Tomaino Ndam Njoya, an experienced parliamentarian with international credibility, is confident she can achieve what many have failed to do over the past four decades: unseat President Paul Biya in Cameroon’s election.
Cameroon’s presidential candidate, Tomaino Ndam Njoya, wants to modernize the country if she wins Sunday’s October 12 electionImage: UDC
There was great surprise when Cameroon’s electoral commission announced the 12 candidates for the October 12 presidential election. For the third time in Cameroon’s political history, one of the contenders running for the highest office in the country is a woman.
The fact that Tomaino Hermine Patricia Ndam Njoya was even allowed to run is remarkable, given that the initial list comprised over 80 candidates in Cameroon. Kah Walla, who made history as Cameroon’s first female presidential candidate in 2011, did not succeed in defeating President Paul Biya. Neither did Esther Dang, who also ran in 2011.
But this time, the chances of a female president are looking better than ever. This is not only because Africa has more female politicians, ministers and presidents.
With the adoption of the first Women’s Convention in 2021, more than 81 women’s organizations nationwide have gained influence that would have been unthinkable in previous elections.
In this Central African country, equality before the law prevails. Women make up over half of the population. But standing alongside 11 male presidential candidates is still a rarity.
The mayor with presidential ambition
Ndam Njoya is not new to active politics. She is the mayor of the city Foumban and chairwoman of the Democratic Union for Cameroon (UDC).
The 56-year-old politician’s election campaign slogan is: “Freedom. Justice. Progress.”
Cameroon is at a “crossroads,” Ndam Njoya told DW. “It is clearly a matter of the sovereign people leading the Republic of Cameroon, which has been weakened and threatened by long-term chaotic governance, into a new era that we all deserve.”
She is not fazed by the fact that few people believe she stands a chance. She intends to fight until election day. Traveling across the country, campaigning on social media platforms, such as Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, she is using all channels to draw attention to herself.
In doing so, she has to put up with some disparaging remarks. Her male competitors refer to her as “the wife of her late husband.” The fact is that in 2021, she took over the chairmanship of the UDC from her deceased husband, Adamou Ndam Njoya, a prominent opposition figure, who was Cameroon’s Minister of Education in the late 1970s and also served as mayor of Foumban for many years. Adamou Ndam Njoya ran for president in 1992, 2004 and 2011, but he lost to Paul Biya, who has ruled the country for four decades. The 92-year-old president is seeking an eighth term in office.
Courting votes in the diaspora
Ndam Njoya has set herself ambitious goals. In the run-up to the elections, she visited the diaspora in Germany, Italy and France to encourage them to vote. Unlike the Cameroonian diaspora in France, the Cameroonian community in Germany largely supports Biya’s CPDM party.
To convince them to support her candidacy, Ndam Njoya met with Joy Alemazung, the Cameroonian-born mayor of the German municipality of Heubach, Cameroonian-born SPD local politician Steve Kommogne, and other Cameroonians.
But that wasn’t her only European stop. In September, she spoke about the urgency of peace and solidarity at the annual meeting of the World Brotherhood in Rome. Pope Leo was present during her speech.
Shortly afterwards, in Gabon, she outlined her ideas for better neighborly relations on both sides of the Cameroonian conflict. The Anglophone crisis in Cameroon’s Northwest and Southwest regions has been raging since 2016. In addition, Cameroon has also been a target of Islamist insurgency, particularly on its northern border.
As a member of parliament, she was a member of the Forum of Women in Africa and Spain for a Better World and a member of the African Parliamentary Union.
The fact that, despite her extensive contacts, she has chosen not to pursue an international career but to fight for the future of her country has also earned her the goodwill of other opposition politicians.
Endorsements from former presidential candidates
A dozen former presidential candidates who failed in their bid in July have thrown their support behind her.
Among them is Shewa David Damuel, an entrepreneur nominated by the Patriotic Movement for a New Cameroon (MPCN) and a former member of the Social Democratic Party (SDF). “The opposition must work together,” he told DW. “Cameroon is at a crossroads. The opposition is divided; it is weak, so we must stand behind Ndam Njoya.”
Manila has decried the incident as a “clear threat” from China, while Beijing insists the Philippines’ vessels bear “full responsibility” for the collision in the long-disputed naval region.
Thitu Island is controlled by the PhilippinesImage: Ezra Acayan
The Philippines, on Sunday, accused a Chinese ship of deliberately colliding with a Philippine vessel anchored near an island in the disputed South China Sea.
Chinese maritime forces used water cannon and rammed a Filipino government ship near the Thitu Island, according to Manila. The Philippines’ officials described the incident as a “clear threat” from Beijing.
Such confrontations between Chinese and Philippine vessels have grown increasingly common in recent years. China claims nearly all of the South China Sea which is a crucial path for over $3 trillion (€ 2.58 trillion) in annual ship trade.
In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled that most of China’s claims in the South China Sea, particularly on its resources, had no basis in international law. It was a landmark victory for the Philippines but the issue remains rife nearly a decade later, and China continues raising the pressure on Manila and other naval rivals to comply with Beijing’s stance.
Parts of the waters are also claimed by Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam.
Tensions between Manila and Beijing have been rising steadily through the year, especially over a prime fishing location in the disputed waters.
What did the Philippines say?
The Philippine Coast Guard said three vessels, including the government’s BRP Datu Pagbuaya. were anchored near the Manila-controlled island as part of a government program to protect local fishermen when a Chinese ship approached and intimidated them by using water cannon.
An hour later, the Chinese vessel is said to have used water cannon directly at the BRP Datu Pagbuaya.
“Just three minutes later… the same (Chinese) vessel deliberately rammed the stern” of the Philippine boat, “causing minor structural damage but no injuries to the crew”, the coast guard’s statement said.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said that the “highly respected” President Xi Jinping just had a bad moment and he doesn’t want to put his country into depression.
US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping
US President Donald Trump on Sunday said that the United States “wants to help China, not hurt it,” striking a conciliatory tone days after threatening an additional 100% tariff on Beijing.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said that the “highly respected” President Xi Jinping just had a bad moment and he doesn’t want to put his country into (economic) depression.
“Don’t worry about China, it will all be fine! Highly respected President Xi just had a bad moment. He doesn’t want Depression for his country, and neither do I. The U.S.A. wants to help China, not hurt it!!!”
His remarks came days after the US President accused Beijing of “extraordinarily aggressive” and “hostile” trade actions after China announced restrictions on exports of nearly all its products, particularly rare earth elements, to foreign entities and threatened to impose an additional 100% tariff on imports from China from next month.
In a post on social media, Trump said the US would also put export controls on critical software.
He had also threatened to pull out of a meeting with Jinping. He later said he had not cancelled it, but that he did not know “that we’re going to have it”.
US Vice President JD Vance has also warned of growing tensions with China, urging Beijing to “choose the path of reason” amid an escalating trade dispute between the two nations.
The announcement triggered market volatility, with economists warning of potential disruptions to global supply chains and rising prices for electronics, clean energy products, and other goods.
Meanwhile, China called Trump’s new tariffs on Chinese goods hypocritical and accused the United States of “double standards” as it defended its curbs on exports of rare earth elements and equipment, while stopping short of imposing additional duties on US imports.
China’s Ministry of Commerce criticised the US over its tariff threat, saying, “Willful threats of high tariffs are not the right way to get along with China.” A spokesperson added, “Our position on the trade war is consistent. We do not want it, but we are not afraid of it.”
“If the United States insists on going the wrong way, China will surely take resolute measures to protect its legitimate rights and interests,” the statement added.
Rare earths have been a major sticking point in recent trade negotiations between the two superpowers. They are critical to manufacturing everything from smartphones and electric vehicles to military hardware and renewable energy technology.
Acknowledging divisions within Israeli society, the Prime Minister called for national unity
Benjamin Netanyahu made the comments during an address on Sunday evening. (Photo: X)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that Israel’s military campaign “is not over,” on the eve of the expected release of all living Israeli hostages and hundreds of Palestinian detainees as part of the next stage of the Gaza ceasefire agreement with Hamas.
In a recorded video message released on Sunday evening, Netanyahu appeared hoarse but smiling, describing the moment as “an evening of tears; an evening of happiness.”
“It is a historic event, which some did not believe would ever happen,” he said, referring to the imminent release of hostages held in Gaza.
Acknowledging divisions within Israeli society, the Prime Minister called for national unity. “I know that there are many debates among us,” he said. “But on this day, and I hope also in the period that is almost upon us, we have all the reasons to put them aside, because with joint strength, we achieved spectacular victories — victories that stunned the entire world.”
Netanyahu also cautioned that Israel still faces serious security threats despite recent gains. “The military campaign is not over,” he warned. “There are still major security challenges ahead of us. Some of our enemies are trying to recover in order to attack us again.”
He added: “We are on this.”
The Prime Minister said Israel’s recent military achievements had created “major opportunities” for the country, and urged Israelis to continue working together. “We will overcome the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities,” he said.
Taylor Swift was spotted hanging with Caitlin Cark while cheering on her fiancé, Travis Kelce, at his Kansas City Chiefs game against the Detroit Lions.
The pop star was seen chatting with the WNBA star in her private suite at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday night.
Broadcast cameras panned to the pair laughing and chatting after Swift greeted Travis’ dad, Ed Kelce, with a warm hug. Ed was wearing a shirt with his son’s jersey number on the back.
Swift gave her future father-in-law a hug.
The “Opalite” singer looked casual in a black Chiefs jersey, and she rocked a fun silver manicure.
The Indiana Fever star, a self-proclaimed Swiftie, famously joined the singer at Travis’ game in January.
Swift — who was nowhere to be seen at Travis’ Monday night game against the Jacksonville Jaguars — is fresh off the Oct. 3 release of her twelfth studio album, “The Life of a Showgirl.”
Swift, 35, addressed her romance with the tight end, 35, in several songs, including “The Fate of Ophelia,” “Opalite,” “Eldest Daughter,” “Wi$h Li$t,” “Wood” and “Honey.”
In “Wood,” the ninth track on the album, Swift leans into her raunchiest lyrics yet by singing about being “d–kmatized” by the NFL player’s “manhood.”
“It ain’t hard to see / His love was the key / That opened my thighs,” she sings in part.
In another titillating chord progression, she sings, “Girls, I don’t need to catch the bouquet / To know a hard rock is on the way / […] / The curse on me was broken by your magic wand.”
Taylor revealed that her mom, Andrea Swift, did not pick up on the innuendos throughout the sensual tune.
“She thinks that the song is about superstitions, which it absolutely is,” the Grammy winner joked on Monday’s episode of SiriusXM’s “Morning Mash Up.”
“That’s the joy of the double entendre. You can read that song for people, and it just goes right over their heads.”
Taylor also included several hidden messages dedicated to her future husband in the music video for “The Fate of Ophelia,” which was released on Travis’ birthday last week.
The songwriter caught a football while singing the lyrics, “Pledge allegiance to your hands, your team, your vibes.”
Zabihullah Mujahid, chief spokesman for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, said the faction with Pakistan’s military “cannot tolerate Afghanistan’s peace and progress” and is deliberately stoking conflict.
Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesman for the Afghan government, called on Pakistan to end airspace violations.
The Taliban government has accused a powerful faction within Pakistan’s military of orchestrating a campaign of hostility and misinformation aimed at destabilising Afghanistan and diverting attention from Islamabad’s internal chaos.
Speaking in Kabul, Zabihullah Mujahid, chief spokesman for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), said the faction “cannot tolerate Afghanistan’s peace and progress” and is deliberately stoking conflict along the Durand Line-the disputed border dividing the two countries.
Mujahid had earlier claimed that Afghanistan had killed over 58 Pakistani soldiers in different areas along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border and managed to capture 25 Pakistani posts. Pakistan Army’s Media Wing ISPR has admitted to the killing of 23 Pakistani soldiers.
Taliban Says Pakistan’s Military Faction ‘Sabotaging Peace’
Mujahid accused the Pakistani faction of spreading anti-Afghanistan propaganda, ignoring ISIS sanctuaries inside Pakistan, and sabotaging peace efforts. “This group is creating chaos to mask its own failures,” Mujahid said. “It rejects all logical solutions to Pakistan’s security crisis and seeks to drag the entire region into instability.”
According to him, Afghan forces have full control of national borders and have strengthened defenses to prevent illegal crossings or attacks. He added that Afghanistan’s overall security has remained stable for eight months, with no major incidents. “Every act of aggression has been met with a decisive response,” he said. “Afghanistan reserves the right to defend its territory and airspace.”
Retaliatory Strikes Along Durand Line
Tensions flared after Pakistan allegedly carried out strikes on Thursday in Paktika’s Bermal district, violating Afghan airspace. Explosions were reportedly heard in Kabul that night.
In retaliation, Afghan forces launched coordinated strikes on Saturday night, targeting Pakistani military posts across six provinces, including Kandahar and Nangarhar. Mujahid claimed Afghan troops seized 20 Pakistani posts, killing 58 soldiers and wounding around 30. “Only nine of our fighters were martyred,” he added, saying operations paused at Qatar and Saudi Arabia’s request. However, fresh clashes erupted Sunday after Pakistan resumed firing, reigniting hostilities.
‘Propaganda And Proxy Wars’
Mujahid accused the Pakistani faction of running a disinformation network designed to “poison relations between the Afghan and Pakistani peoples” and mislead the international community. He alleged that Islamabad has turned a blind eye to ISIS-Khorasan operations within its borders, where terror networks continue to recruit and train fighters. “ISIS’s roots are in Pakistan’s Orakzai region,” he said. “Even recent terror attacks in Tehran and Moscow were planned from hideouts inside Pakistan.”
He claimed that ISIS-K leader Shahab al-Muhajir and his associates are currently sheltering in Pakistan and urged Islamabad to hand them over or expel them.
Afghanistan Warns Of Consequences
Mujahid called on Pakistan to end airspace violations and “provocative acts” near the border, warning of “very negative consequences” if aggression continues. He said most Pakistanis – military officers, politicians, and civilians alike – do not support the rogue faction’s anti-Afghan stance. “They too are victims of its dictatorial behavior,” he added.
China has offered India a chance to join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), signalling a potential revival of trade relations between the two Asian giants. Beijing views India’s participation as a way to boost exports and lower tariffs, while New Delhi has historically kept its distance to safeguard domestic industries.
India’s ties with China have witnessed a shift, particularly after the United States imposed stringent tariffs. Both nations are now exploring ways to strengthen their economic relationship.
“If New Delhi adopts a more open stance toward Beijing and joins the RCEP, China could import more from India. Indian goods could become more competitive than others. Tariffs on products within this bloc could reach zero within a decade. Greater cooperation in trade and investment could benefit both nations,” the possibilities of India joining RCEP, Leqing Zhang, director of the Center for International Finance Studies in Beijing, told ET.
India has stayed out of the RCEP mainly to protect its domestic industries and farmers. Concerns include a flood of cheaper Chinese imports, particularly in electronics, machinery and dairy, which could undermine local producers and widen the trade deficit.
Some RCEP provisions on services and investment also do not align with India’s national interests. These factors led New Delhi to opt out in 2019.
China Could Import More From India
Zhang expressed optimism about potential trade integration if India reconsiders its stance. “I believe that if India takes a more open approach toward China, we could definitely import more from India,” he said.
He also expressed hope that both sides could resolve remaining border issues.
India’s exports to China in FY 2024-25 fell by 14.4% to $14.3 billion from $16.7 billion in FY 2023-24, while imports from Beijing rose 11.5% to $113.4 billion, up from $101.7 billion the previous year.
“The RCEP has existed for several years. Unfortunately, India has not joined it so far. Perhaps in the future, India may reconsider this policy. We could achieve greater integration in trade, and bilateral commerce would grow rapidly,” he said.
Special Offers And Opportunities
Zhang highlighted that Chinese companies could set up branches and factories in India. The country’s strong service sector and tourism potential could attract investment from China, creating opportunities for growth in both nations.
“China and India are large economies. Challenges remain, but India is experiencing the highest economic growth,” he added.
Comparing Economic Growth
He pointed out that China’s growth rate is slower than before, though a 5% rate is sustainable. World Bank data show China’s GDP growth dropped from 5.4% in 2023 to 5% in 2024.
India’s GDP, in contrast, surged 7.8% in the April-June quarter, marking the highest level in five quarters. India’s FY 2025 growth stood at 6.5%.
He also highlighted global challenges, including protectionist measures and reciprocal tariffs led by the United States, which affect economic momentum.
“China and India will feel the impact of these shocks,” he said.
Hamas has called Donald Trump a racist, a “recipe for chaos” and a man with an absurd vision for Gaza.
But one extraordinary phone call last month helped persuade Hamas that the U.S. president might be able to hold Israel to a peace deal even if the group surrendered all the hostages that give it leverage in the war in Gaza, two Palestinian officials said.
In the call, widely publicised at the time, Trump put Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the phone after a meeting at the White House in September, to apologise to Qatar’s prime minister for an Israeli strike on a residential complex that housed Hamas’ political leaders in the emirate’s capital Doha.
Trump’s handling of the Qatar bombing, which failed to kill the Hamas officials it targeted, including lead negotiator Khalil al-Hayya, gave the group more faith that he was able to stand up to Netanyahu and that he was serious about ending the war in Gaza, the two officials said.
Now, after signing up to a Trump-brokered ceasefire on Wednesday, the militant group has put further faith in the word of a man who only this year proposed expelling Palestinians from Gaza and rebuilding it as a U.S.-controlled beach resort.
Under the deal, which took effect on Friday, Hamas agreed to give up its hostages without an agreement on full Israeli withdrawal. Two other Palestinian officials, from Hamas, acknowledged that was a risky gamble which relies on the U.S. president being so invested in the deal he will not let it fail.
Hamas leaders are well aware their gamble could backfire, one of the Hamas officials said. They fear that once the hostages are released, Israel could resume its military campaign, as happened after a January ceasefire that Trump’s team had also been closely involved in.
However, gathered for indirect talks with Israel in a conference centre in the Sharm el-Sheikh Red Sea resort, Hamas was reassured enough by the presence of Trump’s closest confidants and regional heavy-weights to sign up to the ceasefire even though it leaves many of the group’s core demands unresolved, including moves towards a Palestinian state
Trump’s eagerness was felt “heavily” in the conference centre, one of the Hamas officials told Reuters. Trump personally called three times during the marathon session, a senior U.S. official said, with his son-in-law Jared Kushner and envoy Steve Witkoff shuttling between Israeli and Qatari negotiators
NO CERTAINTY FOR LATER PHASES
While it may pave the way to ending the war, which began with Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, there is no certainty that later phases envisaged in Trump’s 20-point Gaza plan will materialize.
But Trump’s handling of both the Qatar strikes and the ceasefire that ended Israel’s 12-day war with Iran in June gave the Hamas negotiators confidence that the U.S. president would not just let Israel resume fighting as soon as the hostages are released, the two Palestinian officials and another source briefed on talks said.
They were among five Palestinian officials including three from Hamas, as well as two senior U.S. officials and five other sources briefed on the talks who spoke to Reuters for this story.
Trump’s aides saw an opportunity to turn his anger at Netanyahu over the Qatar strike into pressure on the Israeli leader to accept a framework for ending the Gaza war, according to a source in Washington familiar with the matter.
Trump, who has cultivated ties with Gulf states important to a range of his wider diplomatic and economic policies, considers the Qatari emir a friend and did not like to see images of the strikes on television, a senior White House official said, calling the strike a significant turning point that coalesced the Arab world.
Trump’s public promise that no such Israeli attacks against Qatar would happen again lent him credibility in the eyes of Hamas and other regional actors, said a Palestinian official in Gaza briefed on the talks and mediation efforts.
“The fact that he gave Qatar a security guarantee that Israel would not attack them again, has increased Hamas’s confidence that a ceasefire will remain in place,” said Jonathan Reinhold of the Political Studies Department at Bar-Ilan University in Israel.
Hamas also took note of Trump’s public order for Iran and Israel to halt hostilities, said the Palestinian official in Gaza, singling-out Trump’s demand on his Truth Social platform that Israeli planes “turn around and head home” from a planned bombing raid on Iran hours after he had announced a ceasefire in their 12-day war in June.
“Though theatrical, he does what he says,” the official said, saying it showed Trump was willing to make Israel abide by a ceasefire.
A drone photo of people gathering in “Hostages square”, after a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza went into effect, in Tel Aviv, Israel, October 11, 2025. REUTERS/Aviv Atlas TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY Purchase Licensing Rights
TALKS WERE STUCK ON TUESDAY
Trump announced his overall plan on September 29, during Netanyahu’s White House visit, and Hamas gave its conditional agreement four days later, which the U.S. president took as a green light.
As recently as Tuesday, talks on how to implement the plan looked stuck around issues including how quickly and how far Israeli troops would withdraw in Gaza to allow Hamas to gather and release the hostages, an official familiar with the talks told Reuters. Mediators from Qatar, Egypt and Turkey were unable to get things moving, the source said.
To break the deadlock, Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani on Tuesday decided he had to travel to Sharm el-Sheikh, the source said, while Witkoff and Kushner flew in on Wednesday morning, and the talks kicked off around noon.
The presence of NATO power Turkey’s intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin was also important because of Ankara’s strong ties to Hamas and President Tayyip Erdogan’s recent meeting with Trump, after which he said Trump had requested he help convince Hamas to accept the plan.
For two years Hamas has insisted it will only release the hostages in return for a full Israeli withdrawal and final end of the conflict. Israel has said it will only stop fighting when all hostages are returned and Hamas is destroyed.
Neither has totally got its way. Israel will remain in around half of Gaza for the foreseeable future, while Hamas survives as an organisation and a demand in Trump’s plan that it give up its weapons has been left for a later date. That dynamic in itself, with both sides needing further results, may help drive forward future talks, one of the sources briefed on the talks said.
An important development during the talks was the mediators’ success in convincing Hamas that its continued holding of hostages had become a liability for it rather than leverage, the senior U.S. official and the Palestinian official in Gaza said.
Hamas came to a view that continuing to hold hostages undermined global support for Palestinians, and that without them, Israel would have no credibility to restart fighting, the Palestinian official said.
However, the group received no formal written guarantees backed by specific enforcement mechanisms that the first phase involving the hostage release, a partial Israeli pull-back and a halt to fighting, will progress to an envisaged wider deal that ends the war, two of the Hamas officials told Reuters.
Instead, it has accepted verbal assurances from the United States and mediators – Egypt, Qatar and Turkey – that Trump will see the deal through and not allow Israel to resume its military campaign once the hostages are freed, the Hamas sources and two other officials briefed on talks said.
“As far as we are concerned this agreement ends the war,” one of the Hamas official said.
THE GAMBLE COULD BACKFIRE
Hamas leaders are well aware their gamble could backfire, the Hamas official said.
Despite an agreement then for a phased hostage release to accompany Israeli withdrawals after the January ceasefire, Trump announced part way through the process that Hamas should free all its captives in one go or he would cancel the deal and “let hell break out”.
The deal broke down weeks later and the continued war resulted in more than 16,000 more Palestinian deaths according to Gaza health authorities, and an Israeli embargo on aid that led to the global hunger watchdog determining there was famine in the enclave.
Israel might be tempted to keep opportunistically striking Hamas, one regional diplomat said, especially if the militant group or its allies launch attacks such as rocket fire into Israeli territory.
A group of counter-protesters walk towards a group celebrating Confederate Memorial Day at Stone Mountain Park in Stone Mountain, Georgia, U.S. April 30, 2022. REUTERS/Dustin Chambers/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
The heroic images of three Confederate leaders carved into the granite face of Georgia’s Stone Mountain have towered over the countryside outside Atlanta since the 1970s, paying silent homage to the Southern cause in the U.S. Civil War.
Its supporters say the monument – often compared with Mount Rushmore – honors those who fought and died for the Confederacy in the 1861-65 war between the states. But detractors have long viewed it as a defiant symbol of white supremacy. They say its messaging needs to be openly acknowledged and put into historical context in the interest of racial justice.
To accomplish that, the Republican-controlled state government authorized $14 million to redesign the museum at the base of the mountain. The aim is to present a more balanced view of what the gigantic bas-relief carving represents.
“The past is ugly,” said Reverend Abraham Mosley, the first Black chairman of Stone Mountain Park’s governing board, referring to the links between the Confederacy, slavery and the South’s legacy of racism, which the museum currently obscures.
But the project is now facing a lawsuit that could stop it cold just months before it is due to open. The Sons of Confederate Veterans, a group that says it is committed to the “vindication” for the Southern cause, argues that state law stipulates that Stone Mountain must stand as a “tribute to the bravery and heroism” of those who suffered and died for the Confederacy. The redesign, the SCV says, would dishonor that memory and violate the law.
Featuring images of Confederate President Jefferson Davis, General Robert E. Lee and General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, all on horseback, the monument implicitly portrays the Southern “lost cause” as noble and just. The museum currently presents the war as the South’s struggle to protect the rights of the states against encroachment on the federal government.
The redesign, approved in the wake of the 2020 killing of George Floyd by a white police officer, runs counter to President Donald Trump’s efforts to purge schools and museums – including the Smithsonian Institution – of content that highlights the role played by racism in shaping U.S. history and culture.
A spokesperson from the White House deferred questions about Stone Mountain to authorities in Georgia.
While there are no plans to alter the monument itself, the new exhibits would highlight the issue of slavery as driving the dispute between the industrial North and the agrarian South that led to the formation of the Confederacy and the Civil War.
Some displays would explore the links between Stone Mountain, once the site of the Ku Klux Klan cross-burnings, and the struggle for Civil Rights, which was at its height when the carving was commissioned.
“It’s a challenge to reinterpret Stone Mountain, and I salute the idea, but the devil will be in the details,” said W. Fitzhugh Brundage, a historian and professor who focuses on race and the American South at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
The SCV’s lawsuit is still in its early stages. Martin O’Toole, spokesperson for its Georgia division, said the park’s governing board was pandering to “woke ideology.”
“They can take it all down to Atlanta, if they want,” O’Toole said, referring to the new exhibits. “But it doesn’t belong there.”
A PREGNANT woman is among six people dead after two mass shootings in Mississippi.
Another 12 people were injured as gunfire broke out around midnight on Saturday as the streets were filled with people for Leland High School’s football homecoming celebrations.
The shooting happened on a main street around midnight on SaturdayCredit: Facebook
Crowds had gathered in Mississippi Delta area after Leland High School’s homecoming game against Charleston High School.
Two separate gunmen are believed to have opened fire in Heidelberg and Leland.
Mississippi Senator Derrick Simmons confirmed six people were killed and at least a dozen had been injured.
All of the victims are believed to be adults with them all rushed to nearby hospitals.
Mississippi governor Tate Reeves said on social media: “Initial investigations indicate that at Heidelberg High School, two people were killed, including an expectant mother.
“A suspect has been identified, and was taken into custody by law enforcement officials.
“In Leland, multiple people were killed and injured during a shooting on one of the town’s main streets.
“Law enforcement officials are working to identify those responsible.”
Mayor Lee told CBS News that the shooting happened around midnight.
“We’re making every effort to find out who did the shooting,” Mr Lee said.
“We’re just in prayer right now for our whole city because this is not something we represent here in the city of Leland.”
When speaking to Fox News Digital, he added that “this is not something that’s ever happened here before.”
“It was homecoming weekend, of course, and everybody’s family and friends and neighbors [were] together having fun in the downtown area, as we do every year,” he added.
So far no suspect has been identified and no one has been detained in relation to the shooting.
The investigation is ongoing and is being led by the Mississippi bureau of investigation.
The identities of the victims have not been released.
Leland, 120 miles (190km) north-east of the state capital Jackson, is a small city in Washington County with a population of 4,000 people.
Residents under the age of 21 had been placed under a 9pm curfew by cops in May in an attempt to crackdown on violence.
Those older than 21 had a 12am curfew.
One woman caught up in the homecoming incident shared on Facebook how she locked herself into the trunk of a stranger’s truck to stay safe.
“I’m still shaken,” she said in a video after the shooting.
“I just kept recording in case it was going to be my last, I was calling all my people saying ‘look I am in somebody’s trunk. I know my body is going to be hurting tomorrow.”
Superintendent Jessie King told The New York Post how there was no indication of any violence breaking out after the game.
The US plans to impose an additional 100% tariff on all Chinese goods starting 1 November
China Blasts US “Double Standards” Amid Tariff Surge (File Photo/Reuters)
China has accused the United States of “double standards” following President Donald Trump’s announcement of new tariffs on Chinese imports. The US plans to impose an additional 100% tariff on all Chinese goods starting 1 November, pushing the total US tariff on Chinese products to roughly 130%, the highest in decades. Beijing criticised the move as unfair and warned it could seriously disrupt global trade.
China’s Ministry of Commerce criticised the US over its tariff threat, saying, “Willful threats of high tariffs are not the right way to get along with China.” A spokesperson added, “Our position on the trade war is consistent. We do not want it, but we are not afraid of it.” The comments came after the US announced a 100% tariff on Chinese goods and export controls on critical software.
US-China trade war
US President Donald Trump has accused Beijing of “extraordinarily aggressive” and “hostile” trade actions after China announced restrictions on exports of nearly all its products, particularly rare earth elements, to foreign entities. In response, the US has imposed new export controls on critical software. The announcement triggered market volatility, with economists warning of potential disruptions to global supply chains and rising prices for electronics, clean energy products, and other goods.
The new US tariffs will have a severe impact on supply chains worldwide, affecting markets across the US, Asia, and Europe. Companies reliant on Chinese inputs may face production delays and higher costs, while consumers could see increased prices on everyday products.
Former US President Joe Biden has started radiation therapy to treat an aggressive form of prostate cancer that has spread to his bones.
Joe Biden turns 83 next monthImage: Kevin Lamarque/REUTERS
Former US President Joe Biden is undergoing radiation therapy for an aggressive form of prostate cancer diagnosed in May.
“As part of a treatment plan for prostate cancer, President Biden is currently undergoing radiation therapy and hormone treatment,” his spokesperson said on Saturday.
Biden, who turns 83 next month, underwent a procedure known as Mohs surgery in September to remove cancerous cells from his skin.
Following that procedure, his physician wrote in a memo that “all cancerous tissue was successfully removed” and that no further treatment was required.
Biden’s prostate cancer diagnosis revealed this May
The Democratic former president revealed in May that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer that had metastasized to the bone.
Biden’s office said in a statement at that time that his cancer appeared to be “hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management.”
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were crowned “Humanitarians of the Year” Thursday evening — promoting family values while desperately trying to forge a path of reconciliation with their own clan.
The couple were honored in New York City at a gala for Project Healthy Minds, a non-profit dedicated to expanding access to mental health services throughout the US.
Despite having barely been seen together in public this year, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex wore coordinating Armani suits and clasped hands on the red carpet.
‘Humanitarians of the Year’ Prince Harry and Meghan Markle ready to strategize a peace deal with royals: source REUTERS
Insiders told Page Six that, behind the scenes, Markle — who has never shied away from going into detail about how her husband’s relatives allegedly mistreated her — has actually been supporting Harry’s recent bid to reconcile with his family, especially his father.
“They need the [royal] family,” said a source, adding, “Meghan is aware of that.”
The couple is well aware of the cachet their royal ties afford them: Their stationery and that of their children has “HRH” emblazoned on it.
“Meghan knows that Harry won’t be returning to royal duties, but on a human, personal level, [she wants for him to be] able to get on good terms with his father,” added the source.
Harry, 41, has made it clear he’s keen to make amends with King Charles, 76, who is fighting a cancer battle. Sources tell us tentative talks are happening around his wife and children — Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4 — to travel to the UK at some point in the near future.
Security remains a sticking point, as Harry lost a court appeal against the UK government in May, after being denied taxpayer-funded protection in his homeland — a move he called “unjustified and inferior treatment,” but was a result of him having stepped down as a working royal.
And it was reported by the Telegraph this week that a “known stalker” came within feet of Harry twice last month when he was in London to attend events including the WellChild Awards. The paper revealed that the woman, who allegedly previously followed him to Nigeria, was “body-blocked” by his security team who recognized her.
But one insider made it clear that Markle is not holding Harry back from his family and that she encouraged him to see the king while he was in London.
The insider added that the couple both very much want Charles to spend time with his grandchildren, and that Harry is believed to have given his father a photo of Archie and Lilibet during their private tea together at Clarence House.
Harry is said to have been relieved to find his father doing well after not having seen him in person for 19 months — wearing a big smile afterward as he told reporters Charles was “great.” And the wayward prince has seemed lighter and happier since, sources said.
He was seen beaming at Thursday’s gala as well as Friday at a Manhattan forum for Project Healthy Minds in honor of World Mental Health Day.
“Harry is just at his happiest when he is at events like this,” said one guest who has worked with Harry for years, “This is basically just what he sees as his life’s work.”
And while insiders praised Markle — who will be in Washington, DC, Tuesday for Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Summit — for helping her husband find a path back to his father, she’s still stirring up trouble.
Critics, including royal watcher Richard Fitzwilliams, blasted her as “insensitive beyond belief” for posting a social media video of her feet propped up in a car driving near Paris’ Pont de l’Alma tunnel — where Harry’s mother, Princess Diana, died in a car crash in August 1997.
She was in town for Paris Fashion Week, supporting designer Pierpaolo Piccioli’s Balenciaga debut and air-kissing with Anna Wintour.
Markle has also been busy promoting the second season of her Netflix show, “With Love, Meghan” — which failed to make the streamer’s Top 10 shows — and working on a corresponding holiday special.
Apple TV+, meanwhile, scored a royal coup this week when Harry’s brother, Prince William, appeared on Eugene Levy’s series “The Reluctant Traveler.”
The 43-year-old spoke to the “Schitt’s Creek” actor about the media frenzy that surrounded his childhood and how he hoped to protect his own children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis from it.
But he included an unexpected name drop.
‘”I hope we don’t go back to some of the practices in the past that Harry and I had to grow up in,” William said, publicly speaking his brother’s name for the first time in years.
The siblings have not seen each other nor, reportedly, spoken since the publication of Harry’s shocking tell-all memoir, “Spare,” in which he claimed that William physically attacked him during an argument over Markle — in which the future king is said to have called her “rude” and “abrasive.”
William “grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and … knocked me to the floor,” Harry wrote.
And even if Harry does bring his young family back to the UK to visit the king, sources said peace between the brothers is still not in the cards.
But they also believe William — who was seen crying this week during an on-camera chat with a woman whose husband committed suicide days after the loss of their child — feels things more deeply than he’s sometimes given credit for.
They take care to point out it’s not just Harry who has Princess Diana’s empathetic nature.
“We see that William is more like his mother than the royal family — the previous generation was stoic,” said Hugo Vickers, royal author and friend of the family. “The only tears the Queen [Elizabeth] ever showed was when the Royal Britannia, the royal yacht, was decommissioned. She certainly didn’t express emotion when Diana or [her own mother] died.”
Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau were recently spotted making out on the singer’s lavish yacht, confirming their romantic involvement.
In photos published by the Daily Mail on Saturday, the “Firework” singer,40, rocked a black one-piece swimsuit on the deck of the Caravelle while enjoying a passionate kiss with a shirtless Trudeau, who wore only a pair of jeans for the yacht day.
Another snapshot showed the former Canadian Prime Minister, 53, cradling the hitmaker’s rear end as they embraced on the yacht’s upper deck.
In yet another photo, Perry, 40, wrapped her arms around Trudeau’s neck as he seemingly nuzzled her cheek.
The steamy photos were reportedly taken off the coast of Santa Barbara, Calif. in late September by a tourist on a passing boat.
“She pulled up her boat next to a small public whale-watching boat, then they started making out,” a witness to the encounter told the Daily Mail.
In the pics, the former Canadian prime minister kissed Perry and grabbed her rear end. Anadolu via Getty Images
“I didn’t realise who she was with until I saw the tattoo on the guy’s arm and I immediately realized it was Justin Trudeau.”
Reps for Trudeau and Perry did not immediately return Page Six’s requests for comment.
The “I Kissed a Girl” songstress and politician first sparked romance rumors in July, when the pair was spotted on an intimate dinner date in Montreal.
They were also seen enjoying a stroll at Mount Royal Park before images of Trudeau emerged at Perry’s sold-out “Lifetimes” tour in Canada.
In August, a source told the Daily Mail that the romance had already encountered a setback, following the frenzied romance speculation and the media attention surrounding their dinner date.
“She’s busy, he’s busy,” an insider told the outlet. “They have a lot going on, and the newness has worn off.” The source also shared that the pair had texted “nonstop” throughout July.
Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi visited Darul Uloom Deoband in Saharanpur, signalling hopes for stronger India-Afghanistan relations.
Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi’s visit to Darul Uloom Deoband. (Photo: X/@ArshadMadani007)
Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on Saturday expressed confidence that the India-Afghanistan ties will grow stronger in future as he visited Darul Uloom Deoband in Saharanpur, one of the most influential Islamic seminaries in South Asia.
A raging controversy over the absence of women journalists from his presser in New Delhi a day earlier, which sparked sharp criticism from opposition parties and media bodies, followed the Afghan minister for the second day, but the seminary maintained that there were no restrictions from any side on women journalists covering its events on Saturday.
“I am thankful for such a grand welcome and the affection shown by the people here. I hope that India-Afghanistan ties advance further,” the Afghan leader told reporters as he was greeted by Mohtamim (vice-chancellor) of Darul Uloom Deoband Abul Qasim Nomani, president of Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind Maulana Arshad Madani and officials of the seminary, amid a floral shower.
Hundreds of students of the Islamic seminary and a large number of locals who had gathered at the Deoband campus jostled to shake hands with the visiting foreign dignitary, but were stopped by security personnel.
“We will be sending new diplomats, and I hope you people will visit Kabul as well. I have hopes for stronger ties in the future from the way I was received in Delhi. These visits may be frequent in the near future,” Muttaqi said.
Later, a public event organised by Deoband was cancelled due to “overcrowding” and “security reasons”.
Prior to his arrival from Delhi by road, intelligence and security agencies made extensive arrangements at Deoband. Officials from the Afghan embassy in Delhi arrived here on Friday for the high-level visit and met officials at Darul Uloom to review all arrangements.
Muttaqi, who landed in New Delhi on Thursday on a six-day trip, is the first senior Taliban minister to visit India after the group seized power four years back. India has not yet recognised the Taliban set up.
Opposition parties on Saturday termed the absence of female journalists from the press conference of Afghan Foreign Minister “unacceptable” and an “insult to women”, and said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “silence” in the face of such discrimination exposes the “emptiness” of his slogans on ‘Nari Shakti’.
Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were among those who criticised it.
In a post on X, Congress general secretary in charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh, said, “(Tali)ban on female journalists in India. Shocking and unacceptable that the Govt of India agreed to it — and that too in New Delhi on the eve of the International Day of the Girl Child.”
The Editors Guild of India and the Indian Women Press Corps (IWPC) termed the act as highly discriminatory and said it cannot be justified on grounds of diplomatic privilege under the Vienna Convention.
Amid the row, the Darul Uloom Deoband asserted that there were no directives to keep women journalists away from covering the visit of the Afghan minister to the seminary.
“There were no restrictions from the Afghan foreign minister’s office about who would attend,” Deoband PRO Ashraf Usmani, also the media in-charge of Muttaqi’s programme, told PTI, and dismissed as “baseless” claims that women journalists were kept away.
The Islamic seminary’s clarification came regarding a public event of the Afghanistan minister that was scheduled to be held during his visit to the Darul Uloom Deoband in Saharanpur on Saturday but was called off at the last moment due to “overcrowding” and “security reasons”.
“There were no directives from anywhere on the attendance of women journalists. But the programme got called off at the last moment,” Usmani told PTI.
“Though the programme was called off due to overcrowding, the presence of a couple of women journalists for the Afghanistan minister’s event was enough to rebut reports of women journalists being made to keep away from the event,” he said, even naming news channels those journalists represented.
More people turned up for the event than were expected. So the Afghanistan minister’s speech didn’t happen as local administration cited security concerns as a reason for cancelling the public event, Usmani said.
“Various things were doing the rounds, from women journalists not being allowed to them being made to sit separately. All of this was baseless,” said Usmani, who is a Nazim (equivalent to departmental head) in Darul Uloom Deoband.
The president of Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind, Maulana Arshad Madani, told reporters that Jamiat’s relationship with Afghanistan is very old, and thousands of people from there had come here to study and later went back.
Asked about Friday’s press conference of the Afghan foreign minister, Madani told reporters, “It was a coincidence that yesterday’s press conference was attended only by men. The Afghan foreign minister had not said no to women coming to the press conference. It was wrong and propaganda.”
On the Afghan leader’s engagements at the Deoband, Usmani said: “Amir Khan Muttaqi participated in a scholarly session inside the seminary’s central library, where he symbolically read a lesson of Hadees (Prophetic tradition) under Maulana Nomani.”
Taliban forces seized multiple Pakistani outposts along the Durand Line, killing 12 soldiers, in retaliatory cross-border clashes after a Pakistani airstrike in Kabul this week.
Clashes erupt between Pakistan Army and Afghan forces along the border. (Representative Photo)
In a sharp escalation of border tensions, firefights broke out along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border late on Saturday, with Taliban-led Afghan forces seizing multiple Pakistani Army outposts along the Durand Line, including in the volatile Kunar and Helmand provinces, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defense said.
“Taliban forces have captured several outposts from the Pakistani Army across the Durand Line in Kunar and Helmand provinces,” an Afghan Defense official said in a statement.
Sources told TOLOnews that at least 12 Pakistani soldiers were killed, and several others injured in the ongoing border clashes. Intense fighting has been reported in Bahramcha district’s Shakij, Bibi Jani, and Salehan areas, as well as across Paktia’s Aryub Zazi district.
Pakistani security officials said their forces were responding “with full force” to what they described as unprovoked firing from Afghanistan.
Enayatullah Khowarazmi, spokesperson for Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defense, described the operation as a retaliatory measure in response to Pakistan’s violation of Afghan airspace. He said the clashes had concluded by midnight local time.
“If the opposing side again violates Afghanistan’s airspace, our armed forces are prepared to defend their airspace and will deliver a strong response,” Khowarazmi added.
Meanwhile, Qatar expressed concern over the escalating border tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, calling on both sides to exercise restraint and resolve their differences through dialogue.
The public security bureau in the Chinese city of Xiamen said the 18 people were core members of Taiwan military’s “psychological warfare unit”, and published their pictures, names and Taiwan identity card numbers.
Chinese and Taiwanese printed flags are seen in this illustration taken on Apr 28, 2022. (Illustration: Reuters/Dado Ruvic)
Chinese police on Saturday (Oct 11) offered rewards of US$1,400 for information about 18 people it said were Taiwanese military psychological operations officers spreading “separatist” messages, a day after Taiwan pledged to boost its defences.
China views democratically-governed Taiwan as its own territory, over the strong objections of the government in Taipei, and has increased its military and political pressure against the island.
The public security bureau in the Chinese city of Xiamen, which sits opposite Taiwan on the other side of the Taiwan Strait, said the 18 were core members of Taiwan military’s “psychological warfare unit”, and published their pictures, names and Taiwan identity card numbers.
The unit handles tasks such as disinformation, intelligence gathering, psychological warfare and the broadcast of propaganda, the security bureau said in a statement.
“For a long time they plotted to incite separatist activities,” the bureau said, adding there would be rewards of up to 10,000 yuan (US$1,400) for tips leading to their arrest.
They launched websites for smear campaigns, created seditious games to incite secession, produced fake video content to mislead people, operated illegal radios for “infiltration”, and manipulated public opinion with resources from “external forces”, the state Xinhua news agency said in a separate report.
Taiwan’s defence ministry said the accusations reflected the “despotic and pig-headed thinking of an authoritarian regime … trying to divide our people, belittle our government, and conduct cognitive warfare”.
China has repeatedly issued such reports that “exploit the free flow of information in our democratic society to piece together and fabricate personal data,” the ministry said.
“Defending national security and protecting the safety and well-being of the people is the unshirkable duty of every military officer and soldier,” it said.
The wanted notice is largely symbolic given that Taiwanese intelligence officers do not openly visit the country and China’s legal system has no jurisdiction on the island.
White House envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner thanked Donald Trump for brokering a ceasefire deal for Gaza during a speech on Hostages’ Square in Tel Aviv. DW has more.
Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump were greated with applause and chants of “Thank you Trump” in Tel AvivImage: Jack Guez/AFP/Getty Images
Qatar says 3 government employees killed in car crash in Egypt
Qatar’s embassy in Egypt has confirmed the deaths of three government employees in a car crash near the city of Sharm el-Sheikh in a post on X.
The confirmation follows earlier reports by the Reuters and the Associated Press news agencies, that three Qatari diplomats had been killed near the resort city.
Two other employees were said to have been wounded in the incident, which has also been reported by local news outlets.
Health officials told AP the diplomats were members of the Qatari protocol teams travelling to Sharm el-Sheikh ahead of the Monday high-level summit on Gaza.
The resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh is due to host a global summit aimed at ending the war in Gaza that will be attended by more than 20 world leaders.
Aid deliveries to Gaza expected to be scaled up on Sunday
As the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas enters its second day, displaced Palestinians return to Gaza City — only to find widespread devastation. Aid remains scarce, with chaotic scenes in Khan Younis and growing frustration over unequal distribution.
The UN says over 1,300 trucks are ready to deliver supplies if crossings open. Amid the destruction, Hamas deploys forces to restore order, while some Gazans cling to hope and national pride.
Washington announced an additional 100 per cent tariff on China’s US-bound exports, in retaliation for Beijing’s expanded curbs on rare-earth minerals.
The American and Chinese flags are photographed on the negotiating table, during a bilateral meeting between the United States and China, in Geneva, Switzerland on May 10, 2025. (File photo: Reuters/Handout/Keystone/EDA/Martial Trezzini)
BEIJING: China accused the United States of “double standards” on Sunday (Oct 12), after President Donald Trump announced an additional 100 percent tariff on the world’s second-largest economy.
“The relevant US statement is a typical example of ‘double standards’,” an unnamed Ministry of Commerce spokesperson said in a statement published online.
Trump said on Friday that he would impose the extra levies, due to take effect on Nov 1, in response to what he called “extraordinarily aggressive” new Chinese export curbs on rare-earth minerals.
He also called into question the prospects for a previously announced meeting set for three weeks from now with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea, saying on Truth Social that “now there seems to be no reason to do so”.
“I haven’t cancelled,” Trump later told reporters at the White House. Beijing has never confirmed the meeting.
Sixteen people missing after a major explosion at a Tennessee munitions factory on Friday are presumed to be dead, according to the sheriff.
Recovery teams had been clinging to hope of finding any of the missing alive, as of Saturday evening “it’s safe” to assume they are deceased, said Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis.
Authorities had originally feared that 18 people had died, but two people believed present during the blast were actually not at the site and have been located, according to Davis.
It’s still unclear what caused the explosion at the explosives plant in Bucksnort, Tennessee – roughly 56 miles (90km) south-west of Nashville.
Video footage taken on Friday showed fires still burning, charred vehicles, and smoke rising from the razed building at the facility, which specialises in the development and manufacture of explosives. Officials said debris was scattered for half a mile around where the building once stood.
Accurate Energetic Systems (AES), which runs the plant, has suspended its operations.
More than 300 state and local first responders have been searching the site since Friday morning, Sheriff Davis said on Saturday.
“The expectation of anyone who’s inside of that building… we can assume that they are deceased,” he told media.
“As we get into this, we find it even more devastating than we thought initially,” he told a news conference.
By Saturday morning, the rescue mission had shifted to a recovery operation, said a visibly choked-up Davis.
The FBI is also at the scene conducting rapid DNA tests to identify victims and notify families.
“We’re trying to focus as much attention as we can, on taking care of their families,” Sheriff Jason Craft, from neighbouring Hickman County, told the BBC.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms is at the scene helping to investigate the incident.
There was a previous fatal explosion at a unit in the same location in 2014.
Ann Myers was woken from her sleep by the explosion on Friday morning and feared for the safety of her four children. She wondered if it was a tornado or a road accident.
The camper home they live in shook and the electricity went out briefly.
“It was the weirdest thing ever,” she said. “So then I’m like, are we in a tornado? Is there, you know, a bomb somewhere?
“But then I thought maybe a tractor trailer, you know, hit somewhere off the interstate. So it’s definitely very frightening.”
Justin Stover, whose property borders the sprawling AES plant, told the BBC his house shook violently following the explosion.
At first, he thought it was a plane crash and he feared his house would collapse.
“Things fell off the wall, items fell off shelves,” Mr Stover said. “It was very intimidating, like the loudest thunder you’ve ever heard in your life and rumble.”
Then he saw “a large cloud of smoke coming from the area of AES”, Stover added.
He is still assessing damage to his house and said the explosion may have affected his water well.
Stover, who has lived in Bucksnort for 20 years, said AES had about 80 workers.
“It’s one of the only businesses in this area,” he said. “So it’s one of the only places for employment, for locals.
“There’s a lot of people that we know that work there and that possibly lost their lives yesterday morning.”
The tragedy will be devastating for the whole community, he said, as it has already been for families of the victims.
The autumn hiking season is increasingly seeing extreme weather
Clear skies, calm winds and a panoramic view of Himalayan peaks draped in snow – that is the autumn hikers on Mount Everest have come to love.
But that seems to be changing.
The monsoon now stretches into autumn, the traditional season for mountain tourism, meteorologists say, making weather more unpredictable.
For the past decade, they have recorded at least one episode of extreme rainfall almost every year during the tail end of this longer monsoon – and in the mountains it is becoming quite dangerous.
Last weekend, a shock blizzard stranded hundreds of tourists near the eastern face of Everest for days in freezing temperatures at an altitude of more than 4,900m (16,000ft).
Nearly 600 trekkers were guided to safety by the end of Tuesday, Chinese state media said. One person had died from hypothermia and altitude sickness, but the others were reportedly in good condition.
This was on the Tibetan side but something similar had unfolded on the Nepal side, where a South Korean mountaineer died on Mera Peak.
The world found out much later because communication lines were hit by torrential rains and heavy snowfall. Officials estimate that landslides and flash floods in the country have killed around 60 people over the past week.
This is highly unusual for October “when we expect the skies to remain clear,” said Riten Jangbu Sherpa, a mountain guide, adding that trekkers have been increasingly caught in unexpected extreme weather in recent years.
Given this is the favoured season, frequent storms like this have “hampered our trekking and mountaineering business,” he added.
The monsoon season in northern India and Nepal usually lasts from June to mid- September, but not anymore.
“Our data shows that most of the years in the past decade have had monsoons lasting until the second week of October, which is definitely a change,” said Archana Shrestha, deputy director general at Nepal’s department of hydrology and meteorology.
More worrying is the heavy rain and snow the tail end of the season brings, like it did this time on 4 and 5 October – Ms Shreshtha described the pattern as “damaging precipitation in a short span of time”.
High in the Himalayas, such extreme weather means blizzards and snowstorms, which is a huge risk for trekking, mountaineering and tourism.
That’s what happened last weekend when the weather changed quite suddenly – the winds began howling, temperatures plummeted and visibility dropped drastically.
The road that had comfortably brought the hikers to what should have been a stunning pitstop was now buried in snow and impossible to traverse.
On Cho Oyu, another mountain which stands between China and Nepal, a team of climbers on the 8,201m peak retreated temporarily as snow fell unabated.
“Now they are back after the heavy snowfall ended,” said expedition operator Mingma Sherpa, whose team has six members.
But for hikers trapped near the eastern face of Everest, the return was much dicier. Some told the BBC they battled hypothermia despite being dressed warmly while trudging along deep snow. Others said they didn’t sleep for fear of being buried in the snow, which was falling so heavily that they spent most of their time clearing it.
It could have ended tragically had it not been for a well-coordinated rescue, with yaks and horses deployed to clear the snow.
Still, one trekker, who had hiked up these mountains more than a dozen times, told the BBC he had “never experienced weather like this”.
One big driver is the higher amount of moisture in the air because of how the world has been warming, scientists say.
That has led to torrential rains over a short span of time, often after a prolonged dry spell – unlike in the past when monsoon showers were spread evenly over four months.
“The weather at this time of the year has been changing every year in recent years, we can’t promise our clients anything,” said Passang, a travel agent in the Tibetan capital Lhasa.
“September, October used to be peak season with pleasant weather but these days we see extreme weather all of a sudden and the temperature drops so quickly.”
Emergency services personnel work to extinguish a fire following a Russian attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Dan Bashakov)
Power was restored to over 800,000 residents in Kyiv on Saturday, a day after Russia launched major attacks on the Ukrainian power grid that caused blackouts across much of the country, and European leaders agreed to proceed toward using hundreds of billions of frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine’s war effort.
Ukraine’s largest private energy company, DTEK, said “the main work to restore the power supply” had been completed, but that some localized outages were still affecting the Ukrainian capital following Friday’s “massive” Russian attacks.
Russian drone and missile strikes wounded at least 20 people in Kyiv, damaged residential buildings and triggered blackouts across swaths of Ukraine early Friday.
Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko described the attack as “one of the largest concentrated strikes” against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
Russia’s Defense Ministry on Friday said the strikes had targeted energy facilities supplying Ukraine’s military. It did not give details of those facilities, but said Russian forces used Kinzhal hypersonic missiles and strike drones against them.
Ukraine’s air force said Saturday that its air defenses intercepted or jammed 54 of 78 Russian drones launched against Ukraine overnight, while Russia’s defense ministry said it had shot down 42 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory.
At least two people were killed and five wounded in airstrikes on Kostiantynivka, a city in Ukraine’s Donetsk region Saturday, regional Gov. Vadim Filashkin said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday that he had a “very positive and productive” phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump.
In a post on X, Zelenskyy said he told Trump about Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy system, and that the two discussed opportunities to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense. “There needs to be readiness on the Russian side to engage in real diplomacy — this can be achieved through strength,” Zelenskyy wrote.
Ukraine’s energy sector has been a key battleground since Russia launched its all-out invasion more than three years ago.
Each year, Russia has tried to cripple the Ukrainian power grid before the bitter winter season, apparently hoping to erode public morale. Winter temperatures run from late October through March, with January and February the coldest months.
Zelenskyy said in his nightly address Friday that Russia was taking advantage of the world being “almost entirely focused on the prospect of establishing peace in the Middle East,” and called for strengthening Ukraine’s air defense systems and tighter sanctions on Russia.
“Russian assets must be fully used to strengthen our defense and ensure recovery,” he said in the video, posted to X.
Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said in a joint statement on Friday they were ready to move toward using “in a coordinated way, the value of the immobilized Russian sovereign assets to support Ukraine’s armed forces and thus bring Russia to the negotiation table.”
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has repeatedly said “no one has died” because of his government’s decision to gut its foreign aid program. But in Myanmar, families tell The Associated Press their loved ones have died as a direct result of the aid cuts.
Mohammed Taher clutched the lifeless body of his 2-year-old son and wept. Ever since his family’s food rations stopped arriving at their internment camp in Myanmar in April, the father had watched helplessly as his once-vibrant baby boy weakened, suffering from diarrhea and begging for food.
On May 21, exactly two weeks after Taher’s little boy died, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio sat before Congress and declared: “No one has died” because of his government’s decision to gut its foreign aid program. Rubio also insisted: “No children are dying on my watch.”
That, Taher says, “is a lie.”
“I lost my son because of the funding cuts,” he says. “And it is not only me — many more children in other camps have also died helplessly from hunger, malnutrition and no medical treatment.”
Taher’s grief is echoed in families across conflict-ravaged Myanmar, where the United Nations estimates 40% of the population needs humanitarian assistance and which once counted the U.S. as its largest humanitarian donor. Now, in Asia, it has become the epicenter of the suffering unleashed upon the world’s most vulnerable by President Donald Trump’s dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development.
And like Taher’s son, Mohammed Hashim, it is Myanmar’s children who have borne the brunt of the fallout. A study published in The Lancet journal in June said the U.S. funding cuts could result in more than 14 million deaths, including more than 4.5 million children under age 5, by 2030.
Taher is one of 145,000 people forced to live inside squalid, prison-like camps in the state of Rakhine by the ruling military. Most, like Taher, are members of Myanmar’s persecuted Rohingya minority, which was attacked by the military in 2017 in what the U.S. declared a genocide.
After their food rations evaporated, Taher’s family meals shrank from three a day to one. Taher, his wife and his five children grew so weak, there were days they could not walk.
Little Hashim faded. The clever, caring toddler, who loved playing football and whose cheerful chirps of “Mama” and “Baba” once filled their shelter, could barely move. Anguished by his son’s sobs, Taher tried to find help. But with soldiers banning residents from leaving the camp to find food, and with no money for a doctor, there was nothing Taher could do.
On May 7, Taher and his wife watched their baby take his final breath. Their other children began to scream.
Neighbor Mohammed Foyas, who visited the family after Hashim died and was present for his burial, confirmed the details to The Associated Press.
Asked who is to blame for the loss of his son, Taher is direct: the United States.
“In the camps, we survive only on rations,” he says. “Without rations, we have nothing — no food, no medicine, no chance to live.”
‘The lowest layer of hell’
Throughout Myanmar and in the refugee camps along its borders, the cuts in aid have left children screaming and crying for food. The U.S. says other countries need to step up, but some of those also have slashed humanitarian aid, sometimes claiming they need the funds for defense. And Myanmar’s population has already been weakened by years of war, making people vulnerable.
Health care services have been hobbled, and, in some places, vanished. The sick and the starving have wasted away, and people must forage for hours in the jungle each day to find food. Violence and stealing have surged, and young people are huffing glue to numb their hunger pains.
This story is based on interviews with 21 refugees, five people trapped inside Myanmar’s internment camps, and 40 aid workers, medics and researchers.
Safehouses that sheltered dissidents have shuttered, leaving people at the mercy of Myanmar’s merciless military, which has killed more than 7,300 civilians and imprisoned nearly 30,000 in its torture-rife detention centers since its takeover in 2021.
“For Myanmar, we are in the lowest layer of hell already,” says Victor, who headed an emergency program for the aid group Freedom House that helped hundreds who defied Myanmar’s military regime.
Since the U.S. cuts shut down the program, around 100 civilians have sent Victor frantic messages pleading for help he can no longer give.
“I don’t know what to tell them,” says Victor, who goes by one name.
Though the U.S. only spends around 1% of its budget on foreign aid, Trump declared USAID — once the world’s leading donor of humanitarian assistance — a waste of money and dissolved it.
Kneecapped by aid cutbacks, the U.N.’s World Food Program in April severed assistance to 1 million people across Myanmar. In central Rakhine, the number of families unable to meet basic food needs has jumped to 57% from 33% in December 2024, according to the WFP.
The military has long been accused of blocking aid to parts of Rakhine. The funding cuts have thus made an already critical situation even more dire, says Tun Khin, president of the Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK.
“These U.S. cuts to humanitarian aid are assisting the military in their genocidal policy of starvation against the Rohingya,” says Tun Khin.
U.N. Security Council members on Friday expressed concern about escalating tensions between the United States and Venezuela, with Russia accusing Washington of using a shoot-first “cowboy” principle in attacking alleged drug boats.
Russia’s Ambassador to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia told a meeting of the 15-member U.N. council that Venezuela had every reason to believe the United States was ready to move from threats to action against it.
The United Nations building is pictured ahead of a General Assembly meeting in New York City, New York, U.S., February 23, 2023. REUTERS/Mike Segar Purchase Licensing Rights
Countries including U.S. allies France, Greece and Denmark called for de-escalation and dialogue to resolve tensions, and adherence to international law.
The United States has struck several vessels allegedly carrying drugs off the coast of Venezuela in recent weeks. The U.S. representative to the U.N. meeting, John Kelly, said Washington “will not waver in our action to protect our nation from narco terrorists.”
The strikes – part of what the Trump administration has called a conflict with drug cartels – have alarmed Democratic lawmakers and raised questions as to their legality as Trump expands the scope of presidential power.
Nebenzia said Russia condemned the strikes as gross violations of international law and human rights, adding that “boats that people were on were simply fired upon in the high seas without a trial or investigation.” He said this was done “according to the cowboy principle of ‘shoot first’.”
“And now we’re being asked to retroactively believe that there were criminals on board,” he said.
Venezuela’s ambassador to the U.N., Samuel Moncada, told the U.N. meeting that based on the U.S. military build-up in the region and Washington’s “belligerent action and rhetoric” his country was “facing a situation in which it is rational to anticipate that in the very short term an armed attack is to be perpetrated against Venezuela.”
Panama’s deputy U.N. ambassador, Ricardo Moscoso, said while his country recognized legitimate concerns about drug trafficking, piracy and other illicit activities in regional waters, “we emphasize that beyond military responses, it is possible to confront this scourge through coordinated and sustainable strategies.”
Hamas has called Donald Trump a racist, a “recipe for chaos” and a man with an absurd vision for Gaza.
But one extraordinary phone call last month helped persuade Hamas that the U.S. president might be able to hold Israel to a peace deal even if the group surrendered all the hostages that give it leverage in the war in Gaza, two Palestinian officials said.
Hamas militants stand guard during a handover of deceased hostages, in the southern Gaza Strip, February 2025. REUTERS/Ramadan Abed Purchase Licensing Rights
In the call, widely publicised at the time, Trump put Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the phone after a meeting at the White House in September, to apologise to Qatar’s prime minister for an Israeli strike on a residential complex that housed Hamas’ political leaders in the emirate’s capital Doha.
Trump’s handling of the Qatar bombing, which failed to kill the Hamas officials it targeted, including lead negotiator Khalil al-Hayya, gave the group more faith that he was able to stand up to Netanyahu and that he was serious about ending the war in Gaza, the two officials said.
Now, after signing up to a Trump-brokered ceasefire on Wednesday, the militant group has put further faith in the word of a man who only this year proposed expelling Palestinians from Gaza and rebuilding it as a U.S.-controlled beach resort.
Under the deal, which took effect on Friday, Hamas agreed to give up its hostages without an agreement on full Israeli withdrawal. Two other Palestinian officials, from Hamas, acknowledged that was a risky gamble which relies on the U.S. president being so invested in the deal he will not let it fail.
Hamas leaders are well aware their gamble could backfire, one of the Hamas officials said. They fear that once the hostages are released, Israel could resume its military campaign, as happened after a January ceasefire that Trump’s team had also been closely involved in.
However, gathered for indirect talks with Israel in a conference centre in the Sharm el-Sheikh Red Sea resort, Hamas was reassured enough by the presence of Trump’s closest confidants and regional heavy-weights to sign up to the ceasefire even though it leaves many of the group’s core demands unresolved, including moves towards a Palestinian state
Trump’s eagerness was felt “heavily” in the conference centre, one of the Hamas officials told Reuters. Trump personally called three times during the marathon session, a senior U.S. official said, with his son-in-law Jared Kushner and envoy Steve Witkoff shuttling between Israeli and Qatari negotiators
NO CERTAINTY FOR LATER PHASES
While it may pave the way to ending the war, which began with Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, there is no certainty that later phases envisaged in Trump’s 20-point Gaza plan will materialize.
But Trump’s handling of both the Qatar strikes and the ceasefire that ended Israel’s 12-day war with Iran in June gave the Hamas negotiators confidence that the U.S. president would not just let Israel resume fighting as soon as the hostages are released, the two Palestinian officials and another source briefed on talks said.
They were among five Palestinian officials including three from Hamas, as well as two senior U.S. officials and five other sources briefed on the talks who spoke to Reuters for this story.
Trump’s aides saw an opportunity to turn his anger at Netanyahu over the Qatar strike into pressure on the Israeli leader to accept a framework for ending the Gaza war, according to a source in Washington familiar with the matter.
Trump, who has cultivated ties with Gulf states important to a range of his wider diplomatic and economic policies, considers the Qatari emir a friend and did not like to see images of the strikes on television, a senior White House official said, calling the strike a significant turning point that coalesced the Arab world.
Trump’s public promise that no such Israeli attacks against Qatar would happen again lent him credibility in the eyes of Hamas and other regional actors, said a Palestinian official in Gaza briefed on the talks and mediation efforts.
“The fact that he gave Qatar a security guarantee that Israel would not attack them again, has increased Hamas’s confidence that a ceasefire will remain in place,” said Jonathan Reinhold of the Political Studies Department at Bar-Ilan University in Israel.
Hamas also took note of Trump’s public order for Iran and Israel to halt hostilities, said the Palestinian official in Gaza, singling-out Trump’s demand on his Truth Social platform that Israeli planes “turn around and head home” from a planned bombing raid on Iran hours after he had announced a ceasefire in their 12-day war in June.
“Though theatrical, he does what he says,” the official said, saying it showed Trump was willing to make Israel abide by a ceasefire. TALKS WERE STUCK ON TUESDAY
Trump announced his overall plan on September 29, during Netanyahu’s White House visit, and Hamas gave its conditional agreement four days later, which the U.S. president took as a green light.
As recently as Tuesday, talks on how to implement the plan looked stuck around issues including how quickly and how far Israeli troops would withdraw in Gaza to allow Hamas to gather and release the hostages, an official familiar with the talks told Reuters. Mediators from Qatar, Egypt and Turkey were unable to get things moving, the source said.
To break the deadlock, Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani on Tuesday decided he had to travel to Sharm el-Sheikh, the source said, while Witkoff and Kushner flew in on Wednesday morning, and the talks kicked off around noon.
The presence of NATO power Turkey’s intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin was also important because of Ankara’s strong ties to Hamas and President Tayyip Erdogan’s recent meeting with Trump, after which he said Trump had requested he help convince Hamas to accept the plan.
For two years Hamas has insisted it will only release the hostages in return for a full Israeli withdrawal and final end of the conflict. Israel has said it will only stop fighting when all hostages are returned and Hamas is destroyed.
Neither has totally got its way. Israel will remain in around half of Gaza for the foreseeable future, while Hamas survives as an organisation and a demand in Trump’s plan that it give up its weapons has been left for a later date. That dynamic in itself, with both sides needing further results, may help drive forward future talks, one of the sources briefed on the talks said.
An important development during the talks was the mediators’ success in convincing Hamas that its continued holding of hostages had become a liability for it rather than leverage, the senior U.S. official and the Palestinian official in Gaza said.
Hamas came to a view that continuing to hold hostages undermined global support for Palestinians, and that without them, Israel would have no credibility to restart fighting, the Palestinian official said.
However, the group received no formal written guarantees backed by specific enforcement mechanisms that the first phase involving the hostage release, a partial Israeli pull-back and a halt to fighting, will progress to an envisaged wider deal that ends the war, two of the Hamas officials told Reuters.
Instead, it has accepted verbal assurances from the United States and mediators – Egypt, Qatar and Turkey – that Trump will see the deal through and not allow Israel to resume its military campaign once the hostages are freed, the Hamas sources and two other officials briefed on talks said.
“As far as we are concerned this agreement ends the war,” one of the Hamas official said.
The Pentagon announced on Friday it is establishing a new counter-narcotics joint task force overseeing operations in Latin America, a move aimed to strengthen already intensifying military operations that have raised questions among legal experts.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the task force aimed “to crush the cartels, stop the poison, and keep America safe.”
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaks to senior military leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Quantico, Virginia, U.S., September 30, 2025. Andrew Harnik/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
“The message is clear: if you traffic drugs toward our shores, we will stop you cold,” Hegseth said on X.
STRIKING SUSPECTED DRUG BOATS
So far the missions have focused entirely on striking suspected drug boats in the waters of the Caribbean. The U.S. military has blown up at least four so far, killing 21 people.
The U.S. military’s Southern Command, which oversees U.S. operations in Latin America, said the new task force would be led by II Marine Expeditionary Force, a muscular unit capable of rapid overseas operations which is based at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.
The U.S. military’s Southern Command said the II MEF, as it’s known in military parlance, would “synchronize and augment counter-narcotics efforts across the Western Hemisphere.”
“By forming a (task force) around II MEF headquarters, we enhance our ability to detect, disrupt, and dismantle illicit trafficking networks faster and at greater depth – together with our U.S. and partner-nation counterparts,” Admiral Alvin Holsey, who leads Southern Command, said in a statement.
It was unclear if the creation of the task force granted the U.S. troops in Latin America any additional authorities as President Donald Trump mulls potentially striking suspected drug trafficking sites inside Venezuela.
In a statement, Marine Lieutenant General Calvert Worth, who leads the II MEF and will head the task force, suggested the focus was still operations at sea. “This is principally a maritime effort, and our team will leverage maritime patrols, aerial surveillance, precision interdictions, and intelligence sharing to counter illicit traffic, uphold the rule of law, and ultimately better protect vulnerable communities here at home,” Worth said.
QUESTIONS OVER STRIKES
The attacks have alarmed Democratic lawmakers and raised questions among some legal experts, who see Trump testing the limits of the law as he expands the scope of presidential power.
The administration has not detailed what evidence it has against the vessels or individuals, has not said what type of munitions or platforms were used in the strikes or even what quantity of drugs the vessels were allegedly carrying.
Some former military lawyers say the legal explanations given by the Trump administration for killing suspected drug traffickers at sea instead of apprehending them fail to satisfy requirements under the law of war, which requires several criteria to be met before taking lethal action – including first using non-lethal means like firing warning shots.
Legal experts have also questioned why the U.S. military is carrying out the strikes instead of the Coast Guard, which is the main U.S. maritime law enforcement agency.
Maria Corina Machado was awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela.
Trump said Maria Corina Machado called him and accepted the prize “in honour” of him
US President Donald Trump on Friday reacted to not winning the Nobel Peace Prize this year, claiming that he had extended assistance to the awardee, Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, on multiple occasions.
He said the Venezuelan opposition leader called him and accepted the prize “in honour” of him.
“The person who got the Nobel Prize called me today and said, ‘I am accepting this in honour of you because you really deserved it’… I didn’t say, ‘Give it to me’, though. I think she might have… I’ve been helping her along the way. They needed a lot of help in Venezuela during the disaster. I am happy because I saved millions of lives…” Trump said while speaking to reporters at the White House.
Machado was awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.
Trump, who had expected to receive the prize for his efforts to “end seven wars,” also linked the conflict in Ukraine to his broader peacemaking claims.
“I said, ‘Well, what about the seven others? I should get a Nobel Prize for each one’. So they said, ‘but if you stop Russia and Ukraine, sir, you should be able to get the Nobel’. I said I stopped seven wars. That’s one war, and that’s a big one,” he told the gathering, listing conflicts he said were halted under his leadership, including “Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kosovo and Serbia, Israel and Iran, Egypt and Ethiopia, Rwanda and the Congo.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday also said that Trump deserves the Nobel Peace Prize. In a post on X, he wrote, “Give @realDonaldTrump the Nobel Peace Prize – he deserves it!”
The Norwegian Nobel Committee described Maria Corina Machado as a “brave and committed champion of peace” and stated that the Prize has been awarded to a “woman who keeps the flame of democracy burning amid a growing darkness.”
“Democracy is a precondition for lasting peace. However, we live in a world where democracy is in retreat, where more and more authoritarian regimes are challenging norms and resorting to violence. Machado has spent years working for the freedom of the Venezuelan people,” the Committee said.
“The Venezuelan regime’s rigid hold on power and its repression of the population are not unique in the world. We see the same trends globally: rule of law abused by those in control, free media silenced, critics imprisoned, and societies pushed towards authoritarian rule and militarisation. In 2024, more elections were held than ever before, but fewer and fewer are free and fair,” the Nobel Committee said.
The first lady said Vladimir Putin had signaled a “willingness to engage with me directly” in an unexpected White House announcement.
Melania Trump has revealed she received a letter from Vladimir Putin about the fates of children displaced in the Ukraine war.
Addressing the nation in a surprise announcement on Friday at 11 am ET, the first lady said Putin had signaled a “willingness to engage with me directly” about Ukrainian children now residing in Russia.
Melania Trump revealed she had received a private letter from Vladimir Putin (Image: White House)
The Kremlin leader’s response comes after a letter from Melania was given to him during his Alaska summit with Trump in August, and amid alarming concerns over Donald’s health due to a mysterious visit.
“Since then, President Putin and I have had an open channel of communication regarding the welfare of these children. For the past three months, both sides have participated in several back-channel meetings and calls, all in good faith,” the first lady said.
She went on to add that eight Ukrainian children moved to Russia have been returned to their families in Ukraine.
President Donald Trump on Friday threatened to slap a “massive increase of Tariffs” on Chinese products imported into the United States to “financially counter” new export controls that China imposed on rare earths from that country.
Trump also threatened in a social media post to cancel his upcoming meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping because of the dispute.
Stock markets dropped after Trump’s bellicose Truth Social post about China, in which he said that “there is no way that” country “should be allowed to hold the World ‘captive’” with its rare earths policy.
China controls about 70% of the global supply of rare earths minerals, which are critical for high-tech industries, including automobiles, defense and semiconductors.
“One of the Policies that we are calculating at this moment is a massive increase of Tariffs on Chinese products coming into the United States of America,” Trump wrote. “There are many other countermeasures that are, likewise, under serious consideration. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
China’s Ministry of Commerce on Thursday said that foreign entities must now obtain a license to export products that contain more than 0.1% of rare earths sourced from that country, or that are manufactured using Chinese extraction, refining, magnet-making or recycling technology.
The new rules for rare earths exports are set to take effect Dec. 1.
U.S. and Chinese officials have been working to arrange a summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in the coming months, which will likely take place in Beijing, experts said. Dilara Irem Sancar | Anadolu | Getty Images
“Some very strange things are happening in China!” Trump wrote in his Truth Social post.
“They are becoming very hostile, and sending letters to Countries throughout the World, that they want to impose Export Controls on each and every element of production having to do with Rare Earths, and virtually anything else they can think of, even if it’s not manufactured in China,” Trump wrote.
The president said he had not spoken to Xi about the issue “because there was no reason to do so.”
“This was a real surprise, not only to me, but to all the Leaders of the Free World. I was to meet President Xi in two weeks, at APEC, in South Korea, but now there seems to be no reason to do so,” Trump wrote, referring to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.
Trump claimed that the United States has been contacted by other countries that are “extremely angry at this great Trade hostility, which came out of nowhere.”
“The Real Housewives of Potomac” star Wendy Osefo and her husband, Edward “Eddie” Osefo, have issued a statement on their arrest for alleged fraud.
“Dr. Wendy Osefo and her husband, Edward Osefo, are back home safely with their family and in good spirits,” their rep told Page Six Friday.
“They are grateful for the outpouring of concern and support from friends, fans and colleagues. The Osefos, alongside their legal team, look forward to their day in court. At this time, they respectfully ask for privacy as they focus on their family and the legal process ahead.”
The Carroll County Sheriff’s Office in Westminster, Md., confirmed to Page Six earlier on Friday that the pair was taken into custody Thursday. They were released after each provided a $50,000 bond.
Their rep told Page Six that the couple is “grateful for the outpouring of concern and support.” wendyosefo/Instagram
The Bravo star, 41, is facing accusations of insurance fraud, false statements to a police officer and conspiracy to commit insurance fraud, with 16 charges in all.
Seven of her charges are for felony false/misleading info fraud in excess of $300, while eight are for misdemeanor on-false/mislead info fraud in excess of $300. Per a public information officer for the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, she also faces a misdemeanor charge of making a false statement to an officer.
Her spouse faces 18 charges, nine of which are for felony false/misleading info fraud in excess of $300. Eight of Eddie’s charges are for misdemeanor on-false/mislead info fraud in excess of $300, and he, too, faces a misdemeanor charge of making a false statement to an officer.
Mugshots released on Friday showed both Wendy and Eddie smiling as they were booked.
Behind the charges is a burglary reported by the couple in April 2024, which they alleged happened while they were on a tropical Spring Break vacation in Jamaica with their family. The reality star claimed she’d been robbed of pricey items including jewelry and designer handbags.
“My family and I are devastated and feel violated by this intrusion,” Wendy told TMZ at the time. “We thank God no one was home … so for that we feel very blessed. Material things can always be replaced.”
According to documents obtained by Us Weekly, however, investigators noted problems in the former CNN commentator’s version of events, including the fact that the couple allegedly “activated the ADT alarm system upon leaving for vacation,” but no motion was “detected inside the residence” during their absence.
“There was activity, such as package deliveries, on the ring camera that was monitored remotely by the Osefos,” authorities noted. The docs obtained by the outlet also revealed that Eddie provided a list of the items allegedly stolen to two insurance companies.
“He was asked whether any of the items on the list had been returned, which he denied,” the documents read. “He was asked if he had other insurance but failed to disclose to Homesite and Jewelers that he was also making a claim with Travelers Insurance.”
The couple signed claims of a $450,000 loss in property. Eddie later contacted Travelers to update the claim, suggesting Wendy’s diamond anniversary ring was missing — though in the initial Travelers claim, a lawyer stated the couple wore anniversary bands at the time of the alleged loss.
Sheriff’s deputies later learned that the Bravolebrity had appeared on social media, allegedly wearing the ring in question. Amid growing suspicion, authorities learned the couple was facing “substantial debt.”
Virginia Republican gubernatorial candidate, Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, attends the 54th Annual Buena Vista Labor Day Festival on September 01, 2025 in Buena Vista, Virginia. Win Mcnamee/Getty Images
Winsome Earle-Sears faces strong headwinds in her campaign to be Virginia’s next Republican governor.
She’s been outpaced in fundraising and lags in polling behind her Democratic rival, Rep. Abigail Spanberger. And the support from one voice that could narrow this race is largely absent.
President Donald Trump has yet to endorse Earle-Sears, Virginia’s current lieutenant governor. While slamming Spanberger during an event in Virginia for the U.S. Navy’s 250th anniversary over the weekend, Trump did not mention Earle-Sears, a Marine Corps veteran, at all.
Earle-Sears and Trump’s relationship turned tepid in 2022 after the lieutenant governor suggested it was time for the Republican Party to “move on” past him and declined to support his third White House bid.
“A true leader understands when they have become a liability. A true leader understands that it’s time to step off the stage. And the voters have given us that very clear message,” Earle-Sears said at the time.
Trump then undercut Earle-Sears on Truth Social, writing that he “never felt good” about her, and that she was a “phony.”
ABC News has reached out to The White House, Earle-Sears’ campaign and the Virginia GOP for comment.
Attorney general’s race
And now, as Republicans are at high risk of losing control of Virginia’s governor’s mansion, their chief executive and others in the administration are nowhere to be found on the campaign trail for Earle-Sears.
Yet they’re not completely withdrawn from Virginia politics.
Both Trump and Vice President JD Vance have joined the chorus of Republican voices calling for the resignation of Democratic attorney general candidate and former Virginia delegate Jay Jones after text messages to then-fellow Virginia delegate Carrie Coyner surfaced detailing a hypothetical situation about then-Speaker of the House Todd Gilbert getting “two bullets to the head.”
The National Review reported Jones also wished for Gilbert’s wife to “watch her own child die in her arms so that Gilbert might reconsider his political views.”
Coyner, a Republican, claimed in a note sent to her constituents this week and obtained by ABC that Jones meant to text someone else initially, but was OK with chatting when he realized it was her. She says once she expressed “alarm” about the messages, Jones “continued to try to justify his initial statements by phone and by text.”
Jones has apologized for the messages, telling WRIC that he “sincerely and from the bottom of my heart, want to express my remorse and my regret for what happened and what I said that language has no place in our discourse, and I am so remorseful for what happened.”
In a statement to ABC News, Coyner also alleged that in a separate phone call in 2020 during a conversation about police qualified immunity, Jones suggested that the death of a few officers might result in fewer police-inflicted killings.
With minorities excluded from elections, sectarian violence and change slow to come, a UN envoy has warned of a “Libyan scenario” for Syria. Could the country find itself divided among regional governments?
While the UN warns of Syria’s fragmentation, observers and people in the capital see a united Syria more likely despite domestic calls for autonomyImage: REUTERS
Geir Pedersen, the UN special envoy for Syria, recently told the Financial Times newspaper that Syria is on a “knife-edge” and “risks turning into Libya” should promised changes stall.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa “needs to do what I call a course correction,” Pedersen told the FT. The president needs to convince the population that “this is a new beginning” in the aftermath of the dictatorship of Bashar Assad, he said, “not a new autocratic regime.”
The revolution in Libya, a country about 2,400 kilometers (1,450 miles) from Syria in North Africa, also began during the Arab Spring protests of 2011, but the initial war ended much sooner, with the help of the United States, Britain and France. Libya has now been divided since the NATO-backed revolt toppled and killed dictator Muammar Gadhafi in 2011. Three years later, the country split into two rival administrations that have since controlled the east and west.
There are significant differences between Libya and Syria, Nanar Hawach, senior Syria analyst at the International Crisis Group, told DW. “The Syrian state never completely collapsed,” he said, pointing to December 2024, when a coalition of rebel groups led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) militia — who was headed by now President al-Sharaa — ousted Assad.
“While the country is partitioned into spheres of influence, local and international actors in Syria continue to operate in relation to this single central government,” Hawach said.
None of Syria’s neighbors, such as Turkey, Jordan and Iraq, nor invested powers like the United States and the Gulf countries, want the strategic nightmare of a truly failed state and the chaos it would unleash on their borders, he said.
Yet “the lack of trust and political common ground between al-Sharaa’s government and other Syrian communities is a serious issue for the new government,” Kelly Campa, Middle East deputy team lead at the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War, told DW.
Relations with Kurds
Hours before Pedersen’s warning about Syria’s fragmentation was published, a skirmish between governmental forces and Kurdish fighters in the northern city of Aleppo ended with a ceasefire.
Though the US-brokered deal seems to be holding, the clashes still highlight the increasing tension between Syria’s largest ethnic minority group, with its semiautonomous homeland in the northeast of the country, and the central government in Damascus.
Despite a widely celebrated agreement in March between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces and al-Sharaa’s government, progress the integration of Kurdish institutions into the central government’s structures has stalled. One of the key obstacles remains the integration of the around 60,000 Kurdish forces into the newly founded unified Syrian army.
The about 2.5 million Kurds were excluded from Syria’s first postwar parliamentary vote in October. Damascus cited security concerns and absence of central control, but promised to keep the allocated seats in the Syrian parliament vacant until elections will be held. The same is true for the seats of the other excluded minority, Syria’s Druze population.
Integrating the Kurds, whose homeland encompasses about 30% of Syria, would mean not only increase the amount of territory under government control, but also give the government access to the region’s oil and gas reserves. These are key for the country’s reconstruction which is an urgent matter after 14 years of civil war that also ended in December 2024 with the ouster of Assad. The World Bank estimates that reconstruction costs are between $400 billion and $1 trillion (€940bn).
The weapon was described by state media KCNA as the country’s “strongest nuclear strategic weapon system”.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attends an event marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK), in Pyongyang, North Korea on Oct 9, 2025. (Photo: Sputnik/Yekaterina Shtukina/Pool via Reuters)
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw a large military parade displaying its new intercontinental ballistic missile in front of visiting international dignitaries, state media KCNA said on Saturday (Oct 11).
The parade, which began late on Friday, marked the 80th anniversary of the foundation of its ruling Workers’ Party and followed celebrations on Thursday.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang, a delegation from Russia led by former President Dmitry Medvedev, as well as Vietnam’s Communist Party chief To Lam were among the foreign dignitaries in Pyongyang for the anniversary.
In the military parade, nuclear-armed North Korea displayed its most advanced Hwasong-20 intercontinental ballistic missile, described by KCNA as the country’s “strongest nuclear strategic weapon system”.
The Hwasong series of ICBMs has given North Korea the capacity to target anywhere on the US mainland, but questions remain over the sophistication of its guidance system to reach a target, and the ability of a warhead it carries to withstand atmospheric re-entry.
At the military parade, Kim gave a speech in which he expressed “warm encouragement” for North Korean troops in overseas operations, adding its military’s heroism will not only be seen in the defense of North Korean land but also in “outposts of socialist construction,” KCNA said.
Kim also held talks on Friday with Medvedev, who said the sacrifice of North Korean soldiers fighting for Russia in Kursk proved the trust relations between the two countries.
Kim told Medvedev he hopes to continue strengthening cooperation with Russia and to closely engage in diverse exchanges to achieve common goals, KCNA said.
China already tightly controlled its exports of rare earths, but on Thursday (Oct 9) added five new elements, bringing the total subject to restrictions to 12.
Workers use machinery to dig at a rare earth mine in Ganxian county in central China’s Jiangxi province on Dec 30, 2010. (File photo: Chinatopix via AP)
China has further tightened export restrictions on rare earths ahead of talks between United States President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping at the end of the month.
The country produces over 90 per cent of the world’s processed rare earths and rare earth magnets and has used export restrictions to throttle shipments.
The 17 rare earth elements are vital materials in products ranging from electric vehicles to aircraft engines and military radars.
Here’s what you need to know about the new rules:
What did China announce?
China already tightly controlled its exports of rare earths, but on Thursday (Oct 9) added five new elements, bringing the total subject to restrictions to 12.
It also limited the export of dozens of pieces of equipment and material used to mine and refine rare earths, processes where it is the world leader.
The restrictions force exporters to apply for licences. An earlier round of controls in April caused shortages of rare earth magnets, which led car plants around the world to pause operations.
In a nod to fears of a repeat, China said it would facilitate licence approvals, but intended to reject applications related to defence and would closely scrutinise those related to advanced semiconductors and certain kinds of artificial intelligence.
What does it mean for foreign producers?
Beijing said for the first time that it intends to apply its regime to foreign producers who make certain rare earth products using Chinese material or equipment.
Washington has had similar rules since the 1950s, using them in recent years to stop foreign semiconductor companies from selling chips to China if they are made with US technology.
Rare earth producers anywhere in the world must now get approval from China for sales if they use the country’s rare earth equipment. Rare earth magnet makers must do the same if their goods contain more than trace amounts of Chinese rare earths.
The rules appear designed to entrench China’s dominance over the rare earth supply chain and hamstring efforts to build alternatives.
Do the rules apply to any foreign producer using Chinese rare earths?
No. China is only claiming global jurisdiction over the production of some rare earths and related magnets.
So, a washing machine made in Germany with a Chinese rare earth magnet does not need permission from the Ministry of Commerce to be sold in other European countries.
However, they would apply to a German company making rare earth magnets using Chinese rare earths.
Only four bottles of Asahi Super Dry beer are left on the shelves of Ben Thai, a cosy restaurant in the Tokyo suburb of Sengawacho.
Its owner, Sakaolath Sugizaki, expects to get a few more soon, but she says her supplier is keeping the bulk of its stock for bigger customers.
That’s because Asahi, the maker of Japan’s best-selling beer, was forced to halt production at most of its 30 factories in the country at the end of last month after being hit by a cyber-attack.
While all of its facilities in Japan – including six breweries – have now partially reopened, its computer systems are still down.
That means it has to process orders and shipments manually – using pen, paper and fax machines – resulting in much fewer shipments than before the attack.
Asahi accounts for about 40% of Japan’s beer market, so its problems are having a major impact on bars, restaurants and retailers.
The company has apologised “for any difficulties caused by the recent attack” but has not yet said when it expects its operations to be fully up and running again.
The BBC visited convenience stores and supermarkets in Tokyo and Hokkaido – where workers said they were selling their current stock and hadn’t been able to place new orders for Asahi products, which also include water and food items.
Hisako Arisawa, who runs a liquor store in Tokyo, says she is worried about her customers as she can only get a few bottles of Super Dry at a time and expects the disruption to go on for at least a month.
The problem isn’t just affecting beer, she adds, there are also shortages of Asahi’s soft drinks, such as ginger beer and soda water.
Last week, some of the country’s biggest convenience store chains warned their customers to expect shortages.
FamilyMart said its Famimaru range of bottled teas, which are made by Asahi, were expected to be in short supply or out of stock.
7-Eleven halted shipments in Japan of Asahi products, while Lawsons also said it expected shortages.
Mr Nakano, who didn’t want to share his first name, works for an alcohol wholesaler.
While some shipments from Asahi have resumed, he says he is only getting about 10-20% of the normal amount.
His orders are now handwritten and taken by fax. Asahi notifies him by fax when lorries are ready to leave its factory.
Asahi also owns big brands in Europe – such as Peroni, Grolsch, and the British brewer Fuller’s – but the firm has said those operations have not been affected by the cyber-attack.
Ransomware group Qilin – which has previously hacked other major organisations – has claimed responsibility for the attack on Asahi.
It operates a platform that allows users to carry out cyber-attacks in exchange for a percentage of extortion proceeds.
Asahi has not confirmed the nature of the attack on its operations but has said data suspected to have been leaked in the hack had been found on the internet.
It is the latest in a series of cyber-attacks by other hacking groups that have hit major firms around the world, including carmaker Jaguar Land Rover and retail giant Marks and Spencer.
Travellers were delayed at a number of European airports in September after a ransomware attack disrupted check-in and boarding software.
Back in Japan, a cyber-attack paralysed operations at a container terminal in the city of Nagoya for three days in 2024.
Japan Airlines was also hacked last Christmas, causing delays and cancellations to domestic flights.
Silicon Valley is home to many major tech firms, including Apple’s circular headquarters
At OpenAI’s DevDay this week, OpenAI boss Sam Altman did what American tech bosses rarely do these days: he actually answered questions from reporters.
“I know it’s tempting to write the bubble story,” Mr Altman told me as he sat flanked by his top lieutenants. “In fact, there are many parts of AI that I think are kind of bubbly right now.”
In Silicon Valley, the debate over whether AI companies are overvalued has taken on a new urgency.
Sceptics are privately – and some now publicly – asking whether the rapid rise in the value of AI tech companies may be, at least in part, the result of what they call “financial engineering”.
In other words – there are fears these companies are overvalued.
Mr Altman said he expected investors would make some bad calls and silly start-ups would walk away with crazy money.
But with OpenAI, he told me, “there’s something real happening here”.
Not everyone is convinced.
In recent days, warnings of an AI bubble have come from the Bank of England, the International Monetary Fund, as well as JP Morgan boss Jamie Dimon who told the BBC “the level of uncertainty should be higher in most people’s minds”.
And here, in what is often considered the tech capital of the world, concerns are growing.
At a panel discussion at Silicon Valley’s Computer History Museum this week, early AI entrepreneur Jerry Kaplan told a packed audience he has lived through four bubbles.
He’s especially concerned now given the magnitude of money on the table as compared to the dot-com boom. There’s so much more to lose.
“When [the bubble] breaks, it’s going to be really bad, and not just for people in AI,” he said.
“It’s going to drag down the rest of the economy.”
However, at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, which has minted its fair share of tech entrepreneurs, Prof Anat Admati says while there have been many attempts to model when we’re in the bubble, it can be a futile exercise.
“It is very hard to time a bubble,” Prof Admati told me. “And you can’t say with certainty you were in one until after the bubble has burst.”
But the data is concerning to many.
AI-related enterprises have accounted for 80% of the stunning gains in the American stock market this year – and Gartner estimates global spending on AI will likely reach a whopping $1.5tn (£1.1tn) before 2025 is out.
Tangled web of deals
OpenAI, which brought AI into the consumer mainstream with ChatGPT in 2022, is at the centre of the tangled web of deals drawing scrutiny.
For example – last month, it entered into a $100bn deal with chipmaker Nvidia, which is itself the most valuable publicly traded company in the world.
It expands an existing investment Nvidia already had in Mr Altman’s company – with expectations that OpenAI will build data centres powered with Nvidia’s advanced chips.
Then on Monday, OpenAI announced plans to purchase billions of dollars worth of equipment for developing AI from Nvidia rival AMD, in a deal that could make it one of AMD’s largest shareholders.
Remember this is a private company, albeit one recently valued at a half-trillion dollars.
Then there’s tech giant Microsoft, which is heavily invested, and cloud computing behemoth Oracle has a $300bn deal with OpenAI, too.
OpenAI’s Stargate project in Abilene, Texas, funded with the help of Oracle and Japanese conglomerate SoftBank and announced at the White House during President Donald Trump’s first week in office, grows ever larger every few months.
And as for Nvidia, it has a stake in AI startup CoreWeave – which supplies OpenAI with some of its massive infrastructure needs.
And as these increasingly complex financing arrangements get more and more common, the experts here in Silicon Valley say they may be clouding perceptions on AI demand.
Some people aren’t mincing their words about it either, calling the deals “circular financing” or even “vendor financing” – where a company invests in or lends to its own customers so they can continue making purchases.
“Yes, the investment loans are unprecedented,” Mr Altman told me on Monday.
But, he added, “it’s also unprecedented for companies to be growing revenue this fast.”
OpenAI’s revenue is growing quickly, but it has never turned a profit.
And it is hardly a good sign that the people I’ve spoken to keep bringing up Nortel – the Canadian telecom equipment-maker that borrowed prolifically to help finance deals for their customers (and thereby artificially boost demand for their wares).
For his part, Nvidia’s Jensen Huang defended his deal with OpenAI on CNBC Monday, saying the firm isn’t required to buy his company’s tech with the money he invests.
“They can use it to do anything they like,” Huang said.
“There’s no exclusivities. Our primary goal is just really to support them and help them grow – and grow the ecosystem.”
The Israeli military says it has partially withdrawn troops from parts of Gaza after a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas came into effect on Friday morning.
Israeli forces said they had pulled back to an agreed position within the territory – though troops still occupy half of the Strip.
Footage shows thousands of Palestinians making their way to the north of Gaza, which has been heavily bombarded by Israeli forces in recent months.
The ceasefire came into effect after the Israeli government approved the first phase of US President Donald Trump’s ceasefire and hostage return deal on Thursday. The next phases are still being negotiated.
Hundreds of Palestinians made their way up to the north of the Strip on foot
Under the deal, Hamas has until 12:00 local time (10:00 BST) on Monday to release all Israeli hostages – including 20 who are believed to be alive, and up to 28 hostages’ remains.
Israel should also release about 250 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences in Israeli jails. Israeli army radio said 100 would be released into the West Bank and five to East Jerusalem. More are expected to be deported.
A further 1,700 Palestinians from Gaza who have been detained should also be released.
Under the terms of the deal, aid lorries should also be allowed unrestricted into the Strip to bring desperately needed aid to Gaza’s population – many of whom have been repeatedly displaced during the two-year war.
Some 600 aid lorries are expected to enter Gaza daily from Friday, though details of the rollout remain unclear and it has not yet been confirmed whether any increased aid has reached people since the ceasefire began.
A famine was declared in part of the territory for the first time in August by UN-backed experts, who said more than 500,000 people were facing “catastrophic” conditions characterised by “starvation, destitution and death”.
Israel has repeatedly denied that there is starvation in the territory.
In a separate development, up to 200 US troops already based in the Middle East will be moved to Israel to help monitor the ceasefire in Gaza, according to US officials.
Eyewitnesses in Gaza said troops had pulled back from the north-western outskirts of Gaza City towards the east.
In the south, some Israeli troops were also reported to have pulled back from the Khan Younis area.
In a statement on social media, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said its troops “began positioning themselves along the updated deployment lines” from 12:00 local time.
“IDF troops in the Southern Command are deployed in the area and will continue to remove any immediate threat,” the statement added.
US special envoy Steve Witkoff said US Central Command had confirmed IDF troops had “completed the first phase withdrawal” to what he referred to as the “yellow line”. The line was featured in a map released by the White House last week marking where troops would withdraw to during this phase of the ceasefire agreement, where it would control 53% of Gaza.
“The 72-hour period to release the hostages has begun,” Witkoff added.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a televised address he was “fulfilling” the promise to bring back all the hostages.
He added Israeli troops were still “surrounding Hamas from every direction”, adding the next stages of Trump’s plan are that “Hamas will be disarmed and Gaza will be demilitarised”. Hamas has not made any pledge to disarm at this point.
Earlier on Friday, there was some confusion around the timings of when the ceasefire was implemented. Eyewitnesses told the BBC air strikes continued in Gaza into the early hours of Friday.
The Hamas-run health ministry said 17 people had been killed in the past 24 hours.
The IDF said it would continue to operate from its updated deployment lines “to remove any immediate threat”, and urged people to avoid entering areas still under Israeli military control.
In areas of Gaza City where the IDF had withdrawn, Hamas security forces were deployed on the streets. They were pictured wearing caps with the logo of the Hamas Internal Security agency rather than a regular police force.
On Friday, Hamas said it rejected any “foreign guardianship” of Gaza, adding that that governance of Gaza was purely an internal Palestinian matter.
Trump’s 20-point peace plan states that Hamas will have no future role in Gaza, which will be governed by a temporary transitional body of Palestinian technocrats supervised by a “Board of Peace” headed and chaired by Donald Trump and involving former UK prime minister Tony Blair.
Governance of the Strip would eventually be handed over to the Palestinian Authority (PA).
Hamas also expressed hopes that Gaza would benefit “from Arab and international participation in the areas of reconstruction, recovery, and development support”.
As troops partially withdrew, thousands of Palestinians were filmed travelling – many on foot – up Gaza’s coastal road to the north.
Many were travelling on foot for more than 20km (12 miles) carrying what remained of their belongings on their backs.
Along the damaged narrow roads, some waved Palestinian flags and flashed victory signs. But many also appeared weak and malnourished.
War is over — but it seems no one told the grandstanding, Israel-hating celebrities who made the “Free Palestine, ceasefire now” movement their entire personality for the last two years.
It’s been two days since President Trump announced the historic and, yes, still precarious ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Such wonderful news — an end to the fighting in Gaza and the return of Israeli hostages — should be met with applause from all sides.
And yet, there’s been relative crickets from the keffiyeh chorus of Hollywood.
“Hacks” star Hannah Einbinder wore a ceasefire pin and used her Emmy speech to chant “Free Palestine.” Yet she has met the news of a ceasefire with a call to punish Israel. REUTERS
Actor Mark Ruffalo, among the loudest critics of Israel, has been very active on instagram. But has he shared any heartfelt messages about this first step toward peace? Nah, just a bunch of anti-Trump posts from his friends, including Robert DeNiro telling everyone to come out for the next No Kings Day.
Ceasefire to grease fire!
“Hacks” comedian Meg Stalter showed up to September’s Emmys with a black handbag covered in a large piece of tape with the word “Ceasefire” written on it.
Now? Nada from her on the ceasefire.
To be fair, it’s not just Hollywood celebs. Suddenly, Rep. Rashida Talib, who is Palestinian American, has better things to talk about. Greta “How dare you?” Thunberg is relentlessly posting about her useless flotilla of influencers. Nothing about the ceasefire, because that would end her genocide grift.
Last month, more than 2,000 artists signed a petition pledging to not work with Israeli filmmakers or “institutions that are complicit in Israel’s human rights abuses against the Palestinian people.”
Boldface signees included John Cusack, Joaquin Phoenix and director Ava DuVernay. This week, those three have simply shared videos criticizing Trump and the peace plan.
I expected a huge celebration from Stalter’s “Hacks” co-star Hannah Einbinder, who literally wore an “Artists4Ceasefire” pin to the Emmys and used her win to scream: “Free Palestine and f–k ICE.”
After this week’s news, she initially posted a video of her decrying Zionisim as a betrayal of Judaism and a sad meme about the Eagles losing to the Giants. By Friday night, two days after the fact, Einbinder found the right prepared post to share: “We are elated by the Gaza ceasefire news,” it reads in small type.
Larger are the words, “Now the world must hold Israel to account for 2 years of genocide.”
I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. When Hamas murdered more than 1,200 innocent Israelis and kidnapped 251 hostages on October 7, 2023, there was relative silence from Hollywood’s hypocrites. And it eventually became much more fashionable to become a shameless Israel-basher.
Perhaps most shameless of all is Spanish actor Javier Bardem. He has posted a few videos of children celebrating in Gaza, but his happiness was tempered by whinging posts that the ceasefire does not address the real issue of a free Palestine.
Maybe he should take that up with boys from Hamas.
In 2014, Bardem and wife Penélope Cruz signed an open letter, published in a Spanish newspaper, accusing Israel of genocide.
When the actor received blowback, he issued a statement saying, “While I was critical of the Israeli military response, I have great respect for the people of Israel and deep compassion for their losses.”
Fast-forward to the Emmys, when he showed up in a keffiyeh and once again accused Israel of genocide.
On Day 10 of the US government shutdown, the Trump administration began mass federal layoffs, with OMB chief Russell Vought confirming “substantial” Reductions in Force (RIFs). Agencies like HHS and the Department of Education have started issuing permanent layoff notices to non-essential staff.
Russ Vought Photo : AP
On the 10th day of the ongoing US government shutdown, the Trump administration has officially begun laying off federal workers, a rare and controversial move during a funding lapse. Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought confirmed the action in a post on X, writing, “The RIFs have begun,” referring to Reductions in Force, the formal term for permanent layoffs of federal employees.
Shortly after the post, the OMB confirmed to CNN that “RIFs have begun and are substantial.” While thousands of federal employees have already been furloughed without pay, it is not common practice to issue permanent layoffs during shutdowns.
A White House official reiterated that the layoffs are “substantial” and blamed the Democratic Party for the shutdown, “It will be substantial, and we regret that the Democrats have shut down the government and forced workers to be put in this position,” the official told CNN.
Which Agencies Are Affected?
Layoff notices are reportedly being issued across multiple government departments.
Health and Human Services (HHS):
An HHS spokesperson confirmed that reduction-in-force notices have gone out to employees deemed “non-essential” during the shutdown. “All HHS employees receiving reduction-in-force notices were designated non-essential by their respective divisions,” the agency said in a statement.
Department of Education:
A spokesperson said that “some” Education Department staff would be impacted by the layoffs but declined to provide exact numbers or timelines. The department had already cut nearly 50% of its workforce in March during earlier budget reductions.
Khawaja Asif used a scathing address to the National Assembly to justify the ongoing mass deportation of Afghan nationals
The minister’s remarks are rooted in the belief that Pakistan’s decades of ‘too much hospitality’ towards Afghan refugees—estimated in the millions—have been betrayed. File pic/X
In a stark escalation of rhetoric, CNN-News18 has learnt that Pakistan’s Defence Minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, has effectively declared neighbouring Afghanistan as his country’s “number one enemy”, using a scathing address to the National Assembly to justify the ongoing mass deportation of Afghan nationals.
The minister’s remarks are rooted in the belief that Pakistan’s decades of “too much hospitality” towards Afghan refugees—estimated in the millions—have been betrayed. He alleged that Afghan nationals are “doing business in Pakistan” and even “ruling in Afghanistan”, while elements of the Afghan Taliban have “kept wives in Pakistan and are betraying Pakistan” by providing sanctuary to anti-Pakistan militant groups like the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Asif’s core grievance focuses on the issue of loyalty, claiming that Afghan residents, despite building “big businesses” and enjoying Pakistani hospitality, “don’t chant Pakistan Zindabad”. He asserted that the massive refugee presence—many of whom are undocumented—is directly linked to a surge in cross-border terrorist attacks, which have dramatically increased since the Taliban regained power in Kabul in August 2021.
The remarks also came against the backdrop of recent alleged airstrikes and exchanges of fire along the Durand Line. Pakistan also views Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi’s “warm reception” in New Delhi this week as a major loss of “strategic control” over the Taliban.
This hardline stance provides the political and emotional context for Pakistan’s controversial deportation campaign, which began in October 2023. The government has stated that the expulsion of all foreign nationals without legal documents is a matter of national security, directly responding to the increasing militancy.
Taliban minister Muttaqi’s maiden visit to India was marked by India restoring full diplomatic relations with Afghanistan.
Terror groups like the Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad have long operated from Afghan soil. But the Taliban has wiped out all terrorists in the last four years, claimed visiting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi during his India visit, advising Pakistan to follow the same path of peace.
“Not a single one of them is in Afghanistan. Not an inch of land is controlled by them in Afghanistan. The Afghanistan against whom we carried out an operation (in 2021) has transformed,” Muttaqi said this to a question from NDTV on Pakistani terror groups earlier using Afghan soil to operate.
He also had a message for Pakistan, delivered from the Indian soil that has been a victim of crossborder terrorism: “Let other countries also act against such terror groups like Afghanistan did for peace.”
Muttaqi’s maiden visit to India was marked by India restoring full diplomatic relations with Afghanistan. New Delhi will also upgrade its Technical Mission in Kabul to an embassy, Jaishankar said during his meeting with Muttaqi, asserting a “deep interest” in the progress of the neighbouring country.
In his press conference, Muttaqi also addressed the reports of a recent blast in Kabul and accused Pakistan of orchestrating the act.
“There has been an attack near the border in remote areas. We consider this act of Pakistan wrong. Problems cannot be solved like this. We are open for talks. They should solve their problems on their own. Afghanistan has peace and progress after 40 years. No one should have a problem with it. Afghanistan is now an independent nation. Why are people troubled if we have peace?” he said.
He also warned that the courage of Afghans should not be tested. “If someone wants to do this (cause Afghans trouble), they should ask the Soviet Union, America, and NATO. They will explain that it is not good to play games with Afghanistan,” the minister said.
Kabul also wants better relations with Islamabad, but it cannot be one-sided, he asserted.
Speaking on India relations, he praised New Delhi for being the first responder after the recent earthquake in Afghanistan.
“Afghanistan looks at India as a close friend. Afghanistan wants relations based on mutual respect, trade, and people-to-people relations. We are ready to create a consultative mechanism of understanding, which helps towards strengthening our relations,” said the visiting minister.
He also mentioned the tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump while stressing the need for more cooperation between India and Afghanistan.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are back on American soil.
A few days after making her Paris Fashion Week debut at the Balenciaga show, the Duchess of Sussex stepped out with her prince in New York City for the Project Healthy Mind Gala, where she rocked another minimalist look — an all-black Armani suit with a plunging blazer and matching slacks.
She pulled her hair into a ponytail, accessorizing with a substantial gold chain necklace and stud earrings. She also carried a small black clutch while holding hands with Harry on the event’s black carpet.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle wore coordinating black suit looks at Thursday’s “Project Healthy Minds” World Mental Health Day Gala. REUTERS
Prince Harry coordinated his attire in a black suit as well, layering the look with a white button down shirt and a black tie.
The royal couple are being honored with the Humanitarians of the Year award, in recognition of the work they have done through their Archewell Foundation to make the digital world safer for young people and their families.
Last month, Meghan and Harry released a statement about the award ahead of their planned appearance: “As parents ourselves, we have been moved to action by the power of their stories and are honored to support them.”
“We’re proud to be long-time partners of Project Healthy Minds as we work together to shine a light on what remains one of the most pressing issues of our time,” the statement continued.
While Markle was in Paris until recently, this is the prince’s second big event in New York City this week.
On Wednesday, Harry made a surprise appearance at the Australian American Association for an event held by the Movember Institute of Men’s Health.
Pope Leo XIV reacts next to a child as he arrives for a general audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, October 8, 2025. REUTERS/Yara Nardi/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
Pope Leo made an urgent plea for the world to help immigrants in his first major document, which was released on Thursday and invoked one of the late Pope Francis’ strongest criticisms of U.S. President Donald Trump’s anti-immigration policies.
Leo’s document, known as an apostolic exhortation, is focused on the needs of the world’s poor. It calls for widespread changes to the global market system to address rising inequality and to help people living paycheck-to-paycheck.
The 104-page text started as a writing project by Francis, who was unable to complete it before his death in April after 12 years leading the global Church of 1.4 billion people. It was finished by Leo, the first U.S. pope.
“I am happy to make this document my own – adding some reflections – and to issue it at the beginning of my own pontificate,” Leo writes at the beginning of the text.
Cardinal Michael Czerny, a senior adviser to both Francis and Leo, said that while the new document was started by the late pope it represents Leo’s positions.
“This is Pope Leo’s document,” Czerny told a Vatican press conference.
DOCUMENT REFERENCES CRITICISM OF BORDER WALLS
Elected in May to replace Francis, Leo has shown a much more reserved style than his predecessor, who frequently criticised the Trump administration.
But Leo has been ramping up his disapproval in recent weeks, drawing heated backlash from some prominent conservative Catholics.
“The Church, like a mother, accompanies those who are walking,” the pontiff writes in the document, titled “Dilexi te” (I have loved you). “She knows that in every rejected migrant, it is Christ himself who knocks at the door of the community.”
“Where the world sees threats, (the Church) sees children; where walls are built, she builds bridges,” Leo says, referencing Francis’ 2016 criticism of Trump as “not Christian” because of the president’s plan in his first term to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.
The White House has said Trump was elected based on his many promises, including to deport “criminal illegal aliens”.
WARNS OF ‘CESSPOOL’ WITHOUT MORAL DIGNITY
The number of people living in poverty “should constantly weigh upon our consciences”, the document said.
“There is no shortage of theories attempting to justify the present state of affairs or to explain that economic thinking requires us to wait for invisible market forces to resolve everything,” it said.
“The poor are promised only a few ‘drops’ that trickle down, until the next global crisis brings things back to where they were.”
The document signals that Leo shares some of the same priorities of Francis, who shunned many of the trappings of the papacy and frequently criticised the global market system as not caring for society’s most vulnerable people. Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/pope-leo-invokes-criticism-trumps-policies-first-major-document-2025-10-09/
Workers transport soil containing rare earth elements for export at a port in Lianyungang, Jiangsu province, China October 31, 2010. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo ATTENTION EDITORS – THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. CHINA OUT. Purchase Licensing Rights
China dramatically expanded its rare earths export controls on Thursday, adding five new elements and extra scrutiny for semiconductor users as Beijing tightens control over the sector ahead of talks between Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping.
The world’s largest rare earths producer also added dozens of pieces of refining technology to its control list and announced rules that will require compliance from foreign rare earth producers who use Chinese materials.
The Ministry of Commerce’s announcements follow U.S. lawmakers’ call on Tuesday for broader bans on the export of chipmaking equipment to China.
They expand controls Beijing announced in April that caused shortages around the world, before a series of deals with Europe and the U.S. eased the supply crunch.
“The White House and relevant agencies are closely assessing any impact from the new rules, which were announced without any notice and imposed in an apparent effort to exert control over the entire world’s technology supply chains,” a White House official told Reuters on Thursday.
The new curbs come ahead of a scheduled face-to-face meeting between Trump and Xi in South Korea at the end of October.
“This helps with increasing leverage for Beijing ahead of the anticipated Trump-Xi summit in (South) Korea later this month,” said Tim Zhang, founder of Singapore-based Edge Research.
China produces over 90% of the world’s processed rare earths and rare earth magnets. The 17 rare earths are vital materials in products ranging from electric vehicles to aircraft engines and military radars.
Exports of 12 of them are now restricted after the ministry added five – holmium, erbium, thulium, europium and ytterbium – along with related materials.
Foreign companies producing some of the rare earths and related magnets on the list will now also need a Chinese export licence if the final product contains or is made with Chinese equipment or material. This applies even if the transaction includes no Chinese companies.
The regulations mimic rules the U.S. has implemented to restrict other countries’ exports of semiconductor-related products to China.
It was not immediately clear how Beijing intends to enforce its new regime, especially as the U.S., the European Union and others race to build alternatives, opens new tab to the Chinese rare earth supply chain.
“We’re likely entering a period of structural bifurcation — with China localizing its value chain and the U.S. and allies accelerating their own,” said Neha Mukherjee, a rare earths analyst with Benchmark Mineral Intelligence.
In a nod to concerns about supply shortages, the ministry said the scope of items in its latest restrictions was limited and “a variety of licensing facilitation measures will be adopted”.
China’s latest restrictions on the five additional elements and processing equipment will take effect on November 8, just before a 90-day trade truce with Washington expires.
The rules on foreign companies that make products using Chinese rare earths equipment or material are to take effect on December 1. Shares in China Northern Rare Earth Group (600111.SS), opens new tab, China Rare Earth Resources and Technology (000831.SZ), opens new tab and Shenghe Resources (600392.SS), opens new tab surged by 10%, 9.97% and 9.4%, respectively, on Thursday.
Shares in U.S.-based rare earths companies jumped as well in New York afternoon trading, with Critical Metals Corp (CRML.O), opens new tab gaining 25%, Energy Fuels (UUUU.A), opens new tab adding 9%, MP Materials (MP.N), opens new tab gaining 2.5% and USA Rare Earth (USAR.O), opens new tab up 15%.
Energy Fuels, which owns a uranium and rare earths processing facility in Utah, said in a statement to Reuters that it is working to boost U.S. rare earths production and that its recent pilot project “showcases the technical capabilities of an American company on American soil.”
NioCorp (NB.O), opens new tab, which is developing a Nebraska rare earths mine, said: “It’s clear that the People’s Liberation Army is increasingly calling the shots on rare earth policy in China. That means even more difficult times both for the Pentagon and for a wide range of commercial manufacturers.”
Elon Musk attends the opening ceremony of the new Tesla Gigafactory for electric cars in Gruenheide, Germany, March 22, 2022. Patrick Pleul/Pool via REUTERS Purchase Licensing Rights
When Tesla’s board of directors offered Elon Musk the biggest executive pay package in corporate history in September, it reassured investors that he would have to achieve the equivalent of “Mars-shot milestones” to earn $878 billion in Tesla stock over 10 years.
The board’s proposal said Musk would have to “completely transform Tesla and society as we know it” in robotics and autonomous driving as well as stock value and profits. Conversely, Musk would get “zero” unless he meets those “incredibly ambitious” goals.
Yet Musk could reap tens of billions of dollars without meeting most of those targets, according to a Reuters analysis of his performance goals and more than a dozen experts in executive pay, company valuations, robotics and automotive trends including autonomous driving.
He could collect more than $50 billion by hitting a handful of the board’s easier goals that won’t necessarily revolutionize Tesla’s products or business, the Reuters review found.
Even hitting just two of the easiest targets, along with modest stock growth, would net Musk $26 billion, more than the lifetime pay of the next eight best-paid CEOs combined, a group that includes Meta Platforms’ Mark Zuckerberg, Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, Apple’s Tim Cook, and Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, according to an analysis for Reuters by research firm Equilar.
Musk’s vehicle sales goals are exceptionally easy to achieve, according to four automotive experts. If Musk sells 1.2 million cars a year over the next decade, on average, he earns $8.2 billion in stock if Tesla’s market value grows from $1.4 trillion today to $2 trillion in 2035, well under long-term market-average growth. That’s a half-million fewer cars per year than Tesla sold in 2024.
On Tuesday, Tesla unveiled lower-cost versions of its best-selling Model Y SUV and Model 3 sedan to reverse falling sales.
Three other product-development goals are written in vague language that could provide Musk hefty payouts without significantly boosting profit, according to six robotics or autonomous-driving industry experts who reviewed Musk’s goals for Reuters.
Tesla and Musk did not respond to requests for comment.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Tesla board said: “The proposed pay package is actually worth zero to our CEO unless and until the shareholders see the value of the company nearly double and an operational milestone is met.”
The board’s pay proposal requires Musk to remain a Tesla executive for at least seven-and-a-half years to collect any stock compensation. Musk, however, would get the voting rights associated with the share awards as soon as he earns them.
Musk said last month on his social media platform X that the package is “not about ‘compensation,’ but about me having enough influence over Tesla to ensure safety if we build millions of robots.”
In its proposal, the board said Musk is “motivated by more than just conventional forms of compensation.”
SELF DRIVING CARS, ROBOTAXIS AND ROBOTICS
Each goal grants Musk 1% of Tesla stock if he also reaches valuation milestones between $2 trillion and $8.5 trillion.
One goal requires 10 million subscriptions to Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving” (FSD) software, which can’t currently drive itself without human intervention.
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Thursday it is opening an investigation into 2.88 million FSD-equipped Tesla vehicles over more than 50 reports of traffic-safety violations and a series of crashes.
Musk’s performance goal contains no requirement that Tesla make FSD fully autonomous, instead requiring only an “advanced driving system.”
That’s a “made-up term” with no industry-standard definition, said William Widen, a University of Miami law professor specializing in autonomous driving. Autonomous-driving experts say the subscription target might be easily met by dropping the price, currently $8,000 upfront or $99 a month. Tesla’s leading electric-vehicle rival, China’s BYD, already offers a similar system for free.
“If I were Musk’s personal employment lawyer, I would like these definitions,” said Matthew Wansley, a professor at New York’s Cardozo School of Law who focuses on autonomous driving.
Another goal requires one million robotaxis in commercial operation and specifies cars “without a human driver in the vehicle.” That’s a potentially more restrictive definition but four autonomous-vehicle experts said it could be interpreted to allow for humans controlling vehicles remotely or from the passenger seat – as Tesla does now in its first small-scale robotaxi test in Austin, Texas.
Musk’s employment deal also sets a target of one million robots, an apparent reference to the Optimus humanoid robots Musk has long promised. But the goal doesn’t specify “humanoid” and could be interpreted broadly, two robotics-industry experts said. It defines “bot” as “any robot or other physical product with mobility using artificial intelligence.”
“It’s a totally vague formulation,” said Christian Rokseth, an analyst with market research firm Humanoid.guide specializing in robotics and artificial intelligence. Investors, he said, are expecting a humanoid robot.
A one hundred Argentine peso bill sits on top of several one hundred U.S. dollar bills in this illustration picture taken October 17, 2022. REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian/Illustration Purchase Licensing Rights
The U.S. Treasury finalized a $20 billion currency swap framework with Argentina and bought pesos in the open market on Thursday, making good on President Donald Trump’s pledge to prop up the wobbling country and sending the peso and Argentine dollar bonds sharply higher.
“The U.S. Treasury is prepared, immediately, to take whatever exceptional measures are warranted to provide stability to markets,” U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in announcing the actions on X.
Argentina’s 2035 bond rose 4.5 cents to trade at 60.5 cents on the dollar, while the peso closed at 1,418 per dollar, up 0.8% on the day after falling 3% earlier.
Local stocks (.MERV), opens new tab rose 5.3% Thursday. Last month they touched a 2025 low, days before Bessent’s initial support pledge. Argentine stocks traded in U.S. exchanges (.BKAR), opens new tab rallied 13%.
Bessent issued his statement at the end of four days of meetings with Argentine Finance Minister Luis Caputo that also involved officials from the International Monetary Fund, which has a $20 billion loan program with Argentina.
IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva applauded the U.S. move in a post on X, saying the IMF was “fully aligned in support of the country’s strong economic program, anchored on fiscal discipline and a robust FX regime to facilitate reserve accumulation.”
A U.S. Treasury spokesperson declined to provide any further details, including on the amount of pesos purchased and how the $20 billion currency swap line would be structured.
Bessent had previously pledged, opens new tab support for Argentina from the Treasury’s $221 billion Exchange Stabilization Fund, and its majority holdings of IMF reserve assets known as Special Drawing Rights.
Speaking later on “The Ingraham Angle show” of Fox News Channel, Bessent insisted that the action was not a bailout, saying that no money was transferred to Buenos Aires and the ESF “has never lost money, it’s not going to lose money here.”
He added that the assistance provided strategic U.S. benefits, including pledges by Argentina’s right-wing president, Javier Milei, of “getting China out of Argentina” and its openness to allow U.S. companies to develop its rare earths and uranium resources.
Angelina Jolie detailed just how difficult her divorce from ex-husband Brad Pitt was on her in a new court filing for the exes’ ongoing legal battle over their home in France, Château Miraval.
The movie star spoke on the split in a declaration filed Monday at the Los Angeles Superior Court in response to her ex’s request that she turn over private messages about their château dispute.
“The events leading to my need to separate from my ex-husband were emotionally difficult for me and our children,” Jolie — who has accused Pitt of abuse in the past — alleged in the docs obtained by Page Six.
“Upon filing for divorce, I left him control (and full residency) of our family homes in Los Angeles and at Miraval, without compensation, which I hoped would make him calmer in his dealings with me after a difficult and traumatic period.”
“The events leading to my need to separate from my ex-husband were emotionally difficult for me and our children,” she claimed in docs Page Six obtained. Getty Images
The “Maria” star, 50, further claimed that she and her kids — Maddox, 24, Pax, 21, Zahara, 20, Shiloh, 19, and twins Knox and Vivienne, both 17 — “have never again set foot” at Miraval given its “connection to the painful events leading to the divorce.”
“Post-separation, I immediately began to look for a new house for me and our children, initially renting a home while looking for a more stable solution,” she added.
Pitt, 61, is suing Jolie for her stake in the lavish French property, as he claimed she sold her share to the wine division of the Stoli Group without his permission. Jolie claimed she did not need his permission.
The “Maleficent” star explained in her declaration that her savings were “tied up in Miraval,” and she hadn’t asked the “Fight Club” actor for “alimony or any other financial support,” so she needed the funds from the château.
“I was also very concerned about the health of our children, and so, for approximately two years, I declined work so that I could focus my attention on caring for our children and their recovery,” she added.
Jolie claimed she was so financially strained that she could not even afford to buy a home “outright” for herself and her children in Los Angeles, so Pitt allegedly agreed to loan her money “with interest.”
The matriarch claimed that in early 2017 she entertained discussions with her ex about selling her Miraval stake to him, but the talks were “always difficult” for her due to her “deep emotional ties” to their family home and “how [their] relationship ended,” per the filing.
“Miraval was one of the first major investments we made together, and it was a focal point of our family life,” she said. “We were married there, I spent part of my pregnancy there and I brought our twin children home there from the hospital. To have such a sudden break from my home and memories has been hard, and it was especially difficult for the children to have their lives so disrupted.”
Jolie also told the court that she is seeking $33,000 from Pitt to cover legal fees she was required to pay in order for her to respond to the “F1” star’s motion to have her turn over her messages.
“Jolie, through counsel, repeatedly asked Pitt to withdraw [the motion],” her lawyers argued in the docs.
“She even warned him numerous times that if the Court denied Pitt’s motion, Jolie would ask the Court to order Pitt to pay Jolie’s attorneys’ fees opposing the motion.”
The attorneys continued, “Pitt still refused to withdraw it. Jolie thus requests that the Court order Pitt to reimburse her for the substantial attorneys’ fees she was forced to incur.”
Pitt claimed in court docs filed in July that he was demanding the messages because Alexei Oliynik of Stoli Group had allegedly refused to comply with deposition demands. A source reiterated and alleged to Page Six at the time, “They’ve been failing to comply with the typical legal process.”
New York state Attorney General Letitia James was indicted Thursday by a federal grand jury in Virginia on charges of bank fraud and making false claims to a financial institution that netted her nearly $19,000 in savings on a loan for a second home, according to the Department of Justice.
The indictment was handed up in the Eastern District of Virginia, where former FBI Director James Comey was indicted Sept. 25 on charges of lying to Congress and obstruction of justice
“No one is above the law. The charges as alleged in this case represent intentional, criminal acts and tremendous breaches of the public’s trust,” US Attorney Lindsey Halligan said in a statement. “The facts and the law in this case are clear, and we will continue following them to ensure that justice is served.”
James responded in a statement: “This is nothing more than a continuation of the president’s desperate weaponization of our justice system. He is forcing federal law enforcement agencies to do his bidding, all because I did my job as the New York State Attorney General.”
“These charges are baseless, and the president’s own public statements make clear that his only goal is political retribution at any cost,” she added. “The president’s actions are a grave violation of our Constitutional order and have drawn sharp criticism from members of both parties.”
NY AG Letitia James has been indicted. REUTERS
If convicted on both counts, James faces up to 60 years in prison and a fine of up to $2 million.
James, 66, bought the three-bedroom, one-bathroom Norfolk, Va., home in August 2020 for roughly $137,000, most of which was financed with a $109,600 loan that prohibited it from being used as a rental investment property, prosecutors alleged.
That allowed her “to obtain favorable loan terms not available for investment properties,” they noted in the five-page filing, saving her “approximately $18,933 over the life of the loan.”
When a Post reporter visited the Norfolk home in April, neighbors said they had never seen James at the property.
Meanwhile, her income tax forms designated the home as a rental that brought in thousands of dollars in additional income.
Norfolk property records reviewed earlier this year by The Post show James granted power of attorney to her niece, Shamice Thompson-Hairston, on Aug. 17, 2023, authorizing the purchase of the Virginia property — for which they secured a $219,780 mortgage.
Thursday’s indictment puts the timeline of the alleged bank fraud scheme from August 2020 to January 2024 “for the purpose of influencing the action of OVM Financial, a Fannie Mae-backed lender, upon an application for a loan.”
James “represented and affirmed in uniform residential loan applications and related documents that the Peronne Property would be used as a secondary residence, when in truth and fact, as [James] then knew, the property was intended and used as an investment property with no intended or actual personal occupancy or use by her,” the indictment alleged.
Federal housing regulator Bill Pulte referred James to the Justice Department in April, suggesting that she had committed crimes including wire fraud, mail fraud, bank fraud and false statements to a financial institution.
James, 66, had previously called the allegations by Pulte “baseless.”
“What we’re seeing today is nothing less than the weaponization of the Justice Department to punish those who hold the powerful accountable,” Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement.
James won a civil judgment against the Trump Organization last year for allegedly inflating the value of his real estate empire. The president was ordered to pay $355 million in penalties but successfully appealed in August to have the fine thrown out.
James’ office has appealed for reinstatement of the judgement, which had grown to more than $500 million with interest.
“I stand strongly behind my office’s litigation against the Trump Organization,” James added in her Thursday statement. “Judges have upheld the trial court’s finding that Donald Trump, his company, and his two sons are liable for fraud.”
“I am a proud woman of faith, and I know that faith and fear cannot share the same space,” she added. “And so today I am not fearful, I am fearless, and as my faith teaches me, no weapon formed against me shall prosper. We will fight these baseless charges aggressively, and my office will continue to fiercely protect New Yorkers and their rights. And I will continue to do my job.”
FBI investigators began the criminal probe in May after Pulte’s referral, which also contained allegations of James misclassifying her Brooklyn brownstone as having four units instead of five.
That could have given her more favorable loan terms on both the New York and Virginia properties, according to Pulte.
The Federal Housing Finance Agency head has also made similar accusations of mortgage fraud against Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) for improperly claiming a home in Maryland was his primary residence.
Martinez’s attorney, Christopher Parente, offered to play an agent’s body-camera video that shows the shooting(Getty Images)
An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Chicago is facing scrutiny after a new video shows him yelling at a local woman “do something, b—-” before pulling over and shooting her five times, a body camera video suggests.
The video is in stark conflict with the government’s account that federal agents in Broadview were “boxed in by 10 cars” and the woman, Marimar Martinez, 30, was one of the drivers. “Agents were unable to move their vehicles and exited the car. One of the drivers who rammed the law enforcement vehicle was armed with a semi-automatic weapon,” officials claimed on X.
However, as court documents emerge, more alleged discrepancies are coming to light.
Martinez’s attorney, Christopher Parente, offered to play an agent’s body-camera video that shows the shooting. In the footage he claims an agent turns a federal vehicle in Brighton Park, not Broadville, into Martinez’s vehicle when he taunts her to “do something, b—-.” He then allegedly exits his vehicle and proceeds to shoot Martinez. It comes after the terrifying moment an ICE agent held a family with a baby and gunpoint and committed a shocking act was caught on camera.
“It’s a miracle she’s still alive,” Parente said.
Officials had initially alleged that Martinez was armed and rammed her car into federal agents, threatening to shoot officers. However, prosecutors now acknowledge that she did not point or display a weapon. Parente also confirmed that while she had a valid firearm, she also had a concealed-carry license.
Martinez is a U.S. citizen who works for a school and has supportive letters about her character filed in court. Another victim of the shooting and co-defendant Anthony Ruiz, 21, is also a U.S. citizen and self-employed as a DJ. Both of them face federal felony assault charges for “forcibly assaulting, impeding, and interfering with a federal law enforcement officer.”
The shooting in Chicago has led to heightened tensions in the city, inspiring a series of protests against the presence of ICE agents in local communities in what the administration calls “Operation Midway Blitz.”
According to DHS, federal agents have arrested over 1,000 migrants in Chicago as a result of the highly-controversial operation.
“During Operation Midway Blitz, our brave DHS law enforcement has made more than 1,000 arrests across Illinois including pedophiles, child abusers, kidnappers, gang members, and armed robbers,” McLaughlin said in a statement.
Mark Zuckerberg is said to have started work on Koolau Ranch, his sprawling 1,400-acre compound on the Hawaiian island of Kauai, as far back as 2014.
It is set to include a shelter, complete with its own energy and food supplies, though the carpenters and electricians working on the site were banned from talking about it by non-disclosure agreements, according to a report by Wired magazine. A six-foot wall blocked the project from view of a nearby road.
Asked last year if he was creating a doomsday bunker, the Facebook founder gave a flat “no”. The underground space spanning some 5,000 square feet is, he explained, is “just like a little shelter, it’s like a basement”.
That hasn’t stopped the speculation – likewise about his decision to buy 11 properties in the Crescent Park neighbourhood of Palo Alto in California, apparently adding a 7,000 square feet underground space beneath.
Though his building permits refer to basements, according to the New York Times, some of his neighbours call it a bunker. Or a billionaire’s bat cave.
Then there is the speculation around other Silicon Valley billionaires, some of whom appear to have been busy buying up chunks of land with underground spaces, ripe for conversion into multi-million pound luxury bunkers.
Reid Hoffman, the co-founder of LinkedIn, has talked about “apocalypse insurance”. This is something about half of the super-wealthy have, he has previously claimed, with New Zealand a popular destination for homes.
So, could they really be preparing for war, the effects of climate change, or some other catastrophic event the rest of us have yet to know about?
In the last few years, the advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) has only added to that list of potential existential woes. Many are deeply worried at the sheer speed of the progression.
Ilya Sutskever, chief scientists and a co-founder of the technology company Open AI, is reported to be one them.
By mid-2023, the San Francisco-based firm had released ChatGPT – the chatbot now used by hundreds of millions of people across the world – and they were working fast on updates.
But by that summer, Mr Sutskever was becoming increasingly convinced that computer scientists were on the brink of developing artificial general intelligence (AGI) – the point at which machines match human intelligence – according to a book by journalist Karen Hao.
In a meeting, Mr Sutskever suggested to colleagues that they should dig an underground shelter for the company’s top scientists before such a powerful technology was released on the world, Ms Hao reports.
“We’re definitely going to build a bunker before we release AGI,” he’s widely reported to have said, though it’s unclear who he meant by “we”.
It sheds light on a strange fact: many leading computer scientists who are working hard to develop a hugely intelligent form of AI, also seem deeply afraid of what it could one day do.
So when exactly – if ever – will AGI arrive? And could it really prove transformational enough to make ordinary people afraid?
An arrival ‘sooner than we think’
Tech billionaires have claimed that AGI is imminent. OpenAI boss Sam Altman said in December 2024 that it will come “sooner than most people in the world think”.
Sir Demis Hassabis, the co-founder of DeepMind, has predicted in the next five to ten years, while Anthropic founder Dario Amodei wrote last year that his preferred term – “powerful AI” – could be with us as early as 2026.
Others are dubious. “They move the goalposts all the time,” says Dame Wendy Hall, professor of computer science at Southampton University. “It depends who you talk to.” We are on the phone but I can almost hear the eye-roll.
“The scientific community says AI technology is amazing,” she adds, “but it’s nowhere near human intelligence.”
There would need to be a number of “fundamental breakthroughs” first, agrees Babak Hodjat, chief technology officer of the tech firm Cognizant.
What’s more, it’s unlikely to arrive as a single moment. Rather, AI is a rapidly advancing technology, it’s on a journey and there are many companies around the world racing to develop their own versions of it.
But one reason the idea excites some in Silicon Valley is that it’s thought to be a pre-cursor to something even more advanced: ASI, or artificial super intelligence – tech that surpasses human intelligence.
It was back in 1958 that the concept of “the singularity” was attributed posthumously to Hungarian-born mathematician John von Neumann. It refers to the moment when computer intelligence advances beyond human understanding.
More recently, the 2024 book Genesis, written by Eric Schmidt, Craig Mundy and the late Henry Kissinger, explores the idea of a super-powerful technology that becomes so efficient at decision-making and leadership we end up handing control to it completely.
It’s a matter of when, not if, they argue.
Money for all, without needing a job?
Those in favour of AGI and ASI are almost evangelical about its benefits. It will find new cures for deadly diseases, solve climate change and invent an inexhaustible supply of clean energy, they argue.
Elon Musk has even claimed that super-intelligent AI could usher in an era of “universal high income”.
He recently endorsed the idea that AI will become so cheap and widespread that virtually anyone will want their “own personal R2-D2 and C-3PO” (referencing the droids from Star Wars).
“Everyone will have the best medical care, food, home transport and everything else. Sustainable abundance,” he enthused.
There is a scary side, of course. Could the tech be hijacked by terrorists and used as an enormous weapon, or what if it decides for itself that humanity is the cause of the world’s problems and destroys us?
“If it’s smarter than you, then we have to keep it contained,” warned Tim Berners Lee, creator of the World Wide Web, talking to the BBC earlier this month.
“We have to be able to switch it off.”
Governments are taking some protective steps. In the US, where many leading AI companies are based, President Biden passed an executive order in 2023 that required some firms to share safety test results with the federal government – though President Trump has since revoked some of the order, calling it a “barrier” to innovation.
Meanwhile in the UK, the AI Safety Institute – a government-funded research body – was set up two years ago to better understand the risks posed by advanced AI.
And then there are those super-rich with their own apocalypse insurance plans.
“Saying you’re ‘buying a house in New Zealand’ is kind of a wink, wink, say no more,” Reid Hoffman previously said. The same presumably goes for bunkers.
But there’s a distinctly human flaw.
I once met a former bodyguard of one billionaire with his own “bunker”, who told me his security team’s first priority, if this really did happen, would be to eliminate said boss and get in the bunker themselves. And he didn’t seem to be joking.
Is it all alarmist nonsense?
Neil Lawrence is a professor of machine learning at Cambridge University. To him, this whole debate in itself is nonsense.
“The notion of Artificial General Intelligence is as absurd as the notion of an ‘Artificial General Vehicle’,” he argues.
“The right vehicle is dependent on the context. I used an Airbus A350 to fly to Kenya, I use a car to get to the university each day, I walk to the cafeteria… There’s no vehicle that could ever do all of this.”
For him, talk about AGI is a distraction.
“The technology we have [already] built allows, for the first time, normal people to directly talk to a machine and potentially have it do what they intend. That is absolutely extraordinary… and utterly transformational.
“The big worry is that we’re so drawn in to big tech’s narratives about AGI that we’re missing the ways in which we need to make things better for people.”
Current AI tools are trained on mountains of data and are good at spotting patterns: whether tumour signs in scans or the word most likely to come after another in a particular sequence. But they do not “feel”, however convincing their responses may appear.
“There are some ‘cheaty’ ways to make a Large Language Model (the foundation of AI chatbots) act as if it has memory and learns, but these are unsatisfying and quite inferior to humans,” says Mr Hodjat.
Vince Lynch, CEO of the California-based IV.AI, is also wary of overblown declarations about AGI.
“It’s great marketing,” he says “If you are the company that’s building the smartest thing that’s ever existed, people are going to want to give you money.”
He adds, “It’s not a two-years-away thing. It requires so much compute, so much human creativity, so much trial and error.”
Asked whether he believes AGI will ever materialise, there’s a long pause.
Ichthyosaur experts Dr Dean Lomax and Professor Judy Massare with the 185m year old skeleton
A near-complete skeleton found on Dorset’s Jurassic coast has been identified as a new species of ichthyosaur, a type of prehistoric marine reptile that once ruled the oceans.
The dolphin-sized ichthyosaur has been named Xiphodracon goldencapensis, or the “sword dragon of Dorset” and is the only known example of its kind.
Scientists say that marks on its skull suggest that the “sword dragon” may have been killed by a bite to the head, possibly inflicted by a much larger species of ichthyosaur.
First discovered by a prolific fossil hunter at Golden Cap in Dorset in 2001 the new ichthyosaur was then acquired by a museum in Canada.
It has only recently been fully analysed by experts and a paper published identifying it as a new species of ichthyosaur.
“I thought long and hard about the name,” said ichthyosaur expert Dr Dean Lomax, who co-authored authored the paper identifying the skeleton as a new species.
“Xiphodracon translates to sword-like dragon and that is in reference to that very long, sword-like snout, but also the fact that ichthyosaurs have been referred to as sea dragons for about 200 years.”
Ichthyosaurs are classified as marine reptiles, not dinosaurs, because they spent their lives in the water. This particular ichthyosaur is thought to have swum the seas about 185 million years ago, a period from which very few ichthyosaur fossils have been found.
“During this time ichthyosaurs are incredibly rare, and Xiphodracon is the most complete individual ever found from there, helping to fill a gap,” Dr Lomax said. “It’s a missing piece of the puzzle in the ichthyosaur evolution.”
The “sword dragon” is thought to have been about 3m long and has several features that have not been seen in other species of ichthyosaur. Scientists say the strangest detail is a prong-like bone near its nostril. The skull has an enormous eye socket and a long sword-like snout that it used to eat fish and squid.
There are also clues as to how this particular specimen lived and died.
“The limb bones and teeth are malformed in such a way that points to serious injury or disease while the animal was still alive, ” said study co-author Dr Erin Maxwell from the State Museum of Natural History Stuttgart.
“The skull appears to have been bitten by a large predator – likely another much larger species of ichthyosaur – giving us a cause of death for this individual. Life in the Mesozoic oceans was a dangerous prospect.”
The ‘sword dragon’ is one of numerous ichthyosaur fossils that have been found along Dorset’s Jurassic Coast since the first discoveries of pioneering palaeontologist Mary Anning in the early 1800s.
This “sword dragon” was discovered in 2001 by fossil hunter Chris Moore and then acquired by the Royal Ontario Museum in Canada where it took more than 15 years to be fully analysed.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visits the Party Founding Museum on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Workers’ Party of Korea, in Pyongyang, North Korea, on Oct 8, 2025. (Photo: Reuters/KCNA)
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared the country’s global standing was growing stronger every day at an event on Thursday (Oct 9) attended by visiting foreign heads of state marking the founding of the ruling Workers’ Party, state media reported on Friday.
Kim honoured the legacy of the party that he said had made “not a single mistake or error” in its 80-year history, leading the country on a path of ascent riding on the wisdom and strength of the people, KCNA state news agency said.
“Today, we stand before the world as a mighty people with no obstacles we cannot overcome and no great achievement we cannot accomplish,” he said at a speech at May Day stadium in Pyongyang attended by high-level foreign delegations, KCNA reported.
The events come after Kim’s visit to Beijing last month for China’s 80th anniversary of World War II victory, standing with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin at a massive military parade in his first public appearance on the multilateral diplomatic stage.
KCNA did not name the guests attending Thursday’s events. Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Vietnamese leader To Lam and Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev had arrived in Pyongyang to attend anniversary celebrations, state media had reported.
Mass games and art performances were held at the stadium, with Kim accompanied by guests whom the large crowd gathered greeted with cheers “that shook the capital’s night sky”, KCNA said.
State media made no mention of a large-scale military parade the country was expected to stage to mark the anniversary.
Kim held talks with China’s Li, where they said the visit marked a “new chapter” in advancing the two countries’ ties under their supreme leaders and pledged to expand strategic dialogue and high-level exchanges, KCNA said.
The state news agency also reported that Kim praised Li’s visit as “showing the invariable support and special friendly feeling towards the WPK and the government and people of the DPRK” as well as Beijing’s efforts to maintain “traditional DPRK-China friendly and cooperative relations and further develop them”.
Australian and Indian defense ministers signed a new bilateral security deal Thursday that Australia said upholds Indo-Pacific stability.
Rajnath Singh has become the first Indian defense minister to visit Australia since 2013, his Australian counterpart Richard Marles said.
“Australia and India are top-tier security partners and our defense cooperation delivers practical effects to uphold Indo-Pacific stability,” Marles’ office said in a statement.
Marles and Singh signed an agreement that included establishing a forum for joint staff talks between the two militaries and submarine rescue cooperation.
“The bilateral arrangements that will be signed today reflect the significant growth in our defense partnership and our shared ambition for its future,” Marles said before the signing.
Closer defense relations became evident in July when India for the first time participated in the biennial Talisman Sabre multination military exercises in Australia.
Talisman Sabre began in 2005 as a joint exercise between the United States and Australia. This year, more than 35,000 military personnel from 19 nations took part.
India and Australia are linked with the United States and Japan through an alliance known as the Quad.
The four countries’ foreign minister met in Washington in July and agreed to expand their cooperation on maritime security in the Indo-Pacific.
Raji Rajagopalan, a senior fellow at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute think tank, said Singh’s visit to Australia was “highly significant” both symbolically and in practical value.
While an Indian defense minister had not visited Australia in 12 years, Marles had visited India for high-level meetings several times, she said.
Rajagopalan said India used such bilateral relationships to play a part in the strategic struggle between China and the United States in the Indo-Pacific.
“There is a lot of historical hesitancy that continues to influence how far India wants to get close to the U.S. But India is also pragmatic in recognizing that if China is India’s number one national security problem, it (India) also needs to work with the U.S. to manage the China problem,” Rajagopalan said.
The foreign minister of Taliban -ruled Afghanistan is set to meet with his Indian counterpart Friday, in a first high-level diplomatic engagement with New Delhi since the group seized power in 2021 after two decades of U.S. military presence.
Amir Khan Muttaqi, who is among multiple Afghan Taliban leaders under U.N. sanctions that include travel bans and asset freezes, arrived in New Delhi on Thursday after the U.N. Security Council Committee granted a temporary travel exemption to him. The visit comes after Muttaqi’s participation Tuesday at an international meeting on Afghanistan in Russia that included representatives from China, India, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Muttaqi’s India visit highlights the Taliban administration’s efforts to seek international recognition and underscores India’s strategic move to counter its regional rivals, Pakistan and China, who are deeply involved in Afghanistan.
Randhir Jaiswal, Indian’s foreign ministry spokesman, extended a welcome to Muttaqi in a post on X on Thursday and said: “We look forward to engaging discussions with him on bilateral relations and regional issues.”
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met Muttaqi in Dubai in January. It was followed by telephone conversations between Muttaqi and Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, India’s foreign minister. India’s special envoy to Afghanistan visited Kabul in April to discuss political and trade relations.
Experts say India’s decision to engage with the Taliban at higher levels reflects its strategic reassessment, shaped in part by the consequences of previous non-engagement as well as to avoid falling behind its primary strategic rivals.
Praveen Donthi, senior analyst with the International Crisis Group, said Muttaqi’s visit marks India’s pragmatic engagement with the Taliban.
“New Delhi views the world through the prism of its rivalry with either China, Pakistan, or both. The Taliban’s efforts at a balanced foreign policy, which involves establishing relations with rival countries and groups, mirror New Delhi’s own playbook,” Donthi said.
The visit comes while Afghanistan’s ties with Pakistan are strained, especially over refugee deportations and border tensions, and India’s engagement is seen as a strategic counterbalance to Pakistan’s influence. India also aims to limit Chinese dominance in Afghanistan through infrastructure and diplomatic presence.
“With Beijing proactively engaging the Taliban, New Delhi wouldn’t want its primary strategic rival to hold exclusive influence over Kabul,” Donthi said. He said Pakistan had a similar hold over the Taliban in the past but due to its deteriorating ties with Islamabad, New Delhi sees an opportunity to “develop modest influence over Kabul and strengthen its position as a regional power.”
When the Taliban took over Kabul four years ago, Indian security analysts had feared that it would benefit their bitter rival Pakistan and feed a long-simmering insurgency in the disputed region of Kashmir, where militants already have a foothold.
But New Delhi maintained a steady contact with the Taliban despite these concerns and established a technical mission in Kabul in 2022, a year after the Taliban returned to power, focusing on humanitarian aid and development support. It continued engagement through backchannel diplomacy and regional forums that subsequently prompted increased engagement between the two countries this year.
India has long hosted tens of thousands of Afghan nationals, including students and businesspeople, many of whom fled the country after the Taliban rule. Afghanistan’s embassy in New Delhi shut down permanently in November 2023 but its consulates in Mumbai and Hyderabad continue to operate with limited services.
Gautam Mukhopadhaya, who was India’s ambassador in Kabul between 2010 to 2013, said the engagement between India and Afghanistan “may or may not lead to formal de jure recognition (of the Taliban government), although protocol gestures for the visit suggest the former.”
People living near the coast had earlier been asked to evacuate immediately in view of the tsunami warning.
Students helping a fellow student as they gather outside the school buildings after an earthquake in Davao de Oro, Mindanao. (AFP)
An earthquake measuring 7.5 on the Richter scale hit Mindanao in Philippines on Friday. The authorities had earlier warned of ‘destructive tsunami’ with ‘life-threatening’ wave heights and people have been asked to evacuate immediately to safer places. However, the tsunami threat has now passed, news agency Reuters reported.
The quake was at a depth of 62 km (38.53 miles), the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) said. Follow live updates on the Philippines earthquake here.
Children evacuated schools in Davao city, which has about 5.4 million people and is the biggest city near the epicenter, about 250 kilometers (155 miles) west of Davao Oriental province.
The Phivolcs agency warned of damage and aftershocks after the strong offshore quake, which struck in waters off Manay town in Davao Oriental in the Mindanao region. It revised down the magnitude from an initial reading of 7.6 to 7.5, and put the depth of the quake at 20 km (12 miles).
The first tsunami waves were expected to arrive between 09:43:54 to 11:43:54, 10 Oct 2025 (PST). “These waves may continue for hours, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology warned.
“Based on the local tsunami scenario database, it is expected to experience wave heights of more than one meter above the normal tides and may be higher on enclosed bays and straits,” the department said.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has said that the authorities are assessing the situation and search and rescue operations will begin soon.
“We are working round the clock to ensure that help reaches everyone who needs it,” Marcos said.
Bloomberg quoted Davao del Norte Governor Edwin Jubahib saying that infrastructural damage is being reported as they continue to monitor the situation. Ednar Dayanghirang, regional director from the Office of Civil Defense, said he received reports that there are buildings and a church damaged in Davao Oriental.
The U.S. Tsunami Warning System also issued a tsunami threat, saying hazardous tsunami waves are possible for coasts located within 300 km (186 miles) of the earthquake’s epicenter.
A tsunami warning has also been issued in Indonesia’s North Sulawesi and Papua regions. The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency warned of waves as high as 50 centimeters (20 inches).
Israel approves ceasefire with Hamas for hostage release in Gaza; Netanyahu praised by US delegates. US to send 200 troops to monitor, joining Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, UAE.
During the opening remarks of the meeting, US President Donald Trump’s delegates – foreign envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner – lauded Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decisions during the war. (IMAGE: AFP)
The Israeli government has approved the ceasefire resolution, which includes the release of all hostages held in Gaza, signed with Hamas and mediators, the Prime Minister’s office said on Thursday.
According to The Times of Israel, most cabinet ministers during the meeeting voted in favour of the deal, including Minister Ofir Sofer of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s far-right Religious Zionism party, all of whose other ministers opposed the deal.
Speaking at the government meeting for the approval of the hostages’ release framework, Prime Minister Netanyahu said, “We are at a momentous development. In the last two years, we’ve fought to achieve our war aims. And a central one of these war aims is to return the hostages. All of the hostages, the living and the dead. And we’re about to achieve that.”
Netanyahu further thanked US President Donald Trump and said that Israel couldn’t have achieved it without the extraordinary help of President Trump and his team, Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner.
The meeting held late on Thursday evening passed the resolution that stated the IDF to withdraw to new lines inside of the Gaza Strip, after which the 72-hour window for Hamas to release all the hostages will begin.
During the opening remarks of the meeting, US President Donald Trump’s delegates – foreign envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner – lauded Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decisions during the war.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu made some very, very difficult calls, and lesser people would not have made those calls. And here we are today, because Hamas had to. They had to do this deal. The pressure was on them,” Witkoff said.
CNN quoted Kushner lauding Netanyahu, saying he did a “great job in negotiations”.
The Israeli PM thanked both leaders and said: ““I think you put in your brains and your hearts, and we know that it’s for the benefit of Israel and the United States, for the benefit of decent people everywhere, and for the benefit of these families, who will finally get to be with their loved ones.”
At just 19, Barron Trump has reportedly built a fortune of $150 million, making him one of the youngest millionaires in the Trump family. Forbes reports that his wealth mainly comes from his stake in the family’s crypto venture, World Liberty Financial, launched in 2024.
Barron Trump
At just 19, Barron Trump, the youngest son of Donald and Melania Trump, has reportedly built a fortune worth $150 million, according to Forbes.
Reports suggest that Barron has been playing an active role in World Liberty Financial, a crypto venture launched by the Trump family in late 2024. During the company’s launch, Donald Trump even joked about his son’s tech skills, saying, “He’s got four wallets or something, and I’m saying, ‘What is a wallet?’”
According to Forbes, Barron holds around 10% of the company, which became highly profitable after crypto investor Justin Sun injected $75 million into it, sending token sales soaring. Barron reportedly earned around $38 million after taxes from this deal alone.
Expanding His Financial Empire
Barron’s financial wins didn’t stop there. The Trump family’s launch of a USD-pegged stablecoin with a $2.6 billion market cap brought him another $34 million, and a $750 million token deal with healthcare firm Alt5 Sigma added about $41 million more.
Together, these ventures reportedly boosted his liquid assets to $150 million, with potential locked tokens that could be worth another $525 million in the future.
Trump Family Fortunes
The Forbes list also shows that the Trump family’s combined wealth has surged to around $10 billion, led by Donald Trump’s estimated $7.3 billion fortune. His children, Donald Jr, Eric, and Ivanka, each manage their own ventures in crypto, real estate, and global licensing.
Barron’s stepbrothers reportedly co-own American Bitcoin, while Ivanka Trump maintains a $100 million net worth from business and media work.
Melania Trump is estimated to be worth $20 million, largely from her books, public appearances, and even her own meme coin project.
The U.S. Capitol building is pictured at sunset on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., November 27, 2019. REUTERS/Loren Elliott Purchase Licensing Rights
The U.S. Senate on Wednesday blocked a preliminary move to terminate President Donald Trump’s use of the military to destroy boats carrying alleged Venezuelan drug traffickers, unless he gets authorization from Congress.
The effort, spearheaded by Democratic Senators Adam Schiff of California and Tim Kaine of Virginia – and with the backing of Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky – was stopped by a vote of 48-51.
One other Republican, Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, joined in the effort, which was a procedural step to bring up the legislation for a vote on passage by the full Senate.
“Using the U.S. military to conduct unchecked strikes in the Caribbean risks destabilizing the region, provoking confrontation with neighboring governments and drawing our forces into yet another open-ended conflict without a clear mission or exit strategy…because of one man’s impulsive decision-making,” said Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the senior Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Senator Tom Cotton, an Arkansas Republican who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee and sits on the Armed Services panel, said the president is simply following through on a campaign pledge.
“President Trump stated very clearly and repeatedly during the campaign that he would attack these cartels if necessary. This is simply him keeping his word to the American people,” Cotton said, adding that the “strikes were lawfully sound and extremely limited.”
The U.S. military has carried out at least four strikes in the Caribbean Sea against vessels allegedly carrying illegal drugs, most recently on October 3 just off the coast of Venezuela. At least four people were killed in that attack, according to U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Trump in recent days has dangled the possibility of land attacks as well.
At least 21 individuals, still unidentified, have been killed, according to U.S. officials.
Earlier on Wednesday, Kaine told reporters that during a classified briefing for Senate Armed Services Committee members last week, administration officials provided no information on why the U.S. military has been ordered to attack and destroy these vessels, rather than intercept them.
ACTRESS Nicole Kidman puts the lime and effort into her clothes and relationships — but hinted it may not always have been enough.
The 58-year-old Big Little Lies star, who is divorcing singer Keith Urban after 19 years together, posed in a striking lime green dress for US Vogue.
Nicole is divorcing singer Keith Urban after 19 years togetherCredit: Getty
And during an interview with the mag, conducted before news of the split was revealed, she suggested that she may have been unhappy for some time.
Asked how she felt as a woman in her 50s, she said: “How many times do you have to be taught that you think you know where your life is going and then it isn’t going in that direction?”
The twice-wed mum of three also opened up about making mistakes. She said: “Taking a risk is what I’ve always done. You get back up and you try again and you learn.”
And she suggested she wants to reflect some of her life events in future on-screen projects. Nicole said: “So much to say and so little time to say it.
“About death and life and joy and grief and loss and sex and why we’re here and what is truth and is truth even necessary.
“Are we human? Are there parallel universes? What is the future? Do we even care? Are we living in a dream? What is reality? Where are we going? Why do I keep working?
“Why stop? You’ll have to tie me down, tie me up!
“My sense of duty and of being a good girl is so strong, but at this age, I’m protecting myself when I need to.”
LOVE is Blind star Sparkle Megan has dropped over $1.3 million on a stunning Denver mansion and has subtly revealed a clue on her relationship status with her fiance Jordan.
Megan Walerius is engaged to Jordan Keltner on Netflix’s Love is Blind.
Love Is Blind stars Jordan Keltner and Megan WaleriusCredit: COURTESY OF NETFLIX
On the series, Megan, 33, boasted about her wealth, which is how she received the nickname “Sparkle Megan,” and how her status has affected her dating life.
In the recent episode drop, Megan and Jordan go house hunting.
She reveals to her real estate agent that her budget is between $1.5 to $2 million, leaving Jordan shocked.
The U.S. Sun can exclusively reveal Megan ended up purchasing a $1,363,102 home in Denver, Colorado in June 2024.
The stars began filming for the series in early 2024.
The house boasts four bedrooms, four bathrooms and is 3,751 square feet.
According to the real estate listing, the home was remodeled in 2019 with “luxurious finishes.”
The main floor has high ceilings, hardwood floors and a fireplace.
The kitchen boasts white cabinets, stainless steel appliances and an island with seating.
The kitchen is connected to the family room and a private outdoor space.
The carpeted bedroom suite has two walk-in closets and a bathroom with a shower, soaking tub and double vanity.
The lower level has an office, which Megan revealed on the show is a must-have.
According to property records viewed by The U.S. Sun, the home is owned by a trust belonging to Megan’s family.
Jordan is not listed on the home deed or mortgage, signaling a potential clue the two are not together today.
HOME SWEET HOME?
On the show, Megan said when going to view a home, which is not the one she purchased, “I am super excited to look at homes with Jordan.
“Having a nice home is something that is very, very important to me. That’s one of the things I definitely don’t skimp on.”
Megan revealed she has a home in Los Angeles, and told her real estate agent, “Now that we’re engaged, we’re figuring out next steps.”
She then said she is looking for “at least three bedrooms and an office.”
After viewing the abode, Megan said she is “obsessed” with the home, while Jordan said, “I just don’t know what I would utilize all of this space for.”
He also joked one of the bedrooms is “the size of my whole apartment.”
He continued of his concerns, “I just wanna not be like a financial burden, you know? Cause I’m, like bringing essentially nothing to the table, you know?
“I wouldn’t say I’m strapped for cash, but I’ m being very financially conscious.”
Megan suggested selling her $1.5 million Los Angeles pad, and having both “go in for a loan on the remaining $500,000.”
The U.S. Sun can confirm Megan sold her two-bedroom, two-bathroom Los Angeles home for $1,565,500 in May 2024.
Jordan responded, “I don’t know. I’d really have to crunch the numbers. I think it’s just a little too much house for what we need.”
She then said, “I don’t want you to feel like you’re spending or stepping beyond your means.”
He then explained in his confessional that he doesn’t want to “mooch” off her.
While the ties between the Taliban regime and Pakistan continue to deteriorate, India is recalibrating its policy on Kabul — and the visit by the Taliban top diplomat Amir Khan Muttaqi could serve as a turning point.
Muttaqi is traveling under a special exemption granted by the UN Security CouncilImage: Alexander Nemenov/AFP
India does not recognize the Taliban regime in Afghanistan — nevertheless, it is set to welcome the Taliban foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, for a week-long visit starting on Thursday.
The Taliban diplomat is due to meet India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and discuss counterterrorism, trade relations, and New Delhi’s humanitarian and developmental assistance to Afghanistan.
Muttaqi’s trip, which was only made possible by the UN granting a temporary exemption to the travel ban imposed on him, is seen as a chance for New Delhi to shift its stance on the Taliban government without giving them formal recognition.
Muttaqi is also expected to urge India to allow the regime to post an official envoy to the Afghan embassy in New Delhi and seek permission to expand the staff of Afghan consulates in Mumbai and Hyderabad.
India’s careful diplomatic game
For over four years, New Delhi has walked a strategic tightrope of maintaining humanitarian contacts with Kabul while keeping diplomatic ties limited.
In June 2022, some 10 months after the Taliban takeover of Kabul, India sent a “technical team” to the Afghan capital to coordinate the delivery of humanitarian assistance and to see how New Delhi could support the Afghan people. Ever since, the Taliban have been demanding approval for their own representative in Delhi.
In November last year, senior Indian Foreign Ministry official JP Singh held multiple meetings with Taliban representatives, including a notable meeting with acting Taliban Defense Minister Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob. The biggest signals of New Delhi’s engagement, however, came with senior diplomat Vikram Misri visiting Afghanistan earlier this year and Taliban Foreign Minister Muttaqi now invited to meet Jaishankar in New Delhi.
This gradual thaw in India–Taliban relations also seems to coincide with the souring of ties between Pakistan and the Islamic fundamentalist group. Islamabad has been increasingly angry with the Taliban regime over cross-border terrorism, among other issues, and has even launched airstrikes on Afghan territory.
India backs Pakistan, China against Trump on Bagram air base
By engaging a major regional power like India, the Taliban seek to expand their diplomatic footprint beyond Pakistan and China, said Gautam Mukhopadhaya, a former Indian ambassador to Afghanistan.
“This outreach is partly aimed at challenging Islamabad’s claim of indispensability in Afghan affairs, with Taliban 2.0 showing more independence from Pakistan, leveraging traditional people-to-people ties, especially among Pashtuns, and shared security concerns to position itself as a trusted partner,” he told DW.
“This is also a step in projecting itself as an internationally relevant actor, especially amid attention from the US, China, and Russia,” Mukhopadhaya added.
On the Indian side, it is worth noting that New Delhi joined Islamabad, Beijing, and Moscow to support the Taliban and reject US President Donald Trump’s call for a US military presence at Afghanistan’s Bagram air base. In a joint statement this week, New Delhi decried foreign military deployments as “unacceptable” for regional stability. The move is seen as a multi-layered diplomatic message to Washington.
Space for India to ramp up influence in Afghanistan
Muttaqi’s visit, too, “points to a union of interests of India and Afghanistan,” said Shanthie Mariet D’Souza, an expert on Afghanistan affairs.
The Taliban regime “needs to expand its horizon of interaction and legitimacy, while for New Delhi, it is an agenda of gradually scaling up its engagement with the de facto rulers of Afghanistan to regain its strategic space,” D’Souza, who serves as the head of independent research forum Mantraya, told DW.
India now has a chance to re-establish a presence in Kabul by increasing developmental efforts, capacity building, technical assistance and providing visas for medical and education purposes.
“However, it would be presumptuous to assume that the Taliban are looking for an exclusive relationship with India, as they aim to maintain a ‘balanced’ foreign policy, a point that Muttaqi has made clear on numerous occasions,” she added.
Taliban seek distance from Pakistan
Beyond bilateral optics, the visit has implications for India’s relations with key powers — notably the US, Russia, Iran, and China — all of whom maintain varying degrees of dialogue with the Taliban.
Harsh Pant, head of the Strategic Studies Programme at Observer Research Foundation (ORF), a New Delhi think tank, said the Taliban have been indicating that they do not want to antagonize India.
“In some ways, the cautious normalization we are seeing — gradual visits and engagement — reflects a certain sense of comfort now present in India about the Taliban governing Afghanistan, which was not there when they first came back to power,” Pant told DW.
“So far, the Taliban have indicated they will be an independent actor in their own right; they do not want to make Afghanistan an extension of Pakistan. In fact, they have pushed back against Pakistan and its military’s idea of using Afghanistan as strategic depth vis-a-vis India,” said Pant pointing to the Taliban’s keenness in engaging India.
China trying to mend ties between Kabul and Islamabad
Pant also believes that India will continue to engage with Afghanistan and the Taliban not only for humanitarian reasons, but also for strategic gain.
“This is to ensure the Afghanistan-Pakistan relationship does not revert to what it was in the 1980s,” Pant said, referring to Pakistan’s backing of the Islamist Mujahideen groups during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s.
International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva delivers remarks ahead of the annual IMF-World Bank fall meetings, at the Milken Institute in Washington, DC, US, Oct 8, 2025 (Photo: REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst)
The global economy is doing better than expected, even as it faces prolonged uncertainty and underwhelming medium-term growth prospects, the head of the IMF said Wednesday (Oct 8).
The world economy is doing “better than feared, but worse than we need,” International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva told reporters in Washington.
She added that the Fund now expects global growth to slow “only slightly this year and next,” propped up by better-than-expected conditions in the United States, and among some other advanced, emerging market and developing countries.
Georgieva’s remarks came ahead of next week’s gathering of finance ministers and central bank governors at the World Bank and the IMF in Washington.
Trade is once again likely to dominate the agenda at the annual meetings, following US President Donald Trump’s decision earlier this year to unleash sweeping tariffs against many trading partners.
“STRAINS FROM MULTIPLE SHOCKS”
“All signs point to a world economy that has generally withstood acute strains from multiple shocks,” Georgieva said, pointing to “improved policy fundamentals,” the adaptability of the private sector, lower-than-expected tariffs, and supportive financial conditions.
“The world has avoided a tit-for-tat slide into trade war – so far,” she added.
She noted that the average US tariff rate has fallen from 23 per cent in April to 17.5 per cent today, while the US effective tariff rate of around 10 per cent remains “far above” the rest of the world.
But, she warned, the full effect of those tariffs “is still to unfold,” adding that the resilience of the world economy has yet to be “fully tested”.
GROWTH TO REMAIN AROUND 3 PER CENT
Against this backdrop, the Fund still expects global growth to remain at roughly three per cent over the medium term, in line with previous forecasts – below the 3.7 per cent, on average, seen before the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Global growth patterns have been changing over the years, notably with China decelerating steadily while India develops into a key growth engine,” Georgieva said.
To boost lacklustre growth prospects elsewhere, she called on countries to act swiftly to “durably” lift output, rebuild fiscal buffers, and address “excessive” trade imbalances.
The Fund’s prescriptions for policymakers differed by region, with Asia urged to deepen its internal trade, and to strengthen the service sector and access to finance.
Carried out correctly, this could raise economic output by as much as 1.8 per cent in the long run, Georgieva said.
African countries should promote “business-friendly reforms” and continue with efforts to build up the Continental Free Trade Area, which, she said, could lift their real GDP per capita by “over 10 per cent.”
“Gains from this region can be especially large,” she said.
“SINGLE MARKET CZAR”
Georgieva reserved her harshest criticism for Europe, which has struggled with economic growth in recent years, in marked contrast to the United States.
To raise competition in the bloc, Georgieva called on the European Union to appoint a new “single market czar” to drive reforms, a move that would simplify the EU’s structure and consolidate the power to make the changes required.
These changes include steps to deepen EU single market integration in financial services and energy.
The official emblem of the United Nations is seen at the United Nations headquarters in New York City, New York, US on Aug 23, 2022. (File photo: REUTERS/David ‘Dee’ Delgado)
The United Nations will be forced to reduce its peacekeeping forces worldwide by around 25 per cent due to a lack of funding, largely linked to US aid cuts, a senior UN official said on Wednesday (Oct 8).
About 13,000 to 14,000 military and police personnel, as well as their equipment, will have to be repatriated, the official said on condition of anonymity, with “a large number of civilian staff in missions” also to be affected.
The United States was expected to contribute US$1.3 billion of the total US$5.4 billion budget for 2025-2026 peacekeeping operations.
But it has now informed the UN that it will only pay around half the amount, or US$682 million – which includes US$85 million earmarked for a new international anti-gang mission in Haiti that was not in the original budget.
China is expected to contribute US$1.2 billion to the peacekeeping budget, which had US$2 billion in unpaid contributions as of July.
Of its total budget, the UN now expects a shortfall of 16 to 17 per cent in the current peacekeeping budget.
President Donald Trump has long claimed that international institutions have taken advantage of the United States and has overseen massive cuts to US foreign aid since his return to the White House in January.
“We know that there will be consequences in terms of monitoring ceasefires, protection of civilians, working with the humanitarians, or other peacekeeping activities,” the official said.
The 25 per cent reduction in troops will be spread across nine of the 11 peacekeeping missions, which had already developed contingency plans for potential budget cuts, the official said.
The UN has peacekeepers deployed in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, southern Lebanon, Central African Republic, South Sudan, and Western Sahara, among other places.
Vegan patties, like these, will no longer be able to use the label burger if the law is passed by EU member states
The European Parliament (EP) has voted to ban the use of words like “burger” or “steak” to describe their plant-based variants.
The 355-247 majority vote is seen as a victory for livestock farmers who say the labels threaten their industry and livelihoods.
A full ban, however, is not imminent – or even certain – as the proposal needs the backing of the European Commission – the EU’s executive arm – as well as the governments of the 27 member countries to become law.
The plant-based food industry has grown exponentially in recent years, with more people opting for a meat-free lifestyle.
“Let’s call a spade a spade,” Celine Imart, the French member of the parliament who led the initiative was quoted by AFP news agency as saying about plant-based products.
Marketing plant-based products using meat labels “is misleading for the consumer”, the member of the conservative EPP group in the EP said.
Under the proposal, other labels like, “egg yolk”, “egg white” and “escalope” would be restricted to products that contain meat.
The EU has already defined dairy items as products coming from the “normal mammary secretion”. This includes products like milk, yogurt and cheese.
Oat milk, for instance, is called an oat drink on European shelves.
Greens and liberal lawmakers have criticised the now-approved EP text as “useless”.
“While the world is burning, the EPP has nothing better to do this week than to involve us all in a debate about sausages and schnitzel,” Anna Cavazzini of Germany’s Green Party was quoted by Deutsche Welle as saying.
Environmentalists have said that the ban would be a setback for sustainability.
The proposal has also drawn criticism from key food industry voices in Germany – the largest market for plant-based products in the EU, according to a report by the Good Food Institute of Europe.
Major German supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl, fast food joint Burger King and sausage producer Rügenwalder Mühle have pushed back against the proposal in a joint open letter.
Restrictions have been placed on content on some social media platforms in Afghanistan, Taliban government sources told BBC Afghan.
Filters have been applied to restrict certain types of content on sites including Facebook, Instagram and X, the sources at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology said.
It is not clear exactly what sort of posts are subject to filtering. Some social media users in Kabul told the BBC that videos on their Facebook accounts are no longer viewable, while access to Instagram has also been restricted.
These restrictions on social media content come a week after internet and telecommunications services were cut off across the country for two days.
The move caused widespread problems for citizens and its end was greeted with celebration.
The 48-hour blackout disrupted businesses and flights, limited access to emergency services and raised fears about further isolating women and girls whose rights have been severely eroded since the hardline Islamist group swept back to power in 2021.
Social media users in Afghanistan have been complaining about limited access to different platforms in various provinces since Tuesday.
A Taliban government source said: “Some sort of controls have been applied to restrict certain types of content on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and X.
“We hope this time there wouldn’t be any full ban on internet.
“The filtering is almost applied for the whole county and most provinces are covered now.”
There is no formal explanation from Taliban government officials for the restrictions.
Cybersecurity organisation NetBlocks said “restrictions are now confirmed on multiple providers, the pattern shows an intentional restriction”. Social sites have been intermittently accessible on smartphones, according to news agency AFP.
A man who works in a government office in eastern Nangarhar province told the BBC he could open Facebook but could not see pictures or play videos.
He said the “internet is very slow as a whole”.
Another user in southern Kandahar province, who runs a private business, said his fibre optic internet had been cut off since Tuesday but mobile phone data was working, with Facebook and Instagram being “severely slow”.
The Taliban government has not given an explanation for the total shutdown last week. However, last month, a spokesperson for the Taliban governor in the northern province of Balkh said internet access was being blocked “for the prevention of vices”.
Since returning to power, the Taliban have imposed numerous restrictions in accordance with their interpretation of Islamic Sharia law.
“It’s not about him, it’s about me,” declares Victoria Beckham (“him” being her husband Sir David Beckham).
And that’s exactly what we get in a new three-part documentary, which drops on Netflix on Thursday.
The former Spice Girl and fashion entrepreneur, 51, is determined to tell her own story – two years after former England captain Sir David, 50, released his own, hugely successful TV series.
The episodes take us inside Victoria’s pop career, family life, struggles to reinvent herself and preparation for a major show at Paris Fashion Week.
We also learn about the serious financial troubles her fashion business faced, and how she feared she might “lose everything”.
There are contributions from famous friends including Eva Longoria, and fashion titans such as Dame Anna Wintour and Donatella Versace.
Here are our main takeaways from her documentary.
Before the Spice Girls, Victoria was ‘not cool’
Lady Beckham achieved dizzying fame in the Spice Girls, so it’s hard to believe that at school, she was “that uncool kid” who didn’t fit in.
“I was definitely a loner at school”, she says, explaining she was bullied.
The Spice Girls came together in 1994, after Mel B, Mel C, Emma Bunton, Geri Halliwell and Victoria responded to an advert for candidates.
After the release of their chart-topping debut single Wannabe in 1996, “Spice mania” swept the planet, with their self-styled “Girl Power” mantra – a brand of female empowerment that made them a global pop culture phenomenon.
Lady Beckham credits her bandmates for making her “more lighthearted, more fun” and says it was the first time she felt popular.
She still had to face negative headlines about her weight, and discusses having an eating disorder. She says she never talked about it publicly, or even very much with her parents, but that it made her become “very good at lying”.
But Lady Beckham says the other Spice Girls made her “feel good enough” about being herself. It’s a message she continues to instil in her daughter Harper, 14.
“I tell Harper every day, be who you are,” she says.
What was buried in Baden-Baden?
Geri Halliwell left the Spice Girls in 1998 and the group split up in 2001.
Lady Beckham says she found the transition “really, really difficult”.
She carried on making music, but the criticism she received “really hurt”.
Then came the infamous WAG period. Pictures of Victoria and other wives-and-girlfriends supporting their footballer partners in the German town of Baden-Baden in 2006 were plastered all over the tabloids.
“It was fun,” says Lady Beckham of that time in her life.
But she now concedes there was an “element of attention seeking” to it all. “I was trying to find myself, I felt incomplete, sad, frozen in time maybe,” she says.
After the family moved to the US, Lady Beckham decided she wanted to work in fashion.
But to do that, she knew she had to shed her other personas – the Spice Girl, the WAG. “I buried those boobs in Baden-Baden,” she says.
Victoria ‘almost lost everything’ in struggles with fashion business
Lady Beckham is strikingly honest about the struggles her fashion business faced.
She says people didn’t see her as “cool at all”, and that a lot of people refused to take her seriously.
And Vogue giant Dame Anna cements that view, when she says of Victoria’s fashion aspirations: “I thought maybe this was a hobby. I didn’t quite believe it.”
We see the growth of Victoria Beckham Ltd but also the serious financial troubles it faced. Sir David says he didn’t think her business would survive, while Lady Beckham agrees.
“I almost lost everything and that was a dark, dark time,” she says. “I used to cry before I went to work every day because I felt like a firefighter.”
She says her firm was “tens of millions in the red”.
In a later scene, her voice breaks, and she wells up in tears, when she recalls how Sir David stepped in to help her business out.
But the series also shows her turn things around, and we see her pull out all the stops in the run-up to her triumphant Spring/Summer show at Paris Fashion Week in September 2024.
Supermodel Gigi Hadid walked for her, wearing a striking emerald green gown. Dame Anna is shown in attendance, and, in an earlier clip, says Lady Beckham “totally proved us wrong”.
Today, Victoria’s business has offices in London and New York, with its flagship store in Mayfair, London. The brand’s products are in 230 stores across 50 countries around the world, according to the company’s website.
Family life carries on, amid reports of feud with Brooklyn
The couple’s eldest son, 26-year-old Brooklyn, gets a few mentions in the show and appears briefly. Lady Beckham brings him up in conversation, when discussing the morning sickness she faced while pregnant with him and performing with the Spice Girls.
But for the past few months, much of the online interest around the Beckhams has focused on reports that Brooklyn and his wife Nicola have fallen out with the rest of the family.
The couple were absent from David Beckham’s 50th birthday celebrations and did not post a birthday message online, fuelling the intrigue.
Nicola has in the past denied there was a feud in the family. Sir David and Lady Beckham have never acknowledged the rumoured rift, and declined to comment when asked by BBC News.
We did get a hint on the topic recently from Victoria, who told the Sunday Times how she felt Liam and Noel Gallagher’s reconciliation must have made their mother “so happy”.
“As a mum, that must be… she must feel so happy to see her boys getting on,” she said.
Showbiz reporter Catrina Rose notes there was “no hint” of any alleged feud in the series.
“Victoria’s setting a lot of records straight here, but she’s not being drawn on this particular topic.”
There’s a good explanation for why she doesn’t smile
Lady Beckham’s pout became her defining look in the 1990s. But in the new series, she admits there’s a deeper reason as to why she never smiles.
“The minute I see a camera, I change,” she says.
“The barrier goes up, my armour goes on, and that’s when, you know, the miserable cow that doesn’t smile – that’s when she comes out. And I’m so conscious of that.”
She adds that she would “rather not be that person” and wishes she had the confidence to walk out in front of cameras and smile.
Elsewhere, she insists that she does actually smile.
“I’ve looked miserable for all these years because when we stand on the red carpet, this guy has always gone on the left,” she says, gesturing at Sir David.
“When I smile, I smile from the left, because if I smile from the right, I look unwell. So consequently I’m smiling on the inside, but no one ever sees it, so that’s why I look so moody.”
That’s one use of a noisy kitchen blender
The programme is filled with small details about the Beckhams’ relationship – many of which we didn’t know before.
For example, Sir David starts a blender when he doesn’t want to listen to Victoria (so she says, anyway).
The pair have fond memories of their whirlwind romance in the 1990s, which led to them getting married and having a baby within two years.
Sir David reflects that his parents – and his manager – would have preferred him to marry a local girl who stayed in Manchester, where he was playing for Manchester United. “But I didn’t want that,” he says, opting instead for globe-trotting celebrity Victoria.
“I was so excited, I wanted everyone to know I was dating Posh Spice,” the former England captain says.
Lady Beckham, for her part, says she was never a young girl dreaming of getting married or becoming a mum. “It wasn’t until I met David that those things even occurred to me,” she says.
Pro-democracy activists in Eswatini protest outside the US Embassy in Pretoria, South Africa. Themba Hadebe/AP
Eswatini, the landlocked nation formerly known as Swaziland, is Africa’s last remaining absolute monarchy. It is the kind of place where King Mswati III—who took the throne as an 18-year-old four decades ago—can warn in a speech, as he did in 2023, that nobody should “complain if mercenaries kill” political activists. When one of the country’s leading human rights lawyers was murdered only hours later, the king’s representatives suggested there was no connection. No one was punished.
In other words, Eswatini is just the kind of country—small, untroubled by democracy, and presumably eager to avoid a superpower’s wrath—with which the Trump administration has been eager to do business.
In May, officials from the US and Eswatini signed a deal that allows the Trump administration to deport people from all over the world to the African nation. A copy of the arrangement I reviewed shows that the United States has agreed to pay Eswatini $5.1 million to take in up to 160 so-called “third-country nationals”—immigrants who came to the US with no ties to the country to which they are being deported.
In July, the first five of such men arrived in Eswatini, where they were sent to a maximum-security prison and detained in the country without any clear legal basis. Last weekend, the Trump administration sent 10 more people to the Eswatini prison. None of the 15 men sent to the nation are from Eswatini. But they are now under the authority of its king.
The situation is a “legal black hole,” according to Tin Thanh Nguyen, a North Carolina–based attorney who is representing five men from Vietnam and Laos now imprisoned in the African country. As he explained in a statement Monday: “I cannot call [my clients]. I cannot email them. I cannot communicate through local counsel because the Eswatini government blocks all attorney access.”
The arrangement with Eswatini, which has a population of 1.1 million, is similar to the deal that allowed the United States to send more than 200 Venezuelans to an infamous prison in El Salvador earlier this year. The Venezuelans sent to the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT)—most of whom had no criminal history—were released in July as part of a prisoner swap following sustained international outrage. (As we reported, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement targeted many Venezuelans because of tattoos that the agency falsely claimed were evidence of gang membership.)
Although the CECOT disappearances led to international outrage, the Trump administration’s efforts to offload people to a prison in Eswatini, along with similar arrangements with South Sudan and other African nations, have attracted much less attention.
A practice that would have been unthinkable under past administrations is becoming normalized: sending ICE detainees, without due process, to far-flung prisons in countries with notorious human rights records.
The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to a request for comment. Tricia McLaughlin, DHS assistant secretary for public affairs, warned in a statement last month: “If you come to our country illegally, you could end up in CECOT or a country you didn’t even know existed.” Eswatini’s US Embassy also did not respond to a request for comment.
The legal pathway for third-country deportations became far easier over the summer.
In May, the Trump administration tried to summarily remove a small group of third-country nationals to South Sudan, despite a preliminary injunction from a federal judge in Massachusetts that clearly blocked the move. At an emergency hearing, Judge Brian Murphy found that DHS’s conduct was “unquestionably violative” of his preliminary injunction. He ordered the men not to be handed over to South Sudan.
In late June, the Supreme Court removed the protections Murphy put in place—effectively rewarding the Trump administration for flagrantly disobeying court orders. Justice Sonia Sotomayor excoriated the move in a dissent joined by Justices Ketanji Brown Jackson and Elena Kagan.
“Apparently,” Sotomayor wrote, “the Court finds the idea that thousands will suffer violence in farflung locales more palatable than the remote possibility that a District Court exceeded its remedial powers.” (At another point, Sotomayor compared the administration’s legal nitpicking in the case to an “arsonist who calls 911 to report firefighters for violating a local noise ordinance.”)
DHS quickly took advantage of the power granted it by the Supreme Court’s conservative majority.
In July, the department followed through on the South Sudan removals and announced the first five deportations to Eswatini. In a series of social media posts, DHS claimed the men were so “uniquely barbaric that their home countries refused to take them back.” The posts said the men sent to Eswatini—who were from Cuba, Jamaica, Laos, Vietnam, and Yemen—had been convicted in the United States of serious criminal offenses, including murder and rape.
The severity of the crimes obscures the legal stakes of the case. All of the men DHS sent to Eswatini had served their sentences and been ordered deported. The question was (and is) not whether they can be deported, but whether the Trump administration has the authority to send people anywhere it wants, without due process, and imprison them in countries where the detainees have never broken any law.
Trina Realmuto, one of the lead lawyers in the case before Murphy, stressed that all of the class members she is representing have rights regardless of their criminal histories.
“But make no mistake,” said Realmuto, executive director of the National Immigration Litigation Alliance, “this is going to happen to people without criminal convictions.”
DHS did not name the people it sent to Eswatini but did share their photos. Through those photos, family members and friends in the United States learned that the men had been sent to a small kingdom on the other side of the world. It would be about two weeks before they were able to speak with them.
Nguyen, the North Carolina immigration lawyer, and two other American lawyers who took the cases of the men in Eswatini began working with Sibusiso Nhlabatsi, who is well known in Eswatini for his work as a human rights lawyer.
Nhlabatsi was also a colleague and close friend of Thulani Maseko, the activist and lawyer who was killed in 2023 while watching television at home with his wife and two young children. No one has been held accountable for his friend’s murder, and Nhlabatsi said he fears for his own “safety every day” due to his work. “It’s a risk that you have to take,” he told me. “Unfortunately, sometimes you have to pay the highest price.”
So far, Nhlabatsi’s efforts to represent the people sent to Eswatini from the United States have been thwarted by the kingdom. For the first time in his career, Nhlabatsi said prison officials have repeatedly denied him the chance to meet with his clients at the prison.
In response, Nhlabatsi filed suit to try to force the courts in Eswatini to allow him access to the men deported from the United States. But what has happened since has been Kafkaesque.
After taking the government to court, Nhlabatsi said a legal adviser for the country’s prison system told him that he would be able to meet his clients. But when he returned to the Matsapha Correctional Complex, which houses the maximum-security prison where the men are being held, Nhlabatsi said he was “pushed from pillar to post” and made to wait hours. Finally, Nhlabatsi said the head of the prison told him that he would not be able to meet with his clients after all. The reason was absurd: The prison director claimed the men were refusing to see him.
A close friend of Roberto Mosquera, the Cuban national sent to Eswatini in July, said Mosquera told her during a brief call that he never refused to meet with Nhlabatsi. She said officials in Eswatini “just blatantly lie and say that Mr. Mosquera refuses counsel.”
Mia Unger, an immigration attorney at the Legal Aid Society in New York, represented a man sent to Eswatini named Orville Etoria. “He requested to speak with us numerous times, and he wasn’t allowed,” Unger said. “They didn’t allow him to call us.”
Etoria’s story is particularly galling because there appears to be no basis for DHS’s claim that Jamaica, his home country, refused to take him back. Unger said Etoria, who was convicted of murder nearly three decades ago and released from prison in 2021, was asked by ICE to obtain a Jamaican passport at a check-in earlier this year. He got the passport, went to another ICE check-in in June, and was taken into custody. “There was never any question of whether he was able to go to Jamaica,” Unger said. As a result, it should have been illegal to send him to Eswatini. (US law makes it clear that people can be deported to third countries only when it is “impracticable, inadvisable, or impossible” to send them to countries to which they have close ties.)
After Etoria arrived in Eswatini, Jamaica’s government immediately made clear that it had not refused to take him back. And in September, after being imprisoned for two months at Matsapha, Etoria returned to the Caribbean island. (A Mexican national sent to South Sudan was also repatriated after the Mexican government facilitated his return.)
Alma David, an immigration attorney with Novo Legal, is representing Mosquera and Kassim Saleh Wasil, a Yemeni national in Eswatini. She told me the head of the Matsapha prison said via WhatsApp that the only way to have an unmonitored conversation with her clients would be for her or another attorney to come in person. She noted that Nhlabatsi had tried and been repeatedly turned away. In response, David said the prison chief told her that Nhlabatsi needed to go to the US Embassy to get permission to meet with his clients.
It is unclear what the actual policies are. “It’s a monarchy,” David explained. “Nobody wants to be the person who does the wrong thing or does the thing they’re not supposed to do. But nobody really knows what they’re supposed to be doing.”
“All of these people had served their sentences,” she stressed of the men sent to Eswatini. “They were living in the community and were not considered a danger to anybody until one day, they were picked up and sent to Eswatini.”
When we first spoke late last month, Nhlabatsi said he would soon be in court to secure an order allowing him to meet with the men sent from the United States. Last Friday, he said the court ordered him to have access. But it came with a major caveat: The government immediately appealed the judgment.
It means that Nhlabatsi is likely months away from being able to meet with his clients—if he is able to do so at all. The goal appears to be to try to stonewall until the men are removed from Eswatini, at which point their claims would become moot.
Nhlabatsi said the case has become big news in his country. Many residents have not been happy to learn that their government is holding people convicted of serious crimes in the United States. In contrast to the propaganda video El Salvador released after Venezuelans arrived at CECOT, Eswatini’s government seems to have tried to draw as little attention as possible to what it’s doing on behalf of the United States. (Nhlabatsi said he does not believe that the men are being physically abused while in custody but added that being in prison is bad enough.)
ICE is now doubling down on these deportations. Nguyen, the North Carolina lawyer, said ICE told a group of men in detention in the United States on Saturday that they were about to be deported to Eswatini. Nguyen said the new group of deportees includes people from Cambodia, Chad, Cuba, the Philippines, and Vietnam. Flight tracking records indicate that the plane carrying them arrived in the nation around midnight Monday. (Unlike the first five people sent to Eswatini, this group was able to make short calls after arriving in the country, according to Nguyen.)
Victoria Beckham is sharing new details about her “incredibly unhealthy” past eating disorder that left her losing “all sense of reality” after the Spice Girls broke up in 2000.
“When you have an eating disorder, you become very good at lying, and I was never honest about it with my parents,” she shares in the new Netflix docuseries, “Victoria Beckham.”
“I never talked about it in public. It really affects you when you’re being told constantly that you’re not good enough and I suppose that’s been with me my whole life.”
The Spice Girl member, dubbed Posh Spice, 51, admits to being stung by the constant criticism surrounding her body.
The former Spice Girl says it developed as a form of “control.” FilmMagic
“I’ve been everything from Porky Posh to Skinny Posh,” she says in the doc. “I mean, you know it’s been a lot, and that is hard. I had no control over what’s been written about me, pictures that were being taken, and I suppose I wanted to control that, you know, control it with the clothing.”
“I could control my weight,” she continues, “and I was controlling it in an incredibly unhealthy way.”
Victoria recounts being weighed on national television in 1999 six months after she’d given birth to her first child, Brooklyn Beckham, 26, whom she shares with husband David Beckham.
“We laugh about it and we joke about it, when we were on television,” she says, “but I was really, really young and that hurts.”
David adds that during those years, “People felt it was OK to criticize a woman for her weight…there were a lot of things happening on TV then that won’t happen now, that can’t happen now.”
Victoria explains that she began to “doubt myself and not like myself” and slowly began to “lose all sense of reality.”
Body dysmorphia began to develop with the “Wannabe” singer becoming “very critical of myself. I didn’t like what I saw.”
Insiders previously confirmed to Page Six that Victoria would be discussing her struggles with body-image and food in the new series.
“There was a huge scrutiny on Victoria’s appearance and her weight,” our source said. “I think the audience will have some understanding of what she went through.”
The former pop star first opened up about her struggles in her autobiography, “Learning to Fly.”
Though she has a healthy relationship with food now, there’s still one thing she stays away from.
Chinese firms which have relocated operations to the region in a bid to seek lower tariffs on their US exports, as well as Southeast Asian businesses across the supply chain, are feeling the pinch from the 40 per cent US transshipment levy.
Huashuo Plastics workers inspecting the quality of the material used to make a hollow plastic board at its factory in Hai Phong, Vietnam. (Photo: CNA/Zamzahuri Abas)
In recent years, Chinese firm Huashuo Plastics has moved a significant proportion of its operations from Guangdong in southeastern China to Hai Phong in northern Vietnam.
Before 2016, almost all of its production was focused in Dongguan – an industrial city in Guangdong – but today, around 80 per cent of its products are shipped from Hai Phong, located 100 km from Hanoi.
The firm exports 90 per cent of its goods – hollow plastic boards typically used to make delivery boxes – to the United States, with e-commerce giant Amazon among its key clients.
Qiu Ji De, chairman of Huashuo Plastics, told CNA that tariff penalties imposed by the US on China since a trade war began in 2018 have led the company and other Chinese firms to employ the China Plus One strategy.
It is a business move that attempts to diversify their supply chains in order to avoid US tariffs on goods from China.
However, Qiu added that these plans have been hit, first by US President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs in April, and then more significantly in July, when he announced a 40 per cent levy on goods deemed to be transshipped from China to the US through other countries.
In essence, transshipment, at its most basic, is the process of transferring goods from one mode of transport to another at an intermediary location to continue their journey to a final destination.
While Vietnam was initially hit with a 46 per cent reciprocal tariff rate on Liberation Day, Trump later announced in early July a “Great Deal of Cooperation” with Hanoi, reducing the levy to 20 per cent.
Additionally, some goods would also face an additional 40 per cent export levy for transshipments. It was reportedly supposed to come into effect in August, but details of what constitutes transshipment remain unclear.
“Before (both sets of) the tariff were imposed, production and delivery were going quite smoothly. But after the tariffs increased, things changed … our orders have been heavily affected,” said Qiu, whose factory in Hai Phong was rather quiet and stacks of boards laid in storage when CNA visited in early September.
“Because the decline has been pretty fast – pretty rapid – we had to respond by cutting staff members. We reduced about one-third of our workforce, which is quite a significant amount,” he added, declining to give absolute figures.
Trade experts said that the 40 per cent levy is Washington’s answer to the phenomenon termed as “Southeast Asia-washing”, which refers to Chinese companies trying to disguise the origin of their products by relocating operations to countries in the region.
There has been a focus on Vietnam being used as a gateway for Chinese goods destined for the US, allowing Chinese exporters to take advantage of Hanoi’s lower tariffs and avoid high US duties on goods from China.
Based on the latest tariff numbers, compared to the 20 per cent tariff that Vietnam faces, the US has imposed a 55 per cent levy on Chinese imports, as announced by Trump in June.
Meanwhile Chinese duties on US imports stand at over 10 per cent, as announced in May.
However, there is still a chance that the numbers could be much larger, threatening trade between both countries.
The US had earlier announced a 145 per cent tax on Chinese goods while the Chinese tariffs on US goods were set to hit 125 per cent, but both countries extended a tariff truce until Nov 10 as discussions continue.
However, firms, logistics exporters as well as trade analysts whom CNA spoke to stressed that there is widespread uncertainty over how the US government will define and enforce the additional 40 per cent levy on transshipped goods.
There are question marks over the US government’s criteria for the rules of origin of a product and especially what percentage of Chinese-made components of each product would trigger this levy.
This levy is targeted at Chinese firms which have allegedly been exploiting this loophole, and shipping their products through Southeast Asian countries to avoid high tariffs and restrictions.
The uncertainty has left Chinese companies in a limbo, while also impacting local Southeast Asian companies in the supply chain, triggering pauses in production and layoffs. The situation is playing out in Vietnam most significantly, as well as in other Southeast Asian countries like Malaysia and Thailand.
In some cases, trade experts said it has raised the question over whether the region is now still a viable tariff escape route for Chinese firms, prompting some businesses to diversify to other regions such as South Asia and Europe to expand their customer base.
In the bigger geopolitical context, the transshipment tariffs are seen as Trump’s attempt to squeeze China out directly, by pushing the likes of Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand to reduce the amount of Chinese content in their supply chains.
Experts told CNA that it remains to be seen if some of these Southeast Asian countries – which are strategically important allies for Beijing – will distance themselves from their top trading partner in Asia.
“Washington wants ASEAN to cut the Chinese inputs out of its supply chains. In practice, that is a tall order,” said Nguyen Khac Giang, a regional political and economic expert who is also a visiting fellow at ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute’s Vietnam Studies programme.
“Southeast Asia is not just a staging ground for ‘Made in China’ goods, it is welded into a deeply integrated East Asian production network that keeps costs down and output up,” he added.
BLOW TO EXPORTS, GDP GROWTH IN ASEAN
The term “Southeast Asia-washing” refers to Chinese companies trying to disguise the origin of their products by relocating operations to countries in the region.
The practice reportedly surged after the first rounds of US-China tariffs in 2018-2019 as a trade war unravelled, peaking around 2022 to mid-2024, especially in the solar and electronics supply chains.
According to reports, the practice is widespread in Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand and Cambodia – hubs for industries like solar, electronics and textiles routed from China.
However, the much higher tariffs imposed on Southeast Asian countries this year, along with the penalties on transshipped goods, have reduced the payoff for Southeast Asia-washing, with analysts suggesting that the practice of transshipment and relabelling could be ending.
Northern Vietnam’s burgeoning industrial towns like Bac Ninh and Hai Phong – which over the last few years saw an influx of Chinese firms – have seen production slowed in recent months.
An employee who works in a logistics company which ships goods from Hai Phong port to the US told CNA that the volume of products has dipped by more than half compared to last year.
The employee, who spoke to CNA on condition of anonymity due to corporate sensitivities, said that based on feedback from his clients, this can be attributed to the uncertainties surrounding the 40 per cent transshipment levy and how the possible enforcement of this has spooked some US importers from proceeding with orders, given the potentially higher costs.
“We have seen this trend across a variety of industries – garments, manufacturing, electronics. It’s a chain effect – the levies trigger fewer orders, companies produce less, and everyone including us are impacted,” the official added.
Chinese national Gao Wen Ming, who manages a BYD Forklift distributor facility in Bac Ninh on the outskirts of Hanoi, told CNA that his partner companies, such as Chinese consumer electronics firm TCL Technology, have been impacted by the tariffs as they export their products heavily to the US.
BYD Forklift, a subsidiary of the Chinese automaker BYD, supplies forklifts and pallet trucks to BYD factories and other companies in the region.
Since it moved operations from Shandong in China to Bac Ninh in 2024, BYD Forklift has grown its Vietnam operations from a small one-room office to an entire warehouse.
But stalled orders from some US importers working with BYD Forklift’s clients have paused the company’s expansion and as a result, the firm has had to implement layoffs in recent months, but Gao declined to specify how many workers had been let go.
“Our workforce operates under a constant process of natural selection, survival of the fittest,” he said.
According to United Nations estimates, US tariffs could slash up to one-fifth of Vietnam’s exports to the US, equivalent to more than US$25 billion, making it the worst-hit country in Southeast Asia.
Some experts have projected a 5 per cent dip in the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) if the tariffs persist.
According to US trade data, Vietnam was the world’s sixth-largest exporter to the US last year with US$136.5 billion worth of shipped goods, the largest among Southeast Asia countries.
Dan Martin, a Hanoi-based international business adviser at consultancy firm Dezan Shira & Associates, told CNA that Vietnam has had a huge appeal to international companies because it is one of two Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states which have a free trade agreement with the European Union, the other being Singapore.
“I think a lot of companies – American companies, European companies and also Chinese companies that are based in China – see the writing on the wall about the intended policy of the United States, which is to go and peel companies off (from) China,” said Martin.
He added that northern Vietnam’s geographical advantages – it shares a massive land border with China and has an extensive coastline with several deepwater ports to ship goods further afar, including to the US – boost the Southeast Asian country’s value proposition as an investment destination for Chinese companies.
However, these advantages are not sufficient to defray the costs of doing business there now, especially after Trump slapped Vietnam with a 20 per cent tariff, along with a 40 per cent levy for Chinese firms which transship goods, he said.
“(Many companies have adopted) a wait-and-see approach which started basically back in September-October 2024 and it’s continued up to this point,” said Martin, referring to the period where it increasingly became apparent that Trump was the slight favourite to win the 2024 US presidential election.
“If you’re a company with ties to the US market, it would make a lot of sense to not come to Vietnam, and other countries in the region, because people don’t have a strong understanding of where the tariff numbers are going to land.”
Other countries in the region are also not immune.
In Thailand, the government has estimated that its actions to closely scrutinise exports for transshipment could reduce its exports to the US by US$15 billion, equivalent to one-third of its trade surplus with Washington last year.
According to local reports, Thai exporters to the US must convincingly prove that their goods are sufficiently “Thai”, and that sectors that rely heavily on imported inputs – electronics, auto parts and industrial machinery – are at risk.
Thailand has also promised to look more closely at foreign investments in areas such as the burgeoning electric vehicles industry, where Chinese companies have invested to bring their own suppliers into the country.
In September, the Thai government said it will set up a special task force to manage millions of certificates of origin expected to be required under US trade rules.
The US reduced its tariff on Thai imports to 19 per cent, after initially proposing a 36 per cent levy. Yet, products suspected of being rerouted to conceal their origin could face additional duties of 40 per cent.
Meanwhile, Thailand’s southern neighbour Malaysia has seen overall export numbers increase but in lower numbers than expected.
Total exports rose 1.9 per cent in August from a year earlier, according to data from Malaysia’s Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry released in September, lower than the 3 per cent median estimate in a Bloomberg survey.
Moreover, shipments to the US fell 16.7 per cent year on year, while imports declined 36.7 per cent. Trade with its third-largest trading partner slumped by 25 per cent.
“The overall decline in trade with the US may reflect the early impact of recent tariff adjustments introduced by the US government,” the ministry said in a statement on Sep 19.
As for Singapore, some media reports have cited how Chinese companies like Shein, ByteDance and BYD are setting up operations in the city state purportedly to circumvent tariffs and barriers.
But observers have said that though Singapore is a transshipment hub, the act of companies disguising their product’s origin is not as prevalent due to more stringent enforcement.
During a forum event in September, Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, who is also Minister for Trade and Industry, warned that companies thinking of arbitraging US tariffs through Singapore should “be careful” of the risk of stiff penalties.
Additionally, Singapore Customs issued a circular in June reminding exporters and agents to accurately declare the country of origin on import, export or transshipment permits.
A list of frequently asked questions on Singapore’s government agency EnterpriseSG’s website explicitly states that the US can verify origin directly with manufacturers in Singapore and that Singapore Customs will even facilitate US authorities verification visits when asked.
Political and economic expert Giang said that Southeast Asian countries like Vietnam “cannot dodge the fallout” from the tariffs, but if the reciprocal rates stay at around 20 per cent as it is presently, the impact is manageable.
He said that Vietnam’s general statistics office projected that economic growth would be shaved by less than a single percentage point.
“That is hardly painless, but it is nowhere near the worst-case scenario of a 3–5 percentage-point hit under the 46 per cent (original Liberation Day) tariff scenario,” said Giang.
“Still, the mood among firms is one of limbo, waiting for Washington to clarify how deep the knife will cut on the transshipment clause,” he added.
UNCERTAINTY OVER TRANSSHIPMENT DEFINITION
The slowdown in trade in some countries in Southeast Asia can be attributed to uncertainties with how the US defines transshipment and how it enforces the 40 per cent levy, which could be the death knell for certain industries, said analysts.
Trump’s executive order of Jul 31 – on new tariff rates for dozens of countries – stated that these are goods transshipped through other countries “to evade applicable duties” instead of coming straight from the country of origin. It added that these goods will face the 40 per cent transshipment levy.
Additionally, this 40 per cent tariff will be on top of whatever tariffs that would have applied if the goods had come directly from the country where they were originally made.
For instance, goods transshipped to the US via Vietnam would face a 20 per cent reciprocal tax plus a 40 per cent transshipment levy.
Steven Okun, chief executive officer of APAC Advisors – a geostrategic and investment consultancy based in Singapore – told CNA that it is presently illegal for companies to manufacture a product in China, send it to Vietnam or other Southeast Asian countries, change the label and declare the certificate of origin to be from Vietnam or elsewhere, and export the finished product to the US.
However, he said that taking a good manufactured in one place, sending it to another country, transforming them into a new product and then exporting, constitutes trade and is legal, though he and other analysts point out that the issue lies in how much of “transformation” constitutes a new product.
Okun said it is even possible that the US has made illegal transshipments permissible with the 40 per cent tariff.
“There is no clarity on if or how the US will expand the definition of an illegal transshipment. Washington could broaden the definition at any time,” said Okun.
“Until then, companies remain uncertain about whether goods assembled in places like Vietnam with a certain amount of made in China constitute Vietnamese origin product when it comes to tariffs.”
Deborah Elms, head of trade policy at the Hinrich Foundation in Singapore, echoed similar sentiments, stressing that firms and other governments are still waiting for greater clarity on what the US administration means by transshipment.
“Goods are supposed to be “substantially transformed”, going beyond simple assembly or disassembly (so as not to be considered as transshipped). But this (transhipment) threshold is still unclear,” she added.
Chinese companies CNA spoke to in Vietnam denied outright that their goods should be subjected to this transshipment tax since they claim the products were produced wholly in Vietnam. They also said that they have not been subjected to the 40 per cent transshipment levy since it came into effect in August.
But they acknowledged that the uncertainty surrounding the definition of transshipment goods has impacted orders and slowed production.
Qiu of Huashuo Plastics told CNA: “This kind of public opinion – once it exists – creates an atmosphere that isn’t very friendly.”
However, Le Minh Ngoc, who runs a local ceramics exporting firm in Bat Trang near Hanoi, told CNA that the practice of transshipment is widespread in Vietnam, and that his firm acts as a middleman for Chinese pottery companies which wish to export to the US.
Some of these products include vases, pots and statues of historical figures in Chinese and Vietnamese history.
“On average, we export about six to seven containers to the US annually, using the largest 40-foot containers,” said Minh.
“Thanks to the trade war, some clients are now considering moving part of their production to Vietnam to ease the pressure. This is actually a benefit for us,” added the 27-year-old, who confirms that Chinese products passing through his firm are relabelled before being exported to the US.
When asked if the transshipment tax impacts his business, Minh said Chinese firms are willing to take risks and pay the additional costs on their end.
However, not all local firms have benefited from the transshipment tariffs.
Nam, a manager of a silk boutique firm located in Hanoi who declined to give his full name, told CNA that increased competition from Chinese firms and higher reciprocal tariffs have made it no longer viable to export products to the US. His firm previously exported 20 per cent of its goods to the US.
“I’ve had to cut 30 per cent to 40 per cent of my workforce since COVID-19 (and the implementation of tariffs thereafter). Profits have decreased. We haven’t been able to sell as much as before – sales have dropped by around 20 per cent to 30 per cent,” said the 35-year-old.
Countries and major cities in Southeast Asia are also uneasy with being labelled as a transshipment hub for Chinese goods.
Penang, widely known as the Silicon Valley of the East as it serves as a key hub in the global supply chain for semiconductors, is increasingly seen as a viable location for Chinese firms under the China Plus One strategy.
It refers to a supply-chain diversification strategy in which Chinese firms keep production in China but add at least one additional manufacturing base elsewhere – often in Southeast Asia – to reduce costs, leverage on free trade agreement networks and to take advantage of government tax incentives offered.
The phenomenon began in the early 2000s when Chinese firms, especially those in the textile industry, began exploring alternatives like Vietnam and Cambodia.
It expanded to countries like Thailand and Malaysia following the escalation of the US-China trade war between 2018 and 2020.
In the first half of 2025, northern Malaysian state Penang recorded RM1.85 billion in approved manufacturing investments from China, accounting for nearly 15 per cent of the state’s manufacturing investment in that period.
In comparison, for the same period in 2024, it recorded RM411.8 million in manufacturing investments from China, or only a quarter of the 2025 figure.
In a written response to queries from CNA, Penang’s chief minister Chow Kon Yeow stressed that while Penang welcomes investment from China, it is prioritising projects that “bring high value-added activities to the state” and less so to accommodate companies which transship products.
“We prioritise projects that contribute to local capabilities and innovation, rather than those focused solely on transshipment,” said Chow.
“As such, companies seeking to establish operations purely for transshipment purposes may find Penang less aligned with their needs,” he added.
He did not elaborate on how Penang ascertained whether companies are transshipping goods.
IS THE SOUTHEAST ASIA TARIFF ESCAPE ROUTE CLOSED?
Trade experts whom CNA spoke to stressed that the transshipment tax imposed by the US has diminished Southeast Asia’s appeal as a tariff escape route for Chinese firms.
At the same time, Chinese companies said that they are considering relocating to other regions where the spotlight on transshipment is less intense than countries like Vietnam.
For instance, Qiu of Huashuo Plastics told CNA that his firm is considering relocating some of its operations to India, in a move to diversify its client base beyond the US to include the European Union.
The employee who works in the logistics company which ships goods from Hai Phong port to the US told CNA that Chinese firms operating out of Vietnam are diversifying their client base by exporting to Europe and the Middle East beyond just the US.
Meanwhile, local businesses in Southeast Asia are also feeling the pinch with increased competition from Chinese firms and these countries too could implement protectionistic measures, said Okun.
Okun added that there is evidence that Chinese capacity being diverted into Southeast Asia has been threatening local industries, citing how over the past two years, more than 4,000 Thai factories have shut and tens of thousands of those working in Indonesia’s textile sector have lost jobs.
“This is a clear signal that the spillover is already underway, and governments will take measures to protect themselves,” he added.
On the other hand, a mass exodus of Chinese firms out of Southeast Asia is unlikely as experts said that it is not realistic to take China out of the region’s manufacturing base in the foreseeable future.
Giang told CNA: “Supply chains are sticky. Once you build a factory, train workers, and establish supplier networks, you do not pack up overnight.”
However trade experts told CNA that ultimately, the intent behind the transshipment law by the US is to persuade Southeast Asian countries to sequester China and move away to other trading partners.
Various news reports have said that the US is pursuing a strategic decoupling from China, and is demanding its trade partners in the region do the same.
Experts also noted how Trump’s trade adviser Peter Navarro called Vietnam a “colony of China”, claiming that as much as a third of its exports to the US were, in fact, Chinese goods rebranded as Vietnamese.
Okun added that Vietnam’s deal to reduce its reciprocal tax from 46 per cent to 20 per cent suggests it has agreed to some form of decoupling from China in order to appease the US and achieve a more favourable tariff outcome.
However, he maintained that a complete decoupling is impossible in the “foreseeable future”.
“The US may seek to limit the level of Chinese content. It cannot eliminate it entirely. The policy is really about containment, not complete separation,” said Okun.
An anti-Israel billboard is seen next to the Iranian flag during a celebration following the IRGC attack on Israel, in Tehran, Iran, Apr 15, 2024. (File photo: REUTERS/WANA/Majid Asgaripour)
Iran on Tuesday (Oct 7) dismissed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s warnings over its missile programme as fabricated, after he alleged the Islamic republic was developing rockets capable of reaching US cities.
In an interview with US podcaster Ben Shapiro released on Monday, Netanyahu said: “Iran is developing now … intercontinental ballistic missiles for 8,000 kilometre range”.
“What does that mean? They add another 3,000 kilometres and they’ve got under their guns … New York City in target, Washington, Boston, Miami, Mar-a-Lago”, he said, referring to the Florida residence of US President Donald Trump.
Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, condemned the comments, saying Israel was trying to portray Iran’s defensive capabilities as a threat.
“Israel is now trying to make an imaginary threat out of our defence capabilities,” Araghchi wrote on X.
Iran has a large arsenal of domestically produced ballistic missiles, including Shahab-3 rockets with a range of 2,000km – enough to reach Israel.
In June, a 12-day war erupted after unprecedented Israeli strikes inside Iran targeted military, political and nuclear-related sites.
Iran responded with missile and drone attacks on Israel and on the largest US base in the Middle East, located in Qatar, after Washington launched a bombing raid of its own.
Anti-government protests in Morocco are organized by an anonymous group of youth activists on a platform meant for gaming. They started off with just four members, and now have almost 250,000. DW spoke with one of them.
Morocco’s youth-led anti-government protests have been held almost daily since September 27Image: Abdel Majid Bziouat/AFP/Getty Images
Although there’s a temporary pause this week, the protests in Morocco will keep going until they achieve what they set out to do, one of the organizers of the youth-led movement behind the biggest anti-government protests the country has seen in years, told DW.
They were marred by violence last week but the protests have been mostly peaceful and in a statement published early Tuesday morning, the movement — Gen Z 212 — called for the government’s resignation. Analysts have already suggested Morocco’s billionaire Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch may be forced to resign as a result of the Gen Z-led protests. Gen Z 212 has also demanded reforms of the education and health systems and “an independent, impartial judiciary.”
“Health, education and a good living situation isn’t something we should have to demand, these are our rights,” the organizer told DW in a written interview conducted online. “But greed took them from us,” the person said.
The organizer, who spoke to DW on condition of anonymity, is one of the Moroccans behind the group Gen Z 212, which has organized the daily protests.
None of the group’s organizers have been identified and they plan to keep it that way. The person DW interviewed wouldn’t give further details because, they said, the movement speaks for itself.
The organizer did, however, explain how Gen Z 212 began and how it works. The group was first founded on the online platform Discord in mid-September and members called for protests at the end of September.
Gen Z 212 started off with just four people and was originally triggered by anger over what has been called “the hospital of death” in the coastal city of Agadir. Protests around the Hassan II Hospital had been happening for weeks because of patient mistreatment, lack of hygiene, misuse of drugs and patient deaths.
“Morocco just needed a spark,” the Gen Z 212 organizer said, explaining the connection to the hospital. “The movement really started because of the bad situation in Morocco, that my generation has to endure.”
At the time of writing, the group had close to a quarter of a million members. More than 80 other volunteers have since been recruited to help, the anonymous organizer told DW.
Discord, the new digital public square
Discord is a platform that was first founded in 2015 so players of online games could communicate easily while playing. It has text channels, voice chats and various community management features but is usually classified as a “chat for gamers” app, with both a free and a paid service.
Over the past few years, it has become increasingly popular with non-gamers too. In 2017, Discord had 45 million monthly active users. But the COVID-19 pandemic saw use increase and earlier this year, the platform was recording over 200 million users monthly.
Research suggests that almost a third of them don’t even play online games. Discord, which is valued at around $15 billion (€12.8 billion), is now being used for community management by everyone from businesses and schools to climate activists and right-wing extremists, observers point out.
Recently Discord has been in the news more frequently, and not least because of its vital role in various Gen Z protest groups, such as those in Madagascar, Nepal and Morocco.
Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old American who allegedly murdered right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk, discussed the killing on Discord. Other US school shooters and violent extremists have also been traced back to Discord groups. This week, the platform’s chief executive, Humam Sakhnini, will testify before US Congress on “the radicalization of online forum users.”
Long-time users point to Discord’s security flaws too. Anybody can join and everyone is anonymous, so groups can easily be infiltrated. Chat histories are never deleted even if a user leaves and in September, a tranche of Discord user data was stolen by hackers. Nonetheless as digital specialist French website, Zataz, explains, “Discord resonates with people under 30. The absence of intrusive algorithms, freedom of organization, and a sense of ‘peer-to-peer’ dialogue explain its popularity.”
Moroccan police ‘not familiar’ with Discord
Morocco’s Gen Z 212 is using Discord for very similar reasons. “It’s much easier to use, more secure and offers more channels to discuss different topics and to put announcements, not to mention voice chats that allow people to connect and get closer to one another,” the organizer told DW. “Also, the Moroccan police is still not familiar with Discord.”
The decentralized nature of Discord, with multiple groups working in different channels at once and the continuous chatter, also suits Gen Z 212’s evolving, collective ideology.
The group has held online votes to decide what action to take next. After three protesters died during violence last week, organizers asked members to choose whether to demonstrate as usual (but peacefully, and with a time limit), to protest from their own balconies and rooftops so as to avoid police, or whether to take a day off in mourning. The first option won and protests went ahead.
Around half an hour before protests are due to take place, a list of locations for demonstrations is published on Discord. After protests end, there are chat sessions where members share their experiences and advice, in Arabic, English and French.
The group has also asked members to ensure protests remain peaceful, to avoid criticism of Morocco’s king and to help tidy streets as a gesture of goodwill toward their communities.
Gen Z 212 shy away from hierarchies and also regularly use their Discord channel to denounce anybody who claims to speak on their behalf.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is likely to survive Thursday’s no-confidence vote — but both the EU’s far left and far right have taken issue with how she is doing her job.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, is expected to weather the upcoming no-confidence vote on ThursdayImage: Philipp von Ditfurth/dpa/picture alliance
On Monday afternoon, when the European Parliament met for the second time after the summer break in Strasbourg, legislators got down to business right away.
Jordan Bardella, the French chairman of the far-right group Patriots for Europe, accused European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen of a lack of transparency, a failed migration policy and a loss of competitiveness because of her climate policy.
He also called the customs deal with the US a disaster. “You have effectively signed Europe’s surrender,” he said.
The next to speak was the deputy chair of the left-wing group, French politician Manon Aubry. Her accusations were also serious: failure in her dealings with Israel and the war in Gaza, in achieving the Green Deal, focusing on arms purchases instead of social security. “You must go,” she told von der Leyen.
However, von der Leyen kept calm. “The truth is that our opponents are not only ready to exploit any divisions, they actively fuel these divisions,” she countered confidently, calling for unity.
Two no-confidence votes in three months
Yet it is unprecedented for a European Commission president to face two votes of no-confidence within just three months. It is seen as unlikely that she will be ousted in Thursday’s vote — but it reveals just how fragmented the parliament has become.
It further displays how fragile trust between the Commission and parties from the political center is by now.
Unlike the last vote of no-confidence in July, this time, the push came from the radical left as well as the political right wing. Although their worldviews clash, their goals seem to be similar: to undermine von der Leyen, and strengthen their own grip on power in the parliament.
For Almut Möller, director of European and Global Affairs at the European Policy Centre (EPC), this is not unexpected. “It is no surprise given the increasing political fragmentation in the European Parliament,” she said.
Olivier Costa, director of research at the French Centre national de la recherche scientifique, or CNRS, who is an expert on EU institutions, highlighted the rise of extremist forces on the left and right as the root cause.
What is the criticism of von der Leyen’s leadership?
Costa also points to the dwindling ability to cooperate between Social Democrats and Christian Democrats, which was formerly the core alliance in the European Parliament. He added there was second reason: Ursula von der Leyen’s leadership style, which many perceive as too centralized and hierarchical.
“She really sees herself as a prime minister,” Costa said, adding that the principles of cooperation and consensus are taking a back seat, with decisions being made by those at the top. This has caused discontent in the parliament and even within the Commission.
Meanwhile, Europe’s political landscape has become more complicated. Since 2019, the former “grand coalition” between the right-wing conservative European People’s Party (EPP) and the social democrats (S&D) is no longer sufficient to secure stable majorities.
“We have seen that already in some votes, especially on environment and migration or international questions, that there is no hesitation anymore for the EPP to vote with them [far-right parties],” he said.
Personal clashes between Manfred Weber (EPP) and Iratxe García (S&D) at the top of the parliamentary groups have made compromises harder to reach. The result is a power vacuum in the center that is being exploited by the political fringes.
Criticism mounts from all sides
Still, the parties in the center are still trying to stick together, but patience with the Commission President’s course is wearing thin. “We have to acknowledge that the political platform upon which the Commission President and her Commission stand holds for now, but is not that solid in the center either,” Möller told DW.
There is criticism from all sides: parts of the Liberal Party complain about the slow pace of bureaucracy cutbacks, the EPP is annoyed about unilateral foreign policy decisions, and the Social Democrats and Greens are increasingly skeptical about a shift toward growth and competitiveness and away from social projects and the Green Deal.
However, Möller warns against jumping to conclusions. “These [accusations] will not fundamentally be a threat to the power of the Commission President,” she explained, adding that von der Leyen will “have to focus on keeping the center engaged and happy.”
In her view, ironically, the upcoming no-confidence votes are an opportunity to do just that.
Von der Leyen may be able to discipline her coalition by turning the vote into a question of loyalty.
Dangerous or invigorating?
So, are the no-confident votes a sign of dangerous destabilization or democratic vitality? “Both,” Costa said, explaining that “controversy is the proof that democracy is vivid, within EU institutions, but it’s always the same thing: It’s vivid until the point where it becomes too much for the system and the system is destabilized.”
On Thursday, the European Parliament will decide on von der Leyen’s future. However, Costa does not see any grounds for an imminent resignation, but rather views the situation as the new normal, which consists of nonstop stress tests.
Plastics will not only choke coastlines but also incubate antibiotic resistance, disrupt food webs and infiltrate the human body, says SCELSE researcher Stephen Summers.
People collect plastic waste on a beach during a coastal cleanup programme that provides rice to volunteers in exchange for plastic waste, in Mabini, Batangas province, Philippines, Jun 15, 2024. (Photo: Reuters/Lisa Marie David)
The United Nations’ latest round of plastic treaty negotiations in Geneva has ended in disappointment. Despite two draft texts, nearly 180 countries failed to reach consensus, leaving the world without a binding agreement to curb plastic pollution.
This failure will have an impact on public health. Plastics are more than unsightly litter – they are colonised by microbes, turning into living “plastispheres” that spread pathogens, concentrate toxic chemicals and alter ecosystems. In tropical waters, these microbial communities form rapidly and thrive in ways we are only beginning to understand.
This microbial lens reveals a hidden danger in plastic pollution. Without action, plastics will not only choke coastlines but also incubate antibiotic resistance, disrupt food webs and infiltrate the human body. The crisis is deeper and more insidious than most policymakers realise.
PLASTICS ARE NOT INERT
When we talk about plastic pollution, we tend to think of littered coastlines or garbage patches in oceans. But plastic does not remain static once it enters the environment.
In my work at SCELSE, we study how plastics are rapidly colonised by bacteria and other microbes, forming dense communities known as plastispheres. These plastispheres are not harmless. Research shows they can act as “floating petri dishes”, concentrating pollutants and serving as vectors for antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
In tropical waters such as Singapore’s, the process is accelerated. Microbial communities colonise plastics faster and with greater diversity compared to temperate seas. Preliminary data suggests these communities are enriched in microbes that consume or break down hydrocarbons (oil-like compounds), and in bacteria carrying genes that make them harder to kill.
These changes ripple outward. If key microbial players are replaced or dominated by these groups, plankton communities may shift, affecting the fish that depend on them and, ultimately, the seafood we eat.
For public health, the risk is twofold. Resistant bacteria can move from the sea and come into contact with humans via food, water and coastal recreation, and chemical changes in plastispheres may increase the release of toxins that accumulate in seafood consumed by people.
This microbial dimension of the plastic crisis is rarely discussed in negotiations. Yet it is critical. Plastics are not inert pollutants – they are chemically and biologically active surfaces that disrupt ecosystems at the microbial level.
HARMFUL AND HELPFUL MICROBES
Recent work led by my colleague Cao Bin and his team shows just how complex this picture is. Sampling plastic debris across 14 coastal sites in Singapore, they found both threats and opportunities within the plastisphere.
On the one hand, the debris hosted potentially harmful microbes capable of spreading across habitats, including coral reefs and mangroves. On the other, the team also identified potential plastic-eating bacteria such as Muricauda and Halomonas – organisms that could one day help us develop biologically driven solutions for plastic waste management.
Left unchecked, marine plastics can spread pathogens and resistance genes. But with research investment, they could also point us toward microbial solutions to degrade and detoxify plastics in the future.
PLASTICS AND HUMAN HEALTH
The danger is not confined to oceans. Microplastics have been detected in human blood, placental tissue and breast milk. In Singapore, NUS Tropical Marine Science Institute researcher Dr Sandric Leong and his team found microplastics in prawns sold for consumption.
These findings bring the crisis directly to our dinner tables. We can measure plastic uptake in the body, but we do not yet know what this means for our cells, immune systems, or long-term health. The science is still catching up, but the exposure is already here.
Against this backdrop, biodegradable plastics are often promoted as a fix. However, bioplastics such as polylactic acid degrade only under industrial composting conditions and persist in seawater, fragmenting into smaller pieces that continue to pollute. Without international standards for biodegradability across environments, such solutions risk being little more than greenwashed substitutions.
WHAT CAN BE DONE LOCALLY
With global talks stalling, what can ordinary people and communities do? Here are three areas where local action matters.
First, we can cut down on single-use plastics. Market forces shape production. Every time we refuse unnecessary packaging, bring our own bags, or choose refillable options, we lower the demand for disposables. Consumer behaviour alone cannot solve the problem, but it can undermine the economic incentives that keep virgin plastic production rising.
Second, we can support cleanup and monitoring efforts. While prevention is crucial, plastics already in the environment continue to cause harm. Community cleanups, citizen science initiatives and monitoring projects help remove waste, provide valuable data on pollution sources and build public awareness.
Third, we can push for stronger regulation at home. Even as global treaties falter, national and municipal governments can act. Bans on single-use items, levies on virgin plastic production and dedicated funding for research and waste management all make a difference. Policy shifts in Canada and several US states were informed by cleanup data – showing that evidence-based, local action can move the needle.
TROUBLED former NFL star Mark Sanchez had a reputation for “ego issues” when he was drinking and would “start arguing,” a former teammate has told The U.S. Sun.
The 38-year-old was arrested early on Sunday hours after he was stabbed in an alleged altercation with a delivery driver outside a downtown Indianapolis bar.
Sanchez was in Indianapolis to work for Fox ahead of the Oilers game against the Las Vegas RaidersCredit: AP
Disturbing pictures have claimed to show injuries suffered by driver Perry Tole, 69, after police say Sanchez attacked him and Tole fought back by stabbing Sanchez in self-defense.
Sanchez, who was in Indianapolis to cover the Colts versus Las Vegas Raiders game for Fox, was initially booked on charges of battery with injury, public intoxication, and unlawful entry of a vehicle.
Prosecutors later upgraded the case, adding a felony battery charge on Monday.
If convicted on all counts, Sanchez could face up to six years behind bars.
Surveillance footage obtained by the New York Post shows a bleeding Sanchez clutching his torso and staggering down the street around 12:30 am after the stabbing.
The shocking images, however, didn’t surprise one former teammate who spoke to The U.S. Sun on the condition of anonymity.
The NFL player said when he heard the news about Sanchez, he instantly thought that “this was bound to happen.”
The ex-quarterback, according to the unnamed star, “crosses the line” when he drinks, and many of his former colleagues across the NFL felt the same.
“Mark has always had a bit of an ego issue—thinking he was superior to everyone else,” said the friend. “When he’d had a few drinks, he was always an annoying guy.”
He recalls numerous incidents on nights out when Sanchez would start becoming increasingly rude and “start arguing about nonsense” as the boozy nights wore on.
“He killed the party so many times because of his behavior,” the source added.
“I talked with a couple of other guys who played with him, and many of us feel the same way: it had to happen to a guy like him because he absolutely crosses the line when he drinks.”
DESTINED TO HAPPEN
None of this was a shock to his former teammate.
He describes the ex Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys star as an “arrogant, egocentric guy who makes everything about himself” and that his personality changes dramatically when intoxicated.
“Now he’s in trouble because of his behavior, and he has to think about it and change things radically,” claimed the former player. “If you can’t drink and behave well, you need to stop drinking and focus on what’s best for you.
“I started declining invitations whenever he suggested going out. I told him multiple times to behave and stop acting like an idiot, or he would face bad situations one day. He’s definitely not the best person to hang around when you go out for drinks.”
FEARS FOR CAREER
Robert Boland, a former NFL agent, prosecutor, and co-chair of sports practice Shumaker, Loop and Kendrick, told The U.S. Sun that he fears for Sanchez’s TV career following the shameful episode.
He called the incident “beyond bizarre” and says it could spell the end of his fledgling media career.
“He was moving up the ladder as a broadcaster at Fox Sports. Everything seemed to be going well for him,” Boland said. “He has had a history of unusual off-field incidents.
“He may escape serious charges given that he got the worst of it, and has no significant prior criminal record, despite the prosecutor considering felony charges. But he must be very worried about his broadcasting role – this could be career ending.”
TROUBLES IN COLLEGE
It’s not the first time the Californian has been in trouble.
In April 2006 while at USC, he was arrested after a female student accused him of sexual assault.
Sanchez was released from jail the following day and suspended.
Later that summer, it was announced by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office that no charges would be filed.
The college star was reinstated but fined by USC for underage drinking and using false identification following the incident in question.
SHOCKING ATTACK ACCOUNT
According to court documents, the chaos began when Sanchez confronted a truck driver whose vehicle was blocking an alleyway near a hotel’s loading dock.
The driver told investigators he was in the middle of collecting used grease from restaurants when Sanchez, allegedly intoxicated, began shouting at him.
The confrontation escalated so quickly that the older man said he feared for his life.
He first tried to fend Sanchez off with pepper spray, but when the ex-athlete kept coming, the driver pulled a knife and stabbed him “two or three times,” per the documents.
The affidavit claims Sanchez then hurled the man into a dumpster before stumbling away, looking stunned.
Witnesses said he soon banged on the window of a nearby bar, bloodied and desperate for help.
Bartender Scott Bennett recalled dragging him inside while coworkers pressed rags against his wounds and called 911.
In the lawsuit filed Monday, Tole says Sanchez has permanently disfigured him as well as causing serious physical and mental damage.
TMZ reported the truck driver is suffering mostly with head, neck and jaw issues following the attack.
When police caught up with him at the hospital, Sanchez reportedly said he couldn’t remember anything from the night except “grabbing a window.” He never mentioned the stabbing or the fight.
The former Jets star has yet to comment publicly on the incident.
The U.S. Sun reached out to Indianapolis based attorney James Voyles, who is representing Sanchez, but he’s yet to respond.
A VERY famous Hollywood star looked completely unrecognisable as he showed off his slimmed down figure.
The actor, 41, who has starred in multiple blockbuster movies, was spotted showing off his trim figure on set for his new film.
Can you guess who this slimmed down Hollywood star is?Credit: BackGrid
The movie star in question is Jonah Hill, who looked very different following his dramatic weight loss.
The 21 Jump Street actor showed off a slimmer physique as he filmed his latest picture.
Jonah was in full costume which saw him wearing a sandy haired wig.
He had grown out his beard and he wore sixties inspired clothes.
The actor was seen reading a script as he left his trailer to start filming new movie Cut Off.
Jonah was also spotted on set with his co-star, Kristen Wiig.
But it was the actor’s dramatic wight loss that was really noticeable on the film set in Los Angeles.
Jonah has seen his weight fluctuate over the years, and the star – who suffers from anxiety attacks – admitted being overweight as a child “f****d him up”.
“When I was a kid, exercise and diet was framed to me as like, ‘There’s something wrong with how you look,'” he said in Netflix documentary Stutz,
“But never once was exercise and diet propositioned to me in terms of mental health. I just wish that was presented to people differently.”
Jonah said inside he still feels like “a 14-year-old boy who’s very overweight and has acne and feels very undesirable to the world.”
“Inherently, at my core, I’m still this unlovable person,” he added.
“But the work is inching toward [realising] that it’s great to be this person. But that’s still very hard.”
Jonah first landed on our screens in the comedy films Accepted in 2006, and Superbad in 2007.
He said his 21 Jump Street co-star Channing Tatum encouraged him to hire a nutritionist and personal trainer in 2011.
“I called Channing Tatum and said, ‘Hey, if I ate less and go to a trainer, will I get in better shape?'” Jonah shared on The Tonight Show in August 2016.
“And he said, ‘Yes, you dumb motherf–er, of course you will. It’s the simplest thing in the entire world.”
Some paid their respects at the site of the Nova Music Festival, where more than 370 people were killed and dozens more taken back to Gaza as hostages
Israelis have gathered across the country to mark two years since the Hamas-led attack on 7 October 2023, as negotiations continued in Egypt over an end to the war in Gaza.
The attack saw over 1,200 people killed and 251 others taken back to Gaza as hostages. It was the single deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust.
Israel responded by launching a military offensive in Gaza which has killed more than 67,000 people, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry. Its figures are seen as reliable by the UN and other international bodies.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement that alongside “immense pain”, Israel had shown “miraculous resilience”.
“Our bloodthirsty enemies have hit us hard, but they have not broken us,” Netanyahu said on Tuesday.
He vowed to “achieve all the goals of the war: the return of all the kidnapped, the elimination of the Hamas regime and the promise that Gaza will no longer pose a threat to Israel”.
Recalling Hamas’s attack on southern Israel two years ago, UN Secretary General António Guterres said: “The horror of that dark day will be forever seared in the memories of us all”.
He also called on all parties to agree to US President Donald Trump’s peace plan, describing it as a “historic opportunity” to “bring this tragic conflict to an end”.
The Israeli government delayed official memorials until 16 October – after the end of the Jewish High Holiday season – but events still took place across the country on Tuesday.
A memorial ceremony for the families of Israelis killed in the Hamas attack was held in Tel Aviv. Organised by the families themselves, it was broadcast across Israeli television channels.
Hours earlier, a minute’s silence was observed across the country.
Meanwhile, Israeli and Hamas negotiating teams convened in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh for a second day of indirect talks to discuss the terms of the proposal.
A senior Palestinian official familiar with the negotiations told the BBC that an evening round of indirect talks began at 19:00 Cairo time (16:00 GMT).
The official said the morning session ended without tangible results, amid disagreements over the proposed Israeli withdrawal maps from Gaza and over guarantees Hamas wants to ensure Israel does not resume fighting after the first phase of the deal.
He added that the talks are “tough and have yet to produce any real breakthrough,” but noted that mediators are working hard to narrow the gaps between the two sides.
Earlier, a Palestinian official said the negotiations were focused on five key issues: a permanent ceasefire; the exchange of the hostages still held by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners and detainees from Gaza; the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza; arrangements for humanitarian aid deliveries; and post-war governance of the territory.
President Trump’s negotiators, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, were expected to depart the US this evening and arrive in Egypt on Wednesday, a source familiar with the talks told the BBC.
“We have a really good chance of making a deal, and it’ll be a lasting deal,” the president told reporters at the White House on Monday.
In Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square earlier, 29-year-old Hagar – whose brother survived the attack on the Nova music festival, where 378 people were killed and dozens more were taken hostage by Hamas gunmen – told the BBC: “No place feels like home anymore and until all the hostages come back none of us will feel safe.”
“When we see everybody home again, we can breathe again. Then we can start to recover,” she added.
Outside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem, people gathered to show their support for the families of the hostages. Israel says 48 remain in captivity in Gaza, 20 of whom are believed to be alive.
Demonstrator Atalia Regev told the BBC: “We need to do every compromise needed for the hostages to come back home. But we really want assurances that we will be safe.”
Opinion polls now consistently show that around 70% of Israelis want the war to end in exchange for the release of the hostages.
At the site of Nova festival, mourners gathered to pay their respects.
From there, the boom of Israelis air strikes and artillery could be heard just a few kilometres away in Gaza, where witnesses said the intense Israeli bombardment continued.
In Gaza City, air and artillery strikes were reported in the early hours of Tuesday in the western Tal al-Hawa, Rimal and Nasr neighbourhoods and in the eastern neighbourhood of Sheikh Radwan, as well Shati refugee camp to the north-west.
“When the evening comes, the fear comes with it,” displaced Gaza City resident Emaan al-Wahidi, whose 17-year-old son was killed by an Israeli air strike last year, told the BBC.
“Me and my three children are afraid of the air strikes. All the night we are sleeping together, holding each other, especially my smallest child who puts his head on me all night.”
“Every second we look at the news to see what happened. And I’m afraid that this ceasefire will not be completed and that the war will come back to us.”
Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City said it had received the bodies of six people by the afternoon, including three killed in an Israeli strike in the southern al-Sabra neighbourhood.
Nasser hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis said another two dead people had been brought there. One of them was killed by Israeli forces while seeking aid to the south, medics said.
Unicef spokesman James Elder described how mothers and wounded children were “lining the corridor floors” of Nasser, and that premature babies were having to share a single bed or oxygen source.
After eight years in office, Emmanuel Macron’s position as president is coming under increasing pressure as France’s political crisis escalates.
Macron once called himself maître des horloges – master of the clocks – but his command of timing is not what it was. For the third time in a year his choice of prime minister has resigned, and opinion polls suggest almost three-quarters of voters think the president should step down too.
Long-time ally Édouard Philippe, who served as Macron’s first prime minister from 2017 to 2020, has urged him to appoint a technocrat prime minister and call presidential elections in an “orderly manner”.
But Macron is more likely to dissolve parliament than step down.
How did we get here?
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced his resignation at the start of a day of political drama on Monday, after only 26 days in the job.
Hours later he said he had accepted Macron’s request to stay on for another 48 hours to hold last-ditch talks with political parties “for the stability of the country”.
The unexpected twists were the latest in a long series of upheavals that began with Emmanuel Macron’s decision to call a snap parliamentary election in June 2024. The result was a hung parliament in which Macron’s centrist partners lost their majority and had to seek alliances with other parties.
The leader of one of those parties, Bruno Retailleau of the conservative Republicans, pulled out of Lecornu’s government 14 hours after it was announced.
It’s all about France’s debt
The big challenge facing Lecornu and his two predecessors has been how to tackle France’s crippling national debt and get over the ideological divisions between the centre-ground parties who could be part of a government.
Early this year public debt stood at €3.3bn (£2.8bn), or almost 114% of economic output (GDP), the third highest in the eurozone after Greece and Italy. France’s budget deficit this year is projected to hit 5.4% of GDP.
Michel Barnier and François Bayrou lasted only three and nine months respectively before being ousted in confidence votes as they tried to tackle the deficit with austerity budgets.
Lecornu did not even make it as far as presenting a budget plan. Criticism poured in from all sides as soon as he presented his cabinet on Sunday afternoon and by Monday morning he had decided his position was untenable.
He blamed his departure on the unmovable stance of parties who, he said, “all behave as if they had a majority”.
All the parties have an eye on the next presidential votes in 2027, and they are also gearing up for the possibility of snap parliamentary elections in case Macron dissolves parliament again.
Who are the key figures in this crisis?
The leaders who have been calling on Macron to resign for months are on the hard right and radical left.
Marine Le Pen and her young lieutenant in the far-right National Rally, Jordan Bardella, are ready for elections and have refused Lecornu’s invitation to talk.
Jean-Luc Mélenchon of the radical left France Unbowed (LFI) has been agitating for Macron’s impeachment, although that seems unlikely. He is backed by the Greens.
Olivier Faure’s centre-left Socialists were allied to the radical left during the last elections but have been talking to Lecornu on condition that he forms a left-wing government.
Then there is Gabriel Attal, who leads Macron’s own centrist Renaissance party, but has said he no longer understands the president’s decisions.
And on the centre-right is Bruno Retailleau, whose Republicans have been part of the so-called socle commun (common platform) with the centrists.
What happens now?
Lecornu has been deep in discussions with party representatives and has until Wednesday evening to present a “platform of action and stability” to Macron.
There are four options – and none of them look good.
If Lecornu manages to persuade the centre-ground parties to form some kind of government, then Macron will be able to name a new prime minister, whoever that is. Lecornu has indicated he does not wish to take on the job, although that is not a definitive no. The omens are not great. When he resigned on Monday Lecornu said: “I was ready for compromise but all parties wanted the other party to adopt their programmes in their entirety.” But France does need to pass some kind of 2026 budget to tackle its national debt, and the factions know that.
If Lecornu fails, the Elysee has indicated that Macron would “take responsibility”. That would probably mean fresh parliamentary elections, which would spell bad news for his centrist allies and the Socialists but would benefit Marine Le Pen’s hard-right National Rally in particular. Elections would need to take place a maximum of 40 days after parliament is dissolved – which would mean voting in November.
Macron’s presidency ends in 18 months but he is facing increasing calls to step down. He has repeatedly rejected early presidential elections, but it is not out of the question. Former Macron minister Benjamin Haddad argues that his resignation would make no sense as the next president would just face the same problem: “The political divide is here to stay.”
Even without a government agreement, the parties could put aside their differences in parliament and come to a compromise on a limited budget. But French politics is not known for its culture of compromise.
Emma Watson posed for the cameras outside the Miu Miu show in Paris, with a ring on her wedding finger
Famous faces have flocked to Paris Fashion Week, which is continuing with big designers such as Chanel and Miu Miu showcasing their wares for the glitterati.
It was a major moment for Chanel designer Matthieu Blazy, debuting his first collection for the fashion powerhouse.
Harry Potter star Emma Watson was there, along with Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman, who appeared almost a week after she filed for divorce from musician Keith Urban.
Celebrities posed in a room filled with giant planet-like sculptures, some of which hung from the ceiling, lighting up the catwalk.
Watson, who recently hit headlines after a public spat with Potter author JK Rowling, sparked rumours she was engaged by wearing a sparkling ring on her wedding finger.
Kidman was accompanied by daughters Sunday Rose and Faith and her niece Lucia. Model Sunday Rose walked the runway for Dior last week.
Perhaps wisely, Blazy didn’t stray too far from Chanel’s classic look with his first collection, which was marked by stylish tweaks to the fashion giant’s blouses, suits and tweeds.
Kidman’s Australian compatriot and fellow actress Margot Robbie took time to pose in front of the catwalk, wearing a loose black quilted bomber jacket over a black bralette top, paired with wide-leg black trousers.
Supermodel Naomi Campbell looked the epitome of chic in a monochrome outfit, paired with oversized sunglasses that only an A-lister can get away with. Many attendees stuck to a black and white theme, a classic colour combination that was favoured by Coco Chanel herself and also featured on Monday’s runway.
Actress Tilda Swinton sported a similar look but opted for a black long-sleeved top with a chunky necklace.
Another Hollywood star in town was The Fantastic Four’s Pedro Pascal, who kept it simple with a navy jumper, black trousers and roomy man bag (plus the obligatory indoor sunnies).
Elvis and Moulin Rouge director Baz Luhrmann sat with Vogue/Conde Naste executive Dame Anna Wintour on the front row, with the pair sticking to the black and white dress code.
Attorney General Pam Bondi repeatedly deflected questions as she sought during a combative congressional hearing on Tuesday to defend herself against growing criticism that she’s turning the law enforcement agency into a weapon to seek vengeance against President Donald Trump’s political opponents.
Democrats sought to use the hearing, coming on the heels of the indictment of former FBI Director James Comey, to warn of what they view as the politicization of a department that has long prided itself on remaining independent from the White House.
Bondi brushed aside with seeming disdain questions about her tumultuous tenure, flatly refusing to answer time and again as Democrats pressed her on politically charged investigations, the firings of career prosecutors and other matters. Her refusal to engage on the questions meant little if any fresh insight was offered about her actions and decisions, with Bondi instead opting to respond to Democrats’ attacks by echoing conservative claims that President Joe Biden’s Justice Department — which brought two criminal cases against Trump — was the one that had been weaponized.
“They were playing politics with law enforcement powers and will go down as a historic betrayal of public trust,” Bondi said of the Biden Justice Department. “This is the kind of conduct that shatters the American people’s faith in our law enforcement system. We will work to earn that back every single day.”
The hearing split early along deeply partisan lines, with Republicans repeatedly leaping to her defense to highlight the criminal cases against the president that they say show the institution she inherited was deeply politicized. They pointed to revelations from a day earlier that the FBI had analyzed phone records of several Republican lawmakers as part of an investigation into Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss to Biden, a Democrat.
“This is an outrage, an unconstitutional breach and ought to be immediately addressed by you and Director Patel,” Sen. Chuck Grassley, the Republican chairman of the committee, told Bondi, referring to FBI Director Kash Patel.
Democrats, meanwhile, accused Bondi of destroying the department’s credibility and eroding its longstanding independence from the White House as the Republican president publicly calls for the prosecution of his political foes.
“What has taken place since January 20th, 2025, would make even President Nixon recoil,” Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the top Democrat on the committee, said of the president who resigned to avoid being impeached in connection with the Watergate scandal. “This is your legacy, Attorney General Bondi. In eight short months, you fundamentally transformed the Justice Department and left an enormous stain in American history. It will take decades to recover.”
Democrats press Bondi on her pledge not to play politics
The hearing marked Bondi’s first before the panel since her confirmation hearing last January, when she pledged to not play politics with the Justice Department — a promise Democrats pounced on as they pressed the attorney general on whether she can withstand political pressure from the White House.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat, reminded Bondi of that commitment and asked her if she thought she had upheld it. Bondi replied that she believed she absolutely had.
“I pledged that I would end the weaponization also of the Justice Department and that America would once again have a one tier system of justice for all,” Bondi said. “And that is what we are doing.”
Bondi set the tone for the hearing at the outset, repeatedly snapping with a raised voice at Durbin and deflecting questions from him by pointing to the murder rate in Chicago and asserting that lawmakers from his party were responsible for shutting the government down.
“You’re sitting here grilling me, and they’re on their way to Chicago to keep your state safe,” Bondi said, referring to Patel and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.
“Madam Attorney General,” Durbin replied, “it’s my job to grill you.”
Bondi refuses to answer questions about Comey and other matters
She refused repeatedly to discuss matters, including a bribery investigation into Trump border czar Tom Homan that was shuttered under the Trump administration. That drew the ire of Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, a Rhode Island Democrat, who accused Bondi of responding with “far-right internet talking points.”
She also declined to say whether she talked to the president about the case against Comey, who was charged last month with lying to the Senate Judiciary Committee when he said he had not authorized anyone else at the FBI to be an anonymous source in news reports about a particular investigation. His indictment came just days after Trump appeared to publicly implore her on social media to take that action against him and other perceived political enemies.
“This is supposed to be an oversight hearing in which members of Congress can get serious answer to serious questions about the coverup of corruption, about the prosecution of the president’s enemies,” Sen. Adam Schiff of California, a Democrat from California, said as Bondi repeatedly interrupted him. “And when will it be that the members of this committee on a bipartisan basis demand answers to those questions and refuse to accept personal slander as an answer to those questions?”
The United States may supply Pakistan with AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles, as indicated by a recent arms contract notification from the Department of War.
Different variants of US’ AIM-120 Air-to-Air Missiles
Pakistan may receive advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles AIM-120 (AMRAAM) from the United States, PTI reported, after an arms contract deal was recently notified by the United States Department of War (DoW), initially known as the Department of Defence.
The contract notification listed Pakistan among the buyers of AIM-120 AMRAAM, along with other nations. The arms deal may cost Pakistan, whose economy is already in doll-drums and dependent on IMF’s bailout, a whopping $41.6 billion.
If this deal takes place, it may raise questions about America’s foreign policy of arming a terror-sponsor state with advanced weapons and expose its double standards in lecturing other nations.
Full list of nations as clients for US’ AMRAAM Missiles
Apart from Pakistan, several other countries have been mentioned on the US DoW’s notification. These include: UK, Poland, Germany, Finland, Australia, Romania, Qatar, Oman, Korea, Greece, Switzerland, Portugal, Singapore, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Japan, Slovakia, Denmark, Canada, Belgium, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Norway, Spain, Kuwait, Finland, Sweden, Taiwan, Lithuania, Israel, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Turkey.”
The order for these Air-to-Air missiles is expected to be completed by the end of May 2030.
What is AMRAAM Air-to-Air Missile?
It’s an air-to-air missile, can hit targets upto a range of 20 kms to over 160 km, depending on the variant and generation.
It works on an active radar homing which means it can guide itself to the target after launch.
It’s a supersonic missile and can hit target with a speed of Mach 4+.
It can carry high-explosive fragmentation and can be launched with fighter jets like F-15, F-16, F/A-18, F-22, F-35, and NATO aircraft.
According to the defence publication Quwa, the AIM-120C8 is the export version of the AIM-120D, the main AMRAAM variant in US service.
In Pakistan Air Force (PAF) service, the AMRAAM is compatible exclusively with the F-16 fighter jet and was reportedly used to shoot down the Indian Air Force MiG-21 flown by Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman in February 2019, according to the newspaper.
Notably, PAF Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar visited the US State Department in July.
The PAF currently operates the earlier C5 variant, 500 of which were acquired alongside its latest Block 52 F-16s in 2010, the paper said.
Since May 10, Trump has repeatedly claimed that he played a key role in mediating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan
US President Donald Trump meets with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. (AFP photo)
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Tuesday praised US President Donald Trump for helping bring about peace between India and Pakistan, calling him a “transformative president” during their meeting at the White House.
“You are a transformative president… the transformation in the economy, unprecedented commitments of NATO partners to defence spending, peace from India, Pakistan through to Azerbaijan, Armenia, disabling Iran as the force of terror,” Carney said during bilateral talks in the Oval Office, as Trump nodded in agreement.
Canada PM Mark Carney, while listing out Trump’s achievement, mentions peace between India & Pakistan. The Canadian PM is hosted at the White House by the US President Donald Trump. pic.twitter.com/r1A7qmX5ya
Carney, who took office in April this year, had previously visited the White House in May.
Trump’s Claim On India-Pakistan Ceasefire
Since May 10, Trump has repeatedly claimed that he played a key role in mediating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan. On that day, he announced on social media that both countries had agreed to a “full and immediate” ceasefire following a “long night” of talks brokered by Washington.
Trump has since referred to this claim nearly 50 times, stating that he “helped settle” the tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. However, India has consistently denied any third-party mediation in the matter.
The flare-up between India and Pakistan followed the 22 April Pahalgam terror attack, which left 26 civilians dead. In response, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror camps and infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Taylor Swift cheekily addressed her music critics after releasing her new “The Life of a Showgirl” album in an interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe Tuesday.
“I welcome the chaos,” Swift said with a smile. “The rule of show business is, if it’s the first week of my album release and you are saying either my name or my album title, you’re helping.”
Taylor Swift reacted to the mixed reviews about her “The Life of a Showgirl” album in an interview with Zane Lowe Tuesday. Apple Music
The Grammy winner added that she has “a lot of respect” for “subjective opinions on art.”
“I’m not the art police,” she quipped. “It’s, like, everybody is allowed to feel exactly how they want, and what our goal is as entertainers is to be a mirror.”
Swift, 35, noted that some listeners may not connect with her songs at first because it’s not a reflection of where they are in their own lives at that time.
“Oftentimes, an album is a really, really wild way to look at yourself, right?” she said.
“What you’re going through in your life is going to affect whether you relate to the music that I’m putting out at any given moment,” the singer further explained.
Swift’s 12th studio album — which includes several lyrics centering around her relationship with fiancé Travis Kelce — broke streaming and sales records, and Swifties have expressed their love and support for many of the tunes via social media.
Fans pay tribute to the late singer Zubeen Garg in Golaghat on Tuesday. (ANI Photo)(Abdul Sajid/ANI)
The ongoing probe into the death of famed Assamese singer Zubeen Garg is opening up a can of worms. New details have emerged that a financial transaction worth around ₹1 crore was made from the bank accounts of Garg’s security personnel, as per the Special Investigating Team (SIT) probing the matter.
Garg died under mysterious circumstances in Singapore on September 19 while swimming in the sea. A number of people belonging to the Assamese community living there had been on a yacht trip with the singer. He was in the country to perform at the 4th edition of the North East India Festival, organised by Shyamkanu Mahanta and his company.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has revealed that the government has requested the Income Tax Department and the Enforcement Directorate to probe the financial angle of the case.
“I hope the central agencies will take cognisance of it,” the CM was quoted by the Times of India as saying.
“Our entire concern now is whether the people living in Singapore will come or not. If they do not come, we will not be able to complete the inquiry. They were the main people behind the yacht trip,” Sarma told reporters after meeting Garg’s family on Saturday.
Development so far
Zubeen’s manager Siddhartha Sharma, musician Shekharjyoti Goswami, singer Amritprava Mahanta and North East India Festival organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta have been arrested in connection with the singer’s death.
More than 60 FIRs were filed across the state against Mahanta, Sharma and several others, following which Sarma had directed the DGP to transfer all cases to the CID and register a consolidated case for a thorough investigation.
The comments came a day after a federal judge blocked the president from sending National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon.
President Donald Trump listens as Interior Secretary Doug Burgum speaks to reporters in the Oval Office at the White House, Oct. 6, 2025, in Washington. | Jacquelyn Martin/AP
President Donald Trump on Monday said he would consider using the Insurrection Act to deploy the military if federal courts prevented him from deploying the National Guard to protect federal buildings and conduct law enforcement operations.
The comments came a day after a federal judge blocked the president from sending National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon, which Trump claims has been taken over by left-wing “domestic terrorists.”
Trump told reporters in the Oval Office he did not yet see the need to use the Insurrection Act, but “if I had to enact it, I’d do it, if people were being killed and courts were holding us up, or governors or mayors were holding us up.”
“You look at what’s happening with Portland over the years, it’s a burning hell hole,” Trump added. “And then you have a judge that lost her way that tries to pretend that there’s no problem.”
The Insurrection Act of 1807 is a federal law that allows the president to nationally deploy the U.S. military or federalize state National Guard troops to quell what the president deems an insurrection against the United States.
Earlier Monday, White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller said the administration had been contending with a “legal insurrection” and that rulings stifling the White House’s agenda amounted to “an insurrection against the laws and Constitution of the United States.”
“We need to have district courts in this country that see themselves as being under the laws and Constitution and not being able to take for themselves powers that are reserved solely for the president,” Miller added.
Two years of Israeli bombardment of Gaza has piled grief upon grief for displaced Palestinian Inas Abu Maamar.
In the first days of the war, a Reuters photograph showed Abu Maamar stricken in a hospital morgue, cradling the shrouded body of her five-year-old niece Saly.
Since then, Israeli airstrikes and tank shells have killed many of her close relatives and left her bereaved, hungry and homeless, caring for her orphaned young nephew.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has embraced a plan by U.S. President Donald Trump for Gaza, and Hamas has partially accepted it, but there is no certainty over when or whether the plan will end the war.
All previous efforts to halt the conflict since Israel began its offensive in response to Hamas’ deadly attack on October 7, 2023, have collapsed.
ISRAELI AIRSTRIKE KILLED YOUNG NIECE
Saly was killed when an Israeli missile struck the family home in Khan Younis in southern Gaza. Reuters photographer Mohammed Salem found Abu Maamar embracing her body at the Nasser Hospital morgue in Khan Younis on October 17, 2023.
The blast also killed Abu Maamar’s aunt and uncle, her sister-in-law and her cousins, as well as Saly’s baby sister Seba. This summer, her father and her brother Ramez, Saly’s father, were killed while bringing food back to the family.
They are among more than 67,000 Palestinians who local health authorities say have been killed by Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. Thousands more are believed to be lying dead under the rubble but not counted in the official death toll.
“The war destroyed us all. It destroyed our family, destroyed our homes. It left pain and loss in our hearts,” said Abu Maamar, who is now 38.
Israel launched its offensive in retaliation for the attack exactly two years ago in which Hamas gunmen burst through border defences from Gaza, killed about 1,200 people and dragged another 250 back into the enclave as hostages.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he will pursue the war until the Palestinian militant group has been destroyed, and the army has intensified its campaign by pushing again into Gaza City in the north.
The Israeli military says it tries to avoid civilian casualties but strikes at Hamas wherever it sees militants emerge, accusing the group of hiding among the civilian population. Hamas denies that.
Palestinian woman Inas Abu Maamar, who was photographed at Nasser hospital morgue on October 17, 2023, cradling the body of her five-year-old niece Saly, helps feed her nephew Ahmed, Saly’s brother, at their tent where they shelter after being displaced from their home, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip July 30, 2025. Ahmed lost his two sisters, Saly and Seba, his parents, maternal grandparents and paternal grandfather in Israeli attacks during the war. REUTERS/Ramadan Abed Purchase Licensing Rights
LIFE IS TOUGH IN CROWDED TENT ENCAMPMENT
Abu Maamar and her remaining relatives have fled waves of Israeli bombing and ground incursions several times over the past two years and are now living in a crowded tent encampment on bare sand near the beach.
Conditions are harsh. Sickness is rife. Food and clean water are scarce. Israeli bombardments terrify the traumatised population.
Abu Maamar’s greatest concern is for her nephew Ahmed, the son of Ramez and younger brother of Saly.
Having lost his mother, both sisters and maternal grandparents 10 days into the conflict, he lost his father and paternal grandfather when they were killed while fetching food in June after it had run out the previous day, Abu Maamar said.
“His father would take him around, play with him, take him to the beach, take him around to see his aunts,” Abu Maamar said of her nephew.
“His life really changed now. He’s in the tent 24 hours (each day),” she said.
After his father’s death, Ahmed spent a lot of time with a cat he named Loz. The cat died in August, Abu Maamar said.
A demonstrator wrapped in a flag stands amid smoke during a Portland protest. REUTERS/Carlos Barria Purchase Licensing Rights
Hundreds of Texas National Guard soldiers gathered on Tuesday at an Army facility outside Chicago, as Donald Trump’s threat to invoke an anti-insurrection law and deploy troops to more U.S. cities intensified the battle over the limits to his authority.
The Republican president on Tuesday again left open the possibility that he might use the centuries-old Insurrection Act to sidestep any court rulings blocking the dispatch of Guard troops into Democratic-led cities, over the objections of local and state officials.
A federal judge has temporarily barred Guard troops from heading to Portland, Oregon, though a separate judge has allowed for now a deployment to proceed in Chicago, where federal agents have embarked on a sweeping crackdown on illegal immigration.
“Well, it’s been invoked before,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. He has claimed troops are needed to protect federal property and personnel in carrying out their duties, as well as assisting an overall drive to suppress crime.
“If you look at Chicago, Chicago is a great city where there’s a lot of crime, and if the governor can’t do the job, we’ll do the job. It’s all very simple,” he said.
INSURRECTION LAW NOT USED SINCE 1992
The law, which gives the president authority to deploy the military to quell unrest in an emergency, has typically been used only in extreme cases, and almost always at the invitation of state governors. The act was last invoked by President George H.W. Bush during the Los Angeles riots of 1992.
Under federal law, National Guard and other military troops are generally prohibited from conducting civilian law enforcement. But the Insurrection Act allows for an exception, giving troops the power to directly police and arrest people.
Using the act would represent a significant escalation of Trump’s effort to deploy the military to Democratic cities. Since his second term as president began in January, he has shown little hesitation in seeking to wield governmental authority against his political opponents, as he pushes to expand the powers of the presidency in ways that have tested the limits of the law.
Last week, in a speech to top military commanders, Trump suggested using U.S. cities as “training grounds” for the armed forces, alarming Democrats and civil liberties groups.
Randy Manner, a retired Army major general who served as acting vice chief of the National Guard Bureau, said using the Insurrection Act in the way Trump appears to be contemplating has no real precedent.
“It’s an extremely dangerous slope, because it essentially says the president can just do about whatever he chooses,” said Manner, who served under both Republican and Democratic administrations before retiring in 2012. “It’s absolutely, absolutely the definition of dictatorship and fascism.”
TRUMP TARGETS CHICAGO, PORTLAND
Trump has ordered Guard troops to Chicago, the third-largest U.S. city, and Portland, Oregon, following his earlier deployments to Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. In each case, he has defied staunch opposition from Democratic mayors and governors, who say Trump’s claims of lawlessness and violence do not reflect reality.
Texas Guard troops were seen on Tuesday assembling at the Army Reserve Training Center in Elwood, about 50 miles (80 km) southwest of Chicago. It was not immediately clear when they plan to begin operations in the city itself.
In Chicago and Portland, protests over Trump’s immigration policies had been largely peaceful and limited in size, according to local officials, far from the “war zone” conditions described by Trump.
Since the surge of federal agents to the Chicago area last month, the demonstrations have done little to upset life in a city where violent crime has fallen sharply. Restaurants and theaters are as busy as ever, and crowds have flocked to lakefront beaches to enjoy an unusual stretch of warm weather.
Protests have been much less disruptive than the unrest in 2020 triggered by the death of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, at the hands of Minneapolis police officers.
The most regular demonstration has taken place outside an immigration processing facility in suburban Broadview. Several dozen people have engaged in increasingly violent standoffs with federal officers, who have fired tear gas and rubber bullets at them. Several people, including at least one reporter, have been arrested, and dozens of people have been injured.
GOVERNOR ALLEGES TRUMP USING GUARD AS PROPS
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, a Democrat, accused Trump of intentionally trying to foment violence to justify further militarization.
“Donald Trump is using our service members as political props and as pawns in his illegal effort to militarize our nation’s cities,” Pritzker said on Monday.
Illinois and Chicago sued the Trump administration on Monday, seeking to block orders to federalize 300 Illinois Guard troops and send 400 Texas Guard troops to Chicago. During a hearing, Justice Department lawyers told a federal judge that Texas Guard troops were already in transit to Illinois.
The judge, April Perry, permitted the deployment to proceed for now but ordered the U.S. government to file a response by Wednesday.
Separately, a federal judge in Oregon on Sunday temporarily blocked the administration from sending any troops to police Portland, the state’s largest city.
National Guard troops are state-based militia who normally answer to the governors of their states and are often deployed in response to natural disasters.
The state of Illinois and the city of Chicago sued President Donald Trump on Monday, seeking to block the deployment of federalized National Guard troops to Chicago, as hundreds of National Guard troops from Texas headed to the nation’s third-largest city.
Trump then escalated the widening clash with Democratic-led states and cities over the domestic use of military forces, threatening to invoke the Insurrection Act as a means to circumvent court restrictions on deploying troops where they are unwanted by local officials.
Illinois had sued in response to Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth’s orders over the weekend to bring 300 Illinois National Guard members under federal control and then to mobilize another 400 Texas National Guard troops for deployment to Chicago.
While Illinois’ request for a temporary restraining order plays out, U.S. lawyers told a court hearing on Monday that Texas National Guard troops were already in transit to the state. Trump then issued another memorandum calling up 300 Illinois National Guard troops, reinforcing Hegseth’s previous order.
U.S. District Judge April Perry allowed the federal government to continue the deployment in Chicago while it responds to Illinois’ suit. She set a deadline of midnight Wednesday for the U.S. to reply.
The Illinois dispute came after a federal judge in Oregon on Sunday temporarily blocked Trump’s administration from sending any National Guard troops to police the state’s largest city, Portland.
Shortly after Perry’s ruling, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office he might invoke the Insurrection Act of 1792, which would allow troops to directly participate in civilian law enforcement, for which there is little recent precedent.
“I’d do it if it was necessary. So far, it hasn’t been necessary. But we have an Insurrection Act for a reason. If I had to enact it, I’d do that,” Trump said. “If people were being killed and courts were holding us up, or governors or mayors were holding us up, sure, I’d do that.”
Later, when asked in an interview with Newsmax television whether he would invoke the law, Trump repeated that he would only use it if necessary, and then referenced Portland, Oregon, where the mayor and governor oppose deploying the National Guard to quell protests.
“If you take a look at what’s been going on in Portland, it’s been going on for a long time, and that’s insurrection. I mean, that’s pure insurrection,” Trump said.
The law has been used sparingly, in extreme cases of unrest. The law was last invoked by President George H.W. Bush in 1992, when the governor of California requested military aid to suppress unrest in Los Angeles following the trial of Los Angeles police officers who beat Black motorist Rodney King.
Today, Democratic-led states and cities are pushing back against Trump’s attempt to deploy military forces into cities, which the White House says are needed to protect federal government employees from “violent riots” and “lawlessness.”
Tear gas rises during a standoff with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and federal officers in the Little Village neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, U.S., October 4, 2025. REUTERS/Jim Vondruska Purchase Licensing Rights
Democratic leaders counter that their cities are being illegally targeted and falsely portrayed as awash in crime.
Trump has expanded the use of the U.S. military in his second term, which has included deploying troops along the U.S. border and ordering them to kill suspected drug traffickers on boats off Venezuela without due process.
National Guard troops are state-based militia forces that answer to their governors except when called into federal service.
Trump has ordered them to Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, D.C. and Portland, prompting lawsuits from state and local leaders.
Chicago’s lawsuit, is the fourth legal action opposing Trump’s unprecedented use of soldiers to police U.S. cities. Courts have not yet reached a final decision in any of those cases, but judges in California and Oregon have made initial rulings that Trump likely overstepped his authority.
The Illinois lawsuit alleges the Republican president is deploying the military to Illinois based on a “flimsy pretext” that an ICE facility in a suburb of Chicago needs protection from protesters.
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, in a press conference, accused Trump of unnecessarily escalating tensions by attempting to add National Guard troops to heavily armed federal police from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other agencies already operating in Chicago.
Pritzker said those officers have fired tear gas and rubber bullets on peaceful protesters, with U.S. citizens, including children, being “traumatized and detained.”
“Donald Trump is using our service members as political props and as pawns in his illegal effort to militarize our nation’s cities,” Pritzker said.
Hours after his latest prime minister was forced to resign — unable to form a cabinet that lasted more than a day — French President Emmanuel Macron was spotted walking alone by the Seine in the chilly autumn morning.
Bodyguards kept their distance ahead and behind as he wandered out through a wrought iron gate onto the stone embankment in a black overcoat.
The scene, captured from afar on video and shown on French TV, evoked images of Charles de Gaulle seeking solace in the wind-swept plains of Ireland after his resignation in the late 1960s — a leader retreating inward as his political era drew to a close.
Macron is president until 2027, but the resignation of Sebastien Lecornu, his fifth prime minister in two years, has raised the chances that the one-time golden boy of French politics fails to make it to the end of his final term.
Macron appeared determined to avoid that fate on Monday, giving Lecornu two days for last-ditch talks with the opposition to try to chart a path out of the morass.
By asking Lecornu to give it one last shot, Macron signalled his distaste for the only other options he faces – fresh parliamentary elections that could hand power to the far right, or his own resignation, a measure he has repeatedly ruled out.
As his options have narrowed, the unpopular Macron has become increasingly isolated domestically, watching erstwhile allies distance themselves as they seek to bolster their own chances of succeeding him in the 2027 election.
Nearly half of French people blame Macron for the current crisis, while 51% of them believe his resignation could break the stalemate, according to an Elabe poll for BFMTV on Monday.
“Macron now finds himself isolated, without direction or support. He must draw the consequences: either resignation or dissolution,” far-right National Rally lawmaker Philippe Ballard posted on X.
Since last year’s failed gamble to call a snap legislative vote, which produced a hung parliament split between three ideologically opposed blocs, Macron has tried to muddle through with minority cabinets.
French President Emmanuel Macron in Cesson-Sevigne, near Rennes, France, January 20, 2025. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe/Pool Purchase Licensing Rights
Determined to preserve his economic legacy of tax cuts and a pension overhaul at a time of growing investor concern about France’s yawning deficit, Macron has appointed premiers from an ad-hoc alliance of conservatives and centrists.
For over a year, these governments struggled to pass deficit-reduction measures. Two prime ministers fell over their inability to fix public finances, but the so-called socle commun — or “common platform” — endured.
That changed with the dramatic rebellion of Bruno Retailleau, the conservatives’ most high-profile figure, who late on Sunday publicly criticised Lecornu’s cabinet hours after it was named.
Macron is hoping Lecornu can lure back the conservatives to the table, giving him a lifeline. If not, he could appoint a left-leaning prime minister, but the Socialists’ insistence on a wealth tax and reversing the pension reform makes them a hard sell for other parties.
PRESSURE ON MACRON NOT GOING AWAY
Despite Monday’s appeal to Lecornu, the pressure on Macron is unlikely to let up.
Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Rally (RN)quickly called for a dissolution of parliament and new elections. Polls show her party leads voting intentions.
“The RN benefits from the centre’s collapse and picks up protest votes, seeing dissolution as a unique opportunity to finally govern,” said political analyst Stewart Chau.
Calls for Macron’s resignation, once confined to the fringes, are now entering the mainstream.
Protesters hold placards as lead applicant and lawyer Mzwandile Masuku addresses them outside the court, after today’s hearing was postponed, in Mbabane, Eswatini, August 22, 2025. Activists are challenging a secretive agreement with former U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration to accept third-country deportees, which they argue is unconstitutional. REUTERS/Zakhele Mabuza/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration sent another third-country deportation flight to the small African nation of Eswatini on Monday, officials from both countries said, the second in recent months despite objections from lawyers for the migrants.
Eswatini’s government said it received 10 third-country deportees, adding to an initial group of five people it received in July. A White House spokesperson confirmed the deportations, saying those removed were serious criminals. Neither government provided the nationalities of the deportees.
U.S.-based immigration attorney Tin Thanh Nguyen said in a statement that the 10 deportees included three people from Vietnam, one from the Philippines, one from Cambodia and five others. Nguyen said he was representing two of those who arrived on Monday and two others previously sent to Eswatini, but was unable to speak with them.
“I cannot call them. I cannot email them. I cannot communicate through local counsel because the Eswatini government blocks all attorney access,” he said in a statement.
Trump aims to deport millions of immigrants who are in the United States illegally, and his administration has sought to ramp up removals to third countries as part of that crackdown. While the Trump administration has said some of the deportees’ home countries would not accept them, some threatened with deportation to another nation were eventually removed to their native countries.
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said those deported to Eswatini had been convicted of “heinous crimes,” including murder and rape.
“They do not belong in the United States,” Jackson said.
The first five immigrants deported to Eswatini this year were from Vietnam, Jamaica, Laos, Cuba and Yemen. One man, from Jamaica, has already been repatriated. Two others are expected to be repatriated soon, the Eswatini government said.
Taylor Swift fans have theorized that her song “Actually Romantic” is a diss track about Kim Kardashian thanks to a telling line in the second verse.
In the new song off of her record-breaking album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” Swift laments, “But you keep sending me funny valentines / And I know you think it comes off vicious / But it’s precious, adorable.”
Many fans are speculating that the Grammy winner, 35, is referring to when Kardashian, 44, sent Valentine’s Day gifts to her “haters” in 2018 and revealed the list of recipients on her Instagram Story at the time, which included Swift.
Taylor Swift fans have theorized that her song “Actually Romantic” is a diss track about Kim Kardashian thanks to a telling line in the second verse. Taylor Swift
“I decided for this Valentine’s Day everyone deserves a Valentine,” she wrote in the post. “So I’m going to send them to my lovers, to my haters, to everyone that I think of because it’s Valentine’s Day after all.”
Other Swifties are convinced the song is a diss to Charli XCX and a callback to the British singer’s 2024 song “Everything is Romantic.”
There are some telling lyrics that fans think reference Charli like, “I heard you call me ‘Boring Barbie’ when the coke’s got you brave / High-fived my ex and then you said you’re glad he ghosted me / Wrote me a song saying it makes you sick to see my face.”
Fans called it a direct jab at the DJ since she’s been open about her alleged drug use in her music and is close friends with Swift’s ex boyfriend Matty Healy since her husband is Healy’s The 1975 bandmate.
Follow Page Six’s Taylor Swift live updates for the latest news, photos, fan theories and more
If the new clue is about “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” alum, it wouldn’t be the first diss track Swift allegedly made about her.
On the singer’s 2024 album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” she wrote “thanK you aIMee” a song with scathing lyrics about a “bronze, spray-tanned” bully her mom “wish[es] were dead.”
To add more fuel to the fire, the capitalization in the track’s title spells the reality star’s first name, which fans immediately caught onto.
Swift then dropped a retitled version of ‘thank You aimEe’ seemingly aimed at Kardashian’s then-husband Kanye West, changing the capitalization to “thank You aimEe” which spells Ye, the name he now goes by.
Swift and Kardashian’s feud began in 2016 when West, 48, rapped about how he and the songwriter “might still have sex” because he “made that bitch famous.”
When the “Cruel Summer” singer publicly took issue with the lyrics, Kardashian released a phone call of Swift allegedly giving her approval — which Swift later claimed was “illegally recorded.”
Illinois and Chicago filed a lawsuit Monday aiming to stop President Donald Trump’s administration from sending hundred of National Guard troops to the city. It comes after a federal judge blocked troops from being sent to Portland, Oregon. (AP Production: Marissa Duhaney)
Storming an apartment complex by helicopter as families slept. Deploying chemical agents near a public school. Handcuffing a Chicago City Council member at a hospital.
Activists, residents and leaders say increasingly combative tactics used by federal immigration agents are sparking violence and fueling neighborhood tensions in the nation’s third-largest city.
“They are the ones that are making it a war zone,” Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said Sunday on CNN. “They fire tear gas and smoke grenades, and they make it look like it’s a war zone.”
More than 1,000 immigrants have been arrested since an immigration crackdown started last month in the Chicago area. The Trump administration has also vowed to deploy National Guard troops in its agenda to boost deportations.
But U.S. citizens, immigrants with legal status and children have been among those detained in increasingly brazen and aggressive encounters which pop up daily across neighborhoods in the city of 2.7 million and its many suburbs.
Arriving by helicopter
Activists and residents were taking stock Sunday at an apartment building on Chicago’s South Side where the Department of Homeland Security said 37 immigrants were arrested recently in an operation that’s raised calls for investigation by Pritzker.
While federal agents have mostly focused on immigrant-heavy and Latino enclaves, the operation early Tuesday unfolded in the largely Black South Shore neighborhood that’s had a small influx of migrants resettled in Chicago while seeking asylum.
Agents used unmarked trucks and a helicopter to surround the five-story apartment building. NewsNation, which was invited to observe the operation, reported agents “rappelled from Black Hawk helicopters.” Agents then went door to door, woke up residents and used zip ties to restrain them.
Residents and the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, which canvassed the area, said those who were zip tied included children and U.S. citizens.
Rodrick Johnson, a U.S. citizen briefly detained, said agents broke through his door and placed him in zip ties.
“I asked if they had a warrant, and I asked for a lawyer,” the 67-year-old told the Chicago Sun-Times. “They never brought one.”
Dixon Romeo with Southside Together, an organization that’s also been helping residents, said doors were knocked off the hinges.
“Everyone we talked to didn’t feel safe,” he said. “This is not normal. It’s not OK. It’s not right.”
Pritzker, a two-term Democrat, directed state agencies to investigate claims that children were zip tied and detained separately from their parents, saying “military-style tactics” shouldn’t be used on children. Several Democratic members of the Illinois congressional delegation met near the site Sunday, calling for an end to immigration raids.
DHS officials said they were targeting connections to the Tren de Aragua gang. Without offering details on arrests or addressing how children were treated, DHS said “some of the targeted subjects are believed to be involved in drug trafficking and distribution, weapons crimes, and immigration violators.”
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Saturday posted heavily edited video clips of the operation to X showing agents blasting through doors, helicopters and adults in zip ties, but music played over most of the roughly 1 minute video.
Agency officials did not return a message left Sunday.
Brandon Lee, with ICIRR, said while some residents were placed on ankle monitors, others remained unaccounted for.
More tear gas and smoke bombs
Meanwhile, the use of chemical agents has become more frequent and visible in the past week. Used initially to manage protesters, agents used it this week on city streets and during immigration operations, according to ICIRR.
An emergency hotline to report immigrant agent sightings topped 800 calls on Friday, the same day activists said agents threw a cannister of a chemical near a school in the city’s Logan Square neighborhood. The activity in the northwest side neighborhood prompted nearby Funston Elementary School to hold recess indoors.
The same day Chicago Alderperson Jessie Fuentes was placed in handcuffs at a hospital. She said she asked agents to show a warrant for a person who’d broken his leg while chased by ICE agents who then transported him to the emergency room.
“ICE acted like an invading army in our neighborhoods,” said state Rep. Lilian Jiménez, a Democrat. “Helicopters hovered above our homes, terrifying families and disturbing the peace of our community. These shameful and lawless actions are not only a violation of constitutional rights but of our most basic liberty: the right to live free from persecution and fear.”
Immigration agents shot a woman they allege was armed and tried to run them over after agents were “boxed in by 10 cars.” She and another person were charged Sunday with forcibly assaulting, impeding and interfering with a federal law enforcement officer. However, activists said immigration agents caused the multi-vehicle crash and detained the woman, who is a U.S. citizen.
Noem has defended the aggressive tactics, calling the mission treacherous to agents and alleging threats on officers’ lives.
“It’s an extremely dangerous situation,” she said Sunday on the “Fox & Friends” weekend show.
Trump had earlier said he ended a potential war between India and Pakistan after he threatened to snap trade ties.
US President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Monday, Oct. 6, 2025. (Bloomberg)
US President Donald Trump reiterated the claim that his intervention stopped India and Pakistan from going into a full-fledged war early this year. The US President pegged tariffs as the reason for bringing the two nuclear-armed neighbours to agree on a truce a few months earlier.
“If I didn’t have the power of tariffs, you would have at least four of the seven wars raging… If you look at India and Pakistan, they were ready to go at it. Seven planes were shot down,” he said, adding that he used tariffs to stop wars.
He also said that the tariffs not only helped the US make monetary gains, but also maintain peace.
“I don’t want to say exactly what I said, but what I said was very effective… Not only did we make hundreds of billions of dollars, but we’re a peacekeeper because of tariffs,” he said from the White House while claiming a to have a role in India-Pakistan ceasefire.
#WATCH | On whether he would shift his position on tariffs, US President Donald J Trump says, “… If I didn’t have the power of tariffs, you would have at least four of the seven wars raging… If you look at India and Pakistan, they were ready to go at it. Seven planes were… pic.twitter.com/oI3r4cnzAV
The border nations saw a military conflict back in May after India launched Operation Sindoor to target terror bases in Pakistan, a move to avenge the killing of 26 civilians in the Pahalgam terror attack. A ceasefire was announced on May 10, a decision India asserts was taken bilaterally, despite Trump’s repeated claims of an intervention.
Last week, Trump had claimed that he warned India and Pakistan to end the conflict or else he would snap any trade relations. “India and Pakistan were going at it. I called them both… They had just shot down seven planes… I said, if you do this, there’s not going to be any trade, and I stopped the war. It was raging for four days,” Trump said.
He also said that Pakistan military chief Asim Munir praised his role for brokering a truce with India.
Delegations from Hamas and Israel on Monday (Oct 6) began indirect talks in Egypt on ending the nearly two-year war in Gaza, with US President Donald Trump judging that the Palestinian militant group was ready to compromise over his proposals for a deal.
Al-Qahera News, which is linked to Egyptian state intelligence, said the first round of talks ended “amid a positive atmosphere” and would continue on Tuesday.
Demonstrators carry flags and placards as families of hostages and their supporters protest ahead of the two-year anniversary of the deadly October 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Hamas, demanding the immediate release of all hostages and the end of the war in Gaza, in Jerusalem, October 4, 2025. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Behind closed doors and under tight security, negotiators were to speak through mediators shuttling back and forth, only weeks after Israel tried to kill Hamas’ lead negotiators in a strike on Qatar.
Al-Qahera News earlier said delegations were “discussing preparing ground conditions for the release of detainees and prisoners”.
“Egyptian and Qatari mediators are working with both sides to establish a mechanism” for the release of hostages held in Gaza in exchange for Palestinians held in Israeli jails, it said.
Trump told reporters at the White House he was “pretty sure” a peace deal was possible.
“I think Hamas has been agreeing to things that are very important … I think we’re going to have a deal.”
Hamas’s lead negotiator Khalil al-Hayya, who survived Israel’s attack on the Palestinian Islamist movement’s leaders in Doha last month, held a meeting with Egyptian intelligence officials ahead of the talks, an Egyptian security source said.
This round of negotiations, launched on the eve of the second anniversary of Hamas’s Oct 7, 2023 attack that sparked the war, “may last for several days”, said a Palestinian source close to Hamas’ leadership.
“We expect the negotiations to be difficult and complex, given the occupation’s intentions to continue its war of extermination,” he told AFP.
Trump, whose envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner are expected in Egypt, has urged negotiators to “move fast” to end the war in Gaza, where Israeli strikes continued on Monday.
At least seven Palestinians were killed in the latest Israeli air strikes, according to Mahmud Bassal, spokesman for Gaza’s civil defence agency.
AFP footage showed explosions in the Gaza Strip, with plumes of smoke rising over the skyline, even after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Israel must stop bombing the territory.
“REQUIRE SEVERAL DAYS”
Both Hamas and Israel have responded positively to Trump’s proposal, but reaching an agreement on the details is set to be a huge task.
The plan envisages the disarmament of Hamas, which the militant group is unlikely to accept.
It also provides for the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, but Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to redeploy troops “deep inside” the territory while securing the release of hostages.
According to the Palestinian source, the initial hostage-prisoner exchange will “require several days, depending on field conditions related to Israeli withdrawals, the cessation of bombardment and the suspension of all types of air operations”.
Negotiations will look to “determine the date of a temporary truce”, a Hamas official said, as well as create conditions for a first phase of the plan, in which 47 hostages held in Gaza are to be released in return for hundreds of Palestinian detainees.
The International Committee of the Red Cross said it was ready to help with hostage and detainee returns and to facilitate aid access across Gaza, where the UN has declared a famine.
“The war has destroyed everything I built throughout my life,” said Mohammed Abu Sultan, 49, who fled Gaza City with 20 family members to Nuseirat camp in central Gaza.
The grass is watered on the National mall near the US Capitol as the US government continues its shutdown on Oct 6, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo: AFP/Andrew Caballero-Reynolds)
The US government shutdown entered its second week on Monday (Oct 6), with no sign of a deal between President Donald Trump’s Republicans and Democrats to end the crisis.
Democrats are refusing to provide the handful of votes the ruling Republicans need to reopen federal departments, unless an agreement is reached on extending expiring “Obamacare” healthcare subsidies and reversing some cuts to health programmes passed as part of Trump’s signature “One Big Beautiful Bill”.
With the government out of money since Wednesday and grinding to a halt, Senate Democrats looked set to vote against a House-passed temporary funding bill for a fifth time.
The hard line taken by Democrats marks a rare moment of leverage for the opposition party in a period when Trump and his ultra-loyal Republicans control every branch of government and Trump himself is accused of seeking to amass authoritarian-like powers.
With funding not renewed, non-critical services are being suspended.
Salaries for hundreds of thousands of public sector employees are set to be withheld from Friday, while military personnel could miss their paychecks from Oct 15.
And Trump has upped the ante by threatening to have large numbers of government employees fired, rather than just furloughed – placed on temporary unpaid leave status – as is normally done during shutdowns.
The president said on Sunday that workers were already being fired, but White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt walked back the comments a day later, saying he was only “referring to the hundreds of thousands of federal workers who have been furloughed”.
Republicans are digging in their heels, with House Speaker Mike Johnson telling his members not even to report to Congress unless the Democrats cave, insisting any healthcare negotiation be held after re-opening the government.
“If he’s serious about lowering costs and protecting the healthcare of the American people, why wait?” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a challenge to Johnson on Monday.
“Democrats are ready to do it now,” he wrote on X.
SHUTDOWN IMPACTS
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated that Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill”, which he signed into law on Jul 4, would strip 11 million Americans of health care coverage, mainly through cuts to the Medicaid programme for low-income families.
That figure would be in addition to the four million Americans Democrats say will lose health care next year if Obamacare health insurance subsidies are not extended – while another 24 million Americans will see their premiums double.
Republicans argue the expiring healthcare subsidies have nothing to do with keeping the government open and can be dealt with separately before the end of the year.
As the shutdown begins to bite, the Environmental Protection Agency, space agency NASA and the Education, Commerce and Labor departments have been the hardest hit by staff being furloughed – or placed on enforced leave – during the shutdown.
The Transport, Justice, Homeland Security and Veterans Affairs Departments are among those that have seen the least effects so far, the contingency plans of each organisation show.
There is a buzz that Russia would be supplying engines for Pakistan’s Chinese-origin JF-17 Thunder fighter jets. It’s the same class of engines used by India’s MiG-29 fleet. But why do Chinese jets rely on Russian engines?
Pakistan’s JF-17 Thunder jets run on the Russian-made Klimov RD-93 turbofan engine, a variant of the RD-33 series. (Image: File)
There has been a buzz in defence circles that Pakistan could secure advanced Russian jet engines for its JF-17 Thunder fleet. These rumours caused consternation in India because Moscow is a key defence partner of New Delhi, providing much of its military hardware for decades. Supplying fighter jet engines to Pakistan, therefore, could signal a potential warmth in ties. However, sources have debunked claims that Russia would be providing jet engines. But this brings up a question—why does a fighter jet co-developed by China and Pakistan still depend on Russian engines?
The JF-17 Thunder, also called the FC-1 Xiaolong in China, is manufactured in Pakistan with a collaboration between Pakistan’s Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC), and China’s Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC).
Conceived as an affordable upgrade for older aircraft in Pakistan’s arsenal, it combines elements from various nations, mainly to balance cost and performance.
The development of this fighter jet, which Pakistan proudly boasts of, is not accidental. It shows how deeply interdependent the global economy is. Technological gaps exist in developing countries like Pakistan, and even in China, despite its technical prowess. This is where supply chains come into play in the development of war machines like the JF-17 Thunder.
The JF-17 Thunder fighter jet has components from Russia, China, Italy, Turkey, the UK, and Pakistan.
While China plays a central role in the project, the technical prowess that the Russians bring to making machines fly remains unmatched, giving the JF-17 an edge, despite its multinational assembly.
CHINESE JET’S CONNECTION WITH INDIA’S MiG-29
At the heart of the JF-17’s propulsion system is a Russian-designed turbofan engine, specifically a modified version of a well-established powerplant that has powered numerous combat aircraft worldwide.
This engine delivers thrust in the range of 18,000 to 20,000 pounds-force, enabling the jet to achieve supersonic speeds around Mach 1.6. It’s derived from a family of engines used in iconic Russian fighters, such as those in the MiG series, and even appeared in early tests of advanced Chinese prototypes.
The MiG-29 and the JF-17 Thunder use engines from the same class, specifically the Klimov RD-33 family of turbofan engines.
The JF-17 is powered by the RD-93, a variant of the RD-33, while the MiG-29 uses the baseline RD-33 or its derivatives, depending on the model. Both are twin-shaft, afterburning turbofans designed for lightweight fighters.
The choice of this engine for the JF-17 stems from its reliability and widespread use. It is a practical option for a budget-conscious programme in countries like Pakistan, whose economy has been in tatters for decades.
Russia, through its engine manufacturers, supplies these engines, which are produced by facilities known for their expertise in high-performance aviation propulsion.
BUT WHY RUSSIAN ENGINES FOR CHINESE AIRCRAFT?
But why turn to Russia when China is rapidly advancing its own aerospace technology?
The answer lies in development timelines and engineering maturity. When the JF-17 programme kicked off in the late 1990s, China’s indigenous engine technology wasn’t yet at a stage where it could reliably power a modern fighter without significant risks.
Building jet engines is notoriously complex, involving extreme temperatures, precise materials, and intricate designs to ensure durability and efficiency. Russia, with decades of experience from the Soviet era, had already mastered these challenges. By incorporating a Russian engine, the JF-17 team could accelerate development, avoid costly delays, and leverage a proven system that’s been battle-tested in various environments.
This approach allowed Pakistan and China to focus resources on other aspects, like airframe design and avionics integration, rather than reinventing the wheel on propulsion.
GEOPOLITICS PLAYED ROLE IN CHINA USING RUSSIAN ENGINES
Geopolitics also played a major role in Pakistan and China using Russian jet engines.
Pakistan’s defence needs have long been shaped by its position between superpowers. During the Cold War, it leaned on American supplies, but shifting alliances pushed it closer to China.
Russia, meanwhile, maintained strong ties with India, supplying everything from tanks to aircraft. For the JF-17, sourcing from Russia was a bridge of sorts—Pakistan could access high-quality engines without fully alienating its Western connections, and China could benefit from the technology transfer indirectly.
But over time, things changed. With newer versions of the JF-17, Pakistan is exploring Chinese alternatives, potentially phasing out Russian components to achieve greater Chinese-reliance. Reports suggest that upcoming blocks might incorporate homegrown Chinese engines, like one that’s been in development to match or exceed the Russian model’s performance.
JF-17 IS A STUDY IN GLOBAL INTERDEPENDENCE
The JF-17 has an international flavour to it. For instance, the ejection system comes from a British firm renowned for pioneering pilot safety mechanisms.
Its radar technology hails from Italy, provided by a defence electronics specialist that’s part of major European consortia.
The jet’s targeting capabilities draw from Turkey. A pod from a Turkish company equips the JF-17 with high-resolution imaging, laser guidance, and multi-target tracking, essential for precision strikes.
American scientists Mary Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell and Shimon Sakaguchi from Japan won the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine on Monday (Oct 6) for their discoveries in peripheral immune tolerance, creating openings for possible new autoimmune disease and cancer treatments.
This year’s prize “relates to how we keep our immune system under control so we can fight all imaginable microbes and still avoid autoimmune disease”, said Marie Wahren-Herlenius, a rheumatology professor at the Karolinska Institute.
Mary E Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell and Shimon Sakaguchi are awarded this year’s Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology. (Photo: TT News Agency/Claudio Bresciani via REUTERS)
Sakaguchi told reporters outside his university laboratory that “I feel it is a tremendous honour”, Kyodo news agency reported.
T-CELLS: THE IMMUNE SYSTEMS “SECURITY GUARDS”
The winners for medicine are selected by the Nobel Assembly of Sweden’s Karolinska Institute medical university and receive a prize sum of 11 million Swedish crowns (US$1.2 million), as well as a gold medal presented by Sweden’s king.
Brunkow is senior programme manager at the Institute for Systems Biology in Seattle, while Ramsdell is scientific adviser at Sonoma Biotherapeutics in San Francisco, which he co-founded. Sakaguchi is a professor at Osaka University in Japan.
“Their discoveries have laid the foundation for a new field of research and spurred the development of new treatments, for example for cancer and autoimmune diseases,” the prize-awarding body said in a statement.
The laureates identified so-called regulatory T cells, which act as the immune system’s security guards that keep immune cells from attacking our own body, it added.
After announcing the winners, the institute’s Thomas Perlmann said he had only been able to break the news to one of the three, reaching Sakaguchi by phone at his lab.
“He sounded incredibly grateful, expressed that it was a fantastic honour and he was quite taken by the news,” added Perlmann.
MEDICINE THE FIRST PRIZE OF NOBEL SEASON
The Nobel Prizes were established through the will of Alfred Nobel, the Swedish inventor of dynamite and a wealthy businessman. They have been awarded since 1901 for outstanding contributions in science, literature, and peace, with interruptions mainly during the World Wars.
The economics prize was added later and is funded by Sweden’s central bank, the Riksbank.
Winners are selected by expert committees from various institutions. All prizes are awarded in Stockholm, except for the Peace Prize, which is presented in Oslo — a possible legacy of the political union between Sweden and Norway during Nobel’s lifetime.
Past recipients of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine include renowned scientists such as Alexander Fleming, who shared the 1945 award for discovering penicillin. In recent years, the prize has recognised major breakthroughs, including those that enabled the development of COVID-19 vaccines.
Last year’s medicine prize was awarded to US scientists Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun for their discovery of microRNA and its key role in how multicellular organisms grow and live, helping explain how cells specialise into different types.
Medicine, in accordance with traditiom, kicks off the annual Nobels, arguably the most prestigious prizes in science, literature, peace and economics, with the remainder set to be announced over the coming days.
More than a century after their inception, the Nobel Prizes remain steeped in tradition. The awards culminate in ceremonies attended by the royal families of Sweden and Norway, followed by lavish banquets held on Dec 10 — the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said Russia’s president is trying to “intimidate and instill fear” and is waging an “information war” against Germany. Meanwhile, electric cars are set to get a tax break. More on DW.
Germany’s chancellor has said ‘we will defend ourselves against this threat’ from RussiaImage: picture alliance / HMB Media
Merz calls for scrapping of EU combustion-engine ban
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Monday spoke in favor of scrapping the EU’s 2035 deadline for ending new combustion-engine vehicle sales.
The move comes as the EU pledged to fast-track a review of the 2035 target after pressure from carmakers.
Merz spoke with German broadcaster NTV, ahead of a meeting on Thursday with representatives from the automotive industry, saying that he thought the EU ban was “wrong.”
“I don’t want Germany to be one of the countries supporting this wrong ban,” Merz said.
Merz noted that diesel engines are still needed for truck manufacturing and that it would be a “serious mistake” for Germany not to be able to conduct research in this area.
The German chancellor also expressed hope that synthetic fuels could be developed in the coming years which would allow combustion engines to run “in an environmentally friendly manner.”
“We should not ban, we should enable technologies, and that is my goal,” he said.
Merz said the issue was “still being discussed” with his junior coalition partners, the center-left Social Democrats (SPD), as environment minister Carsten Schneider was “not yet convinced” about the need to abandon the target.
Merz said he hopes the government would come to an agreed position before Thursday’s auto sector meeting.
Germany’s influential automotive giants, such as Volkswagen, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, have all cast doubt on the EU target.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of conducting a “hybrid war” against Germany, saying Moscow’s campaign extends beyond Ukraine to target all of Europe.
“He is waging an information war against us. He is waging a military war against Ukraine and this war is directed against all of us,” Merz told broadcaster NTV on Monday.
He said Putin aims to undermine Europe’s political order and that supporting Ukraine is in Germany’s interest to defend open, liberal societies.
Asked whether Putin was waging war on Germany, Merz replied: “He is waging a hybrid war against us.”
The chancellor linked recent drone incidents across Europe to Russian intimidation efforts, saying, “We will not be intimidated and we will defend ourselves effectively.”
Merz said he is considering speaking directly with Putin but noted that “every attempt to talk to him at the moment is ending in even tougher attacks on Ukraine.”
He added that he had a heated exchange with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban at last week’s EU meeting in Copenhagen after Orban accused Germany of avoiding negotiations.
Merz said he reminded Orban that Putin responded to his own visits to Kyiv and Moscow last year by bombing a children’s hospital in Kyiv.
There are now almost daily attacks on critical infrastructure in Europe. In the same week that drones were spotted over several European airports, a cyberattack against security software used by many of those same hubs, including Berlin Airport, left passengers and personnel scrambling. At the same time, Germany’s Deutsche Bahn rail service experienced the latest in a series of high-level sabotage incidents.
For more news on Russia’s war in Ukraine, check out our blog here.
