr. Baldoni.”

The Wayfarer Studios founder is already facing sexual harassment allegations from Lively, 37, as the “Gossip Girl” alum has alleged that he made her and other women feel uncomfortable on set.

Source : https://pagesix.com/2025/09/18/celebrity-news/justin-baldoni-hires-sean-diddy-combs-lawyer-to-fight-blake-lively-legal-battle/

The Taliban government has removed books written by women from the university teaching system in Afghanistan as part of a new ban which has also outlawed the teaching of human rights and sexual harassment.

Some 140 books by women – including titles like “Safety in the Chemical Laboratory” – were among 680 books found to be of “concern” due to “anti-Sharia and Taliban policies”.

The universities were further told they were no longer allowed to teach 18 subjects, with a Taliban official saying they were “in conflict with the principles of Sharia and the system’s policy”.

The decree is the latest in a series of restrictions which the Taliban have brought in since returning to power four years ago.

Just this week, fibre-optic internet was banned in at least 10 provinces on the orders of the Taliban’s supreme leader in a move officials said was to prevent immorality.

While the rules have had an impact on many aspects of life, women and girls have been particularly hard-hit: they are barred from accessing education over the sixth grade, with one of their last routes to further training cut off in late 2024, when midwifery courses were quietly shuttered.

Now even university subjects about women have been targeted: six of the 18 banned are specifically about women, including Gender and Development, The Role of Women in Communication, and Women’s Sociology.

The Taliban government has said it respects women’s rights in accordance with their interpretation of Afghan culture and Islamic law.

Donald Trump suggested Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer could use the military to stop illegal migration at a news conference marking the end of the US president’s second state visit to the UK.

Trump said he discussed migration issues with Sir Keir during a meeting at his country residence Chequers.

The US president talked about his policies to secure borders in the US and said the UK faced a similar challenge with migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats.

“You have people coming in and I told the prime minister I would stop it, and it doesn’t matter if you call out the military, it doesn’t matter what means you use,” Trump said.

In a later interview with Fox News, he urged Sir Keir to take a “strong stand” against immigration, saying it was hurting him “badly”.

Speaking during the joint press conference, Trump said illegal immigration “destroys countries from within and we’re actually now removing a lot of the people that came into our country.”

Since his return to the White House in January, Trump has stepped up deportations of illegal immigrants and cracked down on unlawful border crossings.

In two days of pomp and pageantry, the US president was hosted at Windsor Castle by King Charles and the Royal Family, and attended a state banquet on Wednesday before his political talks with the prime minister on Thursday.

The President and First Lady Melania Trump departed the UK from Stansted Airport on Air Force One shortly after the news conference.

In a wide-ranging Q&A with UK and US journalists, the leaders were also asked about Palestinian statehood, free speech, the war in Ukraine, energy and other topics.

The pair touted the “special relationship” between the UK and the US, and announced a new tech deal Trump said would help the allies “dominate” in the world of artificial intelligence (AI).

The tech prosperity deal signed at Chequers will see US firms invest in the UK and boost co-operation on AI, quantum and other emerging technologies.

No matter how successful the trip, there are limits on how much any leader can impact Trump.

When BBC US Editor Sarah Smith asked if the visit would boost Britain’s influence on trade or foreign policy, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles said “none at all.”

US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told the BBC the AI investment deal could have been ten times bigger if Britain scrapped rules he said stifle investment – like the digital services tax or the Online Safety Act.

Trump and Sir Keir skirted around several contentious matters, including accusations of free speech being under attack in Britain, and the sacking of Peter Mandelson as the UK’s ambassador to the US last week.

“I don’t know him actually,” Trump said, when asked about whether he had sympathy with Lord Mandelson.

In what could have been an awkward moment, Trump defused the question by handing over to Sir Keir, who fired Lord Mandelson over his links to the late convicted sex offender Jeffery Epstein.

In one flashpoint, Trump said he had “a disagreement with the prime minister” on the subject of Palestinian statehood.

The prime minister plans to recognise Palestinian statehood ahead of next week’s United Nations general assembly in New York.

Palestine does have some international recognition but has no internationally agreed boundaries, no capital and no army.

Currently 147 of the UN’s 193 member states have recognised Palestine. By joining that list the UK would be making a strong political statement, albeit a largely symbolic one.

Trump is opposed to such a move and accused Palestinian armed group Hamas of “putting the hostages up as bait” in Gaza.

The war in Ukraine came up in a few questions too, with Trump expressing his disappointment in Russian President Vladimir Putin over his lack of engagement with peace efforts.

“He’s really let me down,” Trump said.

Trump also urged Western allies to stop buying Russian oil to force Putin to the negotiating table, but did not commit to sanctioning Moscow.

There were no divisions between Trump and Starmer on action to tackle illegal migration, as the leaders projected a sense of unity and affection for each other.

Standing alongside Trump, the prime minister said illegal migration was an issue his government had been taking “incredibly seriously”.

Sir Keir said his government had struck several migrant returns deals with other countries, including France, and had been taking action to crack down on people-smuggling gangs.

The prime minister pointed to the first migrant return under the one-in, one-out scheme with France.

“That’s an important step forward,” Sir Keir said. “But there’s no silver bullet here.”

More than 30,000 people have crossed the Channel in small boats so far this year.

It is the earliest point in a calendar year this figure has been passed since data on crossings was first reported in 2018.

The rise in crossings is one of the most prominent issues in British politics and has piled pressure on the prime minister to come up with a solution.

As part of his drive to tackle illegal immigration, Trump has issued a series of executive orders implementing a broad ban on asylum for migrants entering at the southern border and has sent in troops to assist border security efforts.

The arrests of migrants by the US Border Patrol have been decreasing since Trump took office.

Source : https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cpd91wjypj9o

A California family watched their four beloved cats get sick one by one last fall. Two of them didn’t make it. But the other two survived after their veterinarian made a bold decision to treat them with the same flu medicine doctors give to people.

The cats had caught H5N1 bird flu, the virus that’s been tearing through dairy farms and chicken coops across America. Now it’s jumped into people’s homes, putting millions of pet cats at risk.

The family’s story, published in the medical journal One Health, shows how quickly this virus can spread from barns to living rooms. And it offers the first real proof that cats can beat this disease if they get help fast enough.

How Bird Flu Came Home

The trouble started in Tulare, California, where dairy farms and suburban neighborhoods sit side by side. The family lived less than a mile from farms dealing with bird flu outbreaks. The husband sold hay to local farms, visiting them regularly for work.

Dr. Jacob Gomez, the veterinarian who ended up treating the cats, knew something was wrong when the first two cats died so quickly. But when he called state and federal agriculture officials for help, nobody called back. “Due to the current demand from the food animal sector, feline outbreak calls were not returned and no treatment or testing options were provided,” the study notes.

Gomez was on his own with dying cats and no playbook to follow.

The first cat to get sick was an indoor-only pet who suddenly became too weak to walk around. Despite being up to date on all his shots, he died at an emergency animal hospital. A few days later, another cat from the same house got sick with identical symptoms and also died, even with supportive care.

By then, Gomez suspected bird flu. When the family brought in their third cat, running a high fever and barely responsive, the veterinarian decided to take a chance.

A Risky Treatment That Worked

With no official guidance and no time to waste, Gomez prescribed Tamiflu, the antiviral drug people take for regular flu. He gave the cat the human dose, twice a day for ten days, along with fluids and fever reducers.

Within a week, the cat was eating again and back to his normal self. When the fourth cat arrived with similar symptoms the next day, Gomez used the same treatment. That cat also recovered completely.

Months later, blood tests confirmed what Gomez suspected. Both surviving cats had developed strong immunity against H5N1. One cat showed exceptionally high protection levels, while the other had moderate but still robust immunity. Both cats stayed healthy and active, with their protection lasting at least three to four months after getting sick.

Why Cats Are Sitting Ducks for This Virus

Cats can catch H5N1 in several ways that make them particularly vulnerable. They might eat infected birds or mice, drink contaminated milk, or simply breathe in virus particles. Even indoor cats aren’t safe since the virus can hitchhike into homes on shoes, clothing, or other items from farms or markets.

Bird flu has already surprised scientists by infecting seals, bears, foxes, and other mammals that weren’t supposed to be at risk. Now cats are joining that list, and each new species gives the virus more chances to change and potentially become more dangerous to people.

The problem is that nobody’s really watching for bird flu in household pets. All the surveillance focuses on commercial farms, creating a blind spot where infections in family cats could go completely unnoticed.

What Cat Owners Need to Know

Pet owners should watch for sudden exhaustion, loss of appetite, fever, trouble breathing, and any neurological changes like confusion or difficulty walking. These symptoms need immediate veterinary attention, especially in areas where bird flu has hit local farms or wild birds.

The catch is that most veterinarians don’t have clear instructions for diagnosing or treating bird flu in pets. Gomez had to wing it with his own protocol, but cat owners shouldn’t have to hope their vet is willing to experiment during a crisis.

The good news from this California outbreak is that early treatment with antivirals can save cats’ lives. The key seems to be recognizing the symptoms quickly and getting treatment before the virus does permanent damage.

Source : https://studyfinds.org/cats-dead-bird-flu-outbreak-hits-california/

Charlie Kirk’s suspected assassin reportedly planned the shooting for more than a week, texts show

AN ABC journalist has been widely slammed online after he described text messages between Charlie Kirk’s suspected assassin and his roommate as touching.

Tyler Robinson, 22, was charged with murder and faces the death penalty – days after the assassination at Utah Valley University that left the US reeling.

Utah County officials released charging documents on Tuesday and revealed text messages documenting an exchange between Robinson and his roommate.

In the conversation on September 10, Robinson appeared to admit he carried out the killing.

He described his roommate as his “love” and apologized to him.

“Im gonna turn myself in willingly, one of my neighbors here is a deputy for the sheriff,” Robinson said.

The skin cancer diagnosis comes after the former Brazilian president had been hospitalized with separate ailments. The medical woes come after Bolsonaro was sentenced to 27 years in prison for plotting a coup.

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has been diagnosed with skin cancer, his doctor said Wednesday.

“The tests showed that two of the lesions were an early type of skin cancer,” Bolsonaro’s doctor, Claudio Birolini, told reporters.

The diagnosis was made public after Bolsonaro was discharged from an overnight stay in hospital for separate medical issues that included vomiting, dizziness and low blood pressure.

Bolsonaro had already gone to the hospital on Sunday to have the skin lesions removed and tested.

The former right-wing president was recently convicted of attempting a coup, and was taken to the hospital from his house arrest on Tuesday after feeling “unwell.”

His doctor said he would need regular monitoring, “to ensure no new lesions appear and that the removals were complete.”

Why is Bolsonaro under house arrest?
Bolsonaro was last week convicted of plotting a coup to overthrow Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Brazil’s current president, following his 2022 election loss.

He was sentenced to 27 years in prison, with his lawyers saying they will appeal the verdict due to the former leader denying any wrongdoing.

US President Donald Trump, a friend of Bolsonaro, called the trial a “witch hunt” and mentioned the former president’s trial as part of his reasons for imposing 50% tariffs on Brazil.

Bolsonaro has been under house arrest since early August after the justice overseeing the case, Alexandre de Moraes, said the 70-year-old had violated precautionary measures imposed on him for the trial.

Source: https://www.dw.com/en/brazil-bolsonaro-discharged-from-hospital-diagnosed-with-skin-cancer/a-74021322

US President Donald Trump and King Charles hailed the special relationship between the US and the UK at a lavish state dinner attended by high-profile guests. DW has the latest on Trump’s ongoing state visit to the UK.

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump attended a lavish state dinner at Windsor Castle on Wednesday evening.

King Charles opened the banquet, saying in his speech it was his “great pleasure” to host Trump. The King also praised Trump’s commitment to finding solutions to wars.

The US president hailed the relationship between America and the UK too, saying it was “priceless and eternal.”

The royal affair was a continuation of the pomp that followed through the day, when the Trumps were personally greeted by the King and the Queen when they arrived in the UK for a historic second state visit.

Meanwhile, thousands of people turned out in central London to protest against the US president’s state visit.

Scroll through the posts to catch up with the events of September 17 below:

Local residents and eyewitnesses say dozens of Israeli tanks and military vehicles have pushed into a major residential district of Gaza City, on the second day of Israel’s ground offensive aimed at occupying the area.

Video footage shows tanks, bulldozers and armoured personnel carriers moving on the edges of Sheikh Radwan, in northern Gaza City. Thick clouds of smoke can be seen as Israeli forces fire artillery shells and smoke bombs to cover their advance.

The Sheikh Radwan district was home to tens of thousands of people before the war and is considered one of the city’s most densely populated areas.

Israel says the aim of its Gaza City offensive is to free hostages held by Hamas and defeat up to 3,000 fighters in what it describes as the group’s “last stronghold” – but the operation has drawn widespread international condemnation.

The leaders of more than 20 major aid agencies, including Save the Children and Oxfam, warned that “the inhumanity of the situation in Gaza is unconscionable”.

Residents in Sheikh Radwan said Wednesday’s incursion followed a wave of heavy airstrikes targeting buildings and main streets across the neighbourhood, in what appeared to be preparation for the ground assault.

Saad Hamada, a local resident who fled south with his family earlier on Wednesday, told the BBC: “The drones didn’t leave anything. They hit solar panels, power generators, water tanks, even the internet network.

“Life became impossible, and that is what forced most people to leave despite the danger.”

Sheikh Radwan includes the areas of Abu Iskandar, al-Tawam, and al-Saftawi, and is intersected by al-Jalaa Street, a vital artery linking central Gaza City with its northern districts.

Locals say Israeli control of the neighbourhood could open the way for forces to advance deeper into the city and reach its central areas.

The images of tanks in Gaza City’s streets have caused widespread panic among residents, particularly those still living in the western and central parts of the city.

Witnesses said the sight of tanks approaching their homes revived memories of previous incursions, that ended with entire neighbourhoods being flattened.

The incursion into Sheikh Radwan has triggered yet another wave of displacement, with thousands of families fleeing south.

Long lines of cars and carts loaded with belongings were seen on the roads, as the Israeli army opened a route to the south via the Salahedin Road. Residents reported journeys taking hours and costing hundreds of shekels due to the scarcity of transport and soaring prices.

Three police officers were fatally shot and two wounded Wednesday in southern Pennsylvania, and the shooter was killed by police, authorities said.

The officers were at the scene, amid rolling farmland, to follow up on a domestic-related investigation that began the previous day.

“This is an absolutely tragic and devastating day,” Gov. Josh Shapiro said at a news conference. “We grieve the loss of life of three precious souls who served this county, who served this Commonwealth, who served this country.”

“This kind of violence is not OK. We need to do better as a society,” Shapiro said.

It was one of the deadliest days for Pennsylvania police this century. In 2009 three Pittsburgh officers responding to a domestic disturbance were ambushed and shot to death by a man in a bulletproof vest.

Condolences began pouring in from police departments across the region on social media and people began leaving flowers at the headquarters of the Northern York Regional Police Department.

“The grief will be unbearable but we will bear it,” said Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner Christopher Paris, who pledged a full, fair investigation.

Dozens of police and emergency vehicles with their lights flashing formed a procession to the coroner’s office. People lined the road holding American flags and saluted as it passed.

The shooting erupted in the area of North Codorus Township, about 115 miles (185 km) west of Philadelphia, not far from the Maryland line, authorities said.

Dirk Anderson, a farmer who lives across a two-lane country road from the scene, said he was in his shop “when we heard shots,” which he described as “quite a few.” He saw a helicopter arrive and a large police vehicle response.

The two injured officers were in critical but stable condition at York Hospital, authorities said.

Authorities did not identify the shooter, the officers or which police department they belonged to, or describe the circumstances of how they were shot, citing the ongoing investigation.

Shapiro said he and other officials met with the slain officers’ families, who, while grieving, took the time to say how proud they were of their loved ones.

Attorney General Pamela Bondi called the violence against police “a scourge on our society.” She said federal agents were on the scene to support local officers.

The emergency response unfolded on a rural road in south-central Pennsylvania. Officers were keeping people well back from the scene, with some 30 police vehicles blocking off roads bordered by a barn, a goat farm and soybean and corn fields.

Another officer in the area was killed in February, when a man armed with a pistol and zip ties entered a hospital’s intensive care unit and took staff members hostage before a shootout that left both the suspect and an officer dead.

Source: https://apnews.com/article/where-pennsylvania-police-shooting-gov-shapiro-090bf6c2373aef5ec0aeaccccc54e35e

Crissa Tolentino has long been resigned to floods as a way of life.

The 36-year-old public school teacher takes a paddle boat through the inundated streets nearly every day. It’s the only way to travel from her home in the suburbs to the heart of Apalit, a low-lying town near the Philippine capital Manila.

The boat takes her to work, and to the clinic where she is being treated for cancer. She says she only sees dry streets for about two months in the year.

But this year she is very angry.

An unusually fierce monsoon has derailed daily life more than ever in the South East Asian nation, and sparked anger and allegations about corruption in flood control projects.

The rains have stranded millions mid-commute, left cars floating in streets that have turned into rivers and caused outbreaks of leptospirosis, a liver ailment that spreads through the excrement of sewer rats.

“I feel betrayed,” Ms Tolentino says. “I work hard, I don’t spend too much and taxes are deducted from my salary every month. Then I learn that billions in our taxes are being enjoyed by corrupt politicians.”

It’s a charge that is resonating across the Philippines, where people are asking why the government cannot tame the floods with the billions of pesos it pours into infrastructure like roads, bridges and embankments.

The boss of Nvidia says he is “disappointed” that China has reportedly ordered its top technology companies to halt purchases of the firm’s artificial intelligence (AI) chips.

Jensen Huang told BBC News the US needs “to make sure that people can access this technology from all over the world, including China.”

He added: “The advance of human society is not a zero-sum game.”

Mr Huang is one of a number of tech bosses, including Microsoft’s Satya Nadella, accompanying US President Donald trump on his state visit to the UK.

“President Trump is very clear,” Mr Huang said. “He wants America to win, and President Xi wants China to win, and it’s possible for both of them to.”

But he believes “the conversation will sort itself out.”

Donald Trump is expected to speak to China’s President Xi Jinping on Friday.

Nvidia – the world’s leading chipmaker – had previously been banned from selling its most advanced chips to China, before Trump reversed the ban in July.

Nvidia has to pay 15% of its Chinese revenues to the US government in an unprecedented deal struck in the summer.

On Wednesday morning, the Financial Times reported that China’s Cyberspace Administration had told tech companies to stop using Nvidia chips which had specifically been manufactured for the Chinese market.

Shares of the US company were down more than 1% in premarket trading.

Mr Huang said he would “support the US” as they try to resolve geopolitical issues, and would tell the same thing to Trump if he is asked about it on Wednesday evening.

The UK is hosting Trump at a state banquet, where tech bosses including Mr Huang are expected to attend.

The US and China have been in trade talks in Europe this week.

On Monday, China’s market regulator said Nvidia had violated Chinese anti-monopoly laws, without giving any more details.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cqxz29pe1v0o

The supermodel isn’t feeling her best at the moment

FANS are concerned about Bella Hadid’s health after seeing her latest Instagram posts.

The famous model, 28, shared a series of snaps today featuring stunning views as well as a number of photos of her appearing unwell.

In the snaps Bella can be seen with tear-stained cheeks hooked up to an assortment of wires and IV drips.

There’s also a photo of her wearing an oxygen mask indoors while tucked up in bed with a pizza squishmallow plush.

The star is wearing various different tops in the images – including a blue and white stripe jumper and a white vest – indicating that they were taken on different days.

There’s a small cut visible on her forehead above her right eyebrow, too.

A worn-out looking Bella captioned the series of photos with an apology for taking time away from being online, and sent love to her 61 million followers.

“I’m sorry I always go MIA I love you guys.”

The comments section on the post has since been limited to restrict any new comments being shared, but many Instagram users took a moment to share their well wishes while they could.

“We love you so much,” replied one user, followed by a white heart emoji.

“Take care and heal, the world is waiting for Miss Bella Hadid always. Stay strong,” said another.

A sea of users left no words but dropped heart emojis in Bella’s comments section.

It’s unknown right now what Bella is struggling with, but she has been open over the last decade about her “invisible suffering” with lyme disease.

In past interviews, she’s described how she lives in “chronic” pain most days and can even find it hard to take a shower.

She was diagnosed with the disease back in 2013.

Her brother, Anwar, shares the same diagnosis.

Source: https://www.the-sun.com/entertainment/15207178/bella-hadid-sparks-concern-sharing-tear-streaked-selfies/

The gesture, inspired by PM Modi’s ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ initiative, reflects their shared commitment to environmental conservation.

The United Kingdom’s King Charles sent on Wednesday to Prime Minister Narendra Modi a Kadamb tree on his birthday, inspired by the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ initiative.

The British High Commission shared the details in a post on X.

It said, “His Majesty The King has been graciously pleased to send a Kadamb tree to India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his birthday. The gesture, inspired by PM Modi’s ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ initiative, reflects their shared commitment to environmental conservation.”

See more

During his visit to the UK in July, PM Modi gifted His Majesty The King a ‘Sonoma’ tree as part of the same initiative.

Collaboration on climate and clean energy is a key pillar of the Commonwealth and the UK-India partnership as set out by the two PMs in Vision 2035. pic.twitter.com/XaFrFKeUYC

— UK in India🇬🇧🇮🇳 (@UKinIndia) September 17, 2025

In another post on X, the UK High Commission further highlighted how, earlier during PM Modi’s visit to the UK in July this year, PM Modi had gifted King Charles a ‘Sonoma’ tree.

“During his visit to the UK in July, PM Modi gifted His Majesty The King a ‘Sonoma’ tree as part of the same initiative. Collaboration on climate and clean energy is a key pillar of the Commonwealth and the UK-India partnership as set out by the two PMs in Vision 2035.” The essence of the “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” initiative is to plant a tree in one’s mother’s name symbolically.

An official statement by the GoI noted how this simple act serves a dual purpose- honouring the role of mothers in nurturing life and contributing to the health of the planet. Trees are the foundation of life, and like a mother, they provide nourishment, protection, and a future for the next generation. Through this initiative, people can plant a tree in honour of their mothers, creating a lasting memorial, while also addressing the urgent need for environmental protection.

The Prime Minister had emphasised the importance of collective efforts to improve the environment and spoke about India’s progress in increasing forest cover over the past decade. He stated that this campaign is in line with the country’s need for sustainable development.

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/world/united-kingdoms-king-charles-sends-kadamb-tree-as-present-to-pm-modi-on-his-75th-birthday

 

THIS is the dramatic moment Donald Trump bombs another Venezuelan boat as he wages war on “extremely violent drug trafficking cartels”.

The US president warned “WE ARE HUNTING YOU” as he shared unclassified footage of the vessel being obliterated with 11 people on board.

Three “male terrorists” were killed in the kinetic strike on international waters, according to Trump.

Dramatic footage showed a small boat rocking around in choppy waters before it was targeted by a US missile.

A huge explosion erupts and leaves the vessel up in flames.

Trump shared the video to his Truth Social account as he sent a direct warning to any drug traffickers.

He wrote in the caption: “These extremely violent drug trafficking cartels POSE A THREAT to U.S. National Security, Foreign Policy, and vital U.S. Interests.”

“BE WARNED — IF YOU ARE TRANSPORTING DRUGS THAT CAN KILL AMERICANS, WE ARE HUNTING YOU!

“The illicit activities by these cartels have wrought DEVASTATING CONSEQUENCES ON AMERICAN COMMUNITIES FOR DECADES, killing millions of American Citizens.

“NO LONGER.”

In a bizarre response Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro claimed the footage shared by the US was actually made with artificial intelligence.

Maduro said: “The video shows modification by AI.

“Everybody knows it… I’m not Gemini. I’m Maduro. There’s a lot of mechanisms that say it.”

Trump and Maduro are locked in a bitter international feud after weeks of heated back and forth.

President Trump accused his Venezuelan counterpart of being complicit in “mass murder, drug trafficking, sex trafficking, and acts of violence and terror across the United States and Western Hemisphere”

He also slapped a $50million bounty on Maduro offered by Washington.

Maduro responded by saying he will never let Trump get away with his “threats of bombs, death, and blackmail”.

He also announced he is mobilising his nation’s military – claiming to have 2.5 million military personnel deployed to defend Venezuela.

President Maduro claimed: “Everyone knows that the story of drugs and drug trafficking is a plot.

“That’s the argument. They want regime change to seize the country’s wealth, to control the country’s oil reserves.”

Around 78,000 Americans died of drug overdoses between March 2024 to March 2025, according to provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Trump has always claimed the figure is likely much higher and has vowed to prevent as many drug-related deaths as possible during his second term.

Just weeks ago, the Don blitzed another narco boat killing 11 on board.

On September 3, Trump claimed he attacked a boat full with drug-smuggling gangsters heading for American shores.

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/news/15192916/trump-bombs-venezuelan-drug-boat/

THE suspect accused of assassinating political activist Charlie Kirk has appeared in court hours after state prosecutors vowed to pursue the death penalty.

Tyler Robinson, 22, appeared stone-faced as he attended his first court hearing virtually and remained silent throughout the 12-minute proceeding.

Robinson, who wore a suicide prevention smock, showed no emotion as Judge Tony Graf read the slew of charges against him and when state prosecutors confirmed they had filed a notice seeking the death penalty.

Prosecutors charged Robinson with seven felonies, including aggravated murder, discharge of a firearm, and two counts of obstruction of justice, among other crimes.

Robinson nodded as the judge spoke to him and only spoke when asked to state his name for the record.

Judge Graf also granted a pretrial protective order for Kirk’s wife, Erika Kirk, that was filed by Utah County prosecutors.

The judge informed Robinson that he would remain in custody without bail.

It’s the first time Robinson has been seen in public since his parents turned him over to Washington County Sheriff’s officials 33 hours after Charlie Kirk was killed at Utah Valley University on September 10.

Judge Graf set Robinson’s next hearing for September 29.

VILE ‘CONFESSION’

Robinson’s court hearing came hours after state prosecutors outlined the extensive evidence they collected in their case against the alleged assassin.

Jeffrey Gray, the Utah County attorney, revealed on Tuesday that Robinson’s DNA was found on the trigger of the rifle believed to have been used in Kirk’s assassination.

Kirk, a popular right-wing political activist, was minutes into his Q&A event on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem when he was fatally struck in the neck by a single gunshot.

Hundreds of attendees fled in terror as Kirk’s team rushed him to Timpanogos Regional Hospital, where he died hours later.

Gray said that Robinson wrote in one text message to his roommate that he had been planning to kill Kirk, 31, for “a bit over a week.”

In a series of text exchanges, Robinson allegedly confessed to his roommate, whom he had been romantically involved with, to killing Kirk.

“Drop what you’re doing. Look under my keyboard,” Robinson wrote to his roommate, according to court documents.

The note, according to prosecutors, read: ‘I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and I’m going to take it.”

The roommate, who is cooperating with investigators, replied, “What?????????????? You’re joking. right????” adding, “You weren’t the one who did it right????”

Robinson allegedly responded, “I am, I’m sorry.”

‘ROBINSON’S DESPERATION’

Robinson allegedly said he used his grandfather’s distinct rifle, which he was given as a gift, and hid it in a bush as he fled the crime scene.

Prosecutors said Robinson was desperate to retrieve the rifle, but feared law enforcement had already swept the area.

“I can get close to it but there is a squad car parked right by it. I think they already swept that spot, but I don’t wanna chance it,” Robinson texted his roommate, according to prosecutors.

“I’m wishing I had circled back and grabbed it as soon as I got to my vehicle…. I’m worried what my old man would do if I didn’t bring back grandpas rifle… idek if it had a serial number, but it wouldn’t trace to me.

“I worry about prints I had to leave it in a bush where I changed outfits. didn’t have the ability or time to bring it with…. I might have to abandon it and hope they don’t find prints.

“How the f**k will I explain losing it to my old man…. only thing I left was the rifle wrapped in a towel…. remember how I was engraving bullets?

“The f*****g messages are mostly a big meme, if I see ‘notices bulge uwu’ on fox new I might have a stroke alright im gonna have to leave it, that really f*****g sucks.”

Robinson then instructed his roommate to delete their text exchange.

FAMILY TURNS ROBINSON OVER

Gray, the Utah County attorney, said during a press conference on Tuesday that Robinson was first identified as the suspect thanks to his parents.

“Robinson’s mother expressed concern to her husband that the suspect shooter looked like Robinson,” Gray said.

His mother told investigators that “over the last year or so, Robinson had become more political and had started to lean more to the left, becoming more pro-gay and trans-rights oriented,” the Utah County attorney added.

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/news/15199724/charlie-kirk-suspect-tyler-robinson-court/

“GAZA is burning” Israel has said after another night of strikes blitzed the region.

The IDF warned residents to move south as Israel launched its ground operation in the famine-stricken city – and the US cautioned Hamas “time is running out” to make a deal.

Israeli forces said the increased operation “to destroy Hamas’ military infrastructure” has started after another night of heavy bombardment killed at least 20 people in northern Gaza.

The country’s Defence Minister Israel Katz announced “Gaza is burning”.

Roughly a million Palestinians were living in Gaza City before the evacuation warnings.

And over 220,000 have been forced to flee northern Gaza over the past month because of Israeli strikes.

Israel said it’s been urging Gaza locals to evacuate for the past month but charities warned Palestinians face “an impossible choice” – either flee and face dying of starvation on the road or stay and risk being killed by Israeli forces.

It comes as the UN today confirmed Israel has committed “genocide” in Gaza since October 2023, with the “intent to destroy the Palestinians”.

An IPC report today said: “If a ceasefire is not implemented to allow humanitarian aid to reach everyone in the Gaza Strip, and if essential food supplies and basic health, nutrition and [sanitation and water] services are not restored immediately, avoidable deaths will increase exponentially.”

The war in Gaza has killed more than 64,000 people, according to the Gaza health ministry.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken cautioned Hamas “time is running out” to make a deal, citing the dangers “an intensified” military campaign posed to the war-torn region.

Referencing a path to peace, he said he hoped “it can happen through negotiation”.

He said: “The Israelis have begun to take operations there. So we think we have a very short window of time in which a deal can happen.

“We don’t have months anymore, and we probably have days and maybe a few weeks so it’s a key moment — an important moment.

“Our preference, our No. 1 choice, is that this ends through a negotiated settlement.

“The only thing worse than a war is a protracted one that goes on forever and ever.

“At some point, this has to end. At some point, Hamas has to be defanged, and we hope it can happen through a negotiation. But I think time, unfortunately, is running out.”

Just yesterday, Israel launched a fresh ground offensive to occupy Gaza city.

Amid reports of the assault, Donald Trump claimed Hamas were moving hostages above ground “to use them as human shields”.

Posting on his Truth Social platform, he said: “I hope the Leaders of Hamas know what they’re getting into if they do such a thing.

“This is a human atrocity, the likes of which few people have ever seen before.

“Don’t let this happen or, ALL ‘BETS’ ARE OFF. RELEASE ALL HOSTAGES NOW!”

Netanyahu thanked Trump for his “unflinching support” for, what he calls, Israel’s battle against Hamas and the release of its hostages.

It’s understood 20 hostages remain under Hamas’ control.

The Israeli PM has been uncompromising in his determination to wipe out Gaza.

In the wake of his attack on Qatar, he warned any nations harbouring terrorists: “Expel them or bring them to justice.”

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/news/15192844/gaza-israel-burns-war/

IT was a clash that had Capitol Hill buzzing – a fiery Senate showdown where FBI Director Kash Patel locked horns with Democrats and declared he was here to stay.

The tense back-and-forth played out Tuesday during Patel’s first appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee since taking over the bureau.

In Washington, the hearing quickly spiraled into a spectacle as Patel faced barrage of questions over his handling of the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Senator Cory Booker went on to attack, predicting Patel’s days in office were numbered.

“Here’s the thing, Mr. Patel, I think you’re not gonna be around long, I think this might be your last oversight hearing,” Booker said.

“Because as much as you supplicate yourself to the will of Donald Trump and not the Constitution, Donald Trump has shown us he is not loyal to people like you.”

Patel snapped back without hesitation.

“I am not going anywhere,” he fired back.

“If you want to criticize my 16 years of service, please bring it on.”

The dramatic exhange came as Patel already faced heat for publicly misfiring on social media about the Kirk investigation.

Patel initially announced on X that the bureau had caught the shooter, only to later retract the claim.

Senator Dick Durbin, the Judiciary Committee’s top Democrat, slammed Patel for rushing to claim credit.

“Mr. Patel was so anxious to take credit for finding Mr. Kirk’s assassin, that he violated one of the basics of effective law enforcement: at critical stages of an investigation shut up and let the investigators do their job,” Durbin blasted.

Authorities eventually arrested 22-year-old Tyler Robinson in Orem, Utah, after a tense manhunt lasting more than 24 hours.

Patel traveled to Utah alongside Governor Spencer Cox to announce the capture, but he was criticized for dining at Manhattan’s exclusive Rao’s restaurant the night of the shooting instead of heading straight to the scene.

President Donald Trump, pressed by reporters, deflected – first praising ally Pam Bondi before nodding to Patel’s role in Robinson’s arrest.

“Well first of all I think Pam Bondi has done an unbelievable job,” Trump said.

“And Kash, take a look at what he did with this horrible person that he just captured.”

But the firestorm didn’t stop with the Kirk case.

Patel also came under pressure over the bureau’s controversial July memo declaring that Jeffrey Epstein had no “client list” and died by suicide.

The unsigned document sparked outrage from lawmakers across the aisle and fueled fresh conspiracy theories.

Durbin pressed Patel on why the paper carried no signature.

“The memorandum had the insignia of the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation,” Patel said.

“And in our effort to secure transparency for the American people, because the three prior administrations had not done so, we conducted an exhaustive search… and we produced what was legally and permissibly able to be produced.”

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/news/15198881/kash-patel-cory-booker-heated-exchange-hearing/

Utah County’s district attorney has announced seven counts, including aggravated murder, obstruction of justice for disposing of evidence, and witness tampering.

Utah prosecutors said on Tuesday (Sep 16) they will seek the death penalty for the suspect in conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s assassination and revealed evidence including alleged text messages in which he confessed.

Tyler Robinson, 22, is accused of firing a single rifle shot from a rooftop sniper’s nest that killed the 31-year-old Turning Point USA founder on the campus of Utah Valley University last Wednesday.

“I had enough of his hatred,” Robinson told his roommate and romantic partner, according to court transcripts filed by prosecutors.

Utah County District Attorney Jeffrey Gray announced seven counts, including aggravated murder, obstruction of justice for disposing of evidence, and witness tampering. He said the decision to seek the death penalty was made “independently, based solely on the available evidence and circumstances and nature of the crime”.

TEXTS TO ROOMMATE

Court documents show Robinson left a note under his keyboard: “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it.” When confronted by his roommate, Robinson replied: “I am, I’m sorry.”

He allegedly told the roommate he had planned the attack for more than a week, wished he had retrieved the rifle afterward, and asked for texts to be deleted. DNA was later recovered on the trigger of the suspected murder weapon.

Robinson surrendered after his parents recognised him in gunman images and persuaded him to meet a retired sheriff’s deputy. Prosecutors say he told his roommate before surrendering: “I’m much more worried about you,” urging silence with police.

The roommate, who has not been identified, is cooperating.

POLITICAL VIOLENCE FEARS

Kirk, a prominent Trump ally, was addressing 3,000 people when he was shot, an event captured in graphic video that spread online.

The killing has fuelled fears of rising US political violence after last year’s two assassination attempts on Trump and the killing of a Democratic state lawmaker in Minnesota.

Source : https://www.channelnewsasia.com/world/prosecutors-seek-death-penalty-suspect-in-charlie-kirk-assassination-5352776

The US Secretary of State thanked Qatar for its efforts to end the Gaza war and reiterated America’s support for the country’s security and sovereignty.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio pledged strong support for Qatar’s security on a lightning visit on Tuesday (Sep 16), as anger boils in the Gulf ally over last week’s Israeli attack on Hamas negotiators.

On a hastily arranged stop in Doha after a visit to Israel, Rubio shook hands with Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, in his office before entering closed-door talks that lasted just under an hour.

He flew out straight after the meeting.

In Israel, he had pledged “unwavering support” even after it angered US allies in the Gulf by targeting Hamas negotiators in Doha.

“Secretary Rubio reaffirmed the strong bilateral relationship between the United States and Qatar, and thanked Qatar for its efforts to end the war in Gaza and bring all hostages home,” said State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott.

Rubio “reiterated America’s strong support for Qatar’s security and sovereignty”, he added.

Rubio had earlier said the United States would work with Qatar to finalise a defence agreement soon despite the Israeli military action.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said his country appreciated US support for its mediation efforts, adding that “this attack, of course, expedited the need for renewed strategic defence agreements between us and the US”.

Rubio had earlier said he would “ask Qatar to continue to do what they’ve done”, adding that “if there’s any country in the world that could help end this through a negotiation, it’s Qatar”.

But Israel’s launch of its long-anticipated ground assault on Gaza City early on Tuesday left little scope for any new mediation bid.

Rubio’s visit also sought to reassure Qatar after the Israeli strikes undermined security pledges to the Gulf emirate from its key ally.

Rubio landed in Qatar a day after an Arab-Islamic summit in Doha condemned Israel for the strikes, with the head of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council urging Washington to “use its leverage and influence” to rein in Israel.

President Donald Trump told reporters in Washington that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “won’t be hitting” Qatar again.

Rubio made no such comments in Israel.

Netanyahu said his government assumes “full responsibility” for the attack on Doha “because we believe that terrorists should not be given a haven”.

Source : https://www.channelnewsasia.com/world/rubio-us-strong-support-qatar-israel-strike-5352181

One year after China’s aggressive property stimulus, prices are still falling in most cities – except Shanghai. Analysts explain why.

Buying a new apartment in Shanghai these days requires more than just cash – it takes stamina, luck – and sometimes a bit of theatre.

At a recent weekend launch of One Tian An Place, a mid-range project in the well-established Jinyuan area of Minhang, hopeful buyers queued, clutching numbered slips that determined the order they could enter to claim a unit before the red “sold” tags went up.

One successful buyer, who drew a lottery number well past 60, described the process as “a bit nerve-wracking” – but ultimately worth it.

“The (unit) floor was a bit lower than we expected but it doesn’t really matter as long as it doesn’t affect the lighting,” he wrote on Xiaohongshu on Sep 7, under the handle Zaoshuizaoqiba.

“Land prices keep rising,” he added. “We were really worried we might not be able to afford anything later. Since (the unit) was still under 100,000 yuan (US$14,042) per square metre, we just wanted to get on board quickly.”

“The earlier you buy, the more peace of mind you have.”

By the end of the day, sales agents reported around 90 per cent of units had been sold.

But for 33-year-old Andree Wu, also looking to buy in Shanghai, the search has been less successful.

Living in Putuo District with her husband, child and dog, she began house-hunting in February after giving birth, hoping to find a larger three to four-bedroom apartment.

Months later, she is still looking – even after raising her budget from 15 million yuan to 25 million yuan, opening the door to more choices.

“There are only houses that excel in one aspect but are very poor in another,” she told CNA.

“The house we really want just doesn’t exist.”

Still, Wu admitted the recent policy support played a role in stretching her budget.

“The lower mortgage rates made me more willing to raise my budget … Lower rates have reduced the pressure somewhat,” she said.

Both cases reflect the buyer enthusiasm fuelling Shanghai’s property market, where high-spec central projects are snapped up almost immediately.

On Jul 2, financial outlet Yicai reported that five mid- to high-end projects sold out on their first day.

But these frenzied sell-outs mask a deeper malaise.

Nearly a year after China launched its most aggressive property stimulus in decades, the housing market remains sharply bifurcated.

Pockets of buoyancy endure in luxury enclaves of Shanghai and a handful of top-tier cities.

Elsewhere, demand is anaemic.

Average new-home prices continue to edge down while land sales in fourth- and fifth-tier cities have plunged to their lowest levels since 2011.

China’s property market, once the country’s growth engine, now runs on two tracks – roaring at the top, stalling everywhere else.

The big bang package may not restore the property boom – only blunt the pain, analysts argue.

BIG BANG MEASURES – AND THEIR LIMITS

The September 2024 stimulus package was a sweeping attempt to turn the tide.

Beijing cut existing mortgage rates by 50 basis points, delivering savings to an estimated 50 million households.

Down-payments were standardised at 15 per cent for first and second homes.

A 300 billion yuan affordable housing re-lending facility was fully funded, while other measures ranged from “white list” financing to revitalising idle land and easing purchase curbs in mega-cities.

The measures, announced at a State Council press conference on Sep 24 last year, were aimed at clearing unsold inventory, reviving housing demand, and stabilising prices, according to the government’s official policy summary.

Yet the backlog keeps growing.

According to data released by China’s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the number of unsold new homes rose to 405 million square metres in August 2025, from 382 million square metres in July 2024.

“My sense is that (the measures) have almost zero impact (on moving the property market),” said Lin Han-Shen, China country director at The Asia Group.

“If I was to look at what the primary driver is to drive more purchases of property, it’s if the properties rise in price.”

“The Chinese are not deep value investors,” Lin said. “They do not buy when prices are low. They tend to buy when prices are going up.”

Wang Dan, China director at Eurasia Group, agreed. “There was not a single policy that has achieved any of the effects to reverse the housing cycle,” she told CNA.

“What the policies have been doing so far is basically to try to stimulate more of a demand among potential homebuyers,” she added.

“Housing prices are still going down – that’s why it didn’t work.”

Except for one city: Shanghai.

Standing out from the pack, the city posted a 5.9 per cent year-on-year increase in new-home prices in August, according to NBS data released on Sep 15.

Despite that, average prices across China’s four top-tier cities – Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen – still fell 0.9 per cent from a year earlier, as declines in the other three outweighed Shanghai’s gains.

In second-tier cities, prices fell 2.4 per cent, while third-tier cities saw a 3.7 per cent drop.

China’s new home prices

Analysts pointed out the misalignment between market hopes and Beijing’s intentions.

“There is a misperception in the market that the government wants the property market to recover. That is not true,” Lin explained.

“Certainly, the government does not want property to make up 30 per cent of GDP the way it used to,” Lin added.

“So if that’s the definition of recovery, that is not what the government desires. What it does desire is a stabilisation.”

Wang echoed the point, saying the central government “doesn’t believe that housing should be the main growth engine for China anymore”.

Citing how the Chinese leadership under President Xi Jinping believes the new engine should be productivity, Wang said: “The resources and the policy support are basically in those high-tech industries, emerging industries, manufacturing.”

China is therefore careful not to inflate another property bubble, instead focusing its measures on cushioning a drawn-out correction, analysts noted.

Lin put it this way: “The government knows three things have to happen. Market prices have to go down – but not too quickly. Developers have to consolidate – but not too quickly. Banks have to write off nonperforming loans – but not too quickly. So it’s a matter of buying time right now in the sector.”

NATIONAL PICTURE: SLUMP BEYOND TIER-ONE CITIES

“(The pricing) in tier-one (cities) is generally more resilient than tier-two and tier-three,” said Sam Xie, head of research for China at CBRE.

But even China’s largest cities are not immune.

“More people are selling in Beijing than buying. It actually would drag the housing prices down even faster,” said Wang.

Outside a few policy-induced bursts, most of China’s market remains in the doldrums.

Goldman Sachs in June estimated a cumulative 20 per cent drop in home prices from peak to trough – and expects another 10 per cent fall before stabilisation in 2027.

Investment has also cooled.

Total real-estate development between January and July reached 5.36 trillion yuan, with residential investment at 4.12 trillion yuan – far below the 6.09 trillion yuan and 4.62 trillion yuan recorded in the same period of 2024, and below the earlier highs, when real estate development investment peaked at 14.7 trillion yuan in 2021.

China’s land market, once a vital fiscal engine for local governments, has nearly ground to a halt in lower-tier cities.

Land transaction values hit decade-lows in third- to fifth-tier cities, the Financial Times reported, citing Wind data.

In the first half of 2025, fourth-tier cities generated just 87 billion yuan in land revenue, while fifth-tier cities brought in 51 billion yuan.

By contrast, state-owned developers focused on Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, helping push first-tier land sales up about 30 per cent in value from a year earlier, according to the Financial Times.

Amid the gloom, some buyers are returning not because of stimulus, but because prices have finally fallen within reach.

In Beijing, 30-year-old office worker Olivia Zhang and her husband bought their first home – a second-hand two-bedroom unit of about 60 to 70 square metres – in July, after prices fell to what they considered “reasonable”.

“Even though our salaries are higher now than a few years ago, the prices back then still felt unaffordable and not worth it. The price drop definitely encouraged us to buy,” Zhang said.

Their modest flat near Sihuidong station, between the Fourth and Fifth Ring Roads, cost 3 to 4 million yuan.

Buying second-hand was the only realistic choice.

“There are basically no new apartments (within the Fifth Ring) anymore,” Zhang said. New builds further out would have meant worse commutes.

“Since we’re young and both working, we prioritised a good location.”

It’s the kind of “old, small and shabby” place many end up buying within this budget.

Purchased as a marital home rather than an investment, Zhang added: “Whether prices go up or down doesn’t matter much to us.”

“We’ll keep living here, and we don’t plan to sell.”

While homeownership remains a prerequisite for marriage in many circles, expectations are evolving.

“With the younger generation … there’s a higher willingness to rent. It’s cheaper and they’re more mobile,” said Wang from Eurasia Group.

“They have to change up a lot,” she added. “So between different cities, it’s just easier if they rent homes.”

Yet the social norm is sticky. “If you want to get married, buying a home is still a robust requirement, especially from the women’s family,” she added.

As young people delay marriage, “the demand for housing is also later, and that is another downward pressure.”

Meanwhile, persistent oversupply continues to weigh on the market.

Developers are sitting on vast inventories, with Goldman Sachs estimating 30 trillion yuan worth of unsold homes.

New-home demand is projected to remain 75 per cent below its 2017 peak for years to come.

Even official efforts to clear the stock – such as through purchases by state-owned firms and local governments – have seen tepid results.

“No one is going to buy an overvalued asset, and everybody knows that those assets are overvalued,” Wang said. “So they’re not going to enter the market at this point.”

Lin from The Asia Group, attributes much of the inertia to a mismatch: “The inventory buildup versus the actual demand, that mismatch gap is going to continue to get wider.”

CBRE’s Xie noted that developers remain highly cautious in the current environment.

“They are primarily focused on land banking in tier-one and upper tier-two cities,” he said. “For lower-tier cities, the top priority is ensuring that overdue projects are completed and delivered.”

The divide is stark.

According to data, nationwide investment in residential development declined by 10.9 per cent year-on-year during the first seven months of 2025, while investment in Shanghai grew by 3.3 per cent over the same period.

Lin offered a telling example.

A personal trainer he knows – a young man with modest income – said he owned five apartments in Anhui, accumulated through a mix of inheritance and purchases over the years.

Yet he admitted he could never trade up into a city like Shanghai, even if he sold all five.

To Lin, this was symptomatic of a deeper glut in lower-tier cities, where demographic inheritance and limited mobility have locked properties into limbo.

“You are certainly seeing a tale of two cities,” he said – one of excess and stagnation in the hinterlands, and one of cautious recovery in wealthier urban cores.

In some places, prices barely matter – because homes simply aren’t changing hands.

“You don’t pay attention to prices anymore,” said Lin. “It’s just that the volume of transactions is frozen.”

China’s total new home sales value

Based on data from the 100 biggest real estate companies in China

While no second-tier city is experiencing anything close to a rebound, Wang noted that some are benefiting modestly from demographic shifts.

“Some cities like Chengdu and Changsha are attracting more of a reverse migration,” she said. “because many people, if they lose their jobs in Beijing and Shanghai, which was the case in the past few years, then they would return to some vibrant city in central China.”

“There is some support because of the population inflow for the local housing market (in cities experiencing reverse migration),” she said.

“But it’s not enough to really drive up housing prices simply because the supply is too high.”

OUTLIER CITY

If China’s market is still groping for a bottom, Shanghai, at least parts of it, has found a way to float.

Despite national price declines, buyer enthusiasm has swept across several well-located and high-end developments.

Especially popular are centrally located luxury towers and suburban homes built by trusted developers.

In both cases, tight supply and a deep pool of affluent local buyers are fuelling the frenzy.

That includes Kangding Garden in Jing’an District, which drew Wu’s attention.

Priced around 168,000 yuan per square metre, she joined the buyer lottery for the project’s third-phase sales – without success.

“For that project, apart from the price, I thought there were no drawbacks,” she said.

“If it completely meets my needs … even if I buy at a higher price, I don’t mind. I just treat that extra cost as consumption.”

Recent policy shifts have also fanned momentum.

In late August, Shanghai authorities scrapped per-household purchase limits outside the Outer Ring Road, where more than two-thirds of the city’s housing stock is located.

Residents can now buy an unlimited number of flats in these zones, up from a cap of two.

Mortgage rates for second homes were cut to 3.05 per cent, matching first-home rates for the first time.

Restrictions on non-locals were loosened too: since late 2024, buyers from other provinces need only 12 months of tax history in Shanghai, down from three years.

Yet Shanghai’s resilience is not evidence of a broad-based recovery.

“No, I don’t think so,” said Wang, when asked if this rebound might signal a national trend.

“Policymakers know that Shanghai is a different market … It is very lucky that people still view it as good, investable assets. But in the majority of China, this is not the case.”

“So Shanghai’s market is fundamentally different from the rest of the country,” Wang said.

“It is a safe asset.”

After four years of declining home prices, she explained, many Chinese believe the national market has yet to reach bottom – and are unwilling to buy into an overvalued asset without clear upside.

“Right now, the stock market is performing really well. Whoever entered the market since last September has made money,” Wang said.

“But if people have put money in housing as investment, then most people wouldn’t be able to make any money, or they will make a big loss.”

In contrast, she said, certain districts in Shanghai have bucked the trend.

“Since 2022 … the prices have even gone up,” she noted. “So it’s considered more as an investable asset rather than a place to live.”

Lin, at The Asia Group, attributed Shanghai’s divergence to structural forces.

“Rich people will always have capital to invest. And because of capital controls, it’s not easy to go outbound,” he said.

“Shanghai has the deepest pool of capital in China with such a concentration of the well-off. If they have to put their money somewhere, I can see some of it coming back into property.”

Even within Shanghai, however, this upturn is narrow and uneven.

Lin described “a much humbler aspiration” among ordinary households: “If the mass market is very concerned about prices going down for their property, then … we’re going to see much more modest consumption habits going forward.”

THE RIPPLE EFFECT – WHY IT MATTERS

The weakness in China’s property market is more than a drag on GDP – it carries social consequences.

For years, housing was a major social anchor – a prerequisite for marriage, a store of family wealth, a trigger for big-ticket consumption. Today, those assumptions are fraying.

Lin puts it down to a generational shift. “When I look at my students, their consumption preferences are quite a bit different than when I first came (to China) 20 years ago,” he said.

“They seem to aspire to experiential spending. And they seem to be less concerned in the accumulation of assets or goods, including property.”

Part of the reason, he suggests, is confidence they will eventually inherit property.

“If that is the case … where people are quite comfortable (and doing) experiential spending, and waiting for their property inheritances, it’s not a good sign for the outlook for future developers.”

Others are simply locked out. Even with home prices falling, many young Chinese still can’t afford to buy.

“The gap between purchasing power, the multiple of your salary, the number of years you had to save up to buy a property … it’s just still too wide for the vast majority of the younger generation,” Lin said.

Wang of Eurasia Group noted how consumption has changed. “Before 2022, the biggest portion of the household consumption is tied to apartments,” she said.

“So for an average Chinese family, if they didn’t buy a new apartment, there would be no big item consumption. Like the aircon, fridge, cars – these are tied with housing and also decoration.”

One apartment purchase, she noted, could trigger half a million yuan in related spending. Now, that ecosystem has atrophied.

“After the housing downturn, after 2022 … (household consumption) is mostly just (on) daily necessities, consumer goods, more services, more cultural goods, and tourism,” she said.

“You can (take) 2,000 trips, but still it doesn’t compare to buying one home and instead (spending) a million on decoration.”

Among the wealthy, trust in property as a “safe” asset has splintered.

“Those that were able to get into the property market earlier … they’re in a better capacity to enjoy the pleasures of their wealth through buying other luxury properties,” Lin said.

For them, purchases are driven by lifestyle aspirations.

“When you buy a property, it could be for a property to act as your pension. But I don’t think that’s the main driver for the richer class … for them, it’s still very much a quality of life, aspiration.”

For the vast majority, housing is no longer the cornerstone of financial security it once was, he said, adding that property is now just “one potential asset class among others” alongside gold and government bonds.

Meanwhile, local-government finances have weakened dramatically.

With land-sale revenue collapsing in lower-tier cities, budget gaps are widening.

“Every city, every county, every province has a sizeable budget gap that can no longer be filled by land sales,” Lin warned.

“And for the most part, issuing more debt is problematic as well. So they’re going to have more austerity.”

The global knock-on effects are still unfolding.

Fears of a Lehman-style crisis have faded, analysts noted, but a sluggish Chinese housing market will continue to ripple through global demand, commodity prices, and investor confidence.

“(The property sector) is going to continue to be a drag on the economy for at least the next five-plus years or so,” said Lin.

“But as long as it’s not a drag enough (and still) allow a transition to a technology-driven economy, that’s okay.”

“The government will do what it needs to just stabilise (the property market).”

That future, he suggests, may lie not in another property supercycle, but in a rotation of capital into tech, green energy and industrial upgrades.

“We’re starting to see some signals from the trigger of … technology driving the stock market,” Lin said.

“If China’s stock market continues to steadily go up … that will boost the wealth effect, and maybe help compensate and drive consumer spending.”

WAITING FOR THE BOTTOM

Few expect China to return to the old playbook.

Analysts suggest the current approach is longer-term and deliberately cautious – not to re-inflate a bubble but to manage a drawn-out adjustment.

Wang believes the sector’s role is being rewritten.

“The future of Chinese housing, I believe, is permanently lower prices than before,” she said.

“More homes need to be built in the future, but it wouldn’t be built in a similar fashion as before. A lot of the construction will be done by the state sector, by state-owned enterprises, instead of private businesses.”

With 2025 marking the final year of both the 14th Five-Year Plan and the “Made in China 2025” strategy, attention is turning to the Fourth Plenum expected in October – where senior leaders may clarify Beijing’s long-term posture.

And observers do not expect a dramatic shift.

“What (the government) does desire is a stabilisation,” Lin said.

“It’s a much more modest goal, but the market has not understood that yet.”

“They’re still looking for some form of bailout, still looking for some major form of stimulus … and that’s not likely around the corner.”

Source : https://www.channelnewsasia.com/east-asia/china-property-market-two-realities-shanghai-5351071

Two teenagers who peed into a pot of broth at a hotpot restaurant have been ordered to pay 2.2m yuan ($309,000; £227,000) to two catering companies in China.

The incident, which happened in February at a Shanghai branch of China’s biggest hotpot chain Haidilao, sparked widespread criticism after the 17-year-olds posted a video of their drunken act online.

There is no suggestion that anyone consumed the contaminated broth but Haidilao had offered to pay thousands of diners who dined at the restaurant in the days following the incident.

In March, Haidilao sought more than 23m yuan in losses, saying this took into account the amount it compensated customers over the incident.

Last Friday, a Shanghai court found that the teenagers had infringed upon the companies’ property rights as well as reputation through “acts of insult”, noting that their actions contaminated tableware and “caused strong discomfort among the public”.

It also found that the teens’ parents had “failed to fulfil their duty of guardianship” and ordered that they bear the compensation, state media reported.

This includes 2m yuan for operational and reputational damage, 130,000 yuan to one of the caterers for tableware losses and cleaning expenses, and 70,000 yuan in legal costs.

However the court ruled that any additional compensation Haidilao offered to its customers, beyond what they were billed, was a “voluntary business decision”, and therefore should not be borne by the teenagers.

Haidilao had offered to compensate more than 4,000 diners who visited the branch between 24 February – the date of their visit – and 8 March, both with a full refund and a cash compensation that is 10 times the amount they were billed.

Source : https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cq8e57eexn2o

She’s standing by her Mam.

Gov. Kathy Hochul defended her shocking endorsement of Zohran Mamdani, arguing Tuesday the socialist mayoral contender is the best candidate to fight Donald Trump.

New York City’s next mayor needs to “stand up” against Trump’s desire to lord over City Hall — and Mamdani fit that bill best out of the crowded mayoral field, Hochul argued during an unrelated event in a Hell’s Kitchen pharmacy.

“I could not have been crystal clearer,” she said, not very clearly.

“I need a mayor who understands that.”

Hochul’s bombshell backing of Mamdani on Sunday came after months of holding the Democratic nominee at arm’s length, and seemingly came with little-to-no concessions from the firebrand for the governor.

Her New York Times op-ed announcing the endorsement praised Mamdani’s commitment to affordability, but otherwise offered few specific reasons for her support — among them his commitment to fighting Trump.

Source : https://nypost.com/2025/09/16/us-news/hochul-argues-zohran-mamdani-would-be-best-candidate-to-stand-up-to-trump-as-she-defends-shock-endorsement-in-nyc-mayoral-race/

A massive brawl erupted in suburban Long Island as 20 members of rival biker crews tangled in a bloody clash across two towns that left four people stabbed and seven facing rioting charges.

Round one of the throwdown erupted at 1683 Sports Bar & Grille in West Islip on Sunday afternoon before the crews dug in for more fighting at Phillips 66 gas station in Lindenhurst, police said.

In Lindenhurst, five miles away from the bar, round two of the fighting ballooned into a full-on street showdown — with blades drawn and blood splashing onto the street, a gas station attendant who witnessed the melee told The Post..

Five men were taken to the hospital and were treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

Scientists have identified the origins of the blue color in one of Jackson Pollock’s paintings with a little help from chemistry, confirming for the first time that the abstract expressionist used a vibrant, synthetic pigment known as manganese blue.

“Number 1A, 1948,” showcases Pollock’s classic style: paint has been dripped and splattered across the canvas, creating a vivid, multicolored work. Pollock even gave the piece a personal touch, adding his handprints near the top.

The painting, currently on display at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, is almost 9 feet (2.7 meters) wide. Scientists had previously characterized the reds and yellows splattered across the canvas, but the source of the rich turquoise blue proved elusive.

In a new study, researchers took scrapings of the blue paint and used lasers to scatter light and measure how the paint’s molecules vibrated. That gave them a unique chemical fingerprint for the color, which they pinpointed as manganese blue.

The analysis, published Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, is the first confirmed evidence of Pollock using this specific blue.

“It’s really interesting to understand where some striking color comes from on a molecular level,” said study co-author Edward Solomon with Stanford University.

The pigment manganese blue was once used by artists, as well as to color the cement for swimming pools. It was phased out by the 1990s because of environmental concerns.

Previous research had suggested that the turquoise from the painting could indeed be this color, but the new study confirms it using samples from the canvas, said Rutgers University’s Gene Hall, who has studied Pollock’s paintings and was not involved with the discovery.

“I’m pretty convinced that it could be manganese blue,” Hall said.

The researchers also went one step further, inspecting the pigment’s chemical structure to understand how it produces such a vibrant shade.

Scientists study the chemical makeup of art supplies to conserve old paintings and catch counterfeits. They can take more specific samples from Pollock’s paintings since he often poured directly onto the canvas instead of mixing paints on a palette beforehand.

Source : https://apnews.com/article/jackson-pollock-painting-manganese-blue-1948-4acd29ec34bcbf5b52be4807d65be9b1

After decades of scouring the bottom of Lake Michigan, searchers have finally found the wreckage of a “ghost ship” that sank during a ferocious storm almost 140 years ago off the Wisconsin coastline.

The Wisconsin Historical Society and the Wisconsin Underwater Archeology Association announced Monday that a team led by researcher Brendon Baillod found the wreck of the F.J. King. Baillod said in an email to The Associated Press that the wreckage was discovered on June 28.

According to the announcement, Baillod’s team found the ship off Bailey’s Harbor, a town of about 280 people on Wisconsin’s Door Peninsula, an outcropping of land jutting into Lake Michigan that gives the state its distinctive mitten-thumb shape.

The F. J. King was a 144-foot (43.89 meters), three-masted cargo schooner built in 1867 in Toledo, Ohio, to transport grain and iron ore. According to the historical society and archaeology association’s announcement, the ship ran into a gale off the Door Peninsula on Sept. 15, 1886, while moving iron ore from Escanaba, Michigan, to Chicago.

Waves estimated at 8 to 10 feet (2.4 to 3 meters) ruptured her seams and after several hours of pumping Captain William Griffin ordered his men into the ship’s yawl boat. The schooner finally sank bow-first around 2 a.m., with the ship’s stern deckhouse blowing away in the storm, sending Griffin’s papers 50 feet into the air. A passing schooner picked up the crew and took them to Bailey’s Harbor.

Searchers have been trying to find the F.J. King since the 1970s but conflicting accounts of the ship’s location when it sank stymied their efforts. Griffin reported that the ship went down about 5 miles (8 kilometers) off Bailey’s Harbor but a lighthouse keeper reported seeing a schooner’s masts breaking the surface closer to shore. Commercial fishermen kept claiming to have brought up pieces of the wreckage in their nets, too. Shipwreck hunters scoured the area but came up empty. Over the years F.J. King developed a reputation among shipwreck hunters as a ghost ship.

Baillod believed that Griffin may not have known where he was in the darkness as the ship went down. He drew a 2-square-mile (5.17 square-kilometer) grid around the location the lighthouse keeper gave and proceeded to search it. Side-scan sonar uncovered an object measuring about 140 feet (42.6 meters) long less than half a mile (0.8 kilometers) from the lighthouse keeper’s location. It turned out to be the F.J. King.

“A few of us had to pinch each other,” Baillod said in the announcement. “After all the previous searches, we couldn’t believe we had actually found it, and so quickly.”

He said the hull appears to be intact, surprising searchers who expected to find it in pieces due to the weight of the iron ore the schooner was carrying.

Source : https://apnews.com/article/lake-michigan-schooner-shipwreck-door-county-ccff930d8cd87f3597483938f8fb4fd6

 

China’s coast guard accused a Philippine ship of deliberately ramming one of its vessels on Tuesday near the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. The Philippines denied it, saying China’s forces used powerful water cannons that damaged its ship and injured a crew member.

A Chinese coast guard statement said more than 10 Philippine government ships coming from various directions entered the waters around the shoal, which is called Huangyan island in Chinese. It said it deployed water cannons against the vessels.

The encounter came six days after China announced it was designating part of Scarborough Shoal as a national nature reserve. The Philippine government, which calls the shoal Bajo de Masinloc, filed a diplomatic protest.

China and the Philippines have clashed repeatedly around outcroppings in the South China Sea, which China claims almost in its entirety. The two countries are among several that have competing claims to territory in the waters, which are of strategic importance and home to valuable fishing grounds.

The Philippine coast guard said two Chinese coast guard ships hit a Filipino fisheries vessel, the BRP Datu Gumbay Piang, with powerful water cannons for nearly 30 minutes “resulting in significant damage,” including in the captain’s cabin and the bridge. A glass window was shattered and injured a personnel while the deluge of water caused a short circuit that affected electrical outlets and five outdoor air-conditioning units, it said.

A Chinese navy warship also broadcast a radio notice “announcing live-fire exercises” at the shoal which caused panic among Filipino fishermen, said the Philippine coast guard.

The Philippine coast guard and fisheries ships were deployed to the shoal on Tuesday to provide fuel, water, ice and other aid to more than 35 fishing boats in the area.

Several friendly countries have backed the Philippines on the nature reserve.

Source : https://apnews.com/article/philippines-south-china-sea-scarborough-shoal-collision-fc31a170189e4747b8314fb605ca7d0c

 

A U.S. appeals court declined on Monday to allow Donald Trump to fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook – the first time a president has pursued such action since the central bank’s founding in 1913 – in the latest step in a legal battle that threatens the Fed’s longstanding independence.
The decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit means that the administration only has hours to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court if it hopes to block Cook from attending the Fed’s policy meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday where it is expected to cut U.S. interest rates to shore up a cooling labor market.

The White House on Tuesday said it planned to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court.
“The President lawfully removed Lisa Cook for cause. The Administration will appeal this decision and looks forward to ultimate victory on the issue,” White House spokesman Kush Desai said.
The D.C. Circuit denied the Justice Department’s request to put on hold a judge’s order temporarily blocking the Republican president from removing Cook, an appointee of Democratic former President Joe Biden.
U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb had ruled on September 9 that Trump’s claims that Cook committed mortgage fraud before taking office, which Cook denies, likely were not sufficient grounds for removal under the law that created the Fed.

The decision was 2-1, with Circuit Judges Bradley Garcia and J. Michelle Childs in the majority, both of whom were appointed by President Joe Biden. Circuit Judge Gregory Katsas, a Trump appointee, dissented.
In an opinion joined by Childs, Garcia wrote that Cook is likely to prevail on her claim that she has been denied due process in violation of the U.S. Constitution’s Fifth Amendment.
“Before this court, the government does not dispute that it provided Cook no meaningful notice or opportunity to respond to the allegations against her,” the judge wrote.
A White House spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Fed, which had no comment on the ruling, has not made any legal arguments in the case. It has asked the courts for a swift resolution of the matter, and has said it will abide by any court ruling.

Cook’s lawyers did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Separately, the Senate on Monday night narrowly confirmed Trump’s nominee to a recently vacated seat on the Fed board. The largely party-line 48-47 vote means that it is likely that Stephen Miran, currently chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, will also participate in this week’s rate-setting meeting alongside Cook.

FOR CAUSE

In setting up the Fed, Congress included provisions to shield the central bank from political interference. Under the law that created the Fed, its governors may be removed by a president only “for cause,” though the law does not define the term nor establish procedures for removal. No president has ever removed a Fed governor, and the law has never been tested in court.
In Monday’s opinion, Garcia wrote that because Cook’s due process claim was “very likely meritorious”, there was no need for the court to address the meaning of ‘for cause’ at this point in the case.

Cook, the first Black woman to serve as a Fed governor, sued Trump and the Fed in late August. Cook has said the claims did not give Trump the legal authority to remove her and were a pretext to fire her for her monetary policy stance.
The Trump administration has argued that the president has broad discretion to determine when it is necessary to remove a Fed governor, and that courts lack the power to review those decisions.
The case has ramifications for the Fed’s ability to set interest rates without regard to the wishes of politicians, widely seen as critical to any central bank’s ability to function independently to carry out tasks such as keeping inflation under control.
Trump this year has demanded that the Fed cut rates aggressively, berating Fed Chair Jerome Powell for his stewardship over monetary policy. The Fed, focusing on fighting inflation, has not done so, though it is expected this week to make a cut.
The Supreme Court this year has allowed Trump to proceed with the removal of various officials serving on federal agencies that had been established by Congress as independent from direct presidential control.
But in a May order in a case involving Trump’s dismissal of two Democratic members of federal labor boards, the Supreme Court signaled that it views the Fed as distinct from other executive branch agencies. It said the Fed “is a uniquely structured, quasi-private entity” with a singular historical tradition.
Unlike other members of regulatory boards that the Supreme Court allowed Trump to remove, Cook’s protection from at-will removal distinguished her case, Garcia wrote in Monday’s opinion.
The Trump administration in a court filing on Thursday had asked the D.C. Circuit to move quickly so that Trump could remove Cook before the Fed’s policy meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday. Administration lawyers said that allowing the president to fire Cook would “strengthen, not diminish, the Federal Reserve’s integrity.”
Cook’s lawyers in a filing in response said removing Cook ahead of the meeting would impact U.S. and foreign markets, and that the public interest in keeping her in office outweighed Trump’s efforts to take control of the Fed.
In his dissenting opinion, Katsas said there was a greater risk of harm to the Trump administration than there was to Cook in leaving her in her job while the appeal played out.
“Moreover, the Board of Governors no doubt is important, but that only heightens the government’s interest in ensuring that its Governors are competent and capable of projecting confidence into markets,” Katsas wrote.
In blocking Cook’s removal, Cobb had found that the “best reading” of the 1913 law is that it only allows a Fed governor to be removed for misconduct while in office. The mortgage fraud claims against Cook all relate to actions she took prior to her U.S. Senate confirmation in 2022.
Trump and his appointee William Pulte, the Federal Housing Finance Agency director, have claimed that Cook inaccurately described three separate properties on mortgage applications, which could have allowed her to obtain lower interest rates and tax credits.
A loan estimate for an Atlanta home purchased by Cook shows that she had declared the property as a “vacation home,” according to a document reviewed, by Reuters, information that would appear to undercut the allegations against her. And the property tax authority in Ann Arbor, Michigan, said in response to a Reuters inquiry that Cook has not broken rules for tax breaks on a home there that Cook had declared her primary residence.

Source : https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/us-appeals-court-rejects-trump-bid-oust-feds-lisa-cook-2025-09-16/

China on Wednesday called the framework deal reached in Madrid to switch short-video app TikTok to U.S.-controlled ownership a “win-win” and said it would review TikTok’s technology exports and intellectual property licensing, in a state media editorial.
Investors on both sides of the Pacific are now waiting for a call scheduled for Friday between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in which the agreement should be confirmed.

Progress over the popular social media app – which counts 170 million U.S. users – is seen as key to facilitating further talks in the coming months as the world’s two largest economies chart a path beyond their current tariff truce.
Reuters has reported that the deal, transferring TikTok’s U.S. assets to U.S. owners from China’s Bytedance, is similar to an agreement worked out earlier this year, but which was shelved after Trump announced steep tariffs on Chinese goods.
“China reached the relevant consensus with the United States on the TikTok issue because it is based on the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation,” the official People’s Daily said in a commentary.

The article was signed “Zhong Sheng” or “Voice of China”, a term the paper of the governing Communist Party uses to express views on foreign policy.
“China will review matters related to TikTok’s technology exports and intellectual property licensing in accordance with the law,” the commentary added.
Source : https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-says-us-tiktok-deal-win-win-will-review-apps-technology-ip-transfers-2025-09-17/

Pakistan on Tuesday faced fresh embarrassment as Japan has accused it of attempting human trafficking through a fake football team.

Amid the cricket-related handshake controversy with India, Pakistan faced fresh embarrassment on Tuesday as Japan issued a warning over allegations that it had sent a “fake” football team. The bogus football team was deported from Japan after authorities alleged a possible human-trafficking attempt. The group carried forged documents and falsely claimed to be players from a fictitious Sialkot team.
According to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Malik Waqas, a key suspect in the human smuggling scam, registered a football club under the name ‘Golden Football Trial’. According to a report by Pakistani news agency Geo News, Waqas, a human trafficker, received Rs 4 million from each individual to send them abroad via illegal means.
Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) reported that 22 individuals posing as a football team departed from Sialkot airport for Japan, where authorities discovered their documents were fraudulent and promptly deported them.

According to a PIA spokesperson, the individuals were coached to appear as professional football players. The spokesperson added that Waqas had arranged forged documents, including fake Pakistan Football Federation registrations and counterfeit papers from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Meanwhile, the FIA arrested Waqas and opened an investigation. During questioning, he admitted to previously sending 17 people to Japan in January 2024 using the same scheme.
Pakistan remains in the spotlight over a cricket spat with India following a crushing loss in the ongoing Asia Cup. Tensions between the two nations surfaced on the field when players skipped handshakes before and after their match in Dubai.
According to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), match referee Andy Pycroft of Zimbabwe asked both captains — India’s Suryakumar Yadav and Pakistan’s Salman Ali Agha — not to shake hands during the coin toss on Sunday, September 14.
In a late-night statement released in Urdu, the PCB condemned Pycroft’s directive as “against sportsmanship’ and said team manager Naveed Akram Cheema registered a formal protest with the International Cricket Council, which has yet to comment publicly.

Notably, the cricket match was the first between India and Pakistan since the Pahalgam attack in April. In the post-match presentation ceremony, captain Suryakumar Yadav said that he and Team India stand by I the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack and their families. He even dedicated the massive win to the Indian Army.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/world/fake-pakistan-football-team-for-fake-tournament-lands-in-japan-deported-islamabad-embarrassed-article-152839205

Leaders of Arab and Islamic nations pushed for an “Arab Nato” in a meeting of over 40 Muslim countries, including Pakistan and Turkey. Egypt, which has the Arab world’s largest army, pitched it as a collective defence shield.

On Monday, scores of leaders from Arab and Islamic nations rushed to Doha, for an emergency meeting to present a united response to Israel’s strike on Hamas leaders in Qatar there last week. Although the leaders differed on the way forward and settled on only minimal action against Israel, a more concrete outcome may be that they have set in motion the emergence of an Arab military alliance.

The proposed alliance, dubbed “Arab Nato” by Egypt, which has the Arab world’s largest army, came at the meeting in Qatar attended by Pakistan and Turkey.

Pakistan, the only nuclear-armed Muslim state, not only attended the emergency summit but also called for a joint task force to “monitor Israeli designs in the region”. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was also present at the Summit, called for an “economic squeezing of Israel”.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani also batted for a Nato-style collective security framework, stressing that “the security and stability of any Arab or Islamic country is an integral part of our collective security”.

The decade-old initiative, launched by Saudi Arabia after the Arab Spring, announced the formation of a 34-nation Islamic alliance against terrorism. That plan is now being fast-tracked following Israel’s airstrike on Doha, as Donald Trump’s US is busy revisiting its security engagement terms with allies worldwide.

ARAB-ISLAMIC NATIONS REVIVING NATO-LIKE DEFENCE SHIELD

It’s the sort of experience you just can’t buy.

The carriages are being polished, the family silver is being laid out, and diamonds are being dusted off as King Charles III prepares to offer a royal welcome to Donald Trump for what will be the highlight of the U.S. president’s unprecedented second state visit to Britain.

Hundreds of soldiers, gardeners and chefs are putting the finishing touches on their preparations to make sure the president and first lady Melania Trump get the full royal treatment. But it’s a spectacle with a purpose: to bolster ties with a world leader known for a love of bling at a time when his America First policies are putting pressure on trade and security arrangements globally.

The second leg of the visit will take place on Thursday, when Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer meet at Chequers, the 16th-century redbrick mansion in the Chiltern Hills northwest of London that serves as the official country estate of British prime ministers. The government hopes a technology deal to be signed during the trip will underline the trans-Atlantic bond remains strong despite differences over Ukraine, the Middle East and the future of NATO.

The backdrop for day one will be Windsor Castle, an almost 1,000-year-old royal residence with gilded interiors, crenelated towers and priceless artworks.

It’s a scene that has seemed to enchant Trump, who ditched his trademark bluster and described the invitation to Windsor as “a great, great honor.”

“I think that also is why he seems so visibly excited about the second meeting, because it isn’t an invitation given to (just) anyone,” said George Gross, an expert on the British monarchy at King’s College London.

Trump said Tuesday after arriving in London that he loved being back in the United Kingdom, calling it a “very special place.” Asked if he had a message for Charles, he said the king was a longtime friend of his and well-respected.

While Britain’s royals long ago gave up real political power, their history, tradition and celebrity give them a cachet that means presidents and prime ministers covet an invitation to join them. That makes the invitations, handed out at the request of the elected government, a powerful tool to reward friends and wring concessions out of reluctant allies.

State banquet
No U.S. president, or any other world leader, has ever had the honor of a second U.K. state visit. That won’t be lost on a president who often describes his actions with superlatives and has made no secret of his fondness for the British royals.

The day will begin when the king and Queen Camilla formally welcome the Trumps to Windsor Castle.

That will be followed by a horse-drawn carriage ride through the estate — 6,400 hectares (15,800 acres) of farms, forest and open space that includes a one-time royal hunting ground which is still home to 500 red deer.

Back at the castle, a military band will play “God Save the King” and “The Star-Spangled Banner” before Trump and the king inspect an honor guard of soldiers in traditional scarlet tunics and tall bearskin hats.

After a private lunch and a visit to an exhibit of documents and artwork illustrating the ties between Britain and the U.S., it will be time for the glitz and glamour of a state banquet.

Tiaras and medals will be on display as up to 160 guests in formal wear gather around a 50-meter long mahogany table set with 200-year-old silver to honor the president. Charles will deliver a speech, then the king and president will offer toasts.

Trump won’t, however, have the chance to address a joint session of Parliament as French President Emmanuel Macron did in July during his state visit, because the House of Commons is in recess. The president also missed out on that honor during his first state visit amid opposition from then-Speaker of the House John Bercow.

Source: https://apnews.com/article/britain-trump-state-visit-king-charles-9e888f6d58da8765ab7e0775d11fb350

The United States, South Korea and Japan are holding air and naval exercises off a South Korean island. Pyongyang has condemned it as a “reckless muscle-flexing.”

South Korea and the United States on Monday commenced Iron Mace, a military drill that aims to explore ways to integrate Washington’s nuclear and South Korea’s conventional capabilities to bolster deterrence against North Korean threats.

The tactical exercise is taking place at Camp Humphreys, the primary base for US forces in South Korea.

It is designed to improve the responses of allied forces and reinforce deterrence against North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats.

“I do not think the timing of Iron Mace is in response to any particular event, but it is an overdue exercise to learn effective ways to prevent and counter a possible North Korean nuclear threat,” said Chun In-bum, a retired lieutenant general in the South Korean army and now a senior fellow with the National Institute for Deterrence Studies.

“And even though we may not be able to link these exercises with a single event in the North, it is clear that the North is becoming increasingly militarily capable and the alliance needs to be prepared for a possible nuclear scenario on the peninsula in order to prevent it,” he told DW.

How did North Korea react?

The Iron Mace exercise is being held for the third time after drills in August 2024 and April this year, with each version expanding in scale and complexity, although the militaries of both South Korea and the US are keeping the operational details secret.

The drill coincides with another exercise called Freedom Edge 25, a three-way air and maritime exercise involving units from the US, South Korea and Japan in waters off eastern and southern Korea.

The maneuvers will include air defense exercises, medical evacuation, maritime interdiction and stepping up ballistic missile defense capabilities.

The maneuvers have clearly agitated the North Korean government.

Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un, condemned the exercises.

“Reckless muscle-flexing by the US, Japan and South Korea in the wrong location … will definitely bring about unfavorable consequences,” the state-run Korean Central News Agency quoted Kim as saying.

She added that Pyongyang would consider the exercises as a “display” and a continuation of the confrontational stance adopted by successive governments in Seoul.

Strengthening the alliance between Seoul and Washington

North Korean state media also played up reports of Kim Jong Un attending the ground test of a new high-thrust solid-fuel engine for a new generation of advanced intercontinental ballistic missiles that is made of composite carbon fiber, with the North Korean leader declaring the breakthrough a “significant change” in enhancing the nation’s nuclear forces.

The North is suspected to be making strides on the development of the Hwasong-20 ICBM, which was first revealed this month.

Analysts suggest that it is being manufactured in part due to technological assistance provided by Russia.

Kim Sang-woo, a former politician with the left-leaning South Korean Congress for New Politics and now a member of the board of the Kim Dae-jung Peace Foundation, said that the Iron Mace and Freedom Edge drills are critical in reinforcing the alliance between Seoul and Washington.

“Former [South Korean] President Yoon Suk Yeol went to Camp David with US President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in August 2023, they agreed on the creation of a nuclear consultative group, which was the US guarantee to increase its nuclear umbrella when North Korea became more aggressive and its capabilities were enhanced,” he told DW.

“The agreement at Camp David was the counterbalance to the North and in part it was meant to try to reassure the South that it did not need to develop its own nuclear capabilities because the US would protect it,” he added.

Source : https://www.dw.com/en/us-s-korea-japan-stage-drills-amid-norths-rising-threat/a-74002960

Kyiv’s defense intelligence said operatives attacked a $40 million Buk-M3 anti-aircraft missile system. Meanwhile, Moscow is calling a drone intrusion in Romania a provocation from Ukraine. DW has more.

TAYLOR Swift hid behind a 7ft “bulletproof” screen on her way to see her fiancé play American football at the weekend.

Fans have been used to seeing the singer strolling into the Kansas City Chiefs’ stadium for games.

But on Sunday officials ushered in Taylor, 35, and her mum Andrea, 67, behind the 7ft-high portable partition.

There was speculation online that Taylor had tightened up her security following the assassination of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk last week.

He mocked Swift after her engagement to NFL star Travis Kelce — who played in the loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

One fan commented on Tay’s arrival at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City: “It’s a bulletproof moving wall.

“Swifties have been dragging that man ever since he got shot because of the stuff he’s said about Taylor . . . her team is probably worried.”

Another wrote on X: “Taylor walking behind a bulletproof movable wall after what happened to Charlie Kirk can’t be a coincidence.”

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/entertainment/15190205/taylor-swift-bulletproof-screen-nfl-charlie-kirk/

 

Memphis recorded one of the highest homicide rates of any US city with a population of at least 100,000 last year, according to FBI data.

President Donald Trump approved a National Guard deployment to Memphis, expanding the federal government’s efforts to crack down on what he has cast as out-of-control crime in Democratic-run cities.

“I’m signing a presidential memorandum to establish the Memphis Safe Task Force, and it’s very important because of the crime that’s going on,” Trump said at the White House on Monday as he approved sending troops to the city.

“We’re going to be doing Chicago probably next,” Trump said, citing another city he has claimed is beset with violence and disorder, and added that he was looking at St. Louis and New Orleans as well.

Trump said the Memphis deployment would include the National Guard, in addition to the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security officials and US Marshals. And he indicated that additional cities could also see federal resources deployed.

The president likened the Memphis deployment to his efforts in Washington, DC, where he has placed the local police department under federal control and ordered National Guard troops into the capital.

“This task force will be a replica of our extraordinarily successful efforts here,” Trump said.

Trump was joined on Monday by Republican Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, who is backing the president’s move.

“We are very hopeful and excited about the prospect of moving that city forward. I’ve been in office seven years, I’m tired of crime holding the great city of Memphis back,” Lee said.

The new deployment highlights how Trump is moving ahead with his plans to expand the use of the military to implement his policies, including an immigration crackdown, even as the legality of those moves is being challenged in court.

Memphis recorded one of the highest homicide rates of any US city with a population of at least 100,000 last year, according to FBI data. The city’s location in Tennessee, a state with a Republican governor, also sets up the prospect of more cooperation from state and local authorities, in contrast to the opposition Trump has faced from other cities in Democratic-controlled states.

Trump has been touting his plans for Memphis, promising a “no crime ‘miracle’” for the city. Trump has also regularly assailed other cities, including Chicago, Baltimore and San Francisco. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker have staunchly opposed such a move and vowed to challenge it in the courts.

Asked how he could send troops into Chicago without the assistance of officials in the city or state, Trump said that if he received their cooperation “that’s good” but added “if they don’t, it’s not going to matter to us,” suggesting that the police in the city would be on the side of the administration.

“You know, who wants to help us? The police department, they have no respect for the governor. They have no respect for the mayor,” he added. “They respect us. And we found that in Washington, you know, we haven’t had total support in Washington from government.”

Trump earlier this year deployed the National Guard and US Marines to the Los Angeles area after protests over immigration raids, a move he made despite the opposition of Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom. A US district court judge on Sept. 2 ruled that the deployment violated federal law and issued an order barring the use of military troops in California “to execute the laws.”

Trump on Sunday night escalated his threats against Washington, saying he was prepared to “call a National Emergency, and Federalize, if necessary” the capital’s law enforcement again if city officials did not cooperate with ICE. An emergency declaration for the city came to an end, but National Guard troops are set to remain in the city through November.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/us-news/trump-deploys-national-guard-to-memphis-says-chicago-probably-next-101757987407274.html

Nepal’s prime minister on Monday selected three new ministers to join her interim administration, which is tasked with holding fresh elections in March after violent street protests last week led to the collapse of the previous government.

Sushila Karki, the Himalayan country’s first female prime minster, appointed Kalman Gurung as energy minister, Rameshore Khanal as finance minister and Om Prakash Aryal as home minister.

Karki, 73, was named prime minister on Sept. 12. She was a popular figure while serving as the Supreme Court’s chief justice in 2016 and 2017, and was known for standing against corruption in the government.

Last week’s massive demonstrations — called the protest of Gen Z — ended with at least 72 people killed and hundreds wounded. The army stepped in to impose a curfew and finally agreed to make Karki the head of an interim government that will hold elections in six months.

“I did not come to this position because I had sought it but because there were voices from the streets demanding that Sushila Karki should be given the responsibility,” Karki said Sunday. “We are here for only six months to complete the task given to us and transfer the responsibility to the upcoming government and ministers.”

Karki faces challenges as she seeks to balance the expectations of the young generation of protesters and older political leaders, and rebuild government structures that were destroyed in the violent protests.

“What we need now is to work to end corruption, bring good governance and economic equality,” Karki said.

Chandra Lal Mehta, a student, said she believes voters will choose a younger leader when elections are held in March but pointed to Karki’s expertise in legal matters as a qualification for her current role as prime minister.

Businessperson Shrawan Dahl said Karki is the right person to lead the interim government because she has the support of the army and the people.

“Her purpose is to hold the election and our hope is that she will complete the task successfully,” Dahl said.

In April 2017, lawmakers tried to impeach Karki when she was chief justice of the Supreme Court, accusing her of bias, but the move was unsuccessful and criticized as an attack on the judiciary.

The massive demonstrations began on Sept. 8 over a short-lived social media ban. Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets, particularly young people, angry about widespread corruption and poverty, while the children of political leaders, known as “nepo kids,” seemed to enjoy luxurious lifestyles.

The protests turned violent, with demonstrators attacking the Parliament building and police opening fire.

Source : https://apnews.com/article/nepal-new-government-politics-challenges-d86034115a581762c2d1b38780112006

President Donald Trump says the US military has destroyed an alleged Venezuelan drug vessel travelling in international waters on the way to the US.

Trump said on Monday that three men were killed in the attack on “violent drug trafficking cartels”. He provided no evidence that the boat was carrying drugs.

Shortly before, his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolás Maduro said Caracas would defend itself against US “aggression”, calling America’s top diplomat Marco Rubio the “lord of death and war”.

Tensions between the two countries escalated after the US deployed warships to the southern Caribbean on what officials said were counter-narcotics operations, carrying out a strike which killed 11 people.

“This morning, on my orders, US military forces conducted a second kinetic strike against positively identified, extraordinarily violent drug trafficking cartels and narcoterrorists,” Trump said on Truth Social.

“These extremely violent drug trafficking cartels pose a threat to US national security.”

The post also included a nearly 30 second video, which appeared to show a vessel in a body of water exploding and then bursting into flames.

Speaking later from the Oval Office, Trump said that the US had recorded proof and evidence that the boats belonged to narco-terrorist groups.

“All you have to do is look at the cargo – it was spattered all over the ocean – big bags of cocaine and fentanyl all over the place,” he said. “We recorded them. It was very careful, because we know you people would be after us. We’re very careful.”

Trump went on to assert that drug trafficking to the US by sea had decreased under recent efforts, but acknowledged that narcotics were still entering the country by land.

“We’re telling the cartels right now, we’re going to be stopping them too,” he said.

Rubio had earlier on Monday defended the first attack on a boat said to be carrying drugs from Venezuela, which killed all 11 people on board, saying Washington had “100% fidelity and certainty” that the vessel was involved in trafficking to the US.

“What needs to start happening is some of these boats need to get blown up,” he said during an interview on Fox News. He added that Maduro represented “a direct threat to the national security” of the US due to his alleged involvement in drug trafficking.

Later on Monday, Maduro said that relations with the US had “been destroyed by their bomb threats”.

“We have moved from a period of battered relations to a completely broken one”.

The Venezuelan president said the government would “fully” exercise its “legitimate right to defend itself”.

Legal experts previously told the BBC that the fatal strike on the first vessel in international waters may have violated international human rights and maritime law.

Asked by a journalist on Sunday whether the US would now “start doing strikes on mainland Venezuela”, Trump answered: “We’ll see what happens.”

Speaking to reporters in New Jersey, the president said Venezuela was “sending us their gang members, their drug dealers and drugs”.

He said that maritime traffic in the southern Caribbean had reduced significantly “since the first strike”.

Experts raised questions about the legality of the 2 September attack on the alleged drug boat, saying that it may have violated international law.

Venezuela responded by flying two F-16 fighter jets over a US Navy destroyer two days later.

That led Trump to warn that any Venezuelan jets putting “us in a dangerous situation” would be shot down.

After a brief lull, tensions rose again on Saturday when Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil accused US forces of boarding a Venezuelan vessel.

Gil said the vessel, which he described as a “small, harmless” fishing boat, was seized “illegally and hostilely” for eight hours.

In a statement, the Venezuelan foreign ministry alleged that those who ordered the seizure were “looking for an incident to justify escalating war in the Caribbean, with the aim of regime change” in Caracas.

The US, and many other nations including the UK, have not recognised the re-election of Maduro in July 2024, pointing to evidence gathered by the opposition with the help of independent observers showing that his rival, Edmundo González, had won the election by a landslide.

Source : https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2jel4gyezo

They’re shaking off the loss.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce celebrated Patrick Mahomes’ 30th birthday Sunday night after the pop superstar stealthily attended her beau’s game on Sunday.

The couple appeared to be in high spirits despite the Kansas City Chiefs losing to the Philadelphia Eagles earlier.

Country singer Kane Brown and his wife, Katelyn Brown, shared a photo of themselves posing alongside Swift, Kelce, Mahomes, and Mahomes’ wife, Brittany Mahomes.

Swift wore a plaid vest and miniskirt set by Simkhai, which she paired with sky-high Gucci platform heels and a Chanel necklace.

In Brown’s second slide, he posted a video of Mahomes clapping and blowing out his birthday cake lit with sparklers.

Brittany happily clapped for her husband as a man singing happy birthday to Patrick could be heard in the background.

The NFL athlete — who was dressed casually in a white shirt, black pants, a black hat and sneakers — celebrated early as his actual birthday is on Sept. 17.

Kane captioned the post, “Happy birthday Pat & congrats TT❤️ thanks for hosting us Britt 🙏🏽.”

The bash was held at Kelce and Mahomes’ 1587 Prime steakhouse in Kansas City., Mo.

Kelce posed for a picture with sports commentator Chandler Parsons in a photo shared by Parsons’ wife, Haylee Parsons, on Instagram.

Kelce flashed a huge smile in the photo while Parsons put his arm around him, definitely in a better mood after he made headlines during Sunday’s game for slamming his helmet on the sidelines in an emotional outburst.

The tight end, 35, was still sporting his Thom Browne shorts suit he wore to the game.

Swift snuck into the Chiefs vs. Eagles game Sunday with an elaborate barrier to hide her.

Source : https://pagesix.com/2025/09/15/celebrity-news/taylor-swift-and-travis-kelce-celebrate-patrick-mahomes-30th-birthday-after-chiefs-loss/

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating social media posts by at least seven different accounts that appeared to indicate foreknowledge of the assassination of Charlie Kirk, according to three people familiar with the investigation and screenshots obtained by the Washington Free Beacon.

The posts—one of which referenced the date of Kirk’s assassination, September 10, more than a month before it took place—were all deleted in the days following the killing. Several of the accounts appear to belong to transgender individuals, and at least one of them followed suspect Tyler Robinson’s roommate, with whom Robinson was allegedly in a relationship, on TikTok.

The FBI has received archived copies of the posts, according to a person who flagged them for the agency. Screenshots of the posts have been circulating online but had not been previously authenticated.

While the posts do not establish that any of the individuals knew or conspired with Robinson, the 22-year-old gunman who allegedly shot Kirk, several of them mention the conservative activist by name and fantasize about his death.

“itd be funny if someone like charlie kirk got shot on september 10th LMAO,” one X account posted on September 3.

Another account posted on August 6—more than a month before the shooting—that “september 10th will be a very interesting day.” After Kirk’s assassination, the account followed up: “I plead the fifth.”

The morbid quip was reposted by an account named “churbum75m (SAW TYLER JUNE 30),” who appears to follow Robinson’s roommate, Lance Twiggs, on TikTok, where Twiggs’s username is “lanclotl.”

Minutes after Kirk was pronounced dead, churbum75m posted on X: “WE FUCKING DID IT.”

Several of the accounts under investigation appear to be associated with LGBT subcultures. One individual, “Osamu bin Tezuka,” used the X handle “@fujoshincel,” a reference to a genre of anime that depicts romantic relationships between men.

Source : https://freebeacon.com/politics/exclusive-fbi-investigating-social-media-accounts-that-appeared-to-indicate-foreknowledge-of-kirk-assassination/

Donald Trump’s trade adviser Peter Navarro made remarks as the US chief negotiator arrived in Delhi on Monday for a day-long talk on the trade deal.

President Donald Trump’s trade adviser Peter Navarro on Monday said that India was “coming to the negotiating table”, a remark that came ahead of a US team arriving in Delhi to hold key talks with Indian officials on the bilateral trade deal.

“India is coming to the table. Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi sent out a very conciliatory, nice, constructive tweet, and President (Donald) Trump responded to that. We’ll see how this works,” he told CNBC.

Last week, Mr Trump said that India and the US are “continuing negotiations to address the trade barriers”.

“I look forward to speaking with my very good friend, Prime Minister Modi, in the upcoming weeks. I feel certain that there will be no difficulty in coming to a successful conclusion for both our countries,” he posted on Truth Social.

In response, PM Modi said that he was “confident that our trade negotiations will pave the way for unlocking the limitless potential of the India-US partnership”. India and the US are “close friends and natural partners”, he wrote on X.

“Our teams are working to conclude these discussions at the earliest. I am also looking forward to speaking with President Trump. We will work together to secure a brighter, more prosperous future for both our people,” PM Modi said.

Mr Navarro, who has in the past called India “the Maharaja of tariffs”, reiterated that India has the “highest tariffs” of any major country.

“They have very high non-tariff barriers. We had to deal with that, like we’re dealing with every other country that does that,” he said.

He also criticised India for buying Russian oil, saying it never did so before the Russia-Ukraine war broke out in 2022.

“The Indian refiners got in bed with the Russian refiners immediately after the invasion, and they’re making out like bandits. It’s crazy stuff because they make money off of us in unfair trade. So American workers get screwed. Then they use that money to buy Russian oil, and then the Russians use that to buy weapons. And then we, as taxpayers, have to pay more for the defence of Ukraine,” Mr Navarro said.

He also said that PM Modi wouldn’t have felt “comfortable” sharing the stage with China’s Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this month.

“And watching Modi on a stage with China, which has been its long-term existential threat. And Putin, that was an interesting stretch. I don’t think he felt comfortable doing it,” he said, referring to the three leaders meeting at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin on September 1.

US Chief Trade Negotiator In Delhi

Mr Navarro’s remarks came hours before US chief negotiator Brendan Lynch arrived in Delhi on Monday for a day-long talk on the proposed India-US bilateral trade agreement (BTA).

New Delhi and Washington have so far held five rounds of negotiations. The sixth round of talks, scheduled from August 25-29, was postponed after Mr Trump imposed a 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods, including 25 per cent for purchasing Russian oil.

“We have indicated that in the past also the discussions are going on, the chief negotiator of the US is visiting India tonight and tomorrow will be holding talks to see what can be the picture “It is not the sixth round of negotiations but it is definitely discussions on the trade talks and trying to see how we can reach an agreement between India and the US,” Rajesh Agarwal, India’s chief negotiator and a special secretary in the commerce ministry, said on Monday.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/india-is-coming-to-table-top-donald-trump-aide-peter-navarro-ahead-of-us-india-trade-talks-amid-tariff-tensions-9284305?pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll

The DHS used Martinez’s example to justify the Donald Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration and said, “This is exactly why we are removing criminal illegal aliens to third countries.”

Yordanis Cobos Martinez, a 37-year-old undocumented immigrant in the US, who is accused of killing an Indian motel manager in Dallas, Texas, last week, is now facing deportation. Condemning the beheading of Indian national Chandra Nagamalliah, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has said the gruesome tragedy could have been completely prevented if the previous Joe Biden administration had not allowed the illegal Cuban national to stay in America.

Taking to X, DHS said, “This vile monster beheaded a man in front of his wife and child and proceeded to kick the victim’s head on the ground. This gruesome, savage slaying of a victim at a motel by Yordanis Cobos-Martinez was completely preventable if this criminal illegal alien was not released into our country by the Biden Administration, since Cuba would not take him back.”

The DHS used Martinez’s example to justify the Donald Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration and said, “This is exactly why we are removing criminal illegal aliens to third countries.”

“President Trump and Secretary Kristi Noem are no longer allowing barbaric criminals to indefinitely remain in America. If you come to our country illegally, you could end up in Eswatini, Uganda, South Sudan, or Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo (CECOT),” it added.

Chandra Nagamalliah’s Beheading

On September 10, 37-year-old Martinez, an employee at the Downtown Suites motel on Samuell Boulevard in Dallas, fatally attacked the motel manager, Nagamallaiah, and decapitated him and then dumped his head in a trash bin. The accused was arrested and charged with capital murder and is presently being held in the Dallas County Jail.

The Trump team’s reaction came a day after the President himself condemned the grisly killing and promised to prosecute the accused to “the fullest extent of the law” by charging him with “murder in the first degree.” He also vowed to make “America safe again” and said his administration won’t be “soft” on illegal “immigrant criminals”.

Last week, a CCTV footage from the Downtown Suites motel went viral on social media, showing Martinez, who has a violent criminal history and was recently released from custody, repeatedly assaulting the motel manager, Nagamallaiah, with a machete in front of his wife and 18-year-old son.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/chandra-nagamalliah-beheading-team-trump-says-gruesome-savage-slaying-by-yordanis-cobos-martinez-was-completely-preventable-if-9284290?pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll

The suspect accused of assassinating right-wing activist Charlie Kirk in Utah wrote a text message before the shooting that he planned to kill Kirk, FBI Director Kash Patel said on Monday.
In an appearance on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends,” Patel said investigators believe Tyler Robinson also wrote a physical note saying he had the “opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk” and would do so. The note was destroyed, Patel said, but investigators have collected forensic evidence that it had existed and confirmed its contents through interviews.

Patel did not say who had received the text message or whether anyone had seen the written note before the attack.
Investigators have not publicly identified a motive. Law enforcement authorities have said they believe Robinson acted alone when he shot Kirk but are investigating whether anyone else had a role in plotting the killing.
Separately, the Washington Post reported on Monday that Robinson had sent a message via the online platform Discord to friends apparently confessing to the crime on Thursday night, shortly before he was arrested.
“It was me at UVU yesterday. im sorry for all of this,” read a message from the account belonging to Robinson, the newspaper reported, citing two people familiar with the chat as well as screenshots it had obtained.

Kirk, an influential ally of U.S. President Donald Trump who co-founded the leading conservative student group Turning Point USA, was killed by a single rifle shot last Wednesday during an event at Utah Valley University in Orem, about 40 miles south (65 km) of Salt Lake City.

COURT HEARING BY VIDEO

Robinson, 22, is expected to be formally charged on Tuesday, around the same time that he makes an initial court appearance by video from his jail cell.
Patel told Fox News that DNA matching the suspect’s was found on a towel that was wrapped around the rifle believed to be the murder weapon and on a screwdriver found on the rooftop that served as the shooter’s sniper perch.
Robinson has not cooperated with authorities, Utah Governor Spencer Cox said on Sunday, but investigators have been interviewing his friends and family in an effort to determine the motive for the shooting.

The killing has shaken a country already gripped by a spike in political violence, fueled by deepening polarization between the right and the left.
Both sides have universally condemned Kirk’s slaying as an indefensible act of political violence, though partisan differences have emerged over the framing of that message.
Some Republicans, including Trump, have blamed liberal groups for Kirk’s murder despite a lack of evidence, while Democrats have noted that left-wing figures have also been the targets of political violence in recent years.
The left and right also disagree over Kirk’s legacy and how he should be remembered.

LEGACY DIVIDED

Kirk’s supporters cast him as an influential and charismatic figure who galvanized support for Trump among younger voters in 2024, and the Republican president has honored Kirk by ordering flags flown at half staff on public buildings.

Civil rights advocates and liberals have criticized Kirk as a divisive figure who embraced Trump’s unsubstantiated claims of a stolen election in 2020 and has marginalized Blacks, women, the LGBT community, Muslims and immigrants with derogatory rhetoric.
In an appearance on Kirk’s eponymous podcast on Monday, Vice President JD Vance said the “incredibly destructive movement of left-wing extremism” had helped lead to Kirk’s killing.
While Robinson was raised in a Mormon household by religious parents in a deeply conservative region of the state, “his ideology was very different than his family,” Cox said on Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press” program, without going into specifics.
State records show Robinson had registered to vote without choosing a party affiliation and did not vote in the 2024 presidential election. But a relative told police that Robinson had grown more political and had expressed dislike for Kirk in a recent conversation.
House Speaker Mike Johnson and three other top members of the House Republican leadership held a brief vigil on Monday for Kirk, attended by dozens of lawmakers, friends and supporters in Statuary Hall of the U.S. Capitol.
Back in Utah, at the scene of Kirk’s assassination, scores of mourners have flocked to makeshift memorials in recent days to leave flowers and handwritten notes, and to inscribe messages in chalk on campus sidewalks, many of them Bible verses.

Source : https://www.reuters.com/world/us/suspected-gunman-robinson-wrote-note-threatening-kirk-tied-scene-by-dna-fbi-2025-09-15/

U.S. military officers observed joint war games between Russia and Belarus on Monday for the first time since Moscow used Belarus as a launchpad to enter Ukraine, as U.S. President Donald Trump deepens ties with Moscow’s closest ally.
The presence of the U.S. officers, less than a week after neighbouring Poland shot down Russian drones that crossed into its airspace, is the latest sign that Washington is seeking to warm ties with Belarus.

Last week, Trump’s representative John Coale visited Minsk and said Trump wanted to reopen the U.S. embassy there soon, normalise ties and revive trade.

TRUMP MAY BE SEEKING DIPLOMATIC GAINS

The U.S. military did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Western foreign policy analysts speculate that Trump may be trying to peel Belarus away from Russia, a strategy widely viewed as unlikely to succeed, or to exploit its close ties with Moscow to promote a deal to end the war in Ukraine.
At least two U.S. military officers – Air Force Lt. Col. Bryan Shoupe and another unidentified officer – were in Belarus to observe the “Zapad-2025” war games, which were also being watched by Russian Deputy Defence Minister Yunus-Bek Yevkurov.

Fighter jets, attack drones and helicopters flew over a training ground hemmed in by trees as infantry practised firing automatic weapons, mortars and missile systems and riding into combat on motorcycles.
The exercise, being held at training grounds in both countries, is a show of force that Russia and Belarus say is designed to test combat readiness.

But it has unnerved some neighbouring countries after the drone incursion into Poland as Moscow’s war in Ukraine grinds towards its fourth year. Warsaw has temporarily closed its border with Belarus as a precaution.
Long a staunch Russian ally, President Alexander Lukashenko allowed Moscow to use Belarus to send tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in February 2022, and has since allowed Russia to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus.

TRUMP COURTS BELARUS PRESIDENT LUKASHENKO

Trump, who has suggested that the drone incursion may have been the result of a mistake, last week lifted sanctions on Belarus’s national airline Belavia, allowing it to service and buy components for its fleet, which includes Boeing aircraft.
He did so after Lukashenko – who regularly talks to Russian President Vladimir Putin and was given a friendly hand-signed letter from Trump by Coale – agreed to free 52 prisoners, including journalists and political opponents.
Belarusian Defence Minister Viktor Khrenikov personally greeted the two U.S. officers, who shook his hand and, speaking in Russian, thanked him for inviting them.
“We will show whatever is of interest for you. Whatever you want. You can go there and see, talk to people,” the minister told the Americans, who declined to speak to reporters afterwards.

Source : https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/us-military-officers-observe-russia-belarus-war-games-trump-gets-closer-minsk-2025-09-15/

Russia said on Sunday that it had fired a Zircon (Tsirkon) hypersonic cruise missile at a target in the Barents Sea and that Sukoi Su-34 supersonic fighter-bombers had carried out strikes as part of joint military exercises with Belarus.
Russia’s “Zapad”, or West, joint strategic exercise with Belarus began on Sept. 12 aiming to improve military command and coordination in the event of an attack on either Russia or Belarus, the defence ministry said.

Moscow and Minsk have said the exercises are exclusively defensive and that they do not intend to attack any NATO member, though the U.S.-led military alliance announced an “Eastern Sentry”, operation after the incursion of Russian drones into Poland on Sept. 9-10.
Russia’s defence ministry released footage of the Northern Fleet’s Admiral Golovko frigate firing a Zircon hypersonic missile at a target in the Barents Sea. The footage showed a missile being launched vertically from the frigate and then powering off at an angle into the horizon.
“According to objective monitoring data received in real time, the target was destroyed by a direct hit,” the ministry said.

The ministry said that long-range anti-submarine aircraft of the Northern Fleet’s mixed aviation corps were also involved in the exercise. It said Su-34 crews practiced a bombing strike against ground targets.

Source : https://www.reuters.com/world/russia-flexes-military-muscle-with-hypersonic-missiles-bombers-during-drills-2025-09-14/

U.S. and Chinese officials concluded a first day of talks in Madrid on Sunday on their strained trade ties, a looming divestiture deadline for Chinese short-video app TikTok, amid Washington’s demands that its allies place tariffs on imports from China over its purchases of Russian oil.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told reporters as he left the central government palace: “We’ll start again in the morning.”

Talks between delegations led by Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng and China’s top trade negotiator, Li Chenggang, at the baroque Palacio de Santa Cruz, which houses Spain’s foreign ministry ended after about six hours.
They mark the fourth time in four months that the delegations have met in European cities to try to keep a fractured U.S.-China trade relationship from collapsing under President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
They last met in Stockholm in July where they agreed in principle to extend for 90 days a trade truce that sharply reduced triple-digit retaliatory tariffs on both sides and restarted the flow of rare-earth minerals from China to the United States.

Trump has approved the extension of current U.S. tariff rates on Chinese goods, totaling about 55%, until November 10.

TIKTOK DEADLINE EXTENSION LIKELY

Trade experts said there was little likelihood of a substantial breakthrough in the talks hosted by Spain.
The most likely result of the Madrid talks is seen as another extension of a deadline for the popular TikTok app’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, to divest its U.S. operations by September 17 or face a U.S. shutdown.
A source familiar with the Trump administration’s discussions on TikTok’s future said the deadline would be extended for a fourth time since Trump took office in January.
TikTok has not been discussed in previous rounds of U.S.-China trade talks in Geneva, London or Stockholm. But the source said the issue’s public inclusion as an agenda item on the Treasury’s announcement of the talks gives the Trump administration political cover for another extension.

“I’m not expecting anything substantive between the U.S. and China unless and until there is a one-on-one meeting between Trump and (Chinese President Xi Jinping). Setting that up is really what these talks are all about,” said William Reinsch, a senior fellow and trade expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think tank.

Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in such a meeting, but Reinsch said that the Chinese would not agree to one until they know the outcome, and are pushing for further easing of U.S. export controls on chips and other high-tech goods.
“This meeting is an opportunity to measure each other’s positions and to learn more about each side’s red lines,” Reinsch said.
Wendy Cutler, a former USTR trade negotiator and head of the Asia Society Policy Institute in Washington, said she too expected more substantial “deliverables” to be saved for a potential Trump Xi meeting later this year, perhaps at an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Seoul at the end of October.
These may include a final resolution on TikTok, and a lifting of restrictions on Chinese purchases of American soybeans and reduction of fentanyl-related tariffs on Chinese goods, she added.
“Frankly, I don’t think China is in any rush to do an agreement where they don’t get substantial concessions on export controls and lower tariffs, which are their key priorities,” she said. “And I don’t see the United States in a position to make major concessions on either, unless there’s some breakthrough on its demands to China.”

RUSSIAN OIL PRESSURE

The Treasury has said the Madrid talks also would cover joint U.S.-Chinese efforts to combat money laundering, a reference to its longstanding demands that China clamp down on illicit shipments of technology goods to Russia that aid its war in Ukraine.
Bessent urged Group of Seven allies on Friday to impose “meaningful tariffs” on imports from China and India to pressure them to stop buying Russian oil, a move aimed at bringing Moscow into Ukraine peace negotiations by curbing its oil revenues.
The G7 finance ministers said on Friday they discussed such measures and agreed to speed up discussions to use frozen Russian assets to aid Ukraine’s defense.
Bessent and Greer said in a separate statement that G7 allies should join the United States in imposing tariffs on imports from countries that buy Russian oil.

Source : https://www.reuters.com/world/china/us-china-end-first-day-talks-spain-trade-tiktok-deadline-2025-09-14/

The man arrested in the killing of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk is not cooperating with authorities, but investigators are working to establish a motive for the shooting by talking to his friends and family, Utah Governor Spencer Cox said on Sunday.
Cox said the accused gunman, Tyler Robinson, 22, would be formally charged on Tuesday. He remains in custody in Utah.

Investigators have yet to piece together why Robinson allegedly scaled a rooftop at Utah Valley University during an outdoor event and shot Kirk in the neck at long range on Wednesday.

Kirk, a staunch ally of President Donald Trump and co-founder of the conservative student group Turning Point USA, was killed by a single rifle shot during the event attended by 3,000 people in Orem, about 40 miles south (65 km) of Salt Lake City.
The killing fuelled fears of a spike in political violence in the United States and an ever-deepening divide between the left and the right.
Robinson has not confessed to investigators, Cox told the ABC program “This Week.”
“He is not cooperating, but all the people around him were cooperating, and I think that’s very important,” the Republican governor said.

One person who is apparently talking to investigators is Robinson’s roommate, who was also a romantic partner, Cox said, citing the FBI. Cox described the roommate as “a male transitioning to female,” and said the roommate has been “incredibly cooperative.”
Reuters has not been able to locate the roommate, or representatives for the roommate, to seek comment. Reuters could not determine who is serving as Robinson’s legal representative.
Asked on CNN’s “State of the Union” program whether the roommate’s gender identity is relevant to the investigation, Cox said, “That’s what we’re trying to figure out right now … It’s easy to draw conclusions from that, and so we’ve got the shell casings, other forensic evidence that is coming in – and trying to piece all of those things together.”
Investigators found messages engraved into four bullet casings, which included references to memes and video game in-jokes. An affidavit filed by authorities in the case described these messages. One of the inscriptions, according to the affidavit, read: “hey fascist! CATCH!” followed by a combination of directional arrows, an apparent reference to a sequence of button presses that unleashes a bomb in a popular video game.

Another casing, according to the affidavit, read, “If you read This, you are GAY Lmao,” short for “laughing my ass off.”
Kirk’s charged rhetoric, which often involved anti-LGBT and anti-immigrant comments, attracted legions of conservatives, but also engendered strong feelings from liberals and drew widespread criticism.

Robinson, a third-year student in the electrical apprenticeship program at Dixie Technical College, part of Utah’s public university system, was taken into custody at his parents’ house, about 260 miles (420 km) southwest of the crime scene after a 33-hour manhunt.

INVESTIGATORS SEARCH FOR MOTIVE

Relatives and a family friend alerted authorities that he had implicated himself in the crime, Cox said previously.
While Robinson was raised by religious parents in a deeply conservative region of the state, “his ideology was very different than his family,” Cox said on Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press” program, without going into specifics.
State records show Robinson was a registered voter but not affiliated with any political party. A relative told investigators that Robinson had grown more political in recent years and had once discussed with another family member their dislike for Kirk and his viewpoints, according to the arrest warrant affidavit.
Robinson was “not a fan” of Kirk’s, Cox said on Sunday.
The killing has stirred outrage among Kirk’s supporters and condemnation of political violence across the ideological spectrum.
Trump has blamed “the radical left” for Kirk’s death, despite a lack of evidence, even as he and his allies have often invoked violent rhetoric against their opponents.
“The problem is on the left,” Trump told reporters on Sunday. “A lot of people that you would traditionally say are on the left … (are) already under investigation.”
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, a Democrat who faced an arson attack in April, said Trump had an obligation to lower the temperature.
“Violence transcends party lines — and the way to address it and have true peaceful debate is for leaders to speak and act with moral clarity. That needs to start with the President,” he said on social media.
Cox assigned some blame to social media, saying it has played a “direct role” in every political assassination attempt in recent years.

Source : https://www.reuters.com/world/us/charlie-kirk-shooting-suspect-not-cooperating-with-authorities-utah-governor-2025-09-15/

Israeli forces destroyed at least 30 residential buildings in Gaza City and forced thousands of people from their homes, Palestinian officials said, as U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived on Sunday to discuss the future of the conflict.
Israel has said it plans to seize the city, where about a million Palestinians have been sheltering, as part of its declared aim of eliminating the militant group Hamas, and has intensified attacks on what it has called the last bastion of the militant Palestinian group.

Hamas’ political leadership, which has engaged in on-and-off negotiations on a possible ceasefire and hostage release deal, was targeted by Israel in an airstrike in Doha on Tuesday in an attack that drew widespread condemnation.
Qatar will host an emergency Arab-Islamic summit on Monday to discuss the next moves. Rubio said Washington wanted to talk about how to free the 48 hostages still held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip and rebuild the coastal strip. Only 20 are believed to be alive.
“What’s happened has happened,” he said. “We’re gonna meet with them (the Israeli leadership). We’re gonna talk about what the future holds,” Rubio said before heading to Israel where he will stay until Tuesday.

Once there, Rubio visited the Western Wall Jewish prayer site in Jerusalem. He was expected to hold talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Western Wall visit was “reaffirming America’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s eternal capital,” according to a statement from the State Department.
In late 2017, during his first term as president, Donald Trump formally recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and subsequently moved the U.S. embassy there from Tel Aviv.
Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner-general of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), said in a post on X on Sunday that the agency had stopped services at the Beach camp clinic, which he said is the only health care available in the enclave north of Wadi Gaza.
Water and sanitation services are now at half capacity, Lazzarini said, adding that 10 UNRWA buildings have been struck in Gaza City in the past four days.

ABRAHAM ACCORDS AT RISK

U.S. officials described Tuesday’s strike against Hamas members in Qatar, a close U.S. ally, as a unilateral escalation that did not serve U.S. or Israeli interests. Rubio and U.S. President Trump both met Qatar’s Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani on Friday.

Netanyahu signed an agreement on Thursday to push ahead with a settlement expansion plan that would cut across West Bank land that the Palestinians seek for a state, a move the United Arab Emirates warned would undermine the U.S.-brokered Abraham Accords that normalised the UAE’s relations with Israel.
Aid agencies say an Israeli takeover of Gaza City would be catastrophic for a population already facing widespread malnutrition.
Two more Palestinians have died of malnutrition and starvation in Gaza in the past 24 hours, the territory’s health ministry said on Sunday, raising the death toll from such causes to at least 422 people, including 145 children.
Israel, which blocked all food from entering Gaza for 11 weeks earlier this year, has been allowing more aid into the enclave since late July to prevent further food shortages, though the U.N. says far more is needed.
Israel says it wants civilians to leave Gaza City before it sends more ground forces in. Tens of thousands of people are estimated to have left but hundreds of thousands remain in the area. Hamas has urged people to stay.
Israeli army forces have been operating inside at least four eastern suburbs for weeks, turning most of at least three of them into wastelands. It is closing in on the centre and the western areas of the territory, where most of the displaced people are taking shelter.
Many of those people are reluctant to leave, saying there is not enough space or safety in the south, where Israel has told them to go to what it has designated as a humanitarian zone.
Some say they cannot afford to leave while others say they were hoping the Arab leaders meeting on Monday in Qatar would pressure Israel to scrap its planned offensive.
“The bombardment intensified everywhere and we took down the tents, more than twenty families, we do not know where to go,” said Musbah al-Kafarna, who is among the displaced in Gaza City.
Israel said it had completed five waves of air strikes on Gaza City over the past week, targeting more than 500 sites, including Hamas reconnaissance and sniper sites, buildings containing tunnel openings and weapons depots.

Source : https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-intensifies-gaza-city-bombing-rubio-arrives-2025-09-14/

When Shahnaz went into labour, her husband Abdul called a taxi to take them to the only medical facility accessible to them.

“She was in a lot pain,” he says.

A 20-minute drive away, the clinic was in Shesh Pol village in Afghanistan’s north-eastern Badakhshan province. It was where their two older children were born.

Abdul sat next to Shahnaz comforting her as they drove over gravel tracks to reach help.

“But when we reached the clinic, we saw that it was closed. I didn’t know it had shut down,” he said, his face crumpling with agony.

The clinic in Shesh Pol is one of more than 400 medical facilities that closed down in Afghanistan, one of the world’s poorest countries, after the Trump administration cut nearly all US aid to the country earlier this year, in a drastic and abrupt move following the dismantling of the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

A single-storey structure with four small rooms, white paint peeling off its walls, the Shesh Pol clinic has USAID posters tacked up everywhere with information and guidance for pregnant women and new mothers.

It doesn’t look like much but in Badakhshan’s mountainous, unforgiving terrain, where a lack of access has been a major reason for historically high maternal mortality rates, the clinic was a critical lifeline, part of a wider programme implemented during the tenure of the US-backed government in the country, to reduce maternal and newborn deaths.

It had a trained midwife who assisted around 25-30 deliveries every month. It had a stock of medicines and injections, and it also provided basic healthcare services.

Other medical facilities are simply too far from Abdul’s village, and it was not without risk for Shahnaz to travel on bumpy roads. Abdul also didn’t have money to pay for a longer journey – renting the taxi cost 1,000 Afghani ($14.65; £12.70), roughly a quarter of his monthly income as a labourer. So they decided to return home.

“But the baby was coming and we had to stop by the side of the road,” Abdul said.

Shahnaz delivered their baby girl in the car. Shortly after, she died, bleeding profusely. A few hours later, before she could be named, their baby also died.

“I wept and screamed. My wife and child could’ve been saved if the clinic was open,” said Abdul. “We had a hard life, but we were living it together. I was always happy when I was with her.”

He doesn’t even have a photo of Shahnaz to hold on to.

There’s no certainty the mother and baby would’ve survived if they’d been treated at the clinic, but without it, they didn’t stand a chance, underlining the undeniable impact of US aid cuts in Afghanistan.

For decades, America has been the largest donor to Afghanistan, and in 2024, US funds made up a staggering 43% of all aid coming into the country.

The Trump administration has justified withdrawing it, saying there were “credible and longstanding concerns that funding was benefiting terrorist groups, including… the Taliban”, who govern the country. The US government further added that they had reports stating that at least $11m were “being siphoned or enriching the Taliban”.

The report that the US State Department referenced was made by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR). It said that $10.9m of US taxpayer money had been paid to the Taliban-controlled government by partners of USAID in “taxes, fees, duties, or utilities”.

The Taliban government denies that aid money was going into their hands.

“This allegation is not true. The aid is given to the UN, and through them to NGOs in provinces. They identify who needs the aid, and they distribute it themselves. The government is not involved,” said Suhail Shaheen, the head of the Taliban’s political office in Doha.

The Taliban government’s policies, especially its restrictions on women, the harshest in the world, have meant that after four years in power, it is still not recognised by most of the world. It’s also a key reason donors have been increasingly walking away from the country.

The US insists no one has died because of aid cuts. Shahnaz and her baby’s deaths are not recorded anywhere. Neither are countless others.

The BBC has documented at least half a dozen first-hand, devastating accounts in areas where USAID-supported clinics have shut down.

Right next to Shahnaz’s grave, villagers who had gathered around us pointed to two other graves. They told us both were of women who died in childbirth in the past four months – Daulat Begi and Javhar. Their babies survived.

Not far from the graveyard, we met Khan Mohammad whose wife, 36-year-old Gul Jan, died in childbirth five months ago. Their baby boy Safiullah died three days later.

“When she became pregnant, she would go to the clinic for check-ups. But midway through her pregnancy it shut down. During the delivery she had a lot of pain and blood loss,” Khan Mohammad said. “My children are sad all the time. No one can give them the love of a mother. I miss her every day. We had a sweet and loving life together.”

A roughly five-hour drive from Shesh Pol, in Cawgani, another village where a USAID-backed clinic closed down, Ahmad Khan, the grief-stricken father of Maidamo showed us the room in their mud and clay home where she died giving birth to baby Karima.

“If the clinic had been open, she might have survived. And even if she had died, we would not have had regrets knowing the medics tried their best. Now we’re left with regret and pain. America did this to us,” he said, tears rolling down his face.

In another home a few lanes away, Bahisa tells us how terrifying it was to give birth at home. Her three other children were born in the Cawgani clinic.

“I was so scared. In the clinic, we had a midwife, medicines and injections. At home I had nothing, no painkillers. It was unbearable pain. I felt like life was leaving my body. I became numb,” she said.

Her baby girl, named Fakiha, died three days after she was born.

The closure of clinics in villages has resulted in a surge of patients at the maternity ward of the main regional hospital in the provincial capital Faizabad.

Getting to it, through Badakhshan’s treacherous landscape is risky. We were shown a horrifying photo of a newborn baby, who was delivered on the way to Faizabad, and whose neck snapped before he got to the hospital.

We had visited the hospital back in 2022, and while it was stretched then, the scenes we saw this time were unprecedented.

In each bed, there were three women. Imagine having gone into labour, or just having gone through a miscarriage, and not even having a bed to yourself to lie in.

It’s what Zuhra Shewan, who suffered a miscarriage, had to endure.

“I was bleeding severely and didn’t even have a place to sit. It was really hard. By the time a bed is free, a woman could die bleeding,” she said.

Dr Shafiq Hamdard, the director of the hospital, said: “We have 120 beds in the hospital. Now we’ve admitted 300 to 305.”

While the patient load is swelling, the hospital, too, has faced sharp cuts in its funding.

“Three years ago our annual budget was $80,000. Now we have $25,000,” Dr Hamdard said.

By August this year, there had been as many maternal deaths recorded as there were for the whole of last year. Which means that at this rate, maternal mortality could increase by as much as 50% over last year.

Newborn deaths have already increased by roughly a third in the past four months, compared with the start of the year.

Razia Hanifi, the hospital’s head midwife, says she’s exhausted. “I have been working for the past 20 years. This year is the toughest, because of the overcrowding, the shortage of resources and the shortage of trained staff,” she said.

But no reinforcements are coming because of the Taliban government’s restrictions on women. Three years ago, all higher education, including medical education was banned for women. Less than a year ago, in December 2024, training for midwives and female nurses was also banned.

At a discreet location, we met two female students who were midway through the training when it was closed. They didn’t want to be identified for fear of reprisal.

Anya (name changed) said they both were in graduate courses at university when the Taliban took over. When those were closed in December 2022, they began midwife and nursing training, as it was the only path left to getting an education and a job.

“When that was also banned, I became depressed. I was crying day and night, and I wasn’t able to eat. It’s a painful situation,” she said.

Source : https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckgqdneev1no

After years of complaints from the right about “cancel culture” from the left, some conservatives are seeking to upend the lives and careers of those who disparaged Charlie Kirk after his death. They’re going after companies, educators, news outlets, political rivals and others they judge as promoting hate speech.

A campaign by public officials and others on the right has led just days after the conservative activist’s death to the firing or punishment of teachers, an Office Depot employee, government workers, a TV pundit and the expectation of more dismissals coming.

This past weekend, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy posted that American Airlines had grounded pilots who he said were celebrating Kirk’s assassination.

“This behavior is disgusting and they should be fired,” Duffy said on the social media site X.

As elected officials and conservative influencers lionize Kirk as a warrior for free expression who championed provocative opinions, they’re also weaponizing the tactics they saw being used to malign their movement — the calls for firings, the ostracism, the pressure to watch what you say.

Such tactics raise a fundamental challenge for a nation that by many accounts appears to be dangerously splintered by politics and a sense of moral outrage that social media helps to fuel. For his part, Trump on Sunday suggested he was already using the government to look into his political adversaries when asked if he would investigate them after Kirk’s death.

“They’re already under major investigation, a lot of the people that you would traditionally say are on the left,” Trump told reporters.

The aftermath of Kirk’s death has increasingly become a test of the public tolerance over political differences. Republicans are pushing not only to punish the alleged killer but those whose words they believe contributed to the death or dishonored it. At the same time, some liberals on social media have criticized those, such as actress Kristin Chenoweth, who expressed sympathy online over Kirk’s death.

“This pattern that we’ve seen for decades seems to be happening much more now and at this moment than it ever has before,” said Adam Goldstein of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. He dates the urge to persecute people for their private views on tragedies at least to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. “If there was ever time to support the better angels of our nature, it’s now.”

Goldstein noted that it’s unpopular speech, like people praising the assassination, that stands as the greatest test of acceptance of the First Amendment — especially when government officials get involved. “The only time you’re really supporting free speech is when it’s unpopular,” Goldstein said. “There’s no one out there trying to stop people from loving puppies and bunnies.”

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, a Republican, has cautioned that the motive for the assassination has not been confirmed. He said the suspect in custody clearly identifies with the political left and had expressed dislike of Kirk before the shooting. But he and other authorities also say the suspect was not known to have been politically engaged.

Kirk was seen as an architect of President Donald Trump’s 2024 election win, helping to expand the Republican outreach to younger voters. That means many conservatives see the remarks by liberals as fomenting violence, rather than as acts of political expression.

“I think President Trump sees this as an attack on his political movement,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., on NBC as he noted the two assassination attempts against Trump as well as Kirk’s killing. “This is unique and different. This is an attack on a movement by using violence. And that’s the way most Republicans see this.”

Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., who is running for governor, called on social media for the firings of an assistant dean at Middle Tennessee State University and professors at Austin Peay State University and Cumberland University.

All three lost their jobs for comments deemed inappropriate for expressing a lack of sympathy, or even for expressing pleasure, in the shooting of Kirk. One said Kirk “spoke his fate into existence.”

Some NFL teams chose on Sunday to hold a moment of silence for Kirk. Football teams have in the past chosen to memorialize victims after school shootings or an attack on a house of worship. They have also marked notable deaths of public figures, weather-related disasters and international crises such as Hamas’ attack on Israel in October 2023.

Because conservatives previously felt canceled by liberals for their views, Trump on his first day back in office signed an executive order prohibiting everyone in the federal government from engaging in conduct that would “unconstitutionally abridge the free speech of any American citizen.”

In February at the Munich Security Conference, Vice President JD Vance criticized the preceding Biden administration for encouraging “private companies to silence people who dared to utter what turned out to be an obvious truth” regarding the pandemic. He assailed European countries for censoring political speech.

“Under Donald Trump’s leadership, we may disagree with your views, but we will fight to defend your right to offer it in the public square, agree or disagree,” Vance said at the time.

Still, the Trump administration has also cracked down on immigrants and academics for their speech.

Goldstein noted that Trump’s State Department in the minutes after Kirk’s death warned it would revoke the visas of any foreigners who celebrated Kirk’s assassination. “I can’t think of another moment where the United States has come out to warn people of their impending cancellation,” Goldstein said.

The glimmer of bipartisan agreement in the aftermath of the assassination was in a sense that social media was fueling the violence and misinformation in dangerous ways.

Source : https://apnews.com/article/kirk-trump-cancel-culture-assassination-4d69649e382ea46d8dcf794150a1d3c9

Taylor Swift is in attendance at her fiancé Travis Kelce’s first home game of the 2025-26 NFL season.

The pop superstar quietly snuck into the the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles game Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., Page Six can confirm.

Swift got to her seat by walking behind a large screen to her suite, a rare move for the singer who is normally photographed on her way into the stadium.

Another video appeared to show a glimpse of Swift’s mom, Andrea, walking behind the screen as well.

See more

SHE’S HERE pic.twitter.com/9sDV9wEMuD

— Julie ⸆⸉ ❤️‍🔥 (@juliewrestling) September 14, 2025

Reps for Swift did not immediately return Page Six’s request for comment.

The tight end and his teammates’ first game of the season took place last Friday in São Paulo, Brazil, which saw the Los Angeles Chargers win 27-21.

Swift was not at that matchup, nor was she at the VMAs two days later.

The pop superstar and the football player, both 35, began dating in the summer of 2023.

The couple went public with their relationship at one of his home games in September of that year.

On Aug. 10, immediately after Swift recorded her debut on Kelce’s “New Heights” podcast, he proposed in the garden-esque backyard of his Leawood, Kan., estate.

Follow Page Six’s Taylor Swift live updates for the latest news, photos, fan theories and more

The athlete presented the singer-songwriter with an old mine brilliant-cut diamond ring that he he helped design.

Ahead of his game on Sunday, Kelce told Erin Andrews he shed some tears during his proposal and “can’t wait to spend the rest of my life” with Swift.

Swift waited about two weeks before announcing the engagement.

“Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married 🧨,” she and Kelce captioned a joint Instagram post on Aug. 26 that featured several photos from the moment he got down on one knee.

“They were about to go out to dinner, and he said, ‘Let’s go out and have a glass of wine.’… They got out there, and that’s when he asked her, and it was beautiful,” Kelce’s dad, Ed Kelce, later dished of the big surprise.

Ed went on to reveal that his son asked Swift’s dad, Scott Swift, “for permission” to marry his daughter about a month prior to popping the question.

Source : https://pagesix.com/2025/09/14/entertainment/taylor-swift-sneaks-into-fiance-travis-kelces-chiefs-home-opener-against-eagles/

 

Ivanka Trump stepped out in a show-stopping gown for a gala night with husband Jared Kushner on Saturday.

The businesswoman turned heads in a semi-sheer silver Georges Hobeika Couture design at Michael Rubin’s REFORM Alliance Casino Night in Atlantic City, N.J.

Previously seen on Nicole Scherzinger on the red carpet earlier this year, the sparkling style featured a scooped neckline and draped bodice.

She accessorized minimally with matching silver heels and a black woven Bottega Veneta clutch.

Trump, 43, styled her blond locks straight for the occasion, while Kushner sported a classic black suit with a bow tie.

The duo appeared in good spirits sitting at a table with Jay-Z, Beyoncé and other attendees.

Trump was also photographed at a casino table with Rubin.

The first daughter is known to put on fashionable displays for events, recently pulling out all the stops for Lauren Sánchez and Jeff Bezos’ wedding week in Venice, Italy.

She stunned in a strapless pink Tony Ward gown with a sequined floral pattern while heading to the couple’s ceremony in June.

The following day, she slipped into a little black dress from Carolina Herrera for Sánchez and Bezos’ farewell bash.

Last weekend, she kept it casual in a black bikini while soaking up the sun on a yacht with her pal Gisele Bündchen.

Trump often gives glimpses of her outfits via Instagram while documenting everything from her Bahamas vacation to her “summer Sundays.”

Source : https://pagesix.com/2025/09/14/style/ivanka-trump-glimmers-in-show-stopping-silver-gown-at-gala-with-husband-jared-kushner/

Job anxiety is a concern among fresh graduates, but the new graduate industry traineeships are not a clear-cut choice for young jobseekers.

After applying to more than 150 jobs, AN, a 24-year-old computer science graduate, found herself in a dilemma familiar to many fresh graduates – hold out for a stable job, or consider an internship that pays less but promises a few months of industry experience.

With no offers in hand despite months of effort, she took on a part-time data role paying S$1,000 (US$780) a month while continuing to apply. After half a year of searching, she landed a full-time software developer job in September.

Nevertheless, the lengthy hunt for employment was a demoralising experience, said Ms N, who wanted to be identified by her initials only.

After a three-and-a-half-year slog earning a computer science degree at the Singapore Institute of Management, she was expecting good prospects upon graduation.

“As a fresh grad, you have all these ideas of like, I can’t wait to start my first job and do really well, and have all these things to show for myself,” she said.

“But no, you can’t even do that. The only comforting factor is that I know many, many people are going through the same thing as me.”

So when the new government-sponsored graduate industry traineeships, also known as GRIT, was announced in August, she had mixed feelings about the programme.

From October, the traineeship scheme will offer fresh graduates up to 800 traineeships in the private and public sectors.

It is an initiative of the Singapore Economic Resilience Taskforce that was set up in April to help businesses and workers deal with the impact of the United States’ tariffs.

These traineeships will last from three to six months and pay a monthly allowance of S$1,800 to S$2,400, with 70 per cent co-funded by the government.

The scheme aims to help fresh graduates transition into full-time employment by allowing them the opportunity to gain experience and skills that future employers are seeking.

But not all jobseekers who CNA spoke to were certain which path to take.

If the option for traineeships had been available during Ms N’s six-month job search, she might not have applied.

“This is a long time without a proper income,” she said, pointing out that the allowance is below a typical starting salary. She also felt the scheme would benefit from a “clear pathway to full-time conversion”.

“If companies hosting traineeships were required or encouraged to consider trainees for permanent roles, at least this would give fresh grads more confidence that they’re not just stuck in a cycle of temporary stints, making it more of a step towards stable employment.”

GROWING JOB ANXIETY

A CNA straw poll of more than 100 recent graduates last month found that intense competition from their peers was the top concern, followed by the limited job openings and low starting salaries.

The choice between continuing a seemingly fruitless job search and accepting a temporary internship or traineeship is a real one for graduates – even in fields such as tech, where demand for talent is still robust.

Over the past month, CNA also interviewed 10 computer science or computer engineering undergraduates and recent graduates to dive deeper into their job-related anxieties and their experiences searching for a job.

Statistically, the fresh graduate employment outcomes for computer science graduates remains fairly strong, according to the most recent Graduate Employment Survey.

The proportion of computer science bachelor’s degree holders in full-time permanent employment six months after graduation was 87.8 per cent in 2024, which is comparable to other fields, though it fell marginally from the 91.9 per cent in 2023.

Nevertheless, Manpower Minister Tan See Leng last month cited feedback from graduates that despite the availability of jobs, many employers are also looking for individuals with years of relevant working experience to fill them.

“But graduates cannot obviously obtain the required experience if they are not offered the opportunity in the first place,” he said.

The undergraduates and recent graduates CNA spoke to felt that internship and job applications had become more competitive now, compared to when they started their university education.

“Everybody was freaking out. Everyone was trying to get any internship, any job, any kind of certification,” Ms N said of her final year in university.

Jobseekers like SW, 27, who similarly asked to be identified by his initials, found it frustrating that work experience is required even for junior roles.

He graduated from Nanyang Technological University in 2023 with a degree in computer engineering. The Singaporean found a job in an investment firm in China but left after a year as he found it a poor fit.

This year, he started a part-time masters programme in maritime studies to learn how to apply his software development skills to the sector. He is simultaneously applying for full-time jobs.

He said he was hearing back from fewer companies now compared to right after he received his bachelor’s degree. He estimated receiving four replies for every 10 applications he sent now, compared to six to seven replies back then.

“It’s still harder than I thought to find a job right now,” he said, despite having some work experience under his belt.

He feels that the new traineeship scheme could be a good starting point.

He said the scheme was “attractive” with a decent allowance, but wanted to find out more about the participating organisations and roles available before deciding whether to apply.

CAN TRAINEESHIPS CLOSE THE GAP?

The government had previously introduced government-supported traineeships in times of economic uncertainty.

The SGUnited Traineeship was launched during the COVID-19 pandemic and supported training stints of up to six months that paid S$1,500 to S$2,500 a month.

From June 2020 to March 2022, more than 12,500 trainees went through the programme. Close to nine in 10 found employment within six months after their traineeship, said Ms Gillian Woo, director of Workforce Singapore’s (WSG) enterprise programmes division.

WSG did not provide a breakdown of whether the trainees who found employment were hired by their host organisations or other companies.

Statistics available from midway through the programme show that at the end of August 2021, 2,300 out of 7,200 trainees were employed by their host organisations and 3,500 were hired by other companies after ending their traineeships.

Former SGUnited trainees felt the programme was good for gaining experience, but some said it could be improved with clearer criteria for full-time employment coupled with effective mentorship.

Psychology graduate Wei Yongji, 29, was a trainee for half a year in 2021. He earned S$2,300 a month as a programme executive in a government agency, which did not hire him afterwards.

Mr Wei said that while his work was meaningful, he felt that six months was too short to learn much and that there was a lack of autonomy.

“It’s not like we were doing purely (menial tasks) or admin work, but at the same time, it felt like there was quite a limit to what we were doing.”

Financially, he felt that his lower traineeship salary also partially affected his monthly salary at his first full-time job in the related social impact sector earning S$3,100 a month.

Under a traineeship, there is no employment relationship between the company and the trainee, so benefits like Central Provident Fund (CPF) payments and leave entitlement are not legally required.

The lack of CPF contributions added up for Mr Wei. And when he and his partner wanted to apply for a Build-To-Order flat, they did not meet the employment criteria for a housing grant as they were both on traineeships.

He suggested that host organisations be upfront about the possibility of converting a traineeship to full-time employment in their job postings, adding that this would have influenced his decision of where to apply.

Mr Wei, who now works at Access Singapore, a social mobility charity that provides disadvantaged students with career exposure opportunities, said his experience in a traineeship felt like being an “extended intern”.

He felt that the new graduate industry traineeship scheme was cast in a similar mould to the SGUnited one. “If it is just an extended internship, then we can’t really call it a traineeship, a career springboard.”

TRAINEESHIPS, INTERNSHIPS AND MORE

Access Singapore’s founder Clarence Ching, 31, agreed that an internship would have similar outcomes to a traineeship.

“In other jurisdictions, what traineeships mean is that it is a strong stepping stone towards your future careers,” he told CNA. In his view, the new traineeship scheme would likely not do this.

Mr Ching felt that a traineeship should have added value through structured elements like workshops on confidence building and how to prepare for a career.

He also called for clearer employment and learning outcomes: “For example, if you do this, this, this, this – then the company will hire you.”

When Mr Ching made this argument in a LinkedIn post last month, Minister of State for Trade and Industry and National Development Alvin Tan responded in the comments section that traineeships give fresh graduates skills and exposure, and “they do not necessarily need to or should be employed by their host organisations”.

“Traineeships are an option,” Mr Tan said in his comment, adding that graduates can also choose to take up apprenticeships, internships, work-study programmes or full-time employment.

Given the number of options available, some, like former SGUnited trainee Bernice Leong, 28, felt that it was essential for young people entering the workforce to have a clearer grasp on the pros and cons of each pathway.

“It would be nice if fresh grads now have an understanding of how this GRIT scheme is different from just a regular internship,” she said. This would enable them to make an informed decision between a traineeship and other opportunities.

Ms Leong was paid S$3,500 a month during her six-month traineeship at a statutory board. She told CNA she would not have accepted the offer if it was within the stipulated S$1,500 to S$2,500 range.

During her traineeship, she benefited from the mentorship from her manager who gave her close guidance.

She was told there was no possibility of full-time employment. But towards the end of her stint, her employer managed to find the headcount to hire her.

Another former SGUnited trainee, Terence Tian, 31, also converted his traineeship to a full-time offer in three months.

A business diploma holder at the time, he was paid S$1,800 a month and said the lack of employee benefits was not ideal since his working hours and responsibilities were similar to a full-time employee.

“But given the poor job market at the time, it was still better than being unemployed. At least I could apply what I had learned in school, gain experience, and have some financial support,” he said.

The stint met his expectations, leading to real work exposure and a full-time job. He felt the new scheme would also be a good initiative giving fresh graduates “a stepping stone into the working world”.

BETTER THAN A PROLONGED JOB HUNT

In any case, having a traineeship scheme would mean that jobseekers could be picking up work experience in the time that they are looking for a full-time job, as opposed to spending all their time on a prolonged unsuccessful job search.

The latter can deal a blow to confidence and make it harder to land a job, said Mr Wei, the former SGUnited trainee.

“You are not getting the results, and then you feel, maybe I’m not that good. Then actually you give up and you go to the gig economy.”

Computer science students and graduates told CNA that a tepid job market has added to the pressure to stack internships and made some avoid job-hopping, as they believe that they need to stand out in an oversaturated job market.

Source : https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/grit-traineeship-fresh-graduate-young-job-seeker-anxiety-5346126

Thai coffee is having its moment, with demand for specialty local beans surging. But the industry faces multiple challenges including poor yields due to climate change, rising costs and intense competition.

As mist rolls in along a mountain ridge high above Chiang Mai, Chatree Saeyang climbs up steep wooden stairs to his rustic village cafe, a hideaway in the clouds for coffee drinkers.

Chatree, 39, is a third-generation farmer and a tinkerer.

Littered behind the cafe counter is an assemblage of coffee paraphernalia for his caffeinated creations. As his espresso machine whirs, the headbanded master also starts to prepare a pour-over coffee from beans he grew, fermented and roasted himself.

He knows which trees produced which fruit and how that will translate to the cup. His specialty coffee is celebrated, part of a national movement increasingly prizing organic, artisanal processes.

Yet the natural ecosystem that fosters the practices of farmers like Chatree faces unprecedented challenges.

Thailand’s coffee industry is being reshaped by a paradox. Climate change is stressing highland farms and pushing production downward, even as a booming cafe culture in the country’s urban hubs drives record domestic demand.

With prices rising and imports surging to fill the gap, Thailand’s coffee scene is undergoing a rapid transformation marked by fierce competition, bold innovation and a growing push for sustainability.

Farmers sit at the start of the chain.

Chatree’s mature forest plantation sits in Khun Chang Kian village, recognised as one of Thailand’s earliest coffee growing regions and located about an hour’s drive through windy mountain roads from the downtown of Chiang Mai.

Chatree’s family has grown the crop for five decades, and his deep experience on this land tells him things are changing here.

The rain is becoming erratic, he observes, and the trees bend and shape to their environment.

It will play out when their cherries are ready to pick in a few months’ time; their flavour will change and if the conditions are not right, there will be fewer of them to process.

“Less yield means less money. But the coffee plants are tough like us; they have to adapt to survive in the changing conditions,” he said.

“Global warming certainly has an impact, but it won’t be the end for coffee. There is still a future.”

CLIMATE CHANGE HITTING COFFEE INDUSTRY

Chatree’s optimism is at odds with global trends. Extreme weather is playing havoc with farmers’ ability to produce arabica coffee – a typically more expensive variant compared to robusta, with complex flavours and preferred by artisanal cafes.

Productivity has plummeted. In 2023, Thailand produced only 15,651 tonnes of coffee beans – about two-thirds of it arabica – where output in the past once hit more than 86,000 tonnes in 2001.

A combination of rising temperatures, inconsistent and damaging rainfall events, prolonged droughts and pests is increasingly jeopardising yields.

Land under cultivation has also dropped as more farmers shifted to monoculture of crops like maize or those with higher value, like durians.

“The effects go beyond lower yields. It also causes quality to drop — the crop no longer meets the standards we used to expect,” said Jiraporn Inthasan, a master trainer in regenerative agriculture at Maejo University in Chiang Mai.

“In 20 years we might not have arabica in Thailand anymore. It won’t be possible,” she said.

Thailand is not alone in its climate struggles. Brazil and Vietnam, two of the world’s biggest coffee producers, suffered disastrous growing seasons in 2024, contributing to global coffee prices hitting a 50-year high in February.

There are industry-wide fears that many small-scale farmers will abandon cultivation and new farmers will be reluctant to choose coffee. This type of production is important; smallholders are responsible for growing 70 per cent of the world’s coffee.

Key coffee-growing areas are right in the climate hitting zone. The crop is mostly grown in a region known as the Coffee Belt – between 20 degrees north and 30 degrees south of the equator. That is also a part of the world among the most vulnerable to climate change impacts.

“It’s serious. I’d even call it severe,” said Naruemon Taksaudom, the founder of HILLKOFF, a business focusing on coffee innovation, training and value‑chain development.

In the hills of Chiang Dao, north of Chiang Mai, PANA Coffee, a company that covers every step in processing coffee from seed to cup, saw about 11 hectares of its plantations lost to a forest fire last year.

The year before, it lost a “lot of crops” due to unseasonal rain, said its founder Kompit Panasupon.

It was a reminder of the challenge everyone faces, he said, when dealing with the fragilities of crop-growing amid climate change.

“Everyone is feeling the effects right now. It’s a big problem that we all have to be serious about. And it’s not just about coffee. It’s basically every agriculture-related business and every farmer’s job,” Kompit said.

Adaptation is possible through investments in climate-resilient varieties and the more widespread adoption of crop diversification and agroforestry. But the clock is ticking as the planet heats further.

A DEMAND THAT CANNOT BE STOPPED

Back when coffee cultivation began in Thailand in the late 1960s, Thais hardly drank coffee. Initially, the arabica crop was introduced to the northern highlands and promoted as part of an alternative development model to replace the illicit cultivation of opium.

The sector has evolved and in 2025, the broader domestic market is valued at 65 billion baht (US$2 billion), according to Thailand’s ministry of commerce.

From 1995 to pre-pandemic 2020, annual consumption of coffee in the country increased by more than tenfold. Thais now consume an average of 340 cups of coffee every year.

Internationally, the market was estimated to be worth US$245 billion last year, according to Precedence Research, and is projected to grow by about 4.5 per cent per year to US$382 billion by 2034.

The organic segment is expected to register the fastest growth in the coffee market during the forecast period, the research found.

Within that, Thailand is carving out its niche, not as a major volume player, but rather as a producer of high-quality, specialty and smallholder produced coffee. It is pivoting towards value.

Specialty coffee in Thailand accounts for only about 10 per cent of quantity – at around 5,000 tonnes annually – but for 20 per cent of total value. It is a cash cow for those who are able to navigate its nuances and complexities in an increasingly challenging growing environment.

While “specialty coffee” is a technical industry term that has evaluation requirements and a scoring set for attributes like aroma, flavour, acidity, body, balance and aftertaste, in Thailand it is more commonly used to describe coffee grown by smallholder farmers, with traceability and served in third-wave cafes.

While some Thai coffee undergoes technical grading, “specialty” is often a looser cultural label.

“Thailand has been lucky: Consumers welcomed coffee culture, and demand – along with interest in new coffee varieties and flavour profiles – grew faster than supply,” said Naruemon.

In the ever-sprawling city of Chiang Mai, there are signs of that demand.

Last year, 1,700 new coffee shops opened in Chiang Mai, while 400 closed in the same period, delivery and lifestyle platform LINE MAN Wongnai reported.

Akha Ama Coffee Roasters is among this next generation of cafes driving demand for Thai coffee. Even before its 8am opening time, customers are already peering over the chain-link fence blocking the entrance.

More than a retail location, co-founder Lee Ayu Chuepa wants it to be a social enterprise committed to sustainability and promoting the efforts of indigenous hilltribe communities who grow the coffee.

Lee is also promoting Thai coffee overseas; an Akha Ama roastery opened in Tokyo last year.

“We could not stop the demand. It definitely will grow and that’s probably a good thing,” he said.

He said consumers want to know where their coffee comes from; and he can offer both that story and an anchor of support to his people.

“We’re finding a balance between generations. Our families have really old wisdom about doing agriculture, so we blend those skills with modern techniques and young people are finding a job that can sustain their living,” Lee said.

Not all farmers have such options. Specialty coffee production remains an outlier activity that requires an investment in skills, knowledge, equipment and, often, marketing.

“Most of the farmers up in the hills are hill‑tribe communities or smallholders who don’t have the time to hand‑sort beans. So larger companies step in to buy their coffee and then develop the branding themselves. Ninety per cent are primarily concerned with one thing: How to maximise their yield,” Naruemon said.

But she acknowledged that demand for specialty coffee has become an opportunity for farmers to lift their quality of life if done right.

“It becomes a virtuous circle. That’s my perspective: Healthy soil, good yields, better quality, and healthier lives,” she said.

PANA Coffee is one company trying to connect smallholder farmers and consumers.

It is attempting to do specialty coffee at scale and has made major investments in infrastructure at its sprawling complex on the outskirts of Chiang Mai city to ramp up processing of organic high-end beans.

The company’s philosophy is to lift the entire industry from seed to cup, to improve livelihoods, value and enjoyment of coffee, Kompit said.

PANA runs an initiative called Project Shade that involves 22 different grower groups spanning multiple provinces to help farmers implement organic practices into their operations.

“Thailand doesn’t produce enough coffee for ourselves. So, there’s still room to grow. Whether that’s enough land to grow, that’s another story. But I really believe that with the existing land, and if more farmers embrace shared, grown organic practice, they can produce a lot more specialty grade coffee,” he said.

In addition, the company runs education courses through an academy to upskill coffee professionals and also invites farmers to taste their own coffee – a rarity for many.

“Then when they go back, it’s like a paradigm shift for them, like, ‘Oh, if I do this, if I do that, my coffee will taste like this, and more people will want to buy it’,” he said.

“Basically, it’s exposure to what the consumers like that allows people who grow coffee to know what to do with their crops, and it’s like building a bridge.”

For Lee, he sees the changes starting to manifest in local communities: Young people are staying in the mountains instead of seeking jobs in the city, or returning home with new skills and enthusiasm.

“You look at the other jobs in agriculture, not many people are proud to do them. But in coffee, you feel like a pioneer and we’re proud to do it,” he said.

“I think this is a game changer for Thailand, if we can keep growing the quality.”

FROM COMMODITY TO LUXURY PRODUCT?

Coffee roasteries and specialty cafes around the country are being forced to walk a fine line between serving a burgeoning trend and making their business work in a period defined by inflationary costs, a sluggish local economy and limited supply of beans on the market.

The rise in the global price in coffee has been profound over the past decade, but especially this year.

Arabica coffee has increased in cost by 63 per cent from 2015 to 2024, when it averaged US$5.63 per kilogram. In February this year, it topped US$9 per kg.

Robusta – higher in caffeine and usually used for instant coffee or blends – has seen similar trends and nearly a threefold increase in price since 2020.

As yields have dropped in Thailand, the scramble to access beans of high quality, to suit what customers increasingly want, has gone full tilt.

Cafes are competing for the same domestic supplies and are having to secure coffee through contracts years into the future.

“It’s so competitive. It’s almost silly at this point. You have to make a commitment to pay for coffee that is not even on the trees yet. And for some people, it might be a huge risk,” said Han Wang, an artisanal coffee roaster and co-founder of PHIL Coffee in Bangkok.

Thailand will also need to import approximately 80,000 tonnes of coffee beans, instant coffee and other coffee products this year to meet local demand, the government said in March.

Coffee from non-ASEAN markets, which would include popular source countries in Africa and South America, attracts an import duty of up to 90 per cent.

Roasteries and retailers are the ones bearing the raised costs, said Wang. The high levels of competition makes it difficult to significantly increase the price of a cup of coffee, he explained.

“The only way to counteract the import duties is to improve the local coffee. It’s actually way better than, like, two decades ago. It’s actually crazy good now,” he said.

“But then, we still face a problem of quantity, in terms of local production.”

As thousands of cafes open each year in Thailand, the tough market conditions means closure rates are high. LINE MAN Wongnai reported that 43 per cent of Thai cafes are shuttering within their first year.

Source : https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/thailand-coffee-specialty-cafes-climate-change-5344511

JENNA Ortega has gone topless for an ultra-sexy look at the Emmy Awards on Sunday night.

The Wednesday actress left little to the imagination as she rocked a massive jeweled necklace that covered up just enough of her bare chest as she made her way down the Emmys red carpet.

Besides the bejeweled piece, which was custom-designed by Givenchy, Jenna, 22, was not wearing anything else for her risky top.

The crystal jewels were strategically placed to cover part of her chest, but a lot of skin was still visible for the nearly-naked look.

She completed the outfit with a black maxi skirt that also kept it sexy with a thigh-high slit.

The young Hollywood starlet rocked her signature darker makeup, complete with a smoky eye and burgundy lipstick.

She pulled her hair back into a ponytail as her long, wavy bangs framed her face.

Fans were floored by the look, which some are saying is Jenna’s “sultriest” one yet.

“OH MY GOD JENNA i was not prepared to be gagged like this,” one Emmys viewer wrote.

“Obsessed is an understatement holy f**k she’s so hot,” another exclaimed.

“That stomach. That face. Jenna Ortega the woman that you are,” a third said alongside a row of heart-eye emoji’s.

“This top is a SERVE and her face card NEVER declines. Get it mama!!! Already my #BestDressed,” one more said.

While Jenna is not nominated tonight, she is there to promote season 2 of her hit Netflix show, Wednesday.

The Palm Springs, CA native was nominated for her role as Wednesday Addams at the 2023 Emmy Awards.

Season 2 of the series was released in early September – making it ineligible for the 2025 Emmy nominations deadline.

SEEING STARS

Besides Jenna, many more of the largest stars in Hollywood made their way down the red carpet at the Peacock Theater in Downtown Los Angeles for TV’s big night.

Selena Gomez strutted down the carpet with her fiancé Benny Blanco, wearing a form-fitting red dress with a long train.

Sydney Sweeney is a presenter at the ceremony and sported a strapless ruby gown that showed off her cleavage.

Severance creator Ben Stiller was joined by his wife Christine Taylor, as they both looked stunning as they posed for photos at the venue.

Dancing With The Stars star Derek Hough looked dapper in his black tie double-breasted ensemble.

Meanwhile, Walton Goggins flaunted his chest in a thin white shirt and matching jacket on the carpet.

The White Lotus star Jennifer Coolidge rocked a skintight black gown, with matching full-length gloves, and her blonde hair in an updo.

Comedian Megan Stalter shocked viewers when she opted for an extremely casual look.

The Hacks star donned Levi jeans, a white Hanes t-shirt, which she declared in an interview.

She paired the simple fit with ballerina flats, a black shoulder bag with the handwritten message “Cease Fire” on the front, sunglasses, and her brunette hair falling straight down.

Kathy Bates, who’s nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her role in Matlock, also drew attention with her ensemble.

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/entertainment/15185444/jenna-ortega-topless-jewels-emmys-red-carpet/

AT LEAST 15 people were killed in a devastating fireball crash in a Mexican highway, officials confirmed.

The deadly smash unfolded after a truck packed with workers crashed into a car and a taxi, erupting in flames.

They were driving on a road linking the towns of Merida and Campeche, in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, when tragedy happened.

Shocking footage captured the tragic aftermath of Saturday’s crash, showing a vehicle engulfed in flames and thick black smoke.

The head-on impact caused the truck to erupt in flames, leaving 14 people – including the driver – charred or crushed inside, Diario de Yucatán reported.

Another victim died at the scene, bringing the death toll to 15.

The local outlet reported that three more were pulled out alive and rushed to nearby hospitals.

Witnesses told Diario de Yucatán of the gruesome scene, with people trapped in the burning wreckage as others tragically laid lifeless on the road.

Firefighters, paramedics and state police raced to put out the flames and rescue survivors.

Meanwhile, the National Guard and forensic teams secured the crash site.

Authorities have not yet released the identities of the victims or the exact cause of the crash.

The local outlet said the collision ranks as the worst road tragedy in Yucatán in 50 years.

The previous deadliest crash was in 1979, when a bus overturned, killing 11 and injuring 43.

Governor Joaquin Diaz Mena offered condolences to grieving families.

“We express our solidarity and support to the affected families during this painful moment,” he said in a statement on X.

He added: “Since the first report, emergency, security, and health services are attending to the situation to provide immediate assistance.”

Just days ago, a train slammed into a double decker bus – leaving ten dead and dozens injured.

The speeding freight train T-boned a coach full of people at a grade crossing in Atlacomulco, 80 miles northwest of Mexico City.

Footage showed the entire bus folding and being carried along by the train, which continued for hundreds of metres.

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/news/15182548/mexico-fireball-crash-truck-taxi-motorway/

 

CHARLIE Kirk’s suspected killer was spotted kissing his transgender partner just two weeks before the assassination, The Sun can reveal.

Tyler Robinson, 22, had reportedly been living with his unidentified lover at a home in Utah.

The partner is said to be fully cooperating with the FBI on its investigation into the shooting of the conservative activist Kirk.

Robinson’s neighbour Josh Kemp, 18, confirmed the alleged gunman was in a relationship with his roommate who he described as “weird”.

Kemp said: “I saw them holding hands. They drove off in Tyler’s car. It was about two weeks ago.

“They looked like they were a couple and he was dressed all in black.

“I thought he was weird because of the way he walked and I’ve never seen anyone dressed like that. He was wearing a mask.

“I believed he was transitioning because I heard them talking about a doctor’s appointment.”

The 22-year-old suspect recently moved into a smart condo with a wreath on the door in a complex which includes a hot tub, swimming pool, fitness centre and walking trails.

The property is five miles from his family home, and there is a vehicle parked in the numbered space.

Sources told the New York Post that the partner was transitioning from male to female.

Text messages and other communications the transgender individual exchanged with Robinson reportedly helped cops catch the accused assassin.

It comes after authorities revealed on Friday that a “roommate” had helped the investigation by revealing messages from a contact named “Tyler”.

The same contact described bullet casings with similar “meme” messages found to those at the scene, and discussed the “need to retrieve a rifle from a drop point”.

Kirk, the 31-year-old Trump ally and co-founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot in the neck on Wednesday while addressing students at Utah Valley University.

The last question he was ever asked was: “Do you know how many transgender Americans have been mass shooters over the last 10 years?”

Kirk was one of the most popular young conservative figures in America – and his death was the latest in a storm of political violence that has swept the US.

Utah governor Spencer Cox called the attack a “dark chapter” and a “watershed moment” for American politics.

And it comes off the back of shocking cases such as the attempted assassination of President Trump last July, and the killing of Democrat state rep Melissa Hortman.

With no official motive – both sides are now scrambling to distance themselves from college dropout Robinson as people try to piece together his politics.

But in the most definitive statement yet, Gov. Cox told the Wall Street Journal: “It’s very clear to us and to the investigators that this was a person who was deeply indoctrinated with leftist ideology.”

The picture emerging of the assassin paints him as quiet and geeky – seemingly not someone who was overtly politically engaged.

Friends describe him as loving video games, spending time on Reddit, and at the press conference yesterday it was confirmed he used the chat service Discord.

Robinson, 22, who was raised a Mormon, was taken into custody on Thursday night near his family home in southern Utah.

The shooting of Kirk was immediately dubbed a “political assassination” – and quickly saw Trump and his allies rage against the “radical left”.

The former student comes from a Trump-supporting family and had a conservative and gun-loving upbringing, but one pal said he was “left wing”.

And meanwhile messages he allegedly wrote on bullets have been linked to both anti-fascist causes and online meme culture.

The connections to the irreverent humour led some to speculate he could have been linked to the alt-right Groyper movement.

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/news/15180899/charlie-kirk-shooter-tyler-robinson-transgender-partner/

Millions of children in West and Central Africa are being forced out of attending school due to worsening insecurity. Despite efforts to combat banditry and conflict the crisis continues, particularly in North Nigeria.

A September 2025 report by the UN has revealed that nearly 15,000 schools were closed in West and Central Africa as of mid-2025.

The situation is particularly prevalent in Nigeria and Cameroon, where insecurity and conflict has forced millions to relocate from their original places of abode.

According to the UN, insecurity in the region has disrupted education for “more than 3 million children” though experts believe the reality is widely underreported.

Busola Rafiat Ojo-oba, a social worker and a gender-based violence specialist in Lagos, believes the actual number hovers around “over 5 million school children,” with nearly 500 schools closed in Nigeria alone.

“In a country [where] poverty is multidimensional and people will not be able to break the cycle of poverty anytime soon, the number of out-of-school children and the rate of unemployment is skyrocketing, because teachers and school administrators cannot continue teaching,” she told DW.

Many children pushed out of education system

The UN report indicates that throughout the region, “[b]etween June 2024 and June 2025 alone, the number of closed schools rose from 14,364 to 14,829, disrupting the education of more than 3 million children.”

“Many children have been out of school for years,” the report further indicated.

Efe Johnson, a Youth Leader and Rights Advocate based in the Nigerian capital Abuja, says that although the overall rate of such school closures may have declined in recent months, the impact of previous closures continues to put the education of many school children in jeopardy.

“In the Northeast for example, so many schools shut down at the height of the [Boko Haram] insurgency. And the reality is that a lot of those schools never reopened, and they probably never will. Many children who were pushed out of the system never went back. They’ve just grown up outside the system,” Johnson told DW.

Experts however also believe that more sinister elements might be at play: In the case of boys, many fear that some might be recruited as child fighters while with girls, there is the concern of teenage pregnancies keeping some from returning to school.

Either way, the developments of the last decade have had some devastating effects on education, with no apparent end in sight.

Families fearing for their children

The doors of many schools in some major population areas like Anka, Bukuyyum, Maru, Shinkafi, Tsafe and Zurmi remain shut — all located in Zamfara State in northwest Nigeria.

Some schools, like the Government Day Secondary School, remain operational but many children attend their lessons in fear, which also is causing a decline in attendance, explains Umar Rabat, a teacher at the school.

“The kidnapping and banditry have created a lot of fear, so families — especially those with daughters — will feel like it’s safer to just keep them at home than risk them being abducted on their way to school,” he explained.

Ojo-oba agrees, saying that families are too busy adjusting their lives to cope with the situation every day, causing some parents to take drastic measures, including keeping their children, especially females, out of school.

“Parents can’t risk receiving that call to say their children are being kidnapped or held hostage. In addition to this fact, in the middle of insecurity their needs will revolve around food, shelter, clothing and safety. So, education will not be on the forefront of their needs,” she added.

Limited government intervention

Umar meanwhile further highlights precautions that have been taken by authorities in areas with inadequate security, such as motorcycles and vehicles being provided to security personnel and community guards to reinforce safety with day and night patrols.

Some other government interventions have included the relocation of students from conflict-prone areas to safer localities.

Especially with internally displaced populations (IDPs), the Nigerian government has also established a national framework of mini camps, built to allow children to continue their education.

However, some experts say these efforts are by far not enough to get Nigeria’s education system back on track:

“They are mostly short-lived because if funding runs out or the program stalls, what’s next?” says Efe.

COVID-era solutions to the rescue

In Nigeria’s West African neighbor, Ghana, at least 44 schools have also been closed with nearly 5,000 pupils displaced due to conflicts in the country’s Savannah Region.

Think tank Africa Education Watch describes conflict as a “destructive factor in basic education,” with its executive director, Kofi Asare, saying that part of the problem is the fact that teachers are vacating their posts over fear for their own lives.

“In Ghana as we speak, teachers have fled Gbinyiri, which is a community in the Savannah Region, where conflict in the past three weeks alone has killed over 30 and displaced 5,000 pupils, denying them access to basic education.”

Asare adds that therefore there is a dire need for authorities across West and Central Africa to implement the Education and Emergency Plan once more, which was adopted by West African countries during COVID-19; he finds that this plan provides a framework for the deployment of learning to occur on virtual technologies, as conflict is only bound to continue.

Source : https://www.dw.com/en/how-conflict-is-impacting-nigerias-education-system/a-73966128

 

The names of Kulman Ghising, Om Prakash Aryal, Rameshore Khanal, and Bala Nanda Sharma have been sent to Nepal’s President as Nepal’s interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki finalises her Cabinet.

Nepal’s interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki has finalised several names for her Cabinet, with recommendations already sent to the President’s Office, sources at Sheetal Niwas (Rashtrapati Bhawan) said. Among them is Kulman Ghising, the former Nepal Electricity Authority chief credited with power sector reforms, who is expected to take charge of the Energy Ministry.

Alongside Ghising, senior lawyer Om Prakash Aryal has been recommended for Home, former Finance Secretary Rameshore Khanal for Finance, and retired Lieutenant General Bala Nanda Sharma for Defence.

Sources close to Karki said discussions on the remaining ministerial portfolios will be held later. Sheetal Niwas indicated that the swearing-in ceremony could take place as early as Monday.

Other expected appointments include former national cricket captain Paras Khadka for the Ministry of Youth and Sports, and Aseem Man Singh Basnet, founder of ride-sharing platform Pathao Nepal, for the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport.

Kulman Ghising is best known for ending years of daily power cuts during his tenure at the Electricity Authority. He’s a popular figure, who was one of the contenders proposed by sections of protesting Gen Z groups as the interim head of government.

Sushila Karki, who assumed office on Sunday just days after the fall of KP Sharma Oli’s government, has pledged to serve only six months before handing over authority to a newly elected Parliament. “My team and I are not here to taste power. We won’t stay for more than 6 months. We won’t succeed without your support,” she said in her first address to the nation.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/nepal-sushila-karki-cabinet-kulman-ghising-likly-energy-ministry-2787280-2025-09-14

U.S. President Donald Trump’s top diplomat, Marco Rubio headed to Israel on Saturday, amid tensions with fellow U.S. allies in the Middle East over Israel’s strike on Hamas leaders in Qatar and expansion of settlements in the occupied West Bank.

Speaking to reporters before departure, Rubio reiterated that the U.S. and President Donald Trump were not happy about the strikes.

Rubio said the U.S. relationship with Israel would not be affected, but that he would discuss with the Israelis how the strike would affect Trump’s desire to secure the return of all the hostages held by Hamas, get rid of the militants and end the Gaza war.

“What’s happened, has happened,” he said. “We’re gonna meet with them. We’re gonna talk about what the future holds,” he said.

“There are still 48 hostages that deserve to be released immediately, all at once. And there is still the hard work ahead once this ends, of rebuilding Gaza in a way that provides people the quality of life that they all want.”

Rubio said it had yet to be determined who would do that, who would pay for it and who would be in charge of the process.

After Israel, Rubio is due to join Trump’s planned visit to Britain next week.

Israel’s nearly two-year-long campaign has killed more than 64,000 people in the Palestinian enclave, according to local authorities. It has sparked a hunger crisis and led to allegations that Israel is committing genocide, including this month by the world’s biggest group of genocide scholars.

Israel launched its campaign after Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel that killed 1,200 people and resulted in the capture of 251 hostages, according to Israeli figures.

Hamas still holds 48 hostages, and Qatar has been one of the mediators, along with the U.S., trying to secure a ceasefire deal that would include the captives’ release.

On Tuesday, Israel attempted to kill the political leaders of Hamas with an airstrike on Doha. U.S. officials described it as a unilateral escalation that did not serve American or Israeli interests.

The strike on the territory of a close U.S. ally sparked broad condemnation from other Arab states and derailed ceasefire and hostage talks brokered by Qatar.

On Friday, Rubio met with Qatar’s Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani at the White House, underscoring competing interests in the region that Rubio will seek to balance on his trip. Later that day, U.S. President Donald Trump held dinner with the prime minister in New York.

Rubio’s trip comes ahead of high-level meetings at the United Nations in New York later this month. Countries including France and Britain are expected to recognize Palestinian statehood, a move opposed by Israel.

Source : https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/rubio-heads-israel-amid-tensions-among-us-middle-east-allies-2025-09-12/

The United States will be able to use planned defence facilities in Western Australia that are to help deliver nuclear-powered submarines under the trilateral AUKUS nuclear submarine deal, Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles said on Sunday.

Australia will spend A$12 billion ($8 billion) to upgrade facilities at the Henderson shipyard near Perth, as part of a 20-year plan to transform it into the maintenance hub for its AUKUS submarine fleet, the government said on Saturday.

The AUKUS pact, sealed by Australia, Britain and the U.S. in 2021, aims to provide Australia with attack submarines from the next decade to counter China’s ambitions in the Indo-Pacific region.

President Donald Trump’s administration is undertaking a formal review of the pact led by Elbridge Colby, a top Pentagon policy official and public critic of the agreement.

Asked on Sunday if the U.S. would be able to use dry docks at the facility for its nuclear-powered submarines, Marles said, “This is an AUKUS facility and so I would expect so.”

“This is about being able to sustain and maintain Australia’s future submarines but it is very much a facility that is being built in the context of AUKUS,” he told Australian Broadcasting Corporation television. “I would expect that in the future this would be available to the U.S.”

The centre-left Labor government made an initial investment of A$127 million last year to upgrade facilities at the shipyard, which will also build the new landing craft for the Australian army and the new general-purpose frigates for the navy, supporting around 10,000 local jobs.

Under AUKUS – worth hundreds of billions of dollars – Washington will sell several Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines to Australia, while Britain and Australia will later build a new AUKUS-class submarine.

Before the Virginia-class submarines, the facility will receive “a rotation of U.S. and UK vessels”, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Sunday.

“This will provide for a significant benefit for our allies, which is part of the AUKUS arrangement,” Albanese told a press conference in Perth.

The Republican and Democratic heads of a U.S. congressional committee for strategic competition with China expressed strong support for AUKUS in July.

Source : https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/us-will-have-access-western-australia-nuclear-submarine-shipyard-minister-says-2025-09-14/

Five U.S. F-35 aircraft were seen landing in Puerto Rico on Saturday after President Donald Trump last week ordered 10 of the stealth fighters to join a military buildup in the Caribbean to counter drug cartels amid rising tensions with Venezuela.

The F-35s were seen landing at the former Roosevelt Roads military base in Ceiba, Puerto Rico, by Ricky Arduengo, a contract photographer working for Reuters. U.S. helicopters and Osprey aircraft as well as other U.S. transport aircraft and military personnel have been seen at the base in recent days.

The latest sightings come after a surprise visit to Puerto Rico this week by U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth along with the top U.S. general amid escalating tensions with Venezuela.

Asked about the aircraft, a Pentagon duty press officer said: “We have no force posture changes to announce currently.”
Sources told Reuters last week that the Trump administration ordered the deployment of 10 F-35 fighter jets to Puerto Rico to conduct operations against drug cartels.
In announcing the plan last week to send more aircraft to the region, Trump said the United States was not talking about regime change in Venezuela.

Last week, the U.S. military killed 11 people in a strike on a vessel from Venezuela allegedly carrying illegal narcotics in the first known operation since the Trump administration’s recent deployment of warships to the southern Caribbean.

Venezuela has said none of the 11 people killed were drug traffickers.

Source : https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/us-f-35s-seen-landing-puerto-rico-amid-venezuela-tensions-2025-09-14/

 

After the fatal shooting of right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk, U.S. Republicans have a warning for Americans: Mourn him respectfully or suffer the consequences.
Over the past several days, Democratic and Republican leaders have widely condemned the murder of Kirk, a 31-year-old activist and Trump world celebrity known for his hard-right views and pugnacious debating style.

A smattering of commentators – including ordinary people joking about and sometimes celebrating Kirk’s death to lawmakers and pundits dwelling on his history of bigoted rhetoric – has also surfaced, only to be targeted in organized campaigns.

At least 15 people have been fired or suspended from their jobs after discussing the killing online, according to a Reuters tally based on interviews, public statements and local press reports. The total includes journalists, academic workers and teachers. On Friday, a junior Nasdaq employee was fired over her posts related to Kirk.
Others have been subjected to torrents of online abuse or seen their offices flooded with calls demanding they be fired, part of a surge in right-wing rage that has followed the killing.
Some Republicans want to go further still and have proposed deporting Kirk’s critics from the United States, suing them into penury or banning them from social media for life.

“Prepare to have your whole future professional aspirations ruined if you are sick enough to celebrate his death,” said conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer, opens new tab, a prominent ally of President Donald Trump and one of several far-right figures who are organizing digital campaigns on X, the social media site, to ferret out and publicly shame Kirk’s critics.

U.S. lawmaker Clay Higgins said in a post on X, opens new tab that anyone who “ran their mouth with their smartass hatred celebrating the heinous murder of that beautiful young man” needed to be “banned from ALL PLATFORMS FOREVER.” The U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said on the same site that he had been disgusted to “see some on social media praising, rationalizing, or making light of the event, and have directed our consular officials to undertake appropriate action.”

Republicans’ anger at those disrespecting Kirk’s legacy contrasts with the mockery some of the same figures – including Kirk – directed at past victims of political violence.
For example, when former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband Paul was clubbed over the head by a hammer-wielding conspiracy theorist during a break-in at their San Francisco home shortly before the 2022 midterm elections, Higgins posted a photo making fun of the attack. He later deleted the post.
Loomer falsely suggested, opens new tab that Paul Pelosi and his assailant were lovers, calling the brutal assault on the octogenarian a “booty call gone wrong.” Speaking to a television audience a few days after the attack, a grinning Kirk called for the intruder to be sprung from jail.
“If some amazing patriot out there in San Francisco or the Bay Area wants to really be a midterm hero, someone should go and bail this guy out,” he said.

WEBSITE “EXPOSE CHARLIE’S MURDERERS” REGISTERED

The campaign to fire Kirk’s critics has not slowed. Calls to run people out of jobs have flooded across X. A newly registered site, “Expose Charlie’s Murderers,” has 41 names of people it alleged were “supporting political violence online” and claims to be working on a backlog of more than 20,000 submissions.
A Reuters review of the screenshots and comments posted to the site shows that some of those featured joked about or celebrated Kirk’s death. One was quoted as saying, “He got what he deserved” and others were quoted providing variations on “karma’s a bitch.” Others, however, were critical of the far-right figure while explicitly denouncing violence.

Still others appear to have done little more than point out that a longtime gun control foe had been shot to death. At least three accurately quoted Kirk’s 2023 comments in which he told a crowd that some gun deaths were “worth it,” saying that the annual drumbeat of firearms-related killings in the United States was “a prudent deal” in exchange for the Constitution’s Second Amendment.

One person who was featured on the site said their employer had been bombarded by phone calls, with callers threatening not to let up until they were fired or disciplined. The person said they plan to avoid the office in the coming days.

Source : https://www.reuters.com/world/us/charlie-kirks-allies-warn-americans-mourn-him-properly-or-else-2025-09-13/

India, after finding cross-border links to the Pahalgam attack, launched Operation Sindoor and attacked multiple terror sites in Pakistan and PoK, including Lashkar-e-Taiba’s headquarters in Muridke.

The Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror outfit is quietly orchestrating the reconstruction of its demolished headquarters, Markaz Taiba in Muridke of Pakistan’s Punjab, following its destruction by the Indian Air Force on May 7 during Operation Sindoor, according to the dossier prepared by India’s intelligence agencies that NDTV exclusively accessed.

At 12:35 am Pakistan Standard Time, Indian Mirage aircraft penetrated deep into Punjab province to strike three core structures within the 1.09-acre Markaz Taiba campus. The targets included a red multi-story block used for cadre accommodation and weapons storage, and two yellow-painted buildings known as Umm-ul-Qura, which served as training facilities and senior commander residences.

Only skeletal remnants remained standing, with analysts praising the Indian strike as the most severe blow dealt to Lashkar’s infrastructure since the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

Demolition And The Road To Rebirth

By August 18, LeT deployed heavy machinery, razing the already crippled structures. HUMINT-sourced video reveals rubble-strewn grounds and cadres supervising clearance.

On September 4, the yellow Umm-ul-Qura block was reduced to dust. Three days later, the red building followed suit.

The group now eyes February 5, 2026 – Kashmir Solidarity Day – as the symbolic deadline to inaugurate the reconstructed complex, timed with its annual convention. Intelligence suggests that the rebuilt Markaz will once again serve as the epicentre of training, indoctrination, and operational planning.

Leadership In Command

The reconstruction drive is being personally overseen by Maulana Abu Zar, the director of Markaz Taiba, LeT’s chief trainer, revered as Ustad ul Mujahiddin and Yunus Shah Bukhari, the commander with operational oversight.

The outfit temporarily relocated its training wings to Markaz Aqsa in Bahawalpur and later to Markaz Yarmouk in Patoki, Kasur district, under Abdul Rashid Mohsin, a trusted aide of deputy chief Saifullah Kasuri.

Pakistan’s Pivotal Role

According to the dossier, Islamabad publicly pledged financial assistance for LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) facilities that were destroyed during Operation Sindoor.

In August, LeT received PKR 4 crore (around Rs 1.25 crore) from the Pakistani government as seed money. Insiders estimate that the total cost of restoration will exceed PKR 15 crore (around Rs 4.7 crore).

The revelation lays bare the double standards of Pakistan’s counterterrorism posture. While posturing at global forums as a victim of extremism, the state actively bankrolls outfits waging bloodshed across the border.

Fundraising Under Humanitarian Guise

To plug the financial gap, LeT has also launched a fundraising campaign disguised as flood relief operations.

Cadres, often flanked by Pakistani Rangers, stage photo opportunities distributing token supplies before diverting the bulk of donations to Muridke’s resurrection.

The pattern is eerily familiar. After the 2005 earthquake in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), LeT (then fronting as Jamaat-ud-Dawa) raised billions in the name of humanitarian aid. Subsequent investigations revealed that 80 per cent was funnelled into terror infrastructure, including the construction of Markaz Abbas in Kotli, which was also destroyed during Operation Sindoor.

The Proxy War Endures

Despite Operation Sindoor’s tactical success, LeT’s rapid rebound demonstrates its enduring resilience. The group’s planned unveiling of a rebuilt Markaz by February 2026 serves as both defiance and propaganda, reaffirming its centrality in Pakistan’s proxy war against India.

LeT’s mushrooming proxy fronts – The Resistance Front (TRF), People’s Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF), Kashmir Tigers, and the Mountain Warriors of Kashmir (MWK) – allow Islamabad plausible deniability while maintaining a constant stream of anti-India violence.

The case of Muridke epitomises the entrenched nexus between Pakistan’s state apparatus and terror outfits. Far from curtailing terror, Islamabad’s funding, facilitation, and indifference ensure that groups like LeT not only survive but expand.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/inside-lashkar-e-taibas-muridke-resurrection-after-operation-sindoor-with-pakistans-help-markaz-taiba-9273446?pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll