Category: World

The ongoing US government shutdown has led to a 10% reduction in flights at over 40 busy airports to ease strain on unpaid air traffic controllers.

Airports in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and 37 other busy US airports will see flight reductions starting Friday because of the ongoing government shutdown, as per the list given to airlines, according to a report in The Associated Press.

The Federal Aviation Administration Thursday said it will reduce air traffic by 10% at high-volume airports to maintain safety. Air traffic controllers have not been paid during the shutdown and are showing signs of strain.

Aviation analytics firm Cirium estimates up to 1,800 flights, carrying around 268,000 passengers, could be affected each day.

Airports affected are in more than two dozen states and include Atlanta, Denver, Dallas, Orlando, Miami, and San Francisco. Some cities, such as New York, Houston and Chicago, will see cuts at multiple airports.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the reductions are needed to ease pressure on controllers, many of whom are working without pay and calling in sick. Controllers have already missed one full paycheck and are expected to miss another next week.

Airlines will begin notifying passengers about cancellations. United, Delta, and American Airlines said they will offer refunds to travellers who choose not to fly.

United plans to focus reductions on smaller regional routes. Frontier Airlines advised travelers to book backup tickets to avoid being stranded.

Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/world/us-news/story/new-york-los-angeles-chicago-among-40-us-airports-that-will-reduce-flights-during-the-government-shutdown-2814947-2025-11-06

A former Justice Department employee who threw a sandwich at a federal agent during President Donald Trump’s law enforcement surge in Washington was found not guilty of assault on Thursday in the latest legal rebuke of the federal intervention.

A viral video of the sandwich tossing made Sean Charles Dunn a symbol of resistance to Trump’s deployment of federal agents to combat crime in the nation’s capital.

His misdemeanor acquittal is another setback for prosecutors, who have faced a backlash for their aggressive charging tactics during the law enforcement surge. The Justice Department had initially sought a felony assault indictment against Dunn, but in a highly unusual move, the grand jury declined to sign off on the felony charge. The office of U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro then charged Dunn with a misdemeanor.

There was no dispute over whether Dunn threw the sandwich at a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent on the night of Aug. 10. But his lawyers argued it was a “harmless gesture” during an act of protest protected by the First Amendment.

Prosecutors said Dunn, 37, knew he did not have a right to throw the sandwich at the agent. Dunn shouted “fascists” and “racists” and chanted “shame” toward the group of agents who were in front of a club hosting a “Latin Night.”

“Why are you here? I don’t want you in my city!” Dunn shouted, according to police.

After the foreperson read the verdict, Dunn hugged his lawyers. Later, he said, “I’m relieved and I’m looking forward to moving on with my life.”

Court officers escorted the 12 jurors out of the building. A group of reporters followed. Several jurors, including the foreperson, declined to be interviewed.

Pirro, a former Fox News host appointed by Trump to be the top federal prosecutor for Washington, said in a statement: “As always, we accept a jury’s verdict; that is the system within which we function. However, law enforcement should never be subjected to assault, no matter how ‘minor.’”

She added that “even children know when they are angry, they are not allowed to throw objects at one another.”

Dunn ran away after hitting the agent with the sandwich but was apprehended. He was released from custody but rearrested when armed federal agents in riot gear raided his home. The White House posted a highly produced “propaganda” video of the raid on its official X account, Dunn’s lawyers said.

Dunn worked as a paralegal for the Justice Department. After Dunn’s arrest, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced his firing in a social media post that referred to him as “an example of the Deep State.”

Dunn lawyers urged the judge to dismiss the case for what they alleged was a vindictive and selective prosecution. They argued that the posts by Bondi and the White House show Dunn was impermissibly targeted for his political speech.

Dunn did not testify at his trial, but the jury heard him explain after his arrest why he had confronted the CBP agents. A law enforcement officer’s body camera captured him saying, “I did it. I threw a sandwich. I did it to draw them away from where they were. I succeeded.”

After his acquittal, Dunn said he was trying to protect the rights of immigrants that night.

“Let us not forget that the great seal of the United States says, ‘e pluribus unum.’ That means ‘from many, one,” he told reporters. “Every life matters no matter where you came from, no matter how you got here, no matter how you identify it. You have the right to live a life that is free.”

One of Dunn’s defense attorneys, Sabrina Shroff, said the legal team was thankful that the jury “sent back an affirmation that dissent is what is not just tolerated, it is legal. It is welcome.”

CBP Agent Gregory Lairmore testified that the sandwich “exploded” when it struck his chest hard enough that he could feel it through his ballistic vest.

“You could smell the onions and the mustard,” he recalled.

Lairmore’s colleagues jokingly gave him gifts making light of the incident, including a sandwich-shaped plush toy and a patch that said “felony footlong.” Lairmore acknowledged that he kept the gifts, placing the patch on his lunchbox.

Source: https://apnews.com/article/sandwich-throwing-trial-justice-department-a2776c568a1ea4b8ce5b6af606669b63

A 60-meter (196-foot) tower collapsed during demolition work at a decommissioned thermal power plant in the South Korean city of Ulsan, killing three people and leaving at least two others presumed dead, officials said Friday.

Five people remain trapped under the rubble, including two whom officials have yet to locate.

Nine people were working at the site when the boiler tower collapsed Thursday afternoon. Rescue workers pulled two to safety shortly after responding, but another worker rescued later was pronounced dead at a hospital early Friday.

Hours later, they pulled out another worker who was pronounced dead, and a doctor at the site confirmed the death of another worker who was among three people in the rubble. Fire officials believe the other two are also dead, according to Kim Jeong-shik, an official with Ulsan’s fire department.

McDonald’s will bring in new sexual harassment training for managers in strengthened measures agreed with the equality watchdog to protect its staff from abuse.

The move was “in response to serious allegations raised”, the watchdog said, after it initially intervened in the company.

A BBC investigation two years ago was told that workers, some as young as 17, were being groped and harassed. Earlier this year, McDonald’s staff told us they still faced sexual abuse and harassment.

McDonald’s said it welcomed the new measures, adding that they would “build on the significant progress we have already made in this space”. But one former worker said the announcement would not make a difference.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is now extending its original plan agreed in 2023 to protect staff at the fast-food chain from sexual harassment.

The new training will focus on the grooming of young workers and the use of social media.

McDonald’s has agreed to bring in an external body to review whether it was handling sexual harassment claims appropriately, the EHRC said.

The new measures apply to McDonald’s restaurants in England, Scotland and Wales.

Although franchises are not directly party to the agreement it is expected that they will adopt some of the action points.

McDonald’s – A toxic workplace for teenagers?
The fast-food chain signed its legally binding agreement with the EHRC in February 2023.

The BBC first began investigating working conditions at McDonald’s after that agreement was signed. In July 2023, the BBC heard from more than 100 current and recent workers at the fast-food chain who claimed they faced sexual assault, harassment, racism and bullying.

At the time, McDonald’s apologised and set up a new unit to deal with complaints.

But since then, more than 160 people have approached the BBC with allegations, while the EHRC has heard 300 reported incidents of harassment.

In January, McDonald’s workers told us they still faced sexual harassment more than a year after its chief executive promised to clean up behaviour at the fast-food chain.

One former McDonald’s employee, who previously spoke up as part of the BBC’s initial investigation, said she did not think the changes would make any difference.

“They’ve looked at what they can possibly do, in terms of what will sound promising enough, but not actually what will bring change,” she said.

“I don’t actually think they have any personal desire to make the change, I don’t think they care enough,” she added.

“It’s a check box for them to tick, like just with the training, it’s something on a to-do list and they think they’ll do it and it’ll go away, but it just won’t happen.”

Earlier this year, law firm Leigh Day said it had been instructed to start legal action against McDonald’s by hundreds of staff and former staff, with more than 450 restaurants implicated in the claims.

“I think we can assume that the equality watchdog wouldn’t be taking this action if things were ok at McDonald’s,” Leigh Day employment lawyer Kiran Daurka said.

“They already had their initial agreement with McDonald’s in 2023. So the EHRC appear to be concerned that not enough progress has been made.”

Ms Daurka said the firm would like to see “more interrogation” of the relationship between the corporate side of the business and the franchises, “as we’ve seen how issues of sexual harassment can fall between the gaps”.

Baroness Kishwer Falkner, chairwoman of the EHRC, said: “After serious allegations were raised, we decided we needed to update the action plan with stronger actions that were more specific to the way McDonald’s operates.

“We’re pleased with the significant steps McDonald’s has agreed to take towards a safer working environment for its staff and recognise the hard work they’ve done so far.”

Other measures to which McDonald’s is now committing include strengthening risk assessments and continuing to encourage staff to speak out when something feels wrong.

It will work with external experts to design and implement a new safeguarding plan to protect vulnerable workers, to be rolled out across McDonald’s restaurants and franchisees’ restaurants.

“Once completed, the actions that make up this legal agreement will ensure that there is zero tolerance for harassment at McDonald’s and there are clear routes to report and resolve complaints if it does occur,” Baroness Falkner said.

Ian Hodson, national president of the Bakers Union which represents food workers, said there needed to be “real change” at McDonald’s.

“It’s a huge problem. Workers should be entitled to go work without being sexually harassed, and employers should have a duty to act,” he told BBC News.

Fighters laugh as they ride on the back of a pick-up truck, speeding past a row of nine dead bodies and driving towards the setting Sudanese sun.

“Look at all this work. Look at this genocide,” one cheers.

He smiles as he turns the camera on himself and his fellow fighters, their Rapid Support Forces (RSF) badges on display: “They will all die like this.”

The men are celebrating a massacre that humanitarian officials fear killed more than 2,000 people in the Sudanese city of el-Fasher last month. On Monday, the International Criminal Court (ICC) said it was investigating whether the paramilitary may have committed “war crimes and crimes against humanity”.

El-Fasher was a key target for the paramilitary RSF. It was the last stronghold in Darfur held by the Sudanese military – with whom the RSF has waged a devastating war since their ruling coalition collapsed in 2023.

More than 150,000 people are estimated to have been killed by the fighting over the past two years and both sides stand accused of a litany of war crimes – many of which were repeated by the RSF after the fall of el-Fasher.

A city cut off from the world
Having held the city under siege for almost two years, from August the RSF moved to consolidate its position and blockade the remaining civilian population.

Satellite images show that troops started to construct a massive berm – a raised sand barrier – around the perimeter of el-Fasher, sealing off access routes and blocking aid. By early October the ring completely surrounded the city – with a smaller barricade encircling a neighbouring village.

As the siege intensified, 78 people were killed in an RSF attack on a mosque on 19 September, while the UN said 53 more were killed in drone and artillery strikes on a displacement camp in October.

Videos shared with BBC Verify also suggested that the RSF sought to impose a blockade of food and essential supplies. In October, footage shows a man with his hands and feet tied behind his back, hanging upside down from a tree with metal chains. The man filming the video accused him of trying to smuggle supplies into the besieged city.

“I swear to God you will pay for this you dog,” he shouted, before demanding that the captive beg for his life.

Meanwhile, the RSF pushed forward into the city with troops engaged in frenetic street-to-street clashes.

Graphic footage shows unarmed people gunned down
By sunrise on 26 October the RSF overwhelmed the final army positions and seized the main base in the city, the headquarters of the 6th Infantry Division, as the military withdrew.

Soldiers were filmed laughing as they toured the abandoned headquarters carrying a grenade launcher. Later that day RSF commander Abdul Rahim Dagalo – brother of RSF chief Mohammad ‘Hemedti’ Dagalo – was seen inspecting the base.

The RSF – which emerged from the Janjaweed militia that killed hundreds of thousands of people in Darfur between 2003-2005 – has long been accused of committing atrocities against non-Arab groups across Sudan. Footage posted online suggested that paramilitary fighters intended to unleash violence against the civilian population in el-Fasher.

Prior to the paramilitary’s seizure of el-Fasher, very little information had emerged from the city for months. But within hours of the military’s collapse, footage of atrocities committed by the RSF started to appear online, shattering the silence that had fallen on the city.

One of the most graphic videos to emerge and analysed by BBC Verify showed the aftermath of a massacre at a university building on the western side of the city, where dozens of dead bodies were seen scattered across the floor.

An elderly man wearing a white tunic sat alone amongst the bodies. He turned to look as a fighter armed with a rifle walked down the stairs towards him. Raising his weapon, the gunman fired a single shot at the man, who collapsed to the floor motionless. Fellow soldiers, unfazed by the act, immediately spotted another man’s leg twitch in the tangle of bodies.

“Why is this one still alive,” one fighter cried. “Shoot him.”

Satellite images taken on 26 October appeared to confirm that executions were also carried out on the streets of el-Fasher, according to a report published by the Yale Humanitarian Research Lab.

Its analysts highlighted large “clusters” visible in the images, which they said were “consistent with the size range of adult human bodies and are not present in previous imagery”. It also pointed to “discoloration” which the report said may have been marks caused by human blood.

One eyewitness who spoke to the BBC said he had witnessed “many of our relatives being massacred – they were gathered in one place and all killed”.

Another witness recalled seeing a woman being killed after the RSF “shot her in the chest” before throwing her body aside “after taking all her belongings”.

While the main RSF force rampaged through el-Fasher, a separate group of fighters remained on the periphery of the city, where they engaged in the brutal executions of a number of unarmed captives.

Most of this violence occurred at a site around 8km (5 miles) away from el-Fasher. Verified videos show dozens of dead bodies in civilian clothing – some of whom appear to be women – lying in a trench running along the periphery of the sand berm constructed by the RSF.

Other clips display scenes of destruction, with fires raging and the burnt-out shells of trucks littered across the landscape. Videos from the scene also show bodies scattered between the vehicles.

A key figure in the violence was previously identified by BBC Verify as an RSF commander who goes by Abu Lulu online. He was shown executing unarmed captives in two videos, while an eyewitness told the BBC that he “gave an order to his men to kill several innocent people, including children”.

One clip showed an RSF soldier attempting to intercede as Abu Lulu prepared to execute an injured man, while the captive pleaded: “I know you. I called out to you a few days ago.”

Abu Lulu dismissed the man’s pleas with a wave of his arms, stating: “I will never have mercy. Our job is only killing.” After aiming his rifle almost casually, the fighter unleashed a storm of bullets that tore through the unarmed man.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8dr5e30m5ro

Scientists in Romania found the world’s biggest spider web in a cave near the Greece-Albania border, housing 111,000 spiders from two rival species coexisting peacefully.

Scientists in Romania may have uncovered every arachnophobe’s worst nightmare after stumbling upon what they describe as the “world’s biggest spider web.” The discovery, published in the journal Subterranean Biology, and the video of the find. has gone viral for its sheer scale and density.

Researchers said the colossal web was home to around 111,000 spiders, mostly from two rival species that seemed to coexist peacefully. According to LiveScience, which first reported the finding, the web stretched along the walls of a tight, low-roofed tunnel deep inside a sulfur-rich cave, in a permanently dark zone close to the cavern’s mouth.

The sprawling colony consisted of thousands of interconnected funnel webs, which the researchers likened to a “silky tent city.” They believe it could be the largest spider web ever recorded.

In a 20-second video of the discovery, one of the researchers is seen touching the web, which appears as a thick, pale mass clinging to the cave wall. The ripple caused by his touch becomes visible under the glow of his headlamp, showing the web’s scale and thickness.

The cavern housing the web is situated at 1,140 feet on the border between Greece and Albania.

Living inside this giant spider city were two kinds of spiders: the barn funnel weaver, also known as the domestic house spider, and another species called the sheet or dwarf weaver.

What amazed scientists most was that these spiders, which usually live alone and even fight each other, were somehow sharing the same enormous web peacefully, something never seen before.

 

Source: https://www.news18.com/world/scientists-find-worlds-largest-spider-web-packed-with-over-100000-creepy-crawlies-watch-ws-kl-9685818.html

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Wednesday she filed a complaint against a man who groped her and tried to kiss her as she walked between meetings in the capital city, a day after a video of the incident went viral.
“If this happens to the president, where does that leave all the young women in our country,” said Sheinbaum, Mexico’s first female president. “No man has the right to abuse women’s personal space.”

Video of the incident quickly ricocheted across the internet before being taken down by some accounts, underscoring for many in Mexico the insecurity women face in a country steeped in machismo and gender-based violence.
It has also raised questions about Sheinbaum’s security detail. Like her predecessor, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Sheinbaum travels with minimal security and makes herself widely available to the public, including wading into crowds of people.
She said on Wednesday that she did not plan to change that practice, saying “we have to be close to the people.”
The incident happened on Tuesday in the capital’s historic center as Sheinbaum was greeting members of the public while making the short walk from Mexico’s national palace to the Ministry of Education.

The video shows a middle-aged man putting his arm around Sheinbaum, touching her chest and attempting to kiss her. She moves his hands away before a member of her staff steps between them. The president’s security detail did not appear to be near her in the moment.
Sheinbaum said the man appeared to be drunk.
RE-VICTIMIZATION
She also blasted Mexican newspaper Reforma for publishing images of the man groping her, saying she considered it a “re-victimization” and that it crossed an ethical line.
“The use of the image is also a crime,” Sheinbaum said, pointing to legislation against digital violence. “I am waiting for an apology from the newspaper.”
The federal government’s Women’s Ministry, created under Sheinbaum, issued a statement on Tuesday encouraging women to report violence against them, but asking media outlets “not to reproduce content that violates the integrity of women.”

Still, feminist activists have sharply criticized Sheinbaum in the past for not doing enough to address violence against women. Among other things, they point to lackluster prosecutions and investigations of femicides – the killing of a woman because of her gender.
In 2024, Mexico recorded 821 femicides, according to government data. There have been 501 femicides recorded through September of this year, and many advocates say the numbers are likely far underestimated.
CRIMINALIZING HARASSMENTAna Yeli Perez of the National Citizen Observatory on Femicide said the groping of Sheinbaum puts the issue of violence against women on the national agenda again.
“It’s reprehensible, it must be denounced, it must be named, because it’s an act of violence, but it’s also a significant event and symbolic of what women experience every day,” she said.

Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/groping-mexicos-president-highlights-violence-against-women-2025-11-05/

Astronomers believe they provide vital intel for our plans to one day colonise the moon

THIS is the chilling moment two eerie flashes erupt from the surface of the moon around Halloween.

Telescopes trained on the moon captured sparks of light pricking the otherwise still, dark surface – and now experts have explained what’s going on.

 

The first flash was noticed last week – followed by another one over the weekend.

Whilst they look like bolts of energy erupting from inside the moon, scientists have explained they are actually objects flying into it.

Both were the result of asteroids smashing holes into the moon at 60,000mph.

Space rocks are constantly flying around at insane speeds – and the moon does not have an atmosphere to slow them down.

That means that any projectile on a collision course with the moon will dart straight into it, rather than burning up as they would on Earth.

It’s not clear how big the asteroids were, but we do know they were pelting along at 30 times the speed of a fighter jet.

When they strike solid rock at that speed, it causes an almighty explosion – hence the outbursts of light.

But the explosions are not the only fallout from the high speed smash.

The rocks will also have punched two new craters into the lunar surface – which explains why the moon is so pockmarked.

Both were captured by Daichi Fujii, a curator at the Hiratsuka City Museum in Japan, who keeps his telescope lenses trained on small rocky neighbour.

He spotted the first on Thursday at 8:33pm local time, and the other on Saturday at 8:49pm.

Mr Fujii told the New York Times: “I want the public to enjoy science.”

The astronomical enthusiast keeps several telescopes in two locations: Fuji and Hiratsuka.

Ingeniously, he has set up his software so that it automatically detects explosions on the moon’s surface – meaning he can sit back be alerted whenever something interesting happens.

He has captured around 60 of these impacts since 2011, but insists it is rare for two to come in such quick succession.

The European Space Agency’s telescopes missed the action because the moon was too bright when looking from the continent.

But because several telescopes in Japan caught the same glimmers from different angles, it’s easy to call them asteroid strikes.

Juan Luis Cano, an aerospace engineer with the European Space Agency’s Near-Earth Object Coordination Centre, told the NYT: “Those impact flashes seem real.

“What caught my eye is that they both seem to be somewhat above the average in terms of flash size.”

Mr Fuji thinks the speeding space rocks could have come from the Taurid meteor shower.

This is a collection of large, high-speed rocks which Earth and the moon pass through once every 3.3 years.

Source: https://www.the-sun.com/tech/15448920/two-eerie-flashes-surface-moon/

Find out what Harry thinks about Meghan’s return to Hollywood after the star recently admitted she ‘sometimes’ missed acting

STARS will welcome back the Duchess of Sussex as she shoots a Hollywood movie.

Lily Collins, Brie Larson, Jack Quaid — son of Meg Ryan and Dennis Quaid — and Brit Henry Golding are among those filming Close Personal Friends.

Meghan, who announced her retirement from acting eight years ago, is on set today in Pasadena, LA, playing herself in the Amazon MGM Studios production about two couples, one famous and the other not.

Last night a studio source said: “This is a massive moment for Meghan and signifies a return to doing what she truly loves.

“She has been swamped with offers but this one felt right.

“It is Meghan’s way of gently putting her toe back in the water and seeing how she enjoys being back on set.

“Everyone involved is super-excited, and have been sworn to secrecy about her involvement.

“Prince Harry is, of course, really supportive and quite simply wants Meghan to do whatever brings her joy.”

LA-born Meghan appeared in movies Horrible Bosses and Remember Me, and got her big break in TV legal series Suits.

She revealed she was quitting in 2017, just before her engagement.

In his autobiography Spare, Harry admitted of watching her acting: “I’d witnessed her and a cast mate mauling each other in some sort of office conference room.

“It would take electric shock therapy to get those images out of my head.”

Three months ago, Meghan admitted in a podcast chat that she “sometimes” missed acting.

A spokesman declined to comment last night.

Source: https://www.the-sun.com/tv/15448526/meghan-markle-return-acting-close-personal-friends-lily-collins/

The opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum comes with renewed calls for the restitution of the famous Nefertiti bust, which has been in Berlin since 1913.

She is an enduring global symbol of beauty, power and mystery who has fascinated Hitler, Beyonce and Arab Spring activists alike: Queen Nefertiti, whose name translates to “the beautiful one has come,” is one of the most iconic figures of the ancient world.

The Great Royal Wife of Pharaoh Akhenaten — who radically transformed Egyptian religion by promoting the worship of the single sun god, Aten — ruled more than 3,300 years ago. But Nefertiti’s current fame is largely due to the discovery of a painted stucco-coated limestone bust in 1912 by a German archaeological team led by Ludwig Borchardt.

The bust was then brought to Berlin. Today, it is “the undisputed star of the Neues Museum,” as stated on the website of the Prussian Cultural Foundation, which oversees the collection of the museum, which is part of the UNESCO-listed Berlin Museum Island.

Growing calls for restitution
Restitution claims for the bust began shortly after its discovery. Now, with the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo, the calls are gaining momentum.

Visitors on tours at the Grand Egyptian Museum are being asked to sign a petition initiated last year by Egypt’s former Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Zahi Hawass.

“Despite many ignored calls for meaningful dialogue as well as requests for acknowledgment of how this unique artifact ended up in Germany, this petition today is meant to reignite that conversation, inspire the return of the bust to Cairo, and elicit a dignified response from German authorities,” states the petition, which calls on the German culture minister and the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation to deal with the matter.

A spokesperson of the German culture minister told DW in a written statement that “questions concerning the protection of cultural property in relation to Egypt, including the Nefertiti bust, fall under the jurisdiction of the Federal Foreign Office.” Meanwhile, the Federal Foreign Office states that it “has not received any demand from official Egyptian bodies for the return of the Nefertiti bust,” and that it is “unaware of any such demands ever being made to the German government.”

The Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation did not respond to DW’s requests for comment, but the foundation’s position on the issue hasn’t changed over the past years.

A legal acquisition?
“The bust of Nefertiti was found in the course of an excavation authorized by the Egyptian Administration of Antiquities,” Stefan Müchler, spokesperson for the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, told DW in a written statement in October 2024. “It came to Berlin on the basis of a — at that time customary — division of the find which encompassed many more objects.

“The bust was legally taken out of the country and there is no restitution claim of the Egyptian government,” Müchler had added.

Egyptian researcher and heritage campaigner Monica Hanna contests this claim. According to her research, Ludwig Borchardt intentionally and fraudulently downplayed the value of the bust when the time came to divide the finds. He’d described it as “a painted royal princess,” while his own notes show he was aware it depicted Queen Nefertiti.

“Description is useless, must be seen,” the archaeologist enthusiastically added in his own notes.

German historian Sebastian Conrad, author of “The Making of a Global Icon: Nefertiti’s Twentieth-Century Career,” added that beyond the disputed details surrounding the division of the find, the ethical validity of the law itself should be questioned.

“It’s a law that could only exist under the unequal power relations of the imperialist era, because Egypt was essentially an English colony at the time. That means, in my opinion, that the real question is whether one can rightfully invoke such a law,” he told DW. “I would put it this way: It was formally legal, but from today’s perspective, it’s not legitimate.”

Historian Jürgen Zimmerer, whose focus is colonialism and genocide studies, points out that a similar debate has taken place in Germany surrounding artworks that were taken from Jews by the Nazis during the Third Reich: “We don’t just stand there and say, ‘It was legal back then, so they have no claim.’ Instead, we see it as a moral achievement to say, ‘We don’t insist on the letter of the law, but rather on the spirit of the law.’ We know these were unlawful laws that dispossessed Jews, and we don’t want to profit from that,” he told DW. “And I wonder why we should be proceeding differently in a colonial context.”

Restitution attempt blocked by Hitler
Egyptologist Monica Hanna also questions Germany’s position that there is no restitution claim from the Egyptian government. She points out that Egyptian authorities had requested its return shortly after the bust was first put on public display in Berlin in 1924, and adds, “Does the museum really need the government to call for that? The public opinion is very clear in Egypt about wanting back the bust of Nefertiti. What belongs to us, belongs to us.”

In 1925, Egypt threatened to ban German excavations on its soil unless the bust was returned. James Simon, the philanthropist who had financed Borchardt’s excavations and who donated the famous Nefertiti bust to the Berlin State Museums, personally argued for an exchange of pieces with Egypt and contributed to negotiating Nefertiti’s return, as outlined by researcher Ruth E. Iskin in her article “The Other Nefertiti: Symbolic Restitutions.”

If Simon’s importance as an art patron has since been acknowledged in Berlin through the relatively new James Simon Gallery, the main entrance to Museum Island, his efforts to return the bust were purged from Germany’s official narrative.

Simon’s planned exchange did not happen, nor did the following attempt in 1933. Nazi leader Hermann Göring hoped to secure Egypt’s political allegiance to Germany by returning the bust. But Hitler, a great Nefertiti admirer, blocked the project. “I will never relinquish the head of the queen,” he said.

Source: https://www.dw.com/en/nefertiti-bust-should-be-returned-to-egypt-historians-say/a-74630030

KHAN YUNIS, Palestinian Territories: Gaza’s Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Yunis on Wednesday (Nov 5) said it had received the bodies of 15 Palestinian prisoners under the US-brokered ceasefire exchange deal.

“The tenth batch of the bodies of Palestinian martyrs has arrived at Nasser Medical Complex in the Gaza Strip, numbering 15 martyrs,” the hospital said in a statement, noting that 285 bodies were received under the agreement in total.

They were returned in exchange for the latest hostage body handed back from Gaza on Tuesday, that of Israeli-American soldier Itay Chen.

Under the terms of the US-brokered agreement in effect since Oct 10, Israel returns 15 bodies of Palestinians for every body it receives of an Israeli hostage who had been held in Gaza.

At the start of the truce, Hamas held 48 hostages in Gaza – 20 alive and 28 deceased.

The militants have since released all the surviving captives, as well as 21 of the deceased’s remains.

Source: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/world/palestine-gaza-hospital-15-bodies-received-ceasefire-exchange-deal-5447846

Taylor Swift was out with her Lover, Travis Kelce, in New York City.

The couple was pictured holding hands as they arrived at The Polo Bar for a dinner date on Wednesday night.

They both wore long-sleeved black tops for the outing. Swift paired her off-the-shoulder look with a pair of blue trousers while the Kansas City Chiefs tight end opted for some baggy brown pants.

The Grammy winner, 35, accessorized the look with a silver necklace, a black purse and a set of rings on her hand.

Kelce, on the other hand, kept his accessories simple with a set of gold chains and a diamond tennis chain.

The sighting comes just hours after the NFL star, 36, played coy about his personal plans for his team’s bye week on Wednesday’s episode of his “New Heights” podcast, which he hosts with his brother, Jason Kelce.

Kelce’s team doesn’t have a game scheduled for this weekend and it appears he’s spending his bye week just like last year’s — in the Big Apple.

In 2024, the “Grotesquerie” star jetted off to New York City with his now-fiancée for some R&R.

When asked about their private vacation, Kelce kept it cool by replying at the time, “I didn’t do nothing. I ain’t did nothing.”

Source: https://pagesix.com/2025/11/05/entertainment/taylor-swift-and-travis-kelce-hold-hands-on-nyc-date-night/

Palace sources told Page Six they “would not be surprised” if Prince Harry eventually lost his title just like his uncle Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor — aka the man formerly known as Prince Andrew.

Their warning for Harry, 41, comes as British politician Rachael Maskell has relaunched her proposal for a “Removal of Titles Bill” which would give King Charles and, eventually and crucially, heir-to-the-throne Prince William power to remove hereditary titles.

“If they pass these bills, I would not be surprised if Harry is the next one to go,” one well-placed royal source told Page Six. “I would not be surprised if William does that … he’s not a vindictive person, but he feels very let down and it’s always much more difficult when you are let down by somebody close to you.”

We have reached out to reps for both William and Harry.

The brothers have not spoken in more than two years and sources close to William, 43, have made it clear that he was left furious by Harry’s 2023 memoir, “Spare.”

The book included accusations of the future king physically attacking his younger brother and of Kate Middleton being one of the senior royals who made alleged “racist” remarks about Harry and Meghan Markle’s children, among other claims.

Royal writer Hugo Vickers has said the brothers’ estrangement is so great that William may not even invite Harry to his coronation.

“Harry must be quite scared,” a palace insider added of MP Maskell’s proposed bill.

It was shot down after she first introduced it in 2022 — and has now re-emerged with the Andrew news.

Harry, the son of King Charles and Princess Diana, was born a prince and his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, made him and Markle Duke and Duchess of Sussex on their wedding day in May 2018.

But Harry and Markle agreed not to use their HRH titles for commercial use when they left the royal family in 2020.

In a stunning move, Charles stripped his younger brother Andrew of his prince title last week after palace officials had spent days quietly working on the plan alongside lawyers and government officials.

The process involved the monarch issuing Royal warrants to the Lord Chancellor, David Lammy, to remove Andrew’s titles from the official Peerage Roll.

Source: https://pagesix.com/2025/11/04/royal-family/prince-harry-could-eventually-lose-his-title-like-andrew-source/

Meghan Markle is reportedly making her big return to acting eight years after ending her Hollywood career.

The Duchess of Sussex is said to be joining the cast of “Close Personal Friends,” which stars Jack Quaid, Lily Collins and Brie Larsen, according to the Sun.

Meghan will reportedly play herself in the film “Close Personal Friends,” which follows two couples where one is famous and the other is not. She was seen on set today in Pasadena, LA, in the Amazon MGM Studios production.

“This is a massive moment for Meghan and signifies a return to doing what she truly loves,” a source from the Amazon MGM Studios production told the outlet on Wednesday, adding that the mom of two “has been swamped with offers but this one felt right.”

“It is Meghan’s way of gently putting her toe back in the water and seeing how she enjoys being back on set,” the insider continued.

“Everyone involved is super-excited, and have been sworn to secrecy about her involvement.”

As for her husband Prince Harry, the source divulged that he’s backing up the career decision.

“Prince Harry is, of course, really supportive and quite simply wants Meghan to do whatever brings her joy,” they reportedly shared.

Reps for Markle did not immediately return our request for comment.

In 2017, amid her historic engagement to Prince Harry, Markle addressed her decision to step back from her work in Hollywood — which included roles in “Remember Me” and “Horrible Bosses,” among others — to focus on royal life.

“It’s a new chapter, right?” she said of leaving her role on “Suits” while looking ahead to a new life.

“I’ve ticked this box, and I feel very proud of the work I’ve done there, and now it’s time to work with [Harry] as a team,” she added.

The network behind “Suits” released their own statement in support of Markle’s decision.

“From all of us at USA Network and Universal Cable Productions, we want to send our most heartfelt congratulations to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry on their engagement,” the November 2017 statement read.

“Meghan has been a member of our family for seven years and it has been a joy to work with her,” they continued. “We want to thank her for her undeniable passion and dedication to ‘Suits,’ and we wish her the very best.”

Source: https://pagesix.com/2025/11/05/royal-family/meghan-markle-returns-to-acting-8-years-after-quitting-hollywood/

Italy says seven of its citizens are missing in Nepal after trying to climb a Himalayan peak in the north-east of the country.

Officials said the Italian team was at the base camp of Dolma Khang peak, which has an elevation of 6,332m (20,774ft), in Dolakha district.

Three other Italian climbers have been confirmed dead this week, including in an avalanche that struck close to Dolma Khang on Monday.

A senior Italian diplomat from neighbouring India has arrived in Kathmandu to coordinate with the Nepalese authorities and search teams.

Nepal has been hit by avalanches and ferocious storms in the past week, killing and injuring a number of climbers and their local guides.

“At this stage, the local authorities have confirmed the deaths of three Italian climbers,” Rome’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

“There remains no news of seven other Italian nationals, including Marco Di Marcello and Markus Kircheler.”

The foreign ministry said both Mr Marcello and Mr Kircheler were in the Yalung Ri area, where Monday’s avalanche struck. Italian Paolo Cocco was among seven climbers who were already confirmed to have died near the Yalung Ri base camp.

On Tuesday, Mr Marcello’s family told Italy’s Ansa news agency that his satellite radio signal was continuing to update and appeared to be moving.

A Nepali tourism official, Ram Krishna Lamichhane, told the BBC they had been in contact with rescue teams searching the base camp at Dolma Khang peak, which was hit by an avalanche.

“According to the information we have, five people, including three foreign climbers and two Nepali guides, are missing in the Dolma Khang base camp area,” Mr Lamichhane said.

There have been conflicting reports about the number of dead and missing climbers in the area in recent days, as well as their nationalities.

Mr Lamichhane added that they were also coordinating with the trekking agency that had organised their expedition to Dolma Khang to find out more details on the missing.

 

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0mxkmzyx2eo

The cancellations stem from a wide range of offenses, including driving under the influence, assault, and theft.

The US President Donald Trump-led administration has revoked roughly 80,000 non-immigrant visas since taking office on January 20, according to a senior state department official.

The cancellations stem from a wide range of offenses, including driving under the influence, assault, and theft.

Of the total revocations, about 16,000 were linked to DUI cases, around 12,000 to assault, and nearly 8,000 to theft, Reuters reported, citing the state department officials.

The numbers were first reported by Washington Examiner.

The scale of revocations reveal a larger trend of immigration crackdown, which has led to the deportation of a record number of migrants, including individuals who still held valid visas.

The Trump administration has also imposed stricter visa screening requirements, expanding social media vetting and tightening overall background checks.

What led to visa revocations

According to the senior official, the above-mentioned three crimes – DUI, assault and theft – “accounted for almost half of revocations this year.”

Trump had been repeating his unfounded claim that seven aircraft were downed during the India-Pakistan conflict. This time, he has raised the figure.

US President Donald Trump has repeated his claim of brokering peace between India and Pakistan, revising his count of fighter jets downed during the combat from seven to eight. The two nuclear-armed nations “made peace” in May only after he threatened to cancel their trade deals, he said, reiterating his wild claim at the America Business Forum in Miami yesterday.

The India-Pakistan episode was among the eight conflicts that the President claimed to have stopped since taking office, besides Kosovo-Serbia and Congo-Rwanda, as he tried again to portray himself as a global peacemaker.

“I was in the midst of a trade deal with India and Pakistan, and then I read on the front page of a certain newspaper…I heard they were going to war. Seven planes were shot down, and the eighth was badly wounded. Eight planes were shot down essentially. I said, this is war, and they are going at it. They are two nuclear nations. I said, ‘I’m not going to make any trade deals with you guys unless you agree to peace,'” said Trump.

The President claimed Delhi and Islamabad opposed such a threat and said their conflict had nothing to do with trade deals

“The two nations said ‘No way. This has nothing to do…’ I said, ‘It has everything to do. You are nuclear powers. I’m not trading with you. We’re not making any deals with you if you’re at war with each other’,” he said, adding that he got a call the next day that the two countries had made peace. “I said, ‘Thank you. Let’s do trade’. Isn’t that great? Without tariffs, that would have never happened,” said Trump as the crowd cheered for him.

India denied the US President’s claim and said a ceasefire was achieved on May 10 after Pakistani commanders pleaded with their Indian counterparts to stop the offensive.

Source: https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/donald-trump-repeats-india-pakistan-peace-claim-with-revised-count-of-planes-downed-9583732

On a visit to Syria, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul commented on the difficult living conditions people face amid the postwar reality. The context of the comments seemed to jar with his party’s deportation plans.

The coalition government of center-right Christian Democrats and Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU) and center-left Social Democrats (SPD), which has been in office since May 2025, is aiming to significantly increase the number of people who have been ordered to leave the country in the campaign they are calling a “repatriation offensive.” However, the political and media debate has tended to focus on a different word: deportations.

The dispute over deportations to Syria, a country devastated by a long civil war, shows just how difficult this undertaking is — and just how divergent opinions are, even among the government’s two conservative Christian parties. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (CDU) recently visited Syria and subsequently expressed caution: “Only possible to a very limited extent at this point in time,” was his assessment of the possibility of forced deportations.

Source: https://www.dw.com/en/germany-migration-syria-deportations-repatriation/a-74610937

Salman Rushdie’s new book, his 23rd, is also a resetting of his career.

“The Eleventh Hour,” which includes two short stories and three novellas, is his first work of fiction since he was brutally stabbed on a New York lecture stage in 2022. His recovery has been physical, psychological — and creative. Just finding the words for what happened was a painful struggle that culminated with his memoir “Knife,” published in 2024. Fiction, the ability to imagine, was the last and crucial step, like the awakening of nerves once feared damaged beyond repair.

“While I was writing ‘Knife,’ I couldn’t even think about fiction. I had no space in my head for that,” Rushdie told The Associated Press last week. “But almost immediately after I finished the book, before it came out, it’s like this door swung open in my head and I was allowed to enter the room of fiction again.”

Two of the pieces in his book out Tuesday, “In the South” and “The Old Man in the Piazza,” were completed before the attack. But all five share a preoccupation with age, mortality and memory, understandable for an author who will turn 79 next year and survived his attack so narrowly that doctors who rushed to help him initially could not find a pulse.

“The Eleventh Hour” draws from Rushdie’s past, such as his years as a student in Cambridge, and from sources surprising and mysterious. The title character of “The Old Man in the Piazza,” an elderly man treated as a sage, originates from a scene in the original “Pink Panther” movie, when an aging pedestrian looks on calmly as a wild car chase encircles him. The novella “Oklahoma” was inspired by an exhibit of Franz Kafka’s papers that included the manuscript of “Amerika,” an unfinished novel about a European immigrant’s journeys in the U.S., which Kafka never visited.

For “Late,” Rushdie had expected a straightforward narrative about a student’s bond with a Cambridge don, an eminence inspired by author E.M. Forster and World War II code-breaker Alan Turing. But a morbid sentence, which Rushdie cannot remember writing, steered “Late” to the supernatural.

“I had initially thought that I would have this friendship, this improbable friendship between the young student and this grand old man,” Rushdie explained. “And then I sat down to write it, and the sentence I found on my laptop was, ‘When he woke up that morning, he was dead.’ And I thought, ‘What’s that?’ And I literally didn’t know where it came from. I just left it sitting on my laptop for 24 hours. I went back and looked at it, and then I thought, ‘You know, OK, as it happens, I’ve never written a ghost story.’”

Rushdie will always carry scars from his attack, notably the blinding of his right eye, but he has otherwise reemerged in public life, with planned appearances everywhere from Manhattan to San Francisco. A native of Mumbai, he moved to England in his teens and is now a longtime New Yorker who lives there with his wife, the poet Rachel Eliza Griffiths.

His most celebrated novel is “Midnight’s Children,” his magical narrative of the birth of modern India that won the Booker Prize in 1981. His most famous, and infamous, work, is “The Satanic Verses,” in which a dream sequence about the Prophet Muhammad led to allegations of blasphemy, rioting and a 1989 fatwa from Iran’s Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini that called for Rushdie’s death and drove him into hiding. Although Iran announced in the late 1990s that it would no longer enforce the decree, Rushdie’s notoriety continued: The author’s assailant, Hadi Matar, was not even born when “Satanic Verses” was published. Matar, found guilty of manslaughter and attempted murder in a state trial, was sentenced in May to 25 years in prison. A federal trial is still pending.

Rushdie also spoke with the AP about his legacy, his love of cities and how his near-death experience did not make him any more spiritual. This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

AP: Age is obviously a theme throughout this book, and something you had been thinking about it before the attack, the idea of “Will I be valued at the end?” “Does it matter that whatever knowledge I have accumulated?” These are things that you think about?
RUSHDIE: I think about what maybe all of us think about. What do we amount to in the end? What did our life add up to? Was it worth it or was it trivial and forgettable? And if you’re an artist, you have the added question of will your work survive? Not just will you survive, but will the things you make endure? Because certainly, if you’re my kind of writer, that’s what you hope for. And, it would be very disappointing to feel that they would just vanish.

But I really love the fact that “Midnight’s Children,” which came out in 1981, is still finding young readers, and that is very pleasing to me. That feels like a prize in itself.

AP: Something else that struck me about the book was how much it was a book of stories about stories. The conscious art of storytelling.
RUSHDIE: Yes, and much more than in the others. I think particularly the story called “Oklahoma” is very much a story about storytelling and about truth and lies.

According to (Kafka’s friend and literary executor) Max Brod, Kafka had this idea that when his character arrived in Oklahoma, he would find some kind of happiness. He would find some kind of resolution, some kind of fulfillment there. And I often thought the idea of a Kafka book with a happy ending is kind of hard to imagine, so maybe it’s just as well he didn’t write the last chapter. The Oklahoma in the story is entirely fictitious. I mean, he never went anywhere. He never came to America, Kafka. But it becomes like a metaphor of hope and of fulfillment.

AP: Was America like that for you?
RUSHDIE: It’s why I came to live here, because I was excited by a lot about America. New York City was a place that excited me enormously when I first came here in my 20s, when I was still working in advertising. But I just thought, “I just want to come and put myself here and see what happens.” I just had an instinct that it would be good for me. And then, you know, life intervened and I didn’t do it for a long time. And then around the turn of the century, I told myself, “Well, if you’re ever going to do it, you better do it, because otherwise, when are you going to do it?”

AP: I remember after the fatwa that people would refer to you as reclusive. But that is clearly not true.
RUSHDIE: I like being in the world. You know, one of the things that I have often said to students when they’re following the kind of “write what you know” mantra, I said, “Yeah, write what you know, but only if what you know is really interesting. And otherwise go find something out, write about that.” I always use the example of Charles Dickens, because one of the things that impresses me about Dickens is how broad the spectrum of his characters is, that he can write about all walks of life. He could write about pickpockets and archbishops with equal credibility, and that must mean that he went to find things out.

AP: Is there a part of you that likes the idea of being that old man in the piazza that people come to?
RUSHDIE: I don’t want to be a kind of guru or oracle. I don’t have answers. I have, I hope, interesting questions.

Source: https://apnews.com/article/salman-rushdie-interview-eleventh-hour-90a99ec026a36e60c8f4d8d7eef35593

Indians lit up social media on Wednesday to celebrate Zohran Mamdani’s election win as New York City mayor after he thanked his Indian-born parents, quoted a historic speech by India’s first prime minister and turned the victory rally into a Bollywood-style street party.

“We are proud of him. He has done a great job,” Mamdani’s maternal uncle Vikram Nair told The Associated Press. He said he was flooded with requests from friends and families to throw celebratory parties.

“We will plan it soon,” he said, adding that the family would love to have Mamdani take part.

The 34-year-old, Ugandan-born Mamdani is set to be New York’s youngest mayor in more than a century — and the first Muslim one — when he takes office on Jan. 1.

At a boisterous victory rally late Tuesday, Mamdani addressed supporters with a speech inspired by Jawaharlal Nehru’s iconic “Tryst with Destiny” address, delivered on the eve of India’s independence in 1947.

“Standing before you, I think of the words of Jawaharlal Nehru: ‘A moment comes, but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends and when the soul of a nation long suppressed finds utterance.’ Tonight, we have stepped out from the old into the new,” Mamdani said.

The title track of 2004 Bollywood blockbuster “Dhoom” played as Mamdani concluded his speech, flanked by his parents and wife Rama Duwaji.

Mamdani’s mother, Mira Nair, is an award-winning Indian filmmaker whose credits include “Monsoon Wedding,” “The Namesake” and “Mississippi Masala” and whose work has been nominated for an Academy Award. His father, Mahmood Mamdani, is an anthropology professor at Columbia University.

After his victory, Nair shared Bollywood film maker Zoya Akhtar’s Instagram story that was captioned “Zohran you beauty,” with heart emojis.

Winking references to his Indian heritage figured in Mamdani’s buzzy campaign videos, with many social media posts using dialogues from classic Bollywood movies.

While there was no official Indian government reaction to Mamdani’s win, Shashi Tharoor, a senior leader of the opposition Congress party, hailed his “spectacular victory,” calling it “wonderfully apt!” in his post on social media.

Mamdani’s multi-racial outreach and embrace of his Indian and Muslim identity won him support, but his past remarks about Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whom he publicly called a “war criminal,” had many expressing concern and anger.

Source: https://apnews.com/article/india-zohran-mamdani-new-york-mayor-mira-nair-e5970914ee8c7022bcf07ca34de8205b

U.S. President Donald Trump began his second term by signaling that talks with China to stop a deadly flow of fentanyl were fruitless and instead slapped 20% tariffs on Chinese goods to try to push Beijing to tackle trafficking of the synthetic opioid.

But last week, after meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea, Trump agreed to slash his fentanyl-related tariffs on China in half in return for a fresh “consensus” on the drug, which U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said would be hashed out via a new bilateral working group.

The deal revives a communications channel embraced by China, but long derided by Republican lawmakers, opens new tab, who argue that Beijing floats such working groups as concessions in high-level talks and then mires the U.S. in protracted negotiations.

It also signals a shift for Trump officials, who had insisted that punitive measures would remain in place until Beijing proved it was cracking down on its fentanyl supply chains.

“The administration has made significant compromises in its own position on China and counternarcotics by now accepting a commitment to launch a working group,” said Henrietta Levin, who served as a director for China on President Joe Biden’s National Security Council and is now a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Levin said such a working group could still yield results, but that China had successfully sold counternarcotics cooperation to the U.S. at least three times in the past decade under Trump and Biden.

“You start to wonder how many times they can sell us exactly the same half-hearted commitment,” she said.

Trump administration officials say this time the mechanism will be results-focused, not a forum for dialogue on fentanyl.

‘FORCE HIS HAND’

Chinese officials vehemently defend their record on fentanyl, a leading cause of U.S. overdose deaths, saying they have already taken extensive action to regulate certain precursor chemicals used to make the drug. They accuse Washington of using the issue as “blackmail.”

China has revealed few details of its own on the fentanyl accord. Its Foreign Ministry readout of the Trump-Xi meeting made no mention of fentanyl, and its Commerce Ministry statement said only that the two sides had “reached consensus” on fentanyl counternarcotics cooperation.

“The U.S. needs to take concrete actions to create necessary conditions for the cooperation,” China’s embassy in Washington told Reuters without mentioning the working group. It said China “remains open to continuing the cooperation.”

The Biden-era U.S.-China counternarcotics working group rapidly disintegrated when Trump unfurled tariffs earlier this year. But it had been a target of Republican scorn.

In 2023, then-Senator JD Vance – now Trump’s vice president – joined other Republican lawmakers in lambasting the Biden administration for removing sanctions on China to lure it into fentanyl talks.

“President Xi will only respond to strength. We must force his hand and make it clear that sanctions will only be lifted after the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) stops the deadly production of fentanyl precursor chemicals,” Vance and other lawmakers wrote, opens new tab to the Biden administration.

Source : https://www.reuters.com/world/china/trump-tries-old-tactic-with-china-fentanyl-new-working-group-2025-11-04

French politicians are escalating their fight with Chinese online fast-fashion retailer Shein, threatening a ban over childlike sex dolls on its site, just as the company plans to open its first-ever permanent shop in Paris.

After France’s consumer watchdog found sex dolls resembling children for sale on Shein’s platform, finance minister Roland Lescure threatened on Monday to block Shein’s access to the French market if it ever sold such dolls again.

Shein said it had sanctioned the sellers and implemented a ban on sex dolls. The Paris prosecutor’s office said on Tuesday it was investigating online retail platforms Shein, Temu, AliExpress and Wish over alleged dissemination of contents including child pornography on their marketplaces.

Shein, one of the world’s biggest fast-fashion retailers, had already sparked anger among French politicians and retailers over its low-cost business model and, most recently, its plans for the concession outlet set to open on Wednesday in Paris department store BHV. Other outlets will open later in Galeries Lafayette department stores in five regional cities.

On hearing of the Shein shops, Véronique Louwagie, France’s commerce and small business minister until September, began organising against them.

She phoned the president of Galeries Lafayette, the mayors of Angers, Dijon, Grenoble, Limoges, and Reims, where the Shein outlets are planned, and the head of French public bank Caisse des Dépots, which was meant to fund a BHV real estate deal, she told Reuters.

The campaign illustrates the coordinated effort by French politicians, retailers and regulators to oppose Shein’s expansion and protect high street retailers, ahead of tough new legislation on online platforms which Shein has fought against.

SHEIN ‘DESTROYS SHOPS’

French lawmakers say Shein’s rapid growth is driven by an unfair advantage: a customs duty exemption on low-value ecommerce packages that allows it to sell at rock-bottom prices. Meanwhile, French fast-fashion chains like Jennyfer and Naf Naf have gone into bankruptcy.

“Shein impacts the vitality of our regions, destroys jobs and destroys shops,” Louwagie told Reuters.

Shein argues its “on-demand” business model, with factories making small batches before ramping up if a product sells well, is more efficient, and that its online marketplace can help French brands and retailers reach more customers.

Shein was approached to set up the French outlets by Société des Grands Magasins (SGM), which has been trying to turn around the struggling BHV and regional Galeries Lafayette department stores and hopes the launch will attract a younger clientele.

Galeries Lafayette, however, said last month that the Shein concession stores would go against its values, and on Tuesday said it had agreed with SGM to end their franchise agreement – meaning the regional department stores will no longer carry the Galeries Lafayette name.

SGM has yet to decide on a new name for the five former Galeries Lafayette stores, a spokesperson said.

“We believe in Shein’s project,” said Karl-Stéphane Cottendin, general director at SGM, in an interview with BFM TV on Monday. “There’s some controversy surrounding it, but we also have a brand (Shein) with 24-25 million consumers in France.”

SGM and Shein seemed to embrace the controversy.

A billboard unveiled on Saturday above the BHV store in Paris’ Marais district featured a photo of SGM President Frédéric Merlin alongside Shein’s executive chairman Donald Tang and his dog Satchi, under the tagline: “The billboard we shouldn’t have made!”

“Creating a buzz is a way of doing business today, a more modern kind of business,” said Cottendin.

Shein has been trying to win trust in France.

It hired French leaders including former interior minister Christophe Castaner as advisors, and sought to strike deals with French retailers, while Tang has travelled around the country, met critics and attended gatherings of the French elite, but failed to turn the tide of criticism.

Source : https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/inside-sheins-fast-fashion-fight-france-2025-11-04

Dick Cheney, a driving force behind the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, was considered by presidential historians as one of the most powerful vice presidents in U.S. history.

He died at age 84 on Monday from complications of pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease, his family said in a statement on Tuesday.

The Republican – a former Wyoming congressman and secretary of defense – was already a major Washington player when then-Texas governor George W. Bush chose him to be his running mate in the 2000 presidential race that Bush went on to win.

As vice president from 2001 to 2009, Cheney fought vigorously for an expansion of the power of the presidency, having felt that it had been eroding since the Watergate scandal that drove his one-time boss Richard Nixon from office. He also expanded the clout of the vice president’s office by putting together a national security team that often served as a power center of its own within the administration.

Cheney was a strong advocate for the 2003 invasion of Iraq and was among the most outspoken of Bush administration officials warning of the danger from Iraq’s alleged stockpile of weapons of mass destruction. No such weapons were found.

He clashed with several top Bush aides, including Secretaries of State Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice, and defended “enhanced” interrogation techniques of terrorism suspects that included waterboarding and sleep deprivation. Others, including the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and the U.N. special rapporteur on counter terrorism and human rights, called these techniques “torture.”
His daughter Liz Cheney also became an influential Republican lawmaker, serving in the House of Representatives but losing her seat after opposing Republican President Donald Trump and voting to impeach him in the wake of the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol by his supporters. Her father, who agreed with her, said that he would vote for Democratic candidate Kamala Harris in 2024.
“In our nation’s 248 year-history, there has never been an individual who is a greater threat to our republic than Donald Trump,” said the man who had long been a foe of the left.

Cheney was troubled much of his life by heart problems, suffering the first of a number of heart attacks at age 37. He had a heart transplant in 2012.

TAKING ON IRAQ

Cheney and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who had been colleagues in the Nixon White House, were key voices pushing for the March 2003 invasion of Iraq.

In the run-up to the war, Cheney suggested there might be links between Iraq and al Qaeda and the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States. A commission on the 9/11 attacks later discredited this theory.

Cheney predicted U.S. forces would be “greeted as liberators” in Iraq and that the troop deployment – which would last around a decade – would “go relatively quickly … weeks rather than months.”

Although no weapons of mass destruction were found, Cheney in later years insisted that the invasion was the right decision based on the intelligence at the time and the removal of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein from power.

More than a decade earlier, as defense secretary under President George H.W. Bush, Cheney had directed the U.S. military operation to expel an Iraqi occupation army from Kuwait in the first Gulf War.

He urged Bush senior to take an uncompromising line against Iraq after Saddam Hussein sent his troops to occupy Kuwait in August 1990. But at that point Cheney did not support an invasion of Iraq, saying the United States would have to act alone and that the situation would become a quagmire.

Because of Cheney’s long ties to the Bush family and experience in government, George W. Bush chose him to head his vice presidential search in 2000. Bush then decided the man doing the search was the best candidate for the job.

Upon his re-entry into politics, Cheney received a $35 million retirement package from oil services firm Halliburton, which he had run from 1995 to 2000. Halliburton became a leading government contractor during the Iraq war. Cheney’s oil industry links were a subject of frequent criticism by opponents of the war.

THE FIRST REPUBLICAN IN GENERATIONS

Richard Bruce Cheney was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, to Marjorie Lorraine (née Dickey) and Richard Herbert Cheney on January 30, 1941, the day then-President Franklin Roosevelt turned 59. His mother was a waitress turned softball player, his father a federal worker with the Soil Conservation Service.

Both sides of the family were staunch New Deal Democrats, he wrote in his 2011 book “In My Time: A Personal and Political Memoir.”

Convinced that the president would want to know that he shared a birthday with the newborn, Cheney’s grandfather urged Marjorie and Richard to share the news by telegram with the White House.

In his family he “was the first Republican probably since my great-grandfather who fought in the Civil War on the Union side,” he told the PBS documentary “Dick Cheney: A Heartbeat Away.”

He moved as a boy to Wyoming with his family, before attending Yale University. “I was a mediocre student, at best,” he said. He dropped out.

‘A DEADLY ALLERGY TO OLIVE DRAB’

Back in Wyoming in 1962, he worked on building electrical transmission lines and coal-fired power stations, before eventually earning undergraduate and master’s degrees in political science from the University of Wyoming.

Of that time he recalled a visit by then President John F. Kennedy, who addressed students on the importance of using what they were learning to build a better nation and a better world. “He had inspired us all, and at a time when I was trying to put my life back together, I was particularly grateful for the sense of elevated possibilities he described,” Cheney wrote in his memoir.

In his 20s, Cheney strongly disagreed with the students who shut down campuses in protest against the Vietnam War, he recalled in his memoir. “As a general proposition, I supported our troops in Vietnam and the right of the Kennedy and Johnson administrations to make the decision to be involved there,” he wrote. He himself was never drafted.

According to his biographer, John Nichols, Cheney repeatedly applied for deferments and exemptions to avoid conscription. “Cheney reacted to the prospect of wearing his country’s uniform like a man with a deadly allergy to olive drab,” Nichols wrote in The Nation magazine in 2011. Cheney stated that he would have been happy to serve.

EMBRACING DARTH VADER

Cheney went to Washington in 1969 as a congressional intern and held various White House jobs during the Republican administrations of Nixon and Gerald Ford. One of his earliest mentors was Rumsfeld, who worked as secretary of defense in both the Ford and George W. Bush administrations. When Cheney became Ford’s chief of staff, he succeeded Rumsfeld.

During the 10 years he served as Wyoming’s only congressman, Cheney had a highly conservative record, consistently voting against abortion rights. He also voted against the release of imprisoned South African leader Nelson Mandela and against gun control and environmental and education funding measures.

His wife Lynne, who had been his high school sweetheart, became a conservative voice on cultural issues. Liz, the couple’s eldest daughter, was elected to the House in 2016 after building a reputation for pushing hawkish foreign policy views similar to her father’s.
During his time as vice president, late-night television comedians referred to Cheney as Darth Vader. He shrugged it off by joking that he was honored to be compared to the “Star Wars” villain, even dressing as Vader for an appearance on the “Tonight Show” to promote his memoir.

Source : https://www.reuters.com/world/us/former-us-vp-dick-cheney-dead-84-punchbowl-news-says-2025-11-04

The United States has drafted a United Nations resolution that approves a two-year mandate for a Gaza transitional governance body and an international stabilization force in the Palestinian enclave, according to the text seen by Reuters on Tuesday.

The draft – which is still being developed and could change – was shared with some countries this week, but has not yet been formally circulated to the 15-member Security Council for negotiations, diplomats said. It was not immediately clear when Washington planned to do that.

A State Department spokesperson said discussions with U.N. Security Council members and other partners on how to implement President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan were ongoing and declined to comment on “allegedly leaked documents.”

The two-page text would authorize a so-called Board of Peace transitional governance administration to establish a temporary International Stabilization Force (ISF) in Gaza that could “use all necessary measures” – code for force – to carry out its mandate.

The ISF would be authorized to protect civilians and humanitarian aid operations, work to secure border areas with Israel, Egypt and a “newly trained and vetted Palestinian police force, which the ISF will be responsible for training and supporting.

The ISF would stabilize security in Gaza, “including through the demilitarization of non-state armed groups and the permanent decommissioning of weapons, as necessary.”

SECOND PHASE OF TRUMP PLAN

Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas agreed a month ago to the first phase of Trump’s 20-point plan for Gaza, a ceasefire in their two year war and hostage release deal.

The next phase of the plan, which the draft U.N. resolution would endorse, is to establish the Board of Peace and the ISF.

The Trump plan also ends Hamas governance of Gaza and says the enclave would be demilitarized. Hamas has not said whether it will agree to disarm and demilitarize Gaza — something the militants have rejected before.

The ISF would deploy under a unified command agreed by the Board of Peace and in close consultation with Egypt and Israel after detailed status of mission and forces agreements have been reached, according to the resolution.

While the Trump administration has ruled out sending U.S. soldiers into the Gaza Strip, it has been speaking to Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Qatar, Turkey and Azerbaijan to contribute to the multinational force.

It remains unclear whether Arab and other states will be ready to commit troops to the international force and Israel has repeatedly objected to the deployment of Turkish troops.

The draft U.N. resolution calls on the World Bank and other financial institutions to facilitate and provide financial resources to support the reconstruction and development of Gaza, “including through the establishment of a dedicated trust fund for this purpose and governed by donors.”

It was not immediately clear when the United States could put a draft resolution to a vote in the Security Council. A resolution needs at least nine votes in favor and no vetoes by the U.S., Britain, France, Russia or China to be adopted.

Source : https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/us-may-ask-un-mandate-international-force-gaza-two-years-document-shows-2025-11-05

Is the Hollywood show over for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex?

A Hollywood source tells Page Six that when it comes to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, “There is not only no appetite left for them in LA, but they’ve also worn through any good will they had.”

Another source tells us, “People are sick of them, the act has gotten stale.”

Netflix recently downgraded their deal with the high-profile pair. The couple had originally signed a $100 million multi-year deal, which was just renewed as a first-look deal.

A source tells Page Six that the couple have no finesse when it comes to business.

Simone Biles is getting candid on which procedures she’s had done to enhance her appearance.

The Olympic gymnast got “unready” with fans via TikTok last week, and shared a few “fun facts” about herself.

“I’ve had three plastic surgeries, and two of them you would never be able to tell,” she explained while wearing a maroon fitted dress, inviting followers to take a “guess” in the comments thread.

“🍒 done? 💖,” one person queried, seemingly referencing breast implants — and Biles, 28, gave the comment a “thumbs up.”

Another TikTok user guessed, “Boobs, skinny bbl, and eye lift or skin tightening. I’m literally guessing bc i can’t tell lol.”

The 11-time Olympic medalist responded, “🍒, lower bleph because I had THE WORST eye bags & ear lobe — my earring got ripped out when I was younger.”

Last month, Biles seemingly confirmed she had a breast augmentation with a cheeky social media post.

Via Instagram Stories, the athlete shared a clip of herself jumping on a trampoline in the backyard of her and husband Jonathan Owens’ lavish new custom Texas mansion.

“First flip – in a year – at the new house – with new [cherry emojis],” she wrote atop the video.

She first sparked speculation of a potential boob job in July, when she shared photos in a cleavage-baring Fendi bikini while on a dreamy tropical Belize vacation with Owens.

In one photo, she relaxed on a double lounge chair in the jaw-dropping bikini, which she accessorized with a statement gold chain necklace.

And in another, Biles cuddled up to Owens, 30, for a sweet couples’ snap. A third photo showed her wading in the turquoise waters with what appeared to be a disposable camera at her eye.

Source: https://pagesix.com/2025/11/04/style/simone-biles-reveals-plastic-surgery-procedures-shes-had-done/

She’s his favorite girl.

Justin Bieber shared a sweet Instagram photo of his wife, Hailey Bieber, kissing him at Kendall Jenner’s 30th birthday party.

In the rare PDA pic, the Rhode beauty founder put her arms around the pop star and gave him a smooch, as he smiled and wrapped his arms around her.

Hailey, 28, wore a backless animal-print halter dress, while Justin, 31, kept it casual in a white tank-top and khaki pants. The two were in front of Mylar balloons spelling out “Happy birthday Kendall.”

A second pic in the carousel showed him smirking while wearing a bright yellow jacket and driving a golf cart.

The singer also shared a black-and-white selfie of the duo on Tuesday, in which he rocked an Adidas jersey and nose ring.

The Biebers were just some of the celeb guests at Jenner’s lavish beach bash on Mustique Island Monday night. Model Justine Skye and Jenner’s famous family — her mom, Kris Jenner, and sisters Kim Kardashian, Khloé Kardashian and Kylie Jenner — were also part of the festivities that included plenty of tequila and a massive fireworks display.

Kendall showed off her toned figure in a printed silk maxi skirt and coordinating scarf top, tied across her chest and around her neck, all designed by Dries van Noten.

Meanwhile, Justin and Hailey appear to be in a good place in their marriage after experiencing a few ups and downs earlier this year.

He recently admitted to a tense moment with Hailey during the birth of their son, Jack Blues.

The singer explained via Twitch last month that he felt the doula was “pushing [him] to the side” when he felt the “need to console” his wife.

“It’s instinctual to be a dad and to, like, be there,” he explained during the stream, noting that while he appreciated the doula’s desire to “help facilitate,” he wanted to “be in there too.”

Source: https://pagesix.com/2025/11/04/celebrity-news/justin-bieber-wife-hailey-kiss-at-kendall-jenners-party/

Fear of cancer, treatment side effects and misconceptions about masculinity may prevent men from prioritising their health, one doctor said.

When Mr Chiu Ku Ee went for his annual health screening 12 years ago, his doctor advised him to include a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test as part of his check-up.

He did not think much about it, even when the results showed that his reading was “elevated just above the threshold”, the 69-year-old said.

But after being referred for a biopsy when his PSA level rose again, what he had once thought unimaginable came true.

Sometime in 2013, Mr Chiu was diagnosed with prostate cancer.

“I went totally blank and could not comprehend what the doctor was saying anymore,” he said.

“It was a rollercoaster ride after that, both psychologically and emotionally.”

His immediate concerns were how he would continue financially supporting his siblings and elderly mother, and which of the “too many” treatment options he should choose.

After seeing three different doctors who gave him different treatment choices on the best way to manage his stage one diagnosis, Mr Chiu decided to choose active surveillance.

This meant that he would monitor his cancer closely instead of starting treatment.

He waited seven years before he started treatment.

In these seven years, Mr Chiu took it upon himself to gather as much information as he could about prostate cancer.

He spoke to fellow survivors, doctors and read up on information available online, before deciding to undergo stereotactic body radiation therapy in 2021.

He is currently in remission for prostate cancer.

Mr Chiu was one of the lucky ones who managed to get the cancer diagnosed and treated when it was still in the early stages.

While his is a case of picking the right treatment path among the myriad of choices, for many others, the diagnosis of prostate cancer would come far too late and with fewer life-saving options available to them.

MOST COMMON TYPE OF CANCER AMONG MEN
Today, prostate cancer now tops the list as the most common cancer among men in Singapore, data from the Singapore Cancer Registry showed.

From 2018 to 2022, prostate, colorectal and lung cancers were the three most common cancers diagnosed in males, according to the registry’s data. They accounted for 17.4 per cent, 16.2 per cent and 13.4 per cent of cancers diagnosed in males respectively.

The data also showed that prostate cancer’s age-standardised incidence rate, which measures how common new cases of a disease are in a population, had increased from 4 to 38.2 cases per 100,000 men over a five-decade period.

Responding to queries from CNA, a Ministry of Health (MOH) spokesperson said the rise in incidence rate is likely to be partly due to increased screening, as some screen-detected prostate cancers may have remained silent throughout the lifetime of an individual in the absence of screening.

“Prostate cancer is also known to be more common in high-income countries,” said the spokesperson.

While prostate cancer rates rose in tandem with the number of screenings, the data also shows that the number of cases detected at an early stage fell more drastically in recent years – a sign that people are only testing for the silent disease when it becomes urgent.

The proportion of prostate cancer patients diagnosed at an early stage fell significantly from 63.5 per cent in the 2003 to 2007 period to 51.6 per cent in the 2013 to 2017 time span.

According to the registry’s data on stage distribution of prostate cancer from 2018 to 2022, 15 per cent of prostate cancer cases were discovered in stage one, 29.3 per cent in stage two, 25.5 per cent in stage three and 30.2 per cent in stage four.

These trends are concerning, experts said.

Despite large advances in cancer-related medical technology and the greater availability of prostate cancer screening today, fewer men are catching the disease early.

Stigma and embarrassment about discussing men’s health issues, including prostate cancer, could be why men are reticent about going for tests or talking about their symptoms, said Dr Jeffrey Tuan, a senior consultant of radiation oncology at the National Cancer Centre Singapore.

“Fear of cancer, treatment side effects, and misconceptions about masculinity may prevent men from prioritising their health,” he added.

To uncover the reasons why early detection remains a challenge, CNA spoke to 60 men aged 50 and above to find out their awareness, attitudes and experiences with prostate cancer screening.

Less than half, or 25 respondents out of the 60, have not been for a prostate cancer screening, even though 45 respondents said they go for a health screening at least once every two years.

SCREENING COST, LOW AWARENESS
While some avoided going for tests due to fear or a lack of symptoms, others pointed to the cost of screening.

Prostate cancer screening is currently not a subsidised screening under the national health screening programme, known as Healthier SG Screening.

MOH said it takes reference from the Screening Test Review Committee’s (STRC) recommendations for screening.

“STRC recommends that screening for prostate cancer with the PSA be done on an individual level for those who have a high risk of getting prostate cancer.”

The ministry also advises individuals to discuss their risk profile with their doctor and whether prostate cancer screening is appropriate for their individual circumstances before proceeding.

“As such, prostate cancer screening is not included in Healthier SG Screening, and MOH does not track its screening rate,” the spokesperson added.

Screening for other types of cancers – colorectal, cervical and breast – as well as cardiovascular diseases, are part of the programme.

“MOH continually encourages Singapore Citizens to enrol with Healthier SG and go for regular screenings and follow-ups. With early detection and appropriate intervention, we can prevent or delay the onset of various conditions and diseases,” the ministry’s spokesperson said.

CNA also found that knowledge of prostate cancer was low.

Of the 60 respondents, 31 said they had little to no knowledge on prostate cancer, while 32 of them never knew prostate cancer screening existed or had very limited knowledge about it.

Dr Terrence Lim, a senior consultant urologist at Assure Urology, said that while public awareness is “generally good”, that does not necessarily translate to men taking action.

“A lot of times, urinary symptoms are common in older men and many of their friends have that. So they attribute it to aging,” he said, adding that men are generally less health conscious than women and may not see the need to go for regular screenings.

Assoc Prof Chong Yew Lam, a senior consultant at the department of urology at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, said awareness of prostate cancer in the country is “slightly lower” compared to breast and colorectal cancer, for which screenings are relatively established.

However, as patients become more informed and increasingly turn to online tools for guidance, he has observed that in general, men are taking greater ownership of their health and are more willing to discuss complications and quality of life.

“They want to take more ownership, but still want a trusted peer nearby to bounce off ideas and that has helped the dynamics and decision making for many of them,” he said.

Source: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/in-focus-prostate-cancer-screening-testing-health-men-detection-diagnosis-5442151

Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency has warned residents to be prepared for more floods with more heavy rain expected in several areas of Papua.

Indonesian authorities said on Tuesday (Nov 4) that 15 people, mostly children, were killed after being swept away while crossing a river in the easternmost Papua region, while the search for eight children missing in another flood-hit village was ongoing.

The incident took place on Saturday in the remote village of Dal in the Nduga region, where heavy rain caused the river to swell, and swept away 15 people, aged between eight and 17, local police chief Alfredo Agustinus Rumbiak said.

He added that one body had been recovered and authorities were still searching for the others.

Police are still searching for eight children who were washed away on the same day in a similar incident in a nearby village.

The children were crossing a different river with their parents when the rising waters pulled them away, Rumbiak said, adding the search has been hampered by the mountainous terrain.

Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency has warned residents to be prepared for more floods with more heavy rain expected in several areas of Papua.

Rumbiak said the search was made more challenging by the Nduga region’s “red zone” or conflict area status.

Papuan separatists have fought for independence in the resource-rich region ever since the area was controversially brought under Indonesian control following Dutch rule in a vote overseen by the United Nations in 1969.

Source: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/indonesia-papua-flood-landslide-children-killed-5446446

In Pakistan, hundreds of women are killed every year after being accused of “dishonoring” their families. DW joined a Pakistani women’s rights campaigner to visit a graveyard in Sindh province where victims are buried.

Fattu Shah is a remote village in the north of Pakistan’s Sindh province. The drive from the nearest city, Ghotki, takes more than an hour. The road narrows as it cuts through cotton fields and winds around clay-brick houses scattered across endless stretches of farmland.

It’s a journey Aisha Dharejo has made countless times. For the past 15 years she has been researching what locals call “the graveyard for dishonored women.”

“Each grave reveals the story of a woman that has been silenced,” Dharejo told DW.

The burial site for victims of “honor” killings has no tombstones and no names. Some graves are marked by broken bricks crushed into the ground, but most have nothing at all — a stark contrast to the adjacent main cemetery.

Dharejo explains that victims of honor killings, both women and men, are not granted dignity even in death. Their bodies are not washed or prepared for burial. There are no rituals, no final rites. The dead are placed hastily into shallow pits, and covered with mud to keep animals away.

Zarqa Shar, a local activist from a nearby village, is one of the few willing to speak publicly. She told DW that the graveyard is more than a century old.

“The district is still heavily influenced by feudal landlords, who control employment, wages and livelihoods,” she told DW.

Shar added that in such a system, local customs often eclipse state law, and questioning entrenched practices like “honor killings” can put residents in danger, ultimately cementing a culture of silence.

Honor killings entrenched in society
The so-called honor killings are premeditated murders carried out by relatives of the victim, with the relatives believing the victim’s behavior has brought shame to the family.

In Pakistan, women and men have been killed for choosing their own spouse, speaking to someone of the opposite gender, marrying outside their caste or religion, or exhibiting behavior generally deemed immoral.

Data from the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) shows that in 2024, at least 405 people were recorded as victims of “honor killings” across Pakistan, with the highest numbers in Sindh and Punjab provinces.

The official numbers have remained consistent year on year, but researchers warn such crimes are often underreported and the real figure is likely to be much higher.

Dharejo said these killings in Pakistan have nothing to do with “tradition,” apart from the fact that they have been going on for a long time. She also said the killings were often more transactional rather than being based on a ostensible sense of morality.

“Women’s bodies become currency in negotiations between families and tribal courts, with killings often masking property disputes or enabling blood money exchanges,” she explains.

Through her organization, “Sindh Suhai Sath,” Dharejo has been documenting these cases and providing financial, legal and emotional support to survivors of “honor-based” and domestic violence.

‘He took away my ability to walk’
One of these women is Sobia Batool Shah, who was 22 years old when six male relatives, including her estranged father, Syed, broke into her home in Naushahro Feroze, a city in Sindh province.

The father accused his daughter of bringing dishonor to the family by asking her husband for a divorce. In an act he called “justifiable,” the men began attacking her. One used an axe to try and sever her legs.

“I will never forget that day. As they were trying to kill me, I screamed that I won’t get a divorce to make them stop,” Shah said. “They made me disabled and that is my greatest pain. They took away my strength to walk.”

Shah told DW she has had four operations so far. Her legs remain in plaster, and she still uses crutches. When she attends court hearings on the second floor, her brother, Shawkat Ali Shah, carries her on his shoulders into the building.

Dharejo’s organization supported Shah in filing three police reports against her father. He now sits in jail facing up to 14 years in prison. But Shah continues to fight for justice against her remaining attackers.

A case like Shah’s can take anywhere from two to five years to reach a verdict. Dharejo says its important to preserve hope, as there are many instances where the law has ruled in favor of women.

‘He was doing all he could to extort me’
At just 12 years old, Haleema Bhutto was married. Shortly after her wedding day, her husband, Shakil Ahmad, began demanding the property she had inherited from her late father.

After multiple refusals, he sent Haleema back to her mother’s home in Ghotki, where she lived for the next eighteen years, caught in a limbo of being married but also abandoned.

Ahmad resurfaced, not to reconcile, but with an accusation that would serve as a death warrant in Ghotki’s feudal society. He claimed she was having an affair with her brother-in-law.

“The allegation was completely false,” Haleema told DW. “He wanted my property again and had found another way to get it. I belonged to a good and financially stable family. He was doing all he could to extort me, even if that meant killing me.”

Haleema said the only way to save her life was to leave Ghotki and travel to Islamabad.

For more than fifteen months, Haleema sat in protest outside the Pakistani capital’s Press Club talking to anyone that would listen. At times, she went on hunger strikes, accusing the government of inaction against the country’s feudal elites.

“I fought publicly so my husband could not kill me,” she said.

Her struggle reached Pakistan’s Supreme Court, where she won a historic decision in 2011.

The court granted her a divorce and restored the property her parents had left her.

“This was not just my fight,” she told DW last month from her home in Ghotki. “It was a fight for every woman who faces a similar situation, that you can have your rights, just don’t give up.”

Source: https://www.dw.com/en/pakistan-inside-a-graveyard-for-victims-of-honor-killings/a-74612608

Fans will see a modern new look and an added caffeine kick

THE Coca-Cola Company has a comeback in the works for a beloved soda flavor 53 years after its initial launch.

The beverage giant is reviving its iconic Mr. Pibb brand, tweaking both the look and taste of the caffeinated cherry-flavored soda.

The Coca-Cola Company rolled out Mr. Pibb back in 1972 as a rival to Dr Pepper, according to some reports.

The beloved spicy cherry soda gained a following for three decades and remained on store shelves until 2001, when it was discontinued and rebranded as Pibb Xtra.

Last week, Coca-Cola revealed in a press release that Mr. Pibb was “back and bolder than ever,” making a “comeback” to replace Pibb Xtra due to popular demand.

The revived beverage will be equipped with 30% more caffeine than the latest version as well as a refreshed taste, featuring “a bold, delicious taste profile” with “intensely sweet cherry with hints of caramel and a spicy bite.”

“Mr. Pibb is crafted for consumers looking for flavor with a kick,” reads the press release.

“Consumers have been asking for Mr. Pibb’s bold kick of cherry flavor for some time,” said Dane Callis, an executive with Coca‑Cola North America, said in the release.

“If you go on Reddit, X and other social media , you’ll find conversations about the mystique of Mr. Pibb. Mr. Pibb has a feisty loyal following, so he’s coming back in a bold, fresh way.”

A FRESH LOOK
The Coca‑Cola Company is launching Mr. Pibb and Mr. Pibb Zero Sugar with a new look, featuring “high-voltage” branding that preserves the drink’s unique persona and signature maroon color.

The new packaging adds touches of gold and an exclamation point to highlight the revamped beverage’s bold taste and extra caffeine content.

“When Mr. Pibb first launched, the packaging didn’t tell consumers what it was — it told them what it was not,” said Callis. “Not root beer, not cola. It’s something unique and original, a bold rebel in a category of norms.

“Nothing fans know and love about Mr. Pibb has gone away, but we took steps to modernize its look for new consumers’ tastes and preferences.

The revived beverages are hitting store shelves in select markets now, nearly 25 years later.

These include Florida, Chicago, Las Vegas, Michigan, and California, with a national rollout planned for 2026.

Shoppers will be able to get their hands on Mr. Pibb and Mr. Pibb Zero Sugar in 12-packs of 12-ounce cans at participating retailers, as well as 20-ounce bottles.

Two-liter bottles of the reformulated Mr. Pibb will also be available.

BOTTOMS UP
The Coca-Cola Company is hoping the drinks will appeal to longtime fans and new consumers alike, with one of its core consumer targets for the revived Mr. Pibb being “multicultural Xennials” – the micro-generation between Gen X and Millennials, born in the late 1970s and early ’80s.

The drink giant is taking strides to market the new beverages via online videos voiced by comedian and actor Roy Wood Jr. as well as social content.

Additionally, Coca-Cola will host experiential grassroots events, including at college campus hubs as well as at Tyler, The Creator’s Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival in Los Angeles.

“This is a brand people know and love, but there is also an entirely new generation that doesn’t know Mr. Pibb exists,” said A.P. Chaney, another Coca‑Cola North America exec.

“The challenge for us, creatively, was to lean into the lore and popularity of the brand while driving awareness and discovery. We tried to marry the old with the new, the fresh and fun with the familiar.”

Source: https://www.the-sun.com/money/15441611/coca-cola-mr-pibb-comeback-soda/

 

The museum was plagued by a spate of delays, most notably in 2011 during the Arab Spring

THE world’s biggest museum has finally opened to the public – with the incredible gallery boasting rooms of ancient gold and a “cursed” coffin.

The Grand Egyptian Museum – home to more than 100,000 artefacts, including King Tut’s iconic gold mask and sarcophagus – opened its doors on Saturday.

Located in Giza, Egypt, the mega-museum houses some of the world’s most precious archaeological finds.

The breathtaking attraction’s launch comes after 20 years of work – with the project being blighted by several unexpected delays along the way.

It covers a jaw-dropping 500,000 square feet, making it the biggest museum on Earth dedicated to a single civilisation – ancient Egypt.

Visitors entered the museum last weekend through a spectacular alabaster archway, before being greeted by an impressive 83 ton statue of Ramses II, which dates back 3200 years.

The new landmark also boasts an impressive display of statues of ancient kings and gods.

And visitors have an impressive view of the pyramids, which are just a mile away.

Although some parts of the museum were open already, King Tut’s galleries were postponed again this summer due to Israel‘s conflict with Iran.

The museum boasts twelve galleries containing art ranging more than 3000 years.

Inside visitors can also find the dazzling treasures of Queen Hetepheres, the mum of the builder of the Great Pyramid, including her alabaster sarcophagus, furniture and jewellery, along with King Khufu’s grand cedar wood boat.

Construction of the site began in 2005, but came to a halt during the Arab Spring in 2011.

Work resumed in 2014, and a decade later the museum has finally opened.

The Tutankhamen collection was previously showcased in the old Egyptian museum in downtown Cairo, but was moved ahead of the official opening of the new one in Giza.

Tutankhamen’s body remains in his tomb in the Valley of the Kings in Luxor.

The tomb was discovered by English archaeologist Howard Carter in 1922 after seven years of searching.

The discovery of Tutankhamen’s tomb is associated with a dark curse.

Following the unearthing of Tutankhamen’s remains, various figures connected with the expedition died in mysterious circumstances.

These included Lord Canarvon, the financial backer of the excavation team, who died from an infected mosquito bite.

Sir Archibald Douglas-Reid, who X-rayed the pharaoh’s remains, was killed by a mystery illness.

Carter himself died in 1939 from Hodgkin’s Disease aged 64.

No royal tombs had been uncovered since King Tut’s until February when archaeologists discovered King Thutmose II’s burial site.

The grand museum has been designed in a way that pays tribute to its historic surroundings.

Shaped like a chamfered triangle, the museum aligns with the Great Pyramid of Khufu and the Pyramid of Menkaure – and is built extremely close to the great structures.

The museum’s design was picked through an international architectural competition in 2002 that attracted more than 1,500 entries from around the world.

Source: https://www.the-sun.com/news/15441466/worlds-biggest-museum-opens-dazzling-ancient-gold/

The Federal Aviation Administration said the aircraft was departing for Honolulu around 5:15 p.m. when it went down.

A UPS cargo plane crashed and burst into flames on Tuesday while taking off from Louisville’s Muhammad Ali International Airport.

Authorities said seven people have died and 11 have been injured in the UPS plane crash, according to a report by the Associated Press.

The officer also added that all departing flights have been canceled after the crash.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the aircraft was departing for Honolulu around 5:15 pm when it went down.

A video captured flames on the left wing and a trail of smoke as the plane briefly lifted off before crashing and erupting into a massive fireball. Several buildings were on fire after the plane crash.

See more

Insane footage posted on Instagram which appears the show the crash earlier of UPS Flight 2976, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 Cargo Plane operated by UPS Airlines, during takeoff at Muhammad Ali International Airport in Louisville, Kentucky. Prior to the crash, a clear fire can been… pic.twitter.com/RpKJoNQekW

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) November 4, 2025

Three crew member were on board
UPS said the plane had three crew members on board, and federal officials indicated all were feared dead, Reuters reported.

Louisville Metro Emergency Services issued a shelter-in-place order for everyone within five miles (8 km) of the airport.

“There are multiple injuries and the fire is still burning. There are many road closures in the area – please avoid the scene,” Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said in a post shortly before 7 p.m. ET (0000 GMT).

See more

Information on the Louisville International Airport:

At this time:

3 Fatalities

11 Injuries
Those injured are being treated at area hospitals.

There is a Victim Family Reunification Center being set up at the Louisville Metro Police Training Academy at 2911 Taylor Blvd.

— Mayor Craig Greenberg (@LouisvilleMayor) November 5, 2025

‘Pray for those impacted’: Governor
“We’re asking all Kentuckians to pray for those that have been impacted,” Kentucky governor Andy Beshear told The Associated Press.

The crash prompted an emergency response, from police and fire agencies. Due to the flames some responders even “have had to shelter behind different things,” Beshear said.

“It is still a very dangerous situation with different flammables or potentially explosive materials,” Beshear said.

‘Extreme reason for concern’: Mayor
Mayor Craig Greenberg told WLKY-TV that is the fuel which was “extreme reason for concern in so many different ways.”

The National Transportation Safety Board said it would lead the investigation and was sending a team to the site. NTSB inquiries generally take 12 to 24 months to determine a probable cause and issue safety recommendations.

Louisville’s airport, home to UPS Worldport, the company’s global air hub and largest package-handling facility, closed the airfield after the incident.

The crash is expected to disrupt UPS deliveries, including for major clients such as Amazon, Walmart and the US Postal Service. Walmart and Amazon did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The largest package handling facility of UPS is in Louisville. It employs thousands and has 300 daily flights and sorts more than 400,000 packages per hour.

FAA records show the MD-11 freighter involved in the crash was 34 years old. Boeing, which ended the MD-11 program after its merger with McDonnell Douglas, said it was concerned for everyone affected and would offer technical support for the investigation.

 

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/us-news/ups-cargo-plane-crash-in-kentucky-leaves-3-dead-governor-says-toll-may-rise-101762304132489.html

 

U.S. factory equipment maker OTC Industrial Technologies has long used low-cost countries to supply components – first China and later India – but President Donald Trump’s blitz of tariffs on numerous trade partners has upended the supply chain math for CEO Bill Canady.
“We moved things out of China and went to some of those other countries, and now the tariffs on those are as bad or worse,” Canady told Reuters. “We just have to hang on and navigate our way through this so we don’t all go broke in the short run.”

It is a dilemma that is sinking in with companies, foreign trade ministries, trade lawyers and economists as the U.S. Supreme Court considers the legality of Trump’s global tariffs, with arguments, opens new tab set for Wednesday. Under one legal authority or another, Trump’s tariffs are expected to stay in place long term.
LOWER COURTS RULE AGAINST TRUMP
The court, whose 6-3 conservative majority has backed Trump in a series of major decisions this year, is hearing his administration’s appeal after lower courts ruled that the Republican president overstepped his authority in imposing sweeping tariffs under a federal law meant for emergencies.
A ruling striking down Trump’s use of the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act, or IEEPA, to quickly impose broad global tariffs also would eliminate a favorite cudgel to punish countries that draw his ire on non-trade political matters.
These have ranged from Brazil’s prosecution of former president Jair Bolsonaro to India’s purchases of Russian oil that help fund Russia’s war in Ukraine.
“If we don’t have tariffs, we don’t have national security, and the rest of the world would laugh at us because they’ve used tariffs against us for years and took advantage of us,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Sunday.
“We were subject to being abused by a lot of other countries, including China – for years, not anymore. Tariffs have brought us tremendous national security,” Trump said, reinforcing a key justification for the duties.
Trump added that he will not attend Wednesday’s arguments, but Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told the Fox News Channel that he would attend to “emphasize that this is an economic emergency.”
Trump is the first president to invoke this statute – which often has been used to apply punitive economic sanctions to adversaries – to impose tariffs. The law provides a president broad authority to regulate a variety of economic transactions when a national emergency is declared.
In this case, Trump deemed a $1.2 trillion U.S. goods trade deficit in 2024 a national emergency – even though the United States has run trade deficits every year since 1975 – and also cited overdoses of the often-abused painkiller fentanyl.
Bessent told Reuters that he expects the Supreme Court to uphold the IEEPA-based tariffs. But if it strikes down the tariffs, Bessent said in an interview, the administration will simply switch to other tariff authorities, including Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, which allows broad 15% tariffs for 150 days to calm trade imbalances.
Bessent said Trump also can invoke Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930, a statute that allows tariffs up to 50% on countries that discriminate against U.S. commerce.
“You should assume that they’re here to stay,” Bessent said of Trump’s tariffs.
For countries that have negotiated tariff-lowering trade deals with Trump, “you should honor your agreement,” Bessent added. “Those of you who got a good deal should stick with it.”
The Supreme Court case covers only a portion of the tariffs Trump has imposed this year. His administration already is using other authorities for certain tariffs. He is busy piling up tariffs under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 involving national security concerns to protect strategic sectors including autos, copper, semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, robotics and aircraft, as well as tariffs under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 involving unfair trade practices investigations.
“This administration is committed to tariffs as a cornerstone of economic policy, and companies and industries should plan accordingly,” said Tim Brightbill, co-chair of law firm Wiley Rein’s trade law practice in Washington.
NEGOTIATING POWER
Trump administration officials have touted his tariffs as pushing major trading partners such as Japan and the European Union to negotiate major concessions that will help to reduce the U.S. trade deficit, arguing those concessions will survive any Supreme Court ruling.
U.S. trade partners are not waiting for a Supreme Court ruling in deciding how to proceed. The U.S. Trade Representative’s office has announced finalized framework trade deals with Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand and Cambodia, locking in tariff rates of 19% to 20%. South Korea agreed to terms on a $350 billion investment plan, unlocking a 15% tariff for its cars and other goods.
Negotiations with China have proven more difficult due to its willingness to retaliate against the United States and cut off its supplies of rare earth minerals and magnets essential for U.S. high-tech manufacturing from autos to semiconductors.
Instead of major concessions, Trump’s administration has had to settle for extensions of a delicate truce under which American and Chinese tariffs were reduced to keep the rare earths flowing.
In South Korea last Thursday, Trump agreed in talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping to halve the U.S. tariff rate on Chinese goods related to fentanyl to 10% and to delay tighter technology export controls for a year in exchange for China’s year-long pause on its tough licensing requirements for global rare-earth exports.
Xi agreed to resume purchases of American soybeans that China had halted for months, while Trump paused new U.S. port fees for China-linked ships for a year.
REVENUE, INVESTMENT CONCERNS
Some investors have said financial markets, which have grown accustomed to the Trump tariff status quo, could be thrown into turmoil if the Supreme Court strikes down the IEEPA tariffs.
A major reason for concern, particularly in the Treasury debt market, is the risk of having to refund more than $100 billion in IEEPA tariff collections and forgoing hundreds of billions of dollars of revenue annually.
The IEEPA tariffs collected so far this year make up the biggest portion of a $118 billion increase in net customs receipts in the 2025 fiscal year that ended on September 30. That helped offset rising healthcare, Social Security, interest and military outlays, helping shrink the U.S. deficit slightly to $1.715 trillion.
“It’s a significant political economy risk that we get addicted to tariff revenue,” said Ernie Tedeschi, a senior fellow at the Yale University Budget Lab, adding that makes it harder for any future presidential administration to lower the duties.
Getting the money back also would be difficult, as a tariff reversal “is unprecedented at this scale” for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, said Angela Lewis, global head of customs at freight forwarder and customs broker Flexport.
The onus could be on individual importers to apply for “post-summary corrections” with the agency, a messy process that could take years and not be worthwhile for some smaller firms, Lewis said. For those getting refunds, U.S. taxpayers also would be on the hook for 6% annual interest costs compounded daily.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/china/supreme-court-wont-stop-trumps-tariffs-deal-with-it-officials-say-2025-11-03/

President Donald Trump’s administration said on Monday it plans to partially fund November food benefits for millions of Americans, but warned it could take some states weeks or months to calculate and distribute the aid.
The administration laid out the Department of Agriculture’s plan in a filing, opens new tab in federal court in Rhode Island after a judge ordered it on Friday to use emergency funds to at least partially cover November’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP benefits.

But a USDA official warned in the filing that at least some states, which administer SNAP benefits, would need weeks to months to make system changes that would allow them to calculate and issue the reduced benefits.
In the meantime, some states have hurried to pay benefits themselves or buoyed support for food banks.
Partial payments are unprecedented in the program’s 60-year history, which provides assistance to nearly 42 million low-income Americans.
Changes in the system that states need to implement to provide reduced benefits “will take anywhere from a few weeks to up to several months,” said the filing from Patrick Penn, deputy under secretary for food, nutrition, and consumer services at the USDA.

SNAP benefits, also known as food stamps, lapsed for the first time ever on November 1 during the federal shutdown.
CONTINGENCY FUNDS
A coalition of Democratic-led states sued the administration last week to draw on contingency funds and other sources of funds to pay for the benefits after the USDA said last month it would suspend SNAP benefits starting November 1.
The U.S. Department of Justice said on Monday that the USDA is complying with U.S. District Judge John McConnell’s order and “will fulfill its obligation to expend the full amount of SNAP contingency funds today.”
While the administration said it would fully deplete the $5.25 billion in contingency funds, it would not use other funding that would allow it to fully fund SNAP benefits, which cost $8 billion to $9 billion per month.
Separately, the administration on Friday made $450 million in tariff revenue available to fund three weeks of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, known as WIC, according to federal funding records seen by Reuters on Monday.

Penn said in the court filing that the sums required to fully fund SNAP were too large to draw on tariff revenue, some of which is earmarked for other child nutrition programs.

Skye Perryman, CEO and president of Democracy Forward, which represented the plaintiffs in the case, said in a statement the group is “considering all legal options to secure payment of full funds.”
Senator Amy Klobuchar, top Democrat on the Senate Agriculture Committee, also said full benefits should be paid. “It is not enough to do the bare minimum — the administration should stop playing politics with hunger and use all available resources to ensure Americans can put food on the table,” Klobuchar said in a statement.
The administration said $600 million would be used to fund states’ administrative costs in administering SNAP benefits, leaving $4.65 billion to cover 50% of eligible households’ current allotments.
UNPRECEDENTED PAYMENTS
States will need to calculate the partial benefit amount for recipients and then transmit that information to their contracted Electronic Benefit Transfer processor, which then loads SNAP recipients’ EBT cards with their benefits.
Conduent, an EBT processor that works with 37 states, said it would be able to move quickly once it receives updated benefit information from states.
SNAP benefits are paid out monthly to eligible Americans whose income is less than 130% of the federal poverty line, or $1,632 a month for a one-person household and $2,215 for a two-person household in many areas.
McConnell and another judge in Boston, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani, said on Friday the administration had the discretion to also tap a separate fund holding around $23 billion.
Penn said in the court filing the agency is carefully considering using those funds but determined they must remain available for child nutrition programs instead of SNAP.

Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-administration-use-emergency-funds-pay-partial-food-aid-benefits-2025-11-03/

The toddler had a devastating request that left her mom in tears

CHARLIE Kirk’s mourning widow has broken down in tears as she opened up about the heartbreaking questions her daughter has asked since losing her dad.

Erika Kirk is picking up the pieces and learning to be a single mom of two after the activist was gunned down while speaking with students at Utah Valley University in September.

She revealed how she’s explained to their three-year-old daughter Gigi that Kirk isn’t coming home in her first sit-down interview since the killing.

When asked by Fox News’ Jesse Watters about their new normal, devout Christian Erika said she’s insisted that Kirk is in heaven.

“I said, ‘If ever you want to talk to daddy, you just look up to the sky and start talking to him, he can hear you,’” she said as her eyes welled up with tears.

Erika explained that after Gigi was told that Kirk is in heaven, the little girl asked, “Do you think I could go sometime?”

With tears streaming down her face, Erika recounted saying, “Baby, we will all go one day.

“We will all go one day,” she said.

Erika has given heartwrenching insights into her life since the 31-year-old was allegedly killed by suspected gunman Tyler Robinson, 22.

At a massive memorial for her husband that President Donald Trump attended, she revealed that she had forgiven the killer.

“I forgive him because it was what Christ did. And is what Charlie would do,” she told the crowd of nearly 100,000 people who gathered to mourn the activist.

Now, Erika has taken over Kirk’s multimillion-dollar nonprofit Turning Point USA, which advocates for conservative values on high school and college campuses.

Erika has insisted that she wants no part in the trial of her husband’s alleged killer and refuses to comment on whether he should get the death penalty.

“I want the government to decide this,” she previously told The New York Times.

“I do not want this man’s blood on my ledger.”

Erika’s full interview is set to premiere on Jesse Watters Primetime at 8 pm ET on Wednesday.

Source: https://www.the-sun.com/news/15436533/erika-kirk-interview-fox-news-charlie/

About 74 per cent of Indian applications for permits to study at Canadian post-secondary institutions in August were rejected.

Canada’s clampdown on international students has hit applicants from India particularly hard, government data shows, as what was once a preferred destination loses its allure for Indian students.

Canada lowered the number of international student permits it issues for the second year in a row in early 2025 as part of a broader effort to reduce the number of temporary migrants and address fraud related to student visas.

About 74 per cent of Indian applications for permits to study at Canadian post-secondary institutions in August – the most recent month available – were rejected, compared to about 32 per cent in August 2023, according to immigration department data provided to Reuters.

By contrast, about 40 per cent of study permit applications overall in each of those months were refused. About 24 per cent of Chinese study permits in August 2025 were rejected.

The number of Indian applicants has dropped, as well, from 20,900 in August 2023 – when Indians formed just over one quarter of all applicants – to 4,515 in August 2025.

India has been Canada’s top source of international students over the past decade. In August, it also had the highest study-permit refusal rate of any country with more than 1,000 approved applicants.

The spike in refusals of would-be students comes as Canada and India seek to mend ties after more than a year of tension. Former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused the Indian government of involvement in the 2023 murder of a Canadian in Surrey, British Columbia. India has repeatedly denied the allegations.

An Effort To Crack Down On Fraud

In 2023, Canadian authorities uncovered nearly 1,550 study permit applications linked to fraudulent letters of acceptance, most of which originated from India, Canada’s immigration department told Reuters in an email.

Last year, its beefed-up verification system detected more than 14,000 potentially fraudulent letters of acceptance from all applicants, it said.

Canada has implemented enhanced verification for international students and has increased its financial requirements for applicants, the immigration department spokesperson said.

The Indian embassy in Ottawa said the rejection of study permit applications from students in India had come to its attention, but that the issuance of study permits is Canada’s prerogative.

“However, we would like to emphasise that some of the best quality students available in the world are from India, and Canadian institutions have in the past greatly benefited from the talent and academic excellence of these students,” the embassy said in a statement.

Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand told Reuters during an October visit to India that Canada’s government is concerned about the integrity of its immigration system but wants to continue having Indian students in Canada.

A Drop In Indian Enrollment

People who work with would-be international students say they are seeing a higher level of applicant scrutiny.

Michael Pietrocarlo of Border Pass, which helps people apply for Canadian visas, said his firm prepares applicants to show their eligibility beyond what’s required on paper.

He says, for example, when students must demonstrate they have sufficient funds to support themselves, “it’s not enough just to say, ‘Here are some bank statements.’ They may have to go the extra mile and say, ‘Here’s where the money came from.'”

The University of Waterloo, home to Canada’s largest engineering school, has seen a two-thirds decline in the number of students from India entering its undergraduate and graduate programs over the past three to four years.

Ian VanderBurgh, its associate vice president of strategic enrolment management, said the drop was largely due to a government cap on foreign student visas and had altered the composition of the student body.

“We pride ourselves on being an international university,” he said.

The University of Regina and the University of Saskatchewan have also reported a decline in the number of Indian students enrolled.

When Jaspreet Singh, who founded the International Sikh Students Association, came to Canada from India in 2015 to study mechanical engineering, he remembers government posters exhorting newcomers to “Study, work, stay” in the country. That attitude has soured, he said.

Source: https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/canada-rejects-3-in-4-indian-applicants-amid-immigration-clampdown-9567899?pfrom=home-ndtv_topscroll

US President Donald Trump has said that Pakistan and China, apart from Russia and North Korea, are testing nuclear weapons. This is of concern for India as it faces two nuclear-armed rivals on two fronts. Trump made the revelation in a CBS news interview, justifying his order to US forces to test nuclear weapons.

Pakistan and China are testing nuclear weapons, President Donald Trump said in an interview on CBS’s 60 Minutes. He said Russia and North Korea were also testing their nuclear arms. Trump’s remarks came as he justified his order to American forces to test nuclear weapons after a 33-year moratorium. Trump’s revelation could be concerning for India as it faces Pakistan and China on two fronts.

He claimed that countries possessing nuclear warheads have been conducting tests—they just don’t talk about it. He said China and Pakistan are already conducting covert detonations.

“Russia’s testing and China’s testing, but they don’t talk about it. You know, we’re an open society. We’re different. We talk about it… They don’t have reporters that are going to be writing about it.” He extended the allegation to Pakistan, claiming, “Certainly North Korea’s been testing. Pakistan’s been testing.”

Trump, in the same interview, said both India and Pakistan were in May on the verge of a nuclear war, which he prevented with trade and tariffs. He said millions would have been killed if he hadn’t stepped in.

“India was going to have a nuclear war with Pakistan. The Prime Minister of Pakistan stood up… If Donald Trump didn’t get involved, many millions of people would have been dead. It was a bad war. Aeroplanes were shot down all over the place. I told both of them, if you guys don’t stop you will not do any business with the US,” Trump said in the CBS interview.

Trump said, “They (the countries with nuclear weapons) don’t go and tell you about it… They test way underground where people don’t know exactly what’s happening with the test. You feel a little bit of a vibration.”

Global monitoring stations detect ground vibrations, which are earthquake-like waves, caused by underground nuclear explosions. However, Trump claimed such tests can be conducted covertly, making them undetectable.

PAKISTAN, CHINA TESTING NUCLEAR WEAPONS CONCERN FOR INDIA?
If China and Pakistan are indeed testing nuclear weapons, it makes the situation more volatile for India, which not only follows a no-first-use policy but also hasn’t conducted any nuclear tests since 1998.

India’s nuclear arsenal, estimated at 180 warheads as of 2025, lags behind China’s burgeoning stockpile of 600 (projected to hit 1,000 by 2030) and mirrors Pakistan’s 170.

While Pakistan’s fissile material could fuel up to 200 warheads by 2028, including tactical nukes, it’s China’s advancements—like the Fractional Orbital Bombardment System (FOBS) tested in 2021—that pose the gravest threat.

Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/pakistan-china-conducting-nuclear-tests-claims-us-president-donald-trump-2812547-2025-11-03

US authorities say Indian-origin driver Jashanpreet Singh wasn’t intoxicated during a California crash that killed three people, but he still faces grossly negligent homicide and reckless driving charges.

An Indian-origin truck driver accused of causing a fatal crash that killed three people in California last month was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs, US authorities have confirmed. However, officials said the case remains one of grossly negligent homicide due to the driver’s reckless conduct behind the wheel.

According to the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office, toxicology reports confirmed no substances were present in the blood of 21-year-old Jashanpreet Singh of Yuba City. He was arrested under suspicion of ‘driving under the influence’ (DUI) and was charged with vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence as well as DUI causing injury in the multi-vehicle crash.

“However, the case remains a grossly negligent homicide,” the DA’s office said, adding that the updated complaint includes three counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and a new charge of reckless driving causing injury.

China recently used its dominance over the global supply of rare earth elements for leverage in its trade dispute with the United States. That had an impact on Germany, which needs those metals for weapons production.

Rare earths are extremely valuable metallic elements that are not only found in smartphones and electric cars, but also in weapons. Among other things, they are used in the construction of fighter jets and submarines. In addition, rare earths are found in specially hardened ammunition and armored vehicles, in propulsion systems and sensor technology.

More than 400 kilos of rare earths are used in one F-35 stealth bomber alone.

The lion’s share of the rare earths processed in Germany comes from China, and this is precisely where the problem lies: As a result of the tariffs dispute with the US, Beijing announced at the beginning of October that it would once again drastically tighten its already strict export rules. China threatened to stop exporting rare earths needed for military purposes.

Moreover, companies applying in China to export materials are now required to submit detailed information, some of which is confidential. For arms manufacturers in particular, this is simply out of the question. “The end-use clauses, the high bureaucratic hurdles and the access into supply planning are basically nothing but industrial espionage,” Jakob Kullik, political scientist at the Chemnitz University of Technology, told DW.

The Federation of German Industries (BDI) is also critical: “The new rules can be seen as a direct attack on the rearmament of the West,” it said in a statement. Recently, the German arms industry has massively ramped up production to equip the German armed forces, the Bundeswehr, with modern weapon systems. Providing continued support to Ukraine in the form of weapons is another reason for the arms buildup, which is likely to be a thorn in the side of Russia’s ally China.

German companies take precautions
How is the German defense industry responding? “There is no panic in the industry,” Hans Christoph Atzpodien, CEO of the German Security and Defense Industry Association (BDSV), told DW. Compared to other industries, Atzpodien pointed out, the defense industry uses “relatively small quantities” of rare earths. Furthermore, companies have taken precautions so that they will not have to restrict production in the coming months.

However, experts still see a real risk of supply bottlenecks. China controls around 80% of global production and over 90% of rare earth refining. “When push comes to shove, the big question is where defense companies will get alternatives, and things are looking really bleak in that regard,” emphasized Kullik, who studies the strategic importance of raw materials for military security.

Establishing alternatives to China would take many years, even if work were to begin immediately. “We see an urgent need for action to make us more independent in Europe as a whole,” said Atzpodien. Europe must build up its own capacity to process rare earths. “This will require simplifying the relevant environmental permits.”

A dirty and unprofitable business
Mining rare earths is difficult, dirty and expensive. The 17 chemical elements are not actually that rare in the Earth’s crust, but they only occur in very low concentrations. Large quantities of rock and ore must be mined to extract them, and chemicals are often needed to separate them.

The largest deposits are found in China, Vietnam, Brazil, Russia, Australia and Greenland, but also in the US.

However, due to the expense involved, mining is unprofitable for mining companies. This is why mines in the US and Australia have had to close down. China, on the other hand, recognized the importance of rare earths early on and expanded its mines, refineries and processing plants.

For the German government, but also for the German economy, it has always been easiest to rely on imports of rare earths. “In the past, we were happy to outsource processing to China, but that is no longer possible,” noted the German Security and Defense Industry Association.

As became evident in 2010, China’s quasi-monopoly has given it powerful geopolitical leverage. Due to a territorial dispute in the East China Sea, China temporarily stopped supplying Japan with rare earths. Ever since this wake-up call, Japan has significantly reduced its dependence on rare earths from China.

This is also the path currently being pursued by the US. President Donald Trump has used the last few months to secure sources of rare earths all over the world. But even the US cannot do without China: At a meeting in South Korea at the end of October, Trump agreed with Chinese President Xi Jinping that export restrictions on rare earths would be suspended, at least temporarily.

Will mining make a comeback in Germany?
For years now, Germany has recognized that it would be safer to diversify its supply of critical raw materials. However, little has happened. “The government and industry are passing the buck back and forth,” observed Kullik. “The Economy Ministry has said, if industry doesn’t do anything, we won’t do anything either. And industry has said, if the situation is not dire, then we don’t need to stockpile supplies and we don’t need government intervention.”

So the question remains: Who will take responsibility for securing supplies from alternative sources? Who will take the risk and invest money in developing mines?

Source: https://www.dw.com/en/germany-defense-rare-earths-china-us-trump-tariffs-exports-graphics/a-74576994

When an Antarctic glacier was sparked into rapid retreat three years ago, it left scientists scratching their heads as to what might have caused it.

Hektoria Glacier retreated by more than 8km (5 miles) in just two months in late 2022 – and now a new study claims to have the answer.

The authors believe that Hektoria could be the first modern example of a process where the front of a glacier resting on the seabed rapidly destabilises.

That could lead to much faster sea-level rise if it happened elsewhere in Antarctica, they say.

But other scientists argue that this part of the glacier was actually floating in the ocean – so while the changes are impressive, they are not so unusual.

Floating tongues of glaciers extending into the sea – called ice shelves – are much more prone to breaking up than glacier fronts resting on the seabed.

That’s because they can be more easily eaten away by warm water underneath.

Solving the ‘whodunnit’
That Hektoria has undergone huge change is not contested. Its front retreated by about 25km (16 miles) between January 2022 and March 2023, satellite data shows.

But unravelling the causes is like a “whodunnit” mystery, according to study lead author Naomi Ochwat, research affiliate at the University of Colorado Boulder and post-doctoral researcher at the University of Innsbruck.

The case began way back in 2002 with the extraordinary collapse of an ice shelf called Larsen B in the eastern Antarctic Peninsula. About 3250 sq km (1250 sq miles) of ice shelf was lost, roughly the size of Cambridgeshire or Gloucestershire.

Larsen B had been effectively holding Hektoria Glacier back. Without it, Hektoria’s movement sped up and the glacier thinned.

But the bay vacated by the ice shelf was eventually filled with sea-ice “fastened” to the seabed, helping to partly stabilise Hektoria.

That was until early 2022, when the sea-ice broke up.

What followed was further loss of floating ice from the front of Hektoria, as large, flat-topped icebergs broke off or “calved”, and the ice behind sped up and thinned.

That is not unusual. Iceberg calving is a natural part of ice sheet behaviour, even though human-caused climate change makes the loss of ice shelves much more likely.

What was unprecedented, the authors argue, was what happened in late 2022, when they suggest the front of the glacier was “grounded” – resting on the seabed – rather than floating.

In just two months, Hektoria retreated by 8.2km. That would be nearly ten times faster than any grounded glacier recorded before, according to the study, published in Nature Geoscience.

This extraordinary change, the authors say, could be thanks to an ice plain – a relatively flat area of bedrock on which the glacier lightly rests.

Upward forces from the ocean water could “lift” the thinning ice essentially all at once, they argue – causing icebergs to break off and the glacier to retreat in quick time.

“Glaciers don’t usually retreat this fast,” said co-author Adrian Luckman, professor of geography at Swansea University.

“The circumstances may be a little particular, but this rapid retreat shows us what may happen elsewhere in Antarctica where glaciers are lightly grounded, and sea-ice loses its grip,” he added.

What makes this idea even more tantalising is that this process has never been observed in the modern world, the authors say. But markings on the seafloor suggest it may have triggered rapid ice loss into the ocean in the Earth’s past.

“What we see at Hektoria is a small glacier, but if something like that were to happen in other areas of Antarctica, it could play a much larger role in the rate of sea-level rise,” said Dr Ochwat.

That could include Thwaites – the so-called “doomsday” glacier because it holds enough ice to raise global sea-levels by 65cm (26in) if it melted entirely.

“It’s really important to understand whether or not there are other ice plain areas that would be susceptible to this kind of retreat and calving,” Dr Ochwat added.

Other scientists unconvinced
But other researchers have contested the study’s findings.

The controversy surrounds the position of the “grounding line” or “grounding zone” – where the glacier loses contact with the seabed and starts to float in the ocean.

“This new study offers a tantalising glimpse into what could be the fastest rate of retreat ever observed in modern-day Antarctica,” said Dr Frazer Christie, glaciologist and senior Earth observation specialist at Airbus Defence and Space.

“But there is significant disagreement within the glaciological community about the precise location of Hektoria Glacier’s grounding line because it’s so difficult to get accurate records from radar satellites in this fast-flowing region,” he added.

The location of the grounding line may sound trivial, but it is crucial to determine whether the change was truly unprecedented.

“If this section of the ice sheet was in fact floating [rather than resting on the seabed], the punchline would instead be that icebergs calved from an ice shelf, which is much less unusual behaviour,” said Dr Christine Batchelor, senior lecturer in physical geography at Newcastle University.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c04gq00xyeeo

The Maldives has banned young people born on or after 1 January 2007 from smoking tobacco, becoming the only country in the world to enforce a nationwide generational tobacco prohibition.

The archipelago’s health ministry announced on Saturday that it would be illegal for younger generations to use, buy or sell tobacco within the country.

The ban “reflects the government’s strong commitment to protecting young people from the harms of tobacco”, the ministry said.

Ahmed Afaal, vice chair of the archipelago’s tobacco control board, told BBC World Service’s Newshour programme that the country’s general vaping ban last year had been a “good step towards a generation of tobacco-free citizens”.

The new ban “applies to all forms of tobacco, and retailers are required to verify age prior to sale”, the health ministry said, adding that it aligned with the Maldives’ obligations under the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

According to the UN’s health body, this convention “provides a global response to a global problem – namely, the tobacco epidemic”.

Mr Afaal said the country’s crackdown on vaping had been an important first step because “these new stylish gadgets are tactics of the industry to approach the younger generations to uptake addictive processes, which definitely harms their health”.

Last year, the Maldives made it illegal for anyone to import, sell, possess, use or distribute electronic cigarettes and vaping products, regardless of age.

Tourists coming to visit the Maldives’ islands will also have to adhere to the law, but Mr Afaal argues the smoking ban will not have a detrimental impact on tourism.

“People don’t come to the Maldives because they’re able to smoke. They come for the beaches, they come for the sea, they come for the sun, and they come for the fresh air,” he added.

Quoting tourism data, Mr Afaal argued that despite the new regulations there had been no tourist cancellations and the number of arrivals had grown in the past year.

“We’re projecting more than 2m [tourists] in the next year,” he said.

Plans by New Zealand to pass a generational smoking ban were scrapped in 2023 after a new government took power.

 

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crex3154l8jo

The mystery over why an Army Special Forces soldier detonated a Cybertruck outside the Trump Las Vegas hotel on New Year’s Day has only deepened with the final investigative report released by cops Monday.

The 70-page Las Vegas Metropolitan Police post-crime dossier confirmed that Matthew Livelsberger, a 37-year-old active member of the elite Green Berets, left a “manifesto” on his phone, although the Department of War has deemed it classified and will not release it.

Livelsberger — known in the Army as a “Rambo-type patriot” — loaded up the rented truck with fireworks, gas tanks and camping fuel before detonating it outside the lobby of the Trump property on the Vegas strip.

The attacker, believed to have been a staunch Trump supporter, “simultaneously” shot himself as the truck began to burn, authorities said.

Despite the War Department’s decision to keep Livelsberger’s manifesto under wraps, the LVMPD report references several clues about his motives.

He left behind a note claiming the attack wasn’t terror-related but a way for the solider to “cleanse” his mind — while blasting the “feckless leadership” of a US that is “near collapse,” authorities said.

“This was not a terrorist attack, it was a wake up call,” Livelsberger wrote in a notes app. “Americans only pay attention to spectacles and violence. What better way to get my point across than a stunt with fireworks and explosives.”

One of the attacker’s notes was sent to Shawn Ryan, a former Navy SEAL and CIA contractor. It has not been released in its entirety.

The local cops’ report calls the explosion “a premeditated attack involving a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device, with the potential to cause mass casualties and extensive structural damage.”

Livelsberger had served in the Army since 2006 and in Afghanistan in 2009. He was on leave from assignment in Germany at the time.

His wife had dumped him six days before over an argument about his apparent infidelity, prompting him to leave his Colorado Springs home the day after Christmas, two sources familiar with the investigation told The Post in January.

His wife — who had a baby daughter with Livelsberger — reportedly told him that she knew he had been cheating, sources said.After leaving Colorado, Livelsberger rented the Cybertruck through the Turo app and made his way to Vegas, LVMPD said.

Source: https://nypost.com/2025/11/03/us-news/mystery-deepens-over-special-forces-soldier-who-blew-up-cybertruck-outside-trump-las-vegas-hotel/

Donald Trump has not ruled out using force to stop the alleged killing of Christians in Nigeria. But Abuja has downplayed the remarks, saying it welcomes US help to fight militants.

US President Donald Trump on Sunday said the United States could deploy troops to Nigeria or carry out airstrikes to stop the alleged targeted killing of Christians in the West African country.

Aboard Air Force One, when asked by reporters if he envisioned US military action in Nigeria Trump replied, “could be.”

“I envisage a lot of things. They’re killing record numbers of Christians in Nigeria … They’re killing the Christians and killing them in very large numbers. We’re not going to allow that to happen,” the US president added.

Why did Trump say about Nigeria?
Trump’s comment follows a social media post on Saturday in which he threatened to take action against Nigeria if it “continues to allow the killing of Christians.”

“The US will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities,” Trump warned on his Truth Social platform.

He further directed the Department of Defense, which Trump has rebranded as the Department of War, to prepare for possible action. “If we attack, it will be fast, vicious and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians!”

On Friday, the Trump administration reinstated Nigeria on its list of “Countries of Particular Concern,” citing restrictions on religious freedom.

The White House has not provided any evidence that Christians were being targeted any more than other ethnic or religious group. Nigeria also denies the claim.

Other countries on the list include Pakistan, China, Myanmar, North Korea and Russia.

Source: https://www.dw.com/en/trump-says-there-could-be-us-military-action-in-nigeria/a-74592286

The Red Cross said that history is repeating itself in Sudan’s Darfur region following reports of mass killings in the city of el-Fasher. The ICC said it was collecting evidence as part of its investigation into the war.

Sudan’s civil war has reached a new tipping point after the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) took control of el-Fasher, the army’s last stronghold in the western Darfur region, with the International Criminal Court suspecting war crimes have been committed.

The ICC prosecutor’s office (OTP) voiced on Monday “profound alarm and deepest concern” over reports from el-Fasher about mass killings, rapes, and other crimes allegedly committed.

“Within the ongoing investigation, the office is taking immediate steps regarding the alleged crimes in (el-Fasher) to preserve and collect relevant evidence for its use in future prosecutions,” ICC prosecutors said in a statement.

El-Fasher atrocities part of ‘a broader pattern’
The ICC sounded the alarm on Monday concerning the situation in el-Fasher, which the RSF captured following an 18-month siege. The ICC prosecutor’s office addressed reports concerning several crimes committed at the hand of the paramilitary rebels.

“These atrocities are part of a broader pattern of violence that has afflicted the entire Darfur region since April 2023,” said the office in a statement.

“Such acts, if substantiated, may constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity under the Rome Statute,” referring the founding text of the ICC.

According to the United Nations, more than 65,000 people have fled el-Fasher, including approximately 5,000 to the nearby town of Tawila. However, tens of thousands remain trapped and others are unaccounted for after fleeing.

Before the final assault, approximately 260,000 people lived in the city.

Red Cross warns ‘history repeating’ in Darfur
Meanwhile, the head of the Red Cross said that history is repeating itself in Darfur.

On Friday, the UN human rights office said that hundreds of civilians and unarmed fighters may have been killed during the fall of the city.

“The situation in Sudan is horrific,” International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) President Mirjana Spoljaric told the Reuters news agency in a weekend interview.

“It’s history repeating, and it becomes worse every time a place is taken over by the other party,” she said.

According to Spoljaric, tens of thousands of people had fled el-Fasher after the RSF seized the city, and that tens of thousands more were likely trapped there without access to food, water, or medical assistance.

Years of violence driven by ethnicity followed the crackdown on Darfur rebels in the 2000s, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of thousands, a situation that was widely labeled as genocide. The RSF has its roots in the “Janjaweed” militias mobilized by the government in Khartoum at the time.

What role do foreign players have in Sudan?
The United Arab Emirates has repeatedly been accused of supporting the RSF, but has denied doing so. Meanwhile, the army authorities also have foreign backers, including Egypt.

Source: https://www.dw.com/en/sudan-icc-warns-el-fasher-atrocities-could-be-war-crimes/a-74598106

Her husband’s costume was the cherry on the cake.

Heidi Klum donned green scales and squirming snakes to transform herself into Medusa for Halloween on Friday.

Klum said she loves the Greek myth of Medusa, in which a goddess turns a beautiful woman into a monster with serpents for hair, the sight of which turns living things around her to stone.

“So I wanted to be really, really like a really ugly, ugly Medusa. And I feel like we nailed it — to the teeth,” Klum said before pointing to fangs in her mouth.

Her husband, musician Tom Kaulitz, dressed as a man turned to stone.

Klum said she spent 10 hours getting into costume for her annual Halloween party. She said it was all worth it because she loves the celebration.

The supermodel-turned-TV personality went viral in 2022 when she arrived at her party on the end of a fishing line, encased in a slithering worm costume.

In past years, Klum has come dressed as an 8-foot-tall (2.4m tall) Transformer, a werewolf from Michael Jackson’s Thriller music video, a clone accompanied by several Klum-lookalikes, and Kali, the multiarmed Hindu goddess of death and destruction.

Klum has said she starts planning her costume for the next year immediately after her party wraps.

Among the other celebrities who walked the carpet at the Hard Rock Hotel New York were a green-painted Darren Criss as Shrek, Maye Musk as Cruella de Vil and Ariana Madix as Lady Gaga.

Last year, Klum and Janelle Monae turned up to their respective parties in the same costume: E.T.

Source: https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/entertainment/heidi-klum-halloween-costume-medusa-473301

The immigration agents’ tear gas grenades clinked and then exploded against the concrete, shrouding the block in plumes of white gas. The dozen or so residents at the scene only screamed louder.
“We don’t want you here,” yelled Rae Lindenberg. The 32-year-old, who works in marketing, ran out of her apartment when she heard the shrill sound of whistles. “Get out of our neighborhood!”

The squad of agents had appeared in Lakeview last month, an upscale neighborhood dotted with dog daycares, medical spas and vegan restaurants, hopping over a gate to chase down a construction worker who was handcuffed and shoved into a vehicle.

When Courtney Conway, a 42-year-old lifelong Chicago resident, heard about the chase through Facebook groups and text message chains, she hopped on her bike to join the protesters.
“We are not a violent city. This is not a war zone, and I think these guys are terrorizing us and trying to incite us,” said Conway. “We want them out. We want them to stop kidnapping our neighbors.”
CREATING A ZONE DEFENSE
Chicago, a city of 2.7 million, has long been known as a patchwork of close-knit neighborhoods. And since the city took center stage of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown in September, those neighborhoods have mobilized against enforcement efforts, sometimes block-by-block.

That hyperlocal effort, spun off into dozens of chats on social platforms, has helped create a type of zone defense that – activists say – has slowed down immigration agents and in some cases forced them to withdraw without making an arrest.
When asked for comment, Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Homeland Security, said: “Our officers are highly trained and in the face of rioting, doxxing and physical attacks they have shown professionalism. They are not afraid of loud noises and whistles.”
Over 3,000 people have been detained in Chicago since early September, according to DHS.
In Facebook groups and on Signal chats, tens of thousands of residents regularly crowdsource information on immigration agents’ last-known locations, neighborhoods being targeted that day and — importantly — the license plates, makes and models of the rental cars used by agents, which can change daily. Some ICE-spotting Facebook pages in Chicago have up to 50,000 members.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents prowling city streets in unmarked cars are often trailed by drivers honking their horns and cyclists blowing their whistles on an almost daily basis.
In some neighborhoods, confrontations between CBP and ICE agents and protesters have grown increasingly heated. Immigration agents have tear-gassed at least five neighborhoods in the past month, according to a Reuters tally, crashed, opens new tab their car into another vehicle at least once, arrested, opens new tab protesters trailing immigration agents, used Tasers on people during violent arrests, pointed guns, opens new tab at people and shot two people, including one fatally.
The Cook County Department of Public Health said it does not track injuries sustained during confrontations with federal agents and five city hospitals called by Reuters said they had not treated any protesters.
Last month, U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis directed agents to use body cameras and issue two warnings to protesters before using tear gas in a case brought by protesters, clergy and journalists.
HELICOPTER WATCH GROUPS
Hours after the confrontation in the Lakeview neighborhood, dozens of parents stood guard outside a school in Bucktown, another North Side neighborhood favored by families and young professionals, after hearing ICE and border patrol officers were in the area. Some parents set up an informal checkpoint next to the school to check cars for immigration enforcement agents.
And in Little Village, one of the city’s biggest Latino enclaves, businesses and residents locked their doors after activists warned them of approaching ICE and border patrol vehicles and at one point, surrounded vehicles to prevent them from making arrests.

Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/were-not-violent-city-chicago-locals-take-ice-block-by-block-2025-11-02/

Former CIA Director John Brennan snapped at a man who confronted him for signing the infamous letter in 2020 that claimed the bombshell Hunter Biden email scandal exposed by The Post had “all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation.”

Brennan, 70, grew visibly incensed and angrily got in the face of the man who pressed about the letter, poking him on the chest repeatedly before backing off.

“You misrepresented that,” Brennan shouted at conservative national security consultant Thomas Speciale during the tense clash.

“We never said it was disinformation; we said it was Russian influence operations, which is what they do. There’s a big difference,” he added.

After Speciale pushed back, the ex-CIA boss waved his hand in frustration and vented, “I’m not going to waste my time with you.”

Speciale, who claimed the confrontation took place last Thursday, posted video of the fiery moment Saturday alongside text of the infamous “spies who lie” letter that Brennan signed.

Shortly after The Post’s bombshell October 2020 exposé of emails on Hunter’s “laptop from hell” — which illustrated how he leveraged his father’s vice presidency in his dealings with Ukrainian businessmen — 51 current and former intelligence officials signed a letter pushing back.

The 51 individuals, who clearly had no direct knowledge of the situation, leveraged their intelligence credentials to make the public skeptical of The Post’s reporting, weeks before the 2020 election.

Politico amplified the story with the headline, “Hunter Biden story is Russian disinfo, dozens of former intel officials say.”

See more

After the conference on Thursday I confronted former CIA Director Brennan directly regarding his signing the 51 Intelligence Officers Memo knowing that the Hunter Biden laptop was real and not Russian disinformation. Watch his response. pic.twitter.com/blg86oBLRb

— Thomas A. Speciale II (@Speciale4VA) November 1, 2025

Several signatories have since distanced themselves from that headline.

“There are a number of factors that make us suspicious of Russian involvement. Such an operation would be consistent with Russian objectives, as outlined publicly and recently by the Intelligence Community, to create political chaos in the United States and to deepen political divisions here,” they wrote in the public letter.

After publishing the report, The Post was blocked by Twitter, which prevented users from sharing the story and even briefly blocked The Post from tweeting.

The story had been a massive development as it shed light on how Hunter used his father in business dealings and raised questions about former President Joe Biden’s attempts to pressure Ukrainian officials into firing Prosecutor General Viktor Shokin.

Shokin had publicly speculated that Biden pushed for his ouster because he was investigating Ukrainian natural gas giant Burisma, a firm that had Hunter on its board.

Biden denied that and claimed that he wanted Shokin gone because he wasn’t being aggressive enough on corruption cases.

 

Source: https://nypost.com/2025/11/02/us-news/ex-cia-director-john-brennan-explodes-as-hes-confronted-about-hunter-bidens-laptop/

 

Meghan Markle’s video of her celebrating the Los Angeles Dodgers’ World Series win on Saturday night is being blasted as “fake” and “irritating.”

In the black-and-white Instagram Story, Markle — dressed in all black — shrieked in delight, then ran over to her husband, Prince Harry, who was sitting on a reclining chair with his feet up. After bending down to give him a hug and a kiss, she continued to jump up and down with her close friend, Kelly McKee Zajfen, in excitement.

“Oh my God,” the mother of two squealed, as Harry chuckled at her antics.

Some social media users were not amused, however, as they criticized her reaction.

“This is irritating to see. Fake AF,” a comment on X said. “Of course it was NOT staged because, you know, the camera was perfectly positioned to capture everyone. Oh my gosh! Look how happy we are and so into each other. See, we have a friend and it’s not my bottle of wine.”

“This is peak level cringe,” another post said. “Imagine a former Royal Prince Harry has been reduced to a being an unpaid ‘extra’ in his wife’s deluded fantasy world.”

Another user accused Markle of being disingenuous, writing, “Looks so fake.”

Meanwhile, Zajifen provided an explanation on why Harry looked so unamused in the video, revealing that he was actually rooting for the Toronto Blue Jays — despite him wearing a Dodgers hat when he and Markle attended Game 4 of the World Series at Dodger Stadium.

“Sorry H your team didn’t win but mine diiiiiiiiid. @dodgers I LOVE YOU!!!!,” Zajifen wrote in her own Instagram Story.

Source: https://pagesix.com/2025/11/02/royal-family/why-fans-think-meghan-markles-irritating-world-series-celebration-with-prince-harry-was-staged/

See below how the Bad Blood sensation has put a ‘ring of steel’ around her

TAYLOR Swift is spending an extra $2 million on security amid fears for her safety, a source close to the global superstar has told The U.S. Sun.

The usually public-facing singer has retreated into the shadows recently, following stalker issues and the assassination of political activist Charlie Kirk.

Taylor’s appearances in Kansas City to watch fiancée Travis Kelce play in the NFL have been extremely low-key.

This included turning up at Arrowhead Stadium behind a screen last month.

She was seen during the Monday win over the Washington Commanders with Patrick Mahomes’ wife, Brittany, after slipping in via the VIP entrance.

But the Cruel Summer singer is undoubtedly shying away from the cameras.

An insider has told The U.S. Sun that Taylor and Travis have now agreed to spend a hefty $8 million per year – a recent $2 million increase – on a security team to ensure protection at NFL games and elsewhere.

Her movements are being constantly monitored, with her schedule pored over by her expert security detail to ensure maximum protection.

The Chiefs have also reportedly been helping to ensure game days are a pleasurable experience for the 35-year-old.

This comes alongside the times when she visits the city with Kelce.

The source claims two new experts have been hired to make sure she is “100% safe and comfortable all the time.”

“The measures at Arrowhead Stadium are important for her,” confirmed the insider.

Source: https://www.the-sun.com/sport/15424711/taylor-swift-ramps-up-security-protection-chiefs-travis-kelce/

Aviation experts have mapped out what a worst case scenario could look like

MILLIONS of travelers could see Thanksgiving chaos that has never been seen before if the government shutdown continues, aviation experts have warned.

The government shutdown, which is in its fifth week, has seen security agents and air traffic controllers gone unpaid.

Thousands of flights have already been delayed and there are fears there is no end in sight to the shutdown.

The shutdown, which could become the longest on the record, faces the risk of stretching into the Thanksgiving holiday, threatening to upend travel plans for Americans wanting to spend time with their families.

Fears are mounting that airport terminals could become clogged, passengers could face lengthy waits in security, and planes could end up being grounded.

Aviation expert Sheldon Jacobson has warned the disruption that could play out has not been seen before in living memory.

“Thanksgiving would take us seven weeks [since the shutdown began]. This would be unprecedented,” he said.

“This would be untested water. We have never traveled here before. We don’t know what’s going to happen.”

If the shutdown continues into Thanksgiving, it would be the longest on record.

The longest government shutdown stands at 35 days, which started on December 22, 2018, and didn’t end until January 25, 2019.

Jacobson warned it’s a real possibility that air traffic controllers or TSA agents could decide to call out sick en masse.

And, it could force airport bosses to close down security lanes, leading to disgruntled passengers.

Jacobson mapped out a breaking point scenario, which would involve travelers facing waits of between 60 and 90 minutes in security lines.

A so-called breaking point would see scores of flights canceled – between 25% and 30% – and the weather not playing an impact.

He warned domestic routes could be at risk if there are only a limited number of air traffic controllers to manage air space.

“International flights can’t simply be canceled in midair,” he said.

“They have to land. That, in fact, becomes a hard constraint.

“That means if there’s a limited amount of airspace that can be managed by the air traffic controllers, domestic flights will end up getting affected much more than the international ones.”

Even though domestic flights could be plunged into jeopardy, Jacobson doesn’t think airports will be forced to shut up shop – which would see travel plans upended.

“I don’t see that happening except in very extenuating situations but slowdowns can certainly occur,” he said.

Aviation data from Cirium released earlier this month suggests travelers are making bookings in record numbers.

Thanksgiving travel bookings are 2% up compared to last year.

Airline chiefs also echoed the sentiment.

“The entire fourth quarter, the fall break, Thanksgiving, Christmas, they’re all likely to set records with strong demand,” Scott Kirby, the United Airlines CEO, told CBS News.

This would be untested water. We have never traveled here before

Sheldon Jacobson, aviation expert
Politicians and aviation experts have also alluded to worst case scenarios that could unfold as millions flock to the airport for the holidays.

Matthew Buckley, a former American Airlines pilot, told The New York Post that travel chaos could be ugly.

“Airports will be flooded with flight cancellations and delays amid the busiest time to travel all year, and the list goes on and on,” Tom Emmer, the House Majority Whip, said.

Travelers have been warned that it’s not guaranteed that flights will be on time.

“I can’t guarantee you that your flight will be on time,” Sean Duffy, the Transportation Secretary, warned.

“I can’t guarantee you that your flight’s not going to be canceled.”

Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, swiftly blamed the Democrats over their alleged role in allowing the shutdown to continue.

“We fear there will be significant flight delays, disruptions and cancellations in major airports across the country this holiday season,” she said.

“If Democrats continue to shut down the government, they will also be shutting down American air travel.”

House speaker Mike Johnson said football fans should blame the Democratic Party if any travel chaos during Thanksgiving means they cannot watch their football team.

Airlines are also calling for the shutdown to end.

“A prolonged shutdown will lead to more delays and cancellations — and the American people, especially during the busy holiday season, deserve better,” American Airlines has warned.

And, union leaders at the National Air Traffic Controllers Association have called for the end of the shutdown.

In 2024, the American Automobile Association projected 79.9 million travelers would head to locations at least 50 miles away over the Thanksgiving period.

Jacobson revealed flexibility shown by passengers can help reduce the strain on the system.

 

Source: https://www.the-sun.com/travel/15408697/thanksgiving-travel-2025-government-shutdown/

FBI Director Kash Patel defended girlfriend Alexis Wilkins amid backlash over allegedly using an FBI jet to attend her event, calling the claims “baseless” while affirming compliance with travel rules and policy.

FBI Director Kash Patel has pushed back against a wave of criticism following reports that he used a government jet to attend his girlfriend’s performance in Pennsylvania, calling the allegations “disgustingly baseless” and politically motivated.

The controversy erupted after former FBI agent and conservative commentator Kyle Seraphin claimed on his podcast that Patel flew on a USD 60 million FBI jet to watch country singer Alexis Wilkins perform at a wrestling event at Penn State University on October 25.

“We’re in the middle of a government shutdown where they’re not even gonna pay all of the employees that work for the agency this guy heads, and this guy is jetting off to hang out with his girlfriend on our dime?” Seraphin said, sparking online outrage.

Taking to X, Patel addressed the allegations head-on, defending both his integrity and his partner. “Let me be clear: we will not be distracted by baseless rumors or the noise from uninformed internet anarchists and the fake news,” Patel said in a statement.

“Criticize me all you want. But going after my personal life or those around me is a total disgrace.” He continued, expressing frustration toward those within his own political circles who have remained silent amid the backlash.

“The disgustingly baseless attacks against Alexis — a true patriot and the woman I’m proud to call my partner in life — are beyond pathetic,” Patel wrote.

“She’s a rock-solid conservative and a country music sensation who has done more for this nation than most will in ten lifetimes. To our supposed allies staying silent — your silence is louder than the clickbait haters.”

Patel ended his remarks with a defiant message, “My love of family will always be my cornerstone, and you will never tear that down. I and this FBI will stay laser-focused on our mission — rebuilding this Bureau from the ground up.”

According to reports, Patel was angered by the leak of his flight details, which may have led to the resignation of Steven Palmer, a 27-year FBI veteran who oversaw the Bureau’s aviation unit. Patel and Wilkins have faced public scrutiny before — last year, conspiracy theories falsely claimed Wilkins was an Israeli intelligence asset trying to influence Patel over the release of Epstein-related files.

 

Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/world/us-news/story/kash-patel-defends-girlfriend-from-critics-amid-row-over-fbi-jet-use-to-attend-her-event-glbs-2812380-2025-11-03

Amazon is cutting 14,000 corporate jobs to become leaner and faster. CEO Andy Jassy says this move is about culture, not AI or cost-cutting, signalling a shift back to its startup roots.

Turns out, even Amazon needs a reset button. CEO Andy Jassy says the company’s latest wave of layoffs, around 14,000 corporate roles, isn’t about trimming costs or letting artificial intelligence take over, but about trimming the bloat. The goal? To make Amazon feel less like a corporate behemoth and more like the scrappy startup it once was. On Amazon’s quarterly earnings call, Jassy made it clear that the decision was driven by philosophy, not panic.

He said, “The announcement that we made a few days ago was not really financially driven, and it’s not even really AI-driven, not right now, at least,” he said. “Really, it’s culture.” That’s quite the clarification, considering this could become the largest workforce reduction in Amazon’s history, reports suggest the total number of layoffs may climb as high as 30,000.

But Jassy’s reasoning was simple: a giant company can’t afford to move slowly in an era that’s moving faster than ever.

“When that happens, sometimes without realising it, you can weaken the ownership of the people that you have who are doing the actual work,” he said, referencing Amazon’s famous “two-way door” philosophy, a Bezos-era concept encouraging employees to make reversible decisions quickly, without layers of approval.

Jassy argues that too many layers of management have crept in, slowing decisions and stifling initiative. The layoffs, he said, are designed to restore the nimbleness and “ownership” that defined Amazon’s scrappy early days. “We are committed to operating like the world’s largest startup,” he declared — a line that has become something of a personal mantra for the CEO.

A cultural reboot, not a cash grab
Jassy’s comments directly push back against the idea that the layoffs are a reaction to AI’s rise. Earlier this year, he did acknowledge that artificial intelligence will eventually make Amazon leaner, writing in a staff memo that the workforce could “shrink over time” thanks to AI-powered efficiencies.

So when news of the fresh layoffs broke this week, many assumed automation was already taking jobs. But Jassy was quick to dispel that. On Thursday’s call, he described the decision as part of a “cultural reset”, a move to strip away layers of middle management and rediscover Amazon’s entrepreneurial energy amid what he called “the technology transformation happening right now.”

Source: https://www.indiatoday.in/technology/news/story/amazon-layoffs-ceo-andy-jassy-says-14000-job-cuts-not-because-of-ai-he-is-fixing-company-culture-2811163-2025-10-31

 

German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt thinks that schoolchildren should be better prepared for war and disasters. He calls it a sensible precaution others see conservative scaremongering.

Crises, disasters and war have long been covered in German schools, at least on an abstract, academic level.

Now, German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt of the conservative Christian Social Union (CSU) wants training for such scenarios in schools. That includes how to use a fire extinguisher, but also how to respond if a fellow student is injured and how to perform CPR.

“My suggestion is that, once every school year, an extended lesson with older pupils is held that covers various possible threat scenarios and how to prepare for them,” he told the Handelsblatt newspaper. How to prepare for crises should be a part of everyday school life, he said.

The interior minister’s statements align with many observers, as well as Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who recently said: “We are not at war, but also no longer in peace,” referring to the hybrid threat from Russia.

Many experts consider it possible that Russia under Vladimir Putin could attack NATO territory before the end of the decade. In times of threat and the war against Ukraine, Germany wants to prepare — both with a stronger military and improved civil defense.

Teachers in favor of the new plan
The interior minister’s suggestion was well-received by the influential German Teachers’ Association (DL) an umbrella organization representing about 165,000 teachers in Germany. “The war has, one must be honest and just say it, long arrived in classrooms,” DL President Stefan Düll told DW. “Recently, Mr. Dobrindt has indicated that the topics of crises and wars is something which must be dealt with in schools because young people ultimately have a right to openly and honestly discuss things which could affect them.”

Training for emergency situations could help. “You learn options for action and in doing so build ability and competence. From that develops resilience, because I have dealt with things which are not pleasant, but I could actually encounter,” Düll said.

During his school years, Quentin Gärtner experienced no drills for a war or crisis. “The only thing I know is the classic fire alarm,” the general secretary of the Federal School Students Council (BSK), which represents young people’s interests, told DW.

“It makes sense to prepare us for catastrophe scenarios,” he said, adding people feel “safer, if you are prepared for an emergency and know what will happen.” Practicing for wars and disasters would also help promote a “resilient society” — and that would be especially important in times of war, Gärtner added. Just like “staying cool in crisis situations and reducing stress.”

One thing the youth representative emphasized: “School social workers and school psychologists must accompany these lessons.” Not all students are mentally prepared enough to be able to deal with these scenarios.

Mixed reactions among politicians
Dobrindt’s suggestion received mixed reactions among opposition parties. “This is clearly intended to stir up fear,” the socialist Left Party’s parliamentary leader Nicole Gohlke told the AFP news agency. “I find this scaremongering, especially with children and young people, unacceptable,” she criticized.

There was also criticism from the far-right Alternative for Germany party (AfD). The interior minister was trying to “make the idea of an approaching war taken for granted, even inevitable,” said AfD interior policy spokesperson Gottfried Curio.

The idea had support, however, from the Green Party. Co-leader Felix Banaszak said in an interview with private broadcaster RTL: “No, it is not fearmongering.” He is, however, not convinced that one extended lesson per year is enough to adequately prepare students.

Germany’s federal government can only make recommendations for what is taught in schools. Only the individual education ministries in each state have the authority to decide on the curriculum.

The German government wants to massively increase spending on civil and disaster protection. About €10 billion ($11.6 billion) has been budgeted until 2029 for its “civil protection pact,” which includes modernizing shelters, warning systems, providing backup water supplies and emergency vehicles.

Dobrindt has also urged the population to stock up on supplies. “It cannot do any harm. You don’t need to be a prepper to understand that a few days’ worth of supplies, a flashlight, batteries or a wind-up radio are reasonable precautions. Whoever has that is not panicked, but prepared,” Dobrindt told the Handelsblatt.

Source: https://www.dw.com/en/germany-considers-adding-war-disaster-to-school-curriculum/a-74571164

Russian attacks on energy infrastructure have left tens of thousands without power in eastern Ukraine. Meanwhile, a Ukrainian drone attack has set an oil tanker ablaze in a Russian Black Sea port. DW has the latest.

Ukraine’s Donetsk region without power after Russian attacks — governor
Ukrainian authorities were working to restore power to Donetsk after Russian attacks on infrastructure caused outages, regional governor Vadym Filashkin said on Sunday. The claim could not be independently verified, as most of the eastern region of Donetsk is controlled by Russian troops.

Russian forces have stepped up attacks on Ukraine’s power grid in recent weeks as winter draws near.

Another regional governor, Ivan Fedorov, earlier reported that nearly 60,000 people in the southeastern Zaporizhizhia region were left without power after Russian airstrikes.

At least 2 killed in Ukraine’s Odesa after Russian drone attack
Russian drone bombing has killed at least two in Ukraine’s Odesa region, Ukrainian authorities said Sunday.

According to the State Emergency Service, the two people died after Russian drones hit in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Regional Governor Oleh Kiper said that three others were injured.

Ukrainian drones hit oil tanker in Russian Black Sea port
A Ukrainian drone attack sparked a fire on an oil tanker stationed in the Black Sea port of Tuapse, Russian civil protection authorities reported on Sunday.

The attack also damaged the oil transfer terminal, and two civilian ships flying foreign flags, Russian officials said. The tanker’s crew was evacuated.

Images published on Telegram showed three fires in the Tuapse port, which lies south-east of the Crimean Peninsula.

Source: https://www.dw.com/en/ukraine-russia-targets-energy-grid-thousands-without-power/live-74589643

France’s consumer watchdog has reported fast fashion giant Shein to authorities for selling “sex dolls with a childlike appearance” on its website.

The Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) said in a statement that the online description and categorisation of the dolls “makes it difficult to doubt the child pornography nature of the content”, French media reported.

Shein told the BBC: “The products in question were immediately delisted as soon as we became aware of these serious issues.” It said its team was “investigating how these listings circumvented our screening measures”.

Shein is also “conducting a comprehensive review to identify and remove any similar items that may be listed on our marketplace by other third-party vendors”.

The DGCCRF has reported Shein to French prosecutors as well as Arcom, the country’s online and broadcasting regulator, according to French media.

The news has emerged just days before Shein is set to open its first permanent physical shop anywhere in the world – in a Parisian department store.

The decision to allow Shein to open at BHV Marais, a shop in France’s capital city that traces its roots back to 1856, has provoked controversy. The company has faced criticism for its labour practices and environmental record.

Shein will open at BHV on Wednesday ahead of other shops across France, all owned by property firm Société des Grands Magasins.

Commenting on the dolls sold on Shein’s site, France’s consumer watchdog warned that “the dissemination, via an electronic communications network, of child pornography is punishable by up to seven years’ imprisonment and a fine of €100,000 (£88,000)”.

Shein said it “maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards any content or products that violate our platform policies or applicable laws”.

A spokesperson said the fast fashion firm is taking the matter “extremely seriously”.

“We are taking immediate corrective actions and reinforcing our internal controls to prevent this from happening again,” they said.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gjjyvg1nqo

U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday said he has asked the Defense Department to prepare for possible “fast” military action in Nigeria if the West African nation fails to crack down on the killing of Christians.

The U.S. government will also immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation and top oil producer, Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

If the United States sends in military forces, it would go in “‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities,” Trump wrote, without providing any evidence of specifics about the treatment of Christians in Nigeria.

Trump called Nigeria a “disgraced country” and warned its government must move quickly. “If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians!” he wrote.

Abuja had no immediate reaction to Trump’s threat of military action. The White House also had no immediate comment on the potential timing of any U.S. military action.

Although the U.S. Department of Defense referred Reuters to the White House for comment on Trump’s threat, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth released a social media post of his own.

“The Department of War is preparing for action,” Hegseth wrote on X. “Either the Nigerian Government protects Christians, or we will kill the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities.”

Trump’s post on Nigeria came a day after his administration added Nigeria back to a “Countries of Particular Concern” list of nations that the U.S. says have violated religious freedom. Other nations on the list include China, Myanmar, North Korea, Russia and Pakistan.

Before Trump posted his attack threat, Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu earlier on Saturday pushed back against claims of religious intolerance and defended his country’s efforts to protect religious freedom.

“The characterization of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality, nor does it take into consideration the consistent and sincere efforts of the government to safeguard freedom of religion and beliefs for all Nigerians,” Tinubu said in a statement, citing “constitutional guarantees to protect citizens of all faiths.”

Source : https://www.reuters.com/world/china/trump-says-christians-face-existential-threat-nigeria-adds-country-watch-list-2025-10-31

Former President Barack Obama touted Democratic candidates for governor in two states at campaign rallies on Saturday, urging voters in next week’s election to reject what he called the “lawlessness and recklessness” of President Donald Trump’s administration.

Obama, the two-term president still highly popular among Democrats, laid out a biting indictment of the Trump administration at rallies for Virginia gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger and New Jersey candidate Mikie Sherrill.

“Let’s face it, our country and our policy are in a pretty dark place right now,” Obama told a roaring crowd of Spanberger supporters at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia.

“It’s hard to know where to start.” he said, “because every day this White House offers people a fresh batch of lawlessness and recklessness and mean-spiritedness and just plain craziness.”

Obama blasted what he called Trump’s “shambolic” tariff policy and deployment of National Guard troops to U.S. cities. He criticized Republicans in Congress for failing to check Trump “even when they know he’s out of line.”

He said he was surprised at how quickly business leaders, law firms and universities opted to “bend the knee” to appease Trump.

Later Saturday at an event in Newark, New Jersey to support Sherrill, Obama struck many of the same themes as he continued his criticisms of the Trump White House. “It’s like every day is Halloween, except it’s all tricks and no treats,” Obama.

The former president occasionally dipped into sarcasm in mentioning Trump decisions such as remodeling parts of the White House even as a federal shutdown continues.

“In fairness he has been focused on some critical issues, like paving over the Rose Garden so folks don’t get mud on their shoes, and building a $300 million ballroom,” Obama said.

Polls show Spanberger, 46, with a sizable lead over the Republican candidate, Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, 61. Spanberger, a former CIA officer, was a congresswoman for six years.

Most polls show Sherrill with a single-digit lead over Republican Jack Ciatterelli, 63, a former state assemblyman making his third consecutive run for the governor’s seat.

Source : https://www.reuters.com/world/us/obama-tells-democrats-push-back-against-trumps-lawlessness-recklessness-2025-11-02

A federal court in Rhode Island on Saturday ordered the Trump administration to make full food aid benefit payments by Monday, or partial payments by Wednesday, while acknowledging the “irreparable harm” that exists without their timely payment.

The Rhode Island case is one of two lawsuits filed to block the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s suspension of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, known as SNAP or food stamps, which aid low-income Americans.

In a ruling issued on Friday, Judge John J. McConnell of the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island rejected the USDA’s argument that it could not fund SNAP because of the ongoing federal shutdown.

McConnell’s Saturday order gave President Donald Trump’s administration a Monday deadline to present a plan to pay full benefits on that day, or at least partial payments two days later.

“There is no question that the congressionally approved contingency funds must be used now because of the shutdown; in fact, the President during his first term issued guidance indicating that these contingency funds are available if SNAP funds lapse due to a government shutdown,” McConnell wrote in the order.

JUDGE SAYS AGENCY MUST DISTRIBUTE MONEY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

At the end of Friday’s hearing, McConnell said the administration’s decision not to tap $5.25 billion in contingency funds to fund November benefits was arbitrary.

He said the agency must distribute the emergency money “as soon as possible,” and if the money was insufficient, the agency should determine whether it could use money from a separate fund that has around $23 billion.

In a Truth Social post on Friday, Trump wrote: “I do NOT want Americans to go hungry just because the Radical Democrats refuse to do the right thing and REOPEN THE GOVERNMENT. Therefore, I have instructed our lawyers to ask the Court to clarify how we can legally fund SNAP as soon as possible.”

Saturday’s order does just that, wrote McConnell, who cited Trump’s social media post.

“The Court greatly appreciates the President’s quick and definitive response to this Court’s Order and his desire to provide the necessary SNAP funding,” the judge wrote.

Source : https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-administration-must-pay-food-aid-benefits-within-days-judge-says-2025-11-02

Facing deepening fractures in the global trade order, Asia-Pacific leaders adopted a joint declaration that emphasised the need for resilience and shared benefits in trade at the end of the annual APEC summit on Saturday.

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting, hosted by South Korea this year, unfolded under the shadow of rising geopolitical tensions and aggressive economic strategies – ranging from U.S. tariffs to China’s export controls – that have pressured global trade.

Ahead of the gathering, U.S. President Donald Trump announced trade deals with a number of countries, including China and South Korea. But he left before the summit kicked off.

Washington’s views, however, remained on display in the declaration, analysts said, which, unlike last year’s document, did not mention multilateralism or the World Trade Organization.

“It is a result of member countries acknowledging, at least to some degree, that it will be difficult to restore a free trade order based on multilateralism and the World Trade Organization,” said Heo Yoon, a professor of international trade at Sogang University in Seoul.

“We cannot deny anymore that there is a paradigm shift in the global trade order.”

With Trump’s swift exit before the summit, China sought to position itself as a steady advocate of free and open trade, a role the U.S. had dominated for decades. China will host APEC in Shenzhen in 2026, President Xi Jinping announced.

In closing remarks, Xi proposed the establishment of a World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization, while the gathering adopted other declarations on demographic change and AI. But there was no mention of AI regulations.

“China is clearly taking advantage of Trump’s absence at APEC to actively engage countries worried about the retreat of the U.S. and China’s rise,” said Li Xing, a professor at the Guangdong Institute for International Strategies.

“It’s certain they will be reassuring countries like South Korea that can no longer fully count on U.S. backing due to Trump, that they’re not seeking hegemony but common enrichment.”

However, Heo and analysts say the joint declaration suggests that member nations were wary of giving an impression that the U.S. was undermining free trade while picturing China as a guardian of multilateralism.

“Few countries believe there can be a new trade order that excludes the U.S.,” he said.

SOUTH KOREA’S LEE HOSTS XI JINPING

China’s Xi wrapped up his three-day visit to South Korea on Saturday with a state dinner and summit hosted by President Lee Jae Myung, the newly elected U.S. ally who has pledged to balance Seoul’s ties with Beijing.

The stakes were high for Lee, who assumed office in June after the ouster of his hawkish predecessor over a failed attempt to impose martial law. Lee faces the dual challenge of protecting South Korea’s export-driven economy and easing tensions with North Korea amid rising China-U.S. competition.

Lee said it was difficult to say that relations between South Korea and China had ever been completely normalised, and he hoped for a substantial improvement.

“We must go beyond simple restoration to find a path of cooperation that is beneficial to each other,” Lee told a press conference ahead of his planned meeting with Xi.

Earlier this week, Lee also hosted Trump for a rushed state visit, showering him with gifts and praise before announcing a surprise trade deal aimed at lowering U.S. tariffs in return for billions of dollars in South Korean investment in the U.S.

Lee held similar events for Xi on Saturday, including a summit meeting and state dinner. This was Xi’s first visit to South Korea in 11 years.

Source : https://www.reuters.com/world/china/south-korea-woo-chinas-xi-with-state-visit-apec-wraps-up-2025-11-01

The Jamaican government confirms the fatalities – as the first British repatriation flight was setting off from the island on Saturday evening.

A total of 28 people have died following Hurricane Melissa’s rampage across Jamaica, the government has confirmed.

Melissa, one of the strongest storms on record to make landfall in the Caribbean, brought with it winds of up to 185mph when it hit the island earlier this week.

The Red Cross described it as a “disaster of unprecedented catastrophe”.

Melissa ravaged through Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba.

It weakened by the time it reached Cuba on Wednesday morning but still brought devastation – with houses collapsed and roads blocked.

A statement from the government of Jamaica said it was “deeply saddened to confirm 28 fatalities associated with the passage of Hurricane Melissa”.

It went on: “We extend heartfelt condolences to the families, friends, and communities mourning their loved ones.”

The confirmation came as the first British repatriation flight was setting off from the island on Saturday evening local time.

The flight, chartered by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, was for those “unable to leave Jamaica on commercial routes”.

Essential relief supplies are now rolling into some of the hardest hit areas.

The UK government is mobilising an additional £5m in emergency humanitarian funding – on top of £2.5m announced earlier this week – to support the region’s recovery.

This new funding will enable the UK to send humanitarian supplies – including more than 3,000 shelter kits and over 1,500 solar-powered lanterns to help those whose homes have been damaged and those without power.

Source : https://news.sky.com/story/hurricane-melissa-leaves-28-dead-after-tearing-through-jamaica-13462331

Gustavo Salas, the state’s attorney general said that many of the deaths appeared to have been caused by the inhalation of toxic gases.

At least 23 people, including children, were killed and 11 others injured in a supermarket explosion in northern Mexico on Saturday, local officials said. The explosion took place at a Waldo’s store in Hermosillo. The injured victims were taken to hospitals for treatment in the city.

Alfonso Durazo, governor of Sonora state, said in a video message that “a number of the victims we’ve found were minors”. He added that an extensive and transparent investigation had been ordered to determine the cause of the explosion and catch those responsible.

“Nobody will face this pain alone. From the very first moments, emergency, security and health services responded with great professionalism and commitment, controlling the situation and saving lives,” he said.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum offered her condolences in a post on X to the “families and loved ones of those who died”.

She said, “I have been in contact with the Sonora governor, Alfonso Durazo, to provide support where needed. I’ve instructed Interior Secretary Rosa Icela Rodriguez to send a support team in order to assist the families and the injured.”

Cause of the explosion

Notably, local authorities have ruled out an “attack” or “event related to a violent act” against people. The chief of the city’s fire department also said that it was being investigated whether there had really been an explosion.

Gustavo Salas, the state’s attorney general, citing the forensic medical service, said that many of the deaths appeared to have been caused by the inhalation of toxic gases.

However, some media reports have blamed the fire on an electrical failure. Mexican authorities also said that an electric transformer could be behind the incident.

Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/supermarket-explosion-in-mexico-death-toll-injuries-sonora-claudia-sheinbaum-101762059198853.html

Pakistan Defence Minister repeated his claim that New Delhi is using Afghanistan to wage a ‘proxy war’ against India without providing any evidence.

Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif this week repeated his claim that India is using Afghanistan as a proxy to wage a two-front war against his country but failed to provide any evidence to back his assumptions.

While speaking to Pakistani broadcasters, Asif alleged that New Delhi is keeping Islamabad busy on the eastern and western fronts, referring to the recent skirmishes along the Durand Line and airstrikes on Kabul, marking the worst clashes between the South Asian neighbours since the Taliban returned to power in 2021.

“(New Delhi) has been waging a proxy war against Pakistan since the Ashraf Ghani era. If necessary, we will present proof. India seeks to keep Pakistan preoccupied on two fronts: the eastern and western,” Asif told Pakistani broadcaster Geo.

Until Turkey and Qatar mediated a ceasefire, more than 70 people were killed and hundreds wounded in violence that erupted after explosions in Kabul on October 9, which Taliban authorities blamed on Pakistan.

Taliban authorities also claim that Pakistan is harbouring militants from the Islamic State Khorasan (IS-K), the jihadist group ISIS’ branch in Afghanistan, also operates in Pakistan and former Soviet countries in Central Asia including Uzbekistan.

The group has been responsible for deadly attacks in Afghanistan and Russia, including an attack on a Moscow concert hall in March 2024 that killed 150 people.

SOURCE: https://www.news18.com/world/keeping-us-engaged-khawaja-asif-accuses-india-of-waging-two-front-war-against-pakistan-ws-kl-9674674.html

People across the country formed long lines for free meals and groceries at food pantries and drive-through giveaways Saturday, after monthly benefits through the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, were suddenly cut off because of the ongoing government shutdown.

In the New York borough of the Bronx, about 200 more people than usual showed up at the World of Life Christian Fellowship International pantry, many bundled in winter hats and coats and pushing collapsible shopping carts as they waited in a line that spanned multiple city blocks. Some arrived as early as 4 a.m. to choose from pallets of fruits, vegetables, bread, milk, juice, dry goods and prepared sandwiches.

Mary Martin, who volunteers at the pantry, also relies on it regularly for food to supplement her SNAP payments. She said she usually splits her roughly $200 a month in SNAP benefits between herself and her two adult sons, one of whom has six children and is especially dependent on the assistance.

“If I didn’t have the pantry to come to, I don’t know how we would make it,” Martin said.

“I’m not gonna see my grandkids suffer.”

The Department of Agriculture planned to withhold payments to the food program starting Saturday until two federal judges ordered the administration to make them. However it was unclear as to when the debit cards that beneficiaries use could be reloaded after the ruling, sparking fear and confusion among many recipients.

In an apparent response to President Donald Trump, who said he would provide the money but wanted more legal direction from the court, U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell in Rhode Island ordered the government to report back by Monday on how it would fund SNAP accounts.

McConnell, who was nominated by President Barack Obama, said the Trump administration must either make a full payment by that day or, if it decides to tap $3 billion in a contingency fund, figure out how to do that by Wednesday.

The delay in SNAP payments, a major piece of the nation’s social safety net that serves about 42 million people, has highlighted the financial vulnerabilities that many face. At the Bronx food pantry, the Rev. John Udo-Okon said “people from all walks of life” are seeking help now.

“The pantry is no longer for the poor, for the elderly, for the needy. The pantry now is for the whole community, everybody,” Udo-Okon said. “You see people will drive in their car and come and park and wait to see if they can get food.”

In Austell, Georgia, people in hundreds of cars in drive-through lanes picked up nonperishable and perishable bags of food. Must Ministries said it handed out food to about 1,000 people, more than a typical bimonthly food delivery.

Families in line said they worried about not getting SNAP benefits in time for Thanksgiving.

At a drive-through food giveaway at the Calvary Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky, SNAP recipient James Jackson, 74, said he is frustrated that people are being hurt by decisions made in Washington and lawmakers should try harder to understand challenges brought by poverty and food insecurity.

Source: https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-food-lines-snap-6b55e2c21c0198f3309f3a45a55f33b6

A crowd surge at a popular Hindu temple in southern India left at least nine people dead and dozens injured, local authorities said Saturday.

The incident occurred at the Swamy Venkateswara Temple in the Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh state where hundreds of devotees had gathered to mark one of Hinduism’s sacred days, “Ekadashi,” senior police officer K. V. Maheswra Reddy told the Associated Press.

On this day, the devotees fast and offer prayers to Lord Vishnu, a key Hindu deity.

An initial investigation suggests that an iron grille meant to maintain the queue of worshippers at the temple broke, leading to the uncontrolled crowd surge, Reddy said.

Senior local government official Swapnil Dinkar Pundkar said more casualties were feared. “Initially, we had reports of seven deaths, but two more people have succumbed to their injuries while the condition of two others is critical,” he said.

Of the deceased, eight are women and one is a child, Pundkar said, adding that at least 16 devotees injured in the crowd surge are being treated at a local hospital while 20 others are in a state of shock and put under observation at a different hospital.

Video footage on local media showed people rushing to help those who fainted in the crowd surge and were gasping for breath. Some were seen rubbing the hands of those who fell on the ground.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Andhra Pradesh’s highest-elected official N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed grief and offered their condolences to the families of the bereaved.

State authorities in Andhra Pradesh said the location was a private temple on 12 acres (4.8 hectares) of land and wasn’t under the control of the government administration. Despite its maximum capacity of 3,000, the crowd swelled to around 25,000 on Saturday.

“Arrangements were not made accordingly, nor was information provided to the government by the concerned individual. This is the reason for the accident,” the state’s fact check unit said in a statement on social media.

Source: https://apnews.com/article/stampede-swami-venkateswara-temple-andhra-pradesh-f8dee5b4bc65fd851e40f74ddfc05d37

Rob Jetten, 38, is set to become the Netherlands’ youngest and first openly gay prime minister after leading his D66 party to victory. The historic win comes as he prepares to marry Olympian Nico Keenan.

The Netherlands will make history by electing Rob Jetten, 38, as its new prime minister, following national elections held on Wednesday, October 29. The victory makes Jetten both the youngest and the first openly gay leader to hold the office, according to German outlet Deutsche Welle (DW).

Jetten, leader of the centrist-liberal D66 party, defeated Geert Wilders of the far-right Party for Freedom, who campaigned on anti-immigration policies and previously called for a ban on the Quran among other Islamophobic remarks, People reported.

“I am incredibly happy that … we have become the biggest party in this election,” Jetten told reporters after the results were announced. “A historic result for the D66. At the same time, I feel a great responsibility.”

He added, “I think we’ve now shown to the rest of Europe and the world that it is possible to beat the populist movements if you campaign with a positive message for your country.”

Awaiting final confirmation
Although Jetten is the projected winner, DW reports that the result will be officially confirmed on Monday, 3 November, once mail-in ballots from Dutch citizens living abroad are counted.

Celebrating with his fiancé
On election night, Jetten was supported by his fiancé, two-time Olympian Nico Keenan, who shared a light-hearted TikTok video of the couple preparing for the evening. In the clip, set to RAYE’s “Where the Hell Is My Husband?”, Keenan appeared in a suit before Jetten joined him. The pair smiled at the camera and shared a brief kiss.

“Election night, let’s go🔥🫶🏽,” Keenan captioned the post.

Jetten has also been a visible supporter of Keenan’s sporting career. When Keenan competed for Argentina in field hockey at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Jetten was in the stands cheering him on.

The couple announced their engagement in November 2024, when Keenan posted a photo of his ring on Instagram, writing, “Soon to be Mr&Mr💍.”

https://www.livemint.com/news/trends/texas-man-dresses-as-jager-bomber-for-company-halloween-party-now-out-of-a-job-11761957609016.html

https://www.livemint.com/news/trends/texas-man-dresses-as-jager-bomber-for-company-halloween-party-now-out-of-a-job-11761957609016.html

The Los Angeles Dodgers became the first team for 25 years to win back-to-back World Series titles, coming from behind to beat the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4 after extra innings in the deciding seventh game.

Catcher Will Smith’s home run in the top of the 11th inning broke the deadlock at Toronto’s Rogers Centre, and when Alejandro Kirk grounded into a double play with the tying run on third base, it sparked wild celebrations.

The National League champions had trailed 3-0 to Bo Bichette’s three-run homer in the third inning, but kept chipping away, and solo homers by Max Muncy and Miguel Rojas levelled the game at 4-4 in the top of the ninth.

The last team to win successive ‘Fall Classics’ were the New York Yankees, who triumphed in 1998, 1999 and 2000.

California edges Canada in epic series

The series had played out against the backdrop of political and trade battles between North America’s neighbours since Donald Trump’s re-election as US president, but it was ultimately the big-spending Dodgers who prevailed against Canada’s only Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise.

Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani, MLB’s most high-profile player, started on the mound for the Dodgers but ran into trouble in the third inning.

George Springer led off with a base hit, was bunted over to second base and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Vladimir Guerrero Jr was intentionally walked, and Bichette raised the roof as he launched the ball over centre field.

That was the end of Ohtani’s night as the pitcher, but under a 2022 regulation change known as the ‘Ohtani rule’,, external he was allowed to remain in the game as designated hitter.

The Dodgers hit straight back in the fourth, loading the bases for Teoscar Hernandez to send Smith home on a sacrifice fly for 3-1, but a superb diving catch by Guerrero at first base prevented further damage.

Tensions threatened to boil over when Dodgers reliever Justin Wrobleski hit Andres Gimenez with a pitch, and both benches cleared as players ran on the field to confront each other.

Toronto’s veteran starter Max Scherzer came out of the game with the lead still 3-1 in the fifth inning, and the Dodgers rallied in the sixth when Tommy Edman’s sacrifice fly scored Mookie Betts to reduce the deficit to one run.

Back came the Blue Jays, when Ernie Clement’s stolen base put him in position for Gimenez to drive him in with a right-field double.

As is common in a World Series game seven, both sides made frequent pitching changes, even turning to starting pitchers from earlier in the series.

Trey Yesavage, who had started games one and five for Toronto, gave up Muncy’s solo shot in the eighth, before Rojas’ last-gasp effort off Jeff Hoffman levelled the scores.

Toronto loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth but failed to conjure a run, and the Dodgers did the same in the 10th as expectation mounted, but both sides fluffed their lines.

It was only the sixth time in history that a World Series game seven had gone to extra innings, and Smith’s homer put the Dodgers within sight of the title.

The Blue Jays were tantalisingly close to taking it to a 12th inning or even winning it with a walk-off, but Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the Dodgers’ winning pitcher from games two and six, picked up another win in relief and was named as the series’ Most Valuable Player.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/sport/baseball/articles/c4gwwvzxer2o

Molecule, a pill promising rapid weight loss, went viral on Russian TikTok earlier this year.

Young people’s feeds started filling up with captions like “Take Molecule and forget food exists”, and “Do you want to sit in the back of the class in oversized clothes?”

Clips showed fridges lined with blue boxes featuring holograms and “Molecule Plus” labels.

The orders began piling in, as teenagers shared their “weight-loss journeys” on social media.

But there was a catch.

Maria, 22, had purchased the pill from a popular online retailer. She took two pills per day and, after two weeks, says her mouth dried up and she completely lost her appetite.

“I had absolutely no desire to eat, let alone drink. I was nervous. I was constantly biting my lips and chewing my cheeks.”

Maria developed severe anxiety and began having negative thoughts. “These pills were having a profound effect on my psyche,” she says.

Maria, who lives in St Petersburg, says she wasn’t prepared for such severe side effects.

Other TikTok users mentioned dilated pupils, tremors and insomnia. And at least three schoolchildren are reported to have ended up in hospital.

In April, a schoolgirl in Chita, Siberia, needed hospital care after overdosing on Molecule. According to local reports, she was trying to lose weight quickly, in time for the summer.

The mother of another schoolgirl told local media her daughter was admitted to intensive care after taking several pills at once.

And in May, a 13-year-old boy from St Petersburg needed hospital care after experiencing hallucinations and panic attacks. He had reportedly asked a friend to buy him the pill because he was being teased at school about his weight.

Substance banned in UK, EU and US
The packaging for Molecule pills often lists “natural ingredients” such as dandelion root and fennel seed extract.

But earlier this year, journalists at the Russian newspaper Izvestiya submitted pills they had purchased online for testing and found they contained a substance called sibutramine.

First used as an antidepressant in the 1980s and later as an appetite suppressant, studies later found sibutramine increased the risk of heart attacks and strokes – while only slightly promoting weight loss.

It was banned in the US in 2010, and is also illegal in the UK, EU, China and other countries.

In Russia, it is still used to treat obesity, but available only to adults and by prescription.

Purchasing and selling sibutramine without a prescription is a criminal offence. But that hasn’t stopped individuals and small businesses from selling it online – often in higher doses than legal medication – and without requiring prescriptions.

The unlicensed pills cost about £6-7 ($8-9) for a 20-day supply – much cheaper than recognised weight-loss injections like Ozempic, which on the Russian market sell for £40-160 ($50-210) per monthly pen.

“Self-administration of this drug is very unsafe,” says endocrinologist Ksenia Solovieva from St Petersburg, warning of potential overdose risks, “because we do not know how much of the active ingredient such ‘dietary supplements’ may contain”.

Russians regularly receive prison sentences for purchasing and reselling Molecule pills. But it’s proving difficult for authorities to get a grip on the drug being sold illegally.

In April, the government-backed Safe Internet League reported the growing trend involving young people to the authorities – prompting several major online marketplaces to remove Molecule from sale. But it soon began appearing online under a new name, Atom, in near-identical packaging.

A law was recently passed allowing authorities to block websites selling “unregistered dietary supplements” without a court order – but sellers have been getting around this by categorising them as “sports nutrition” instead.

On TikTok, you can find retailers selling Molecule under listings that look like they are for muesli, biscuits and even lightbulbs. And some retailers aren’t even trying to hide it any more.

A few weeks ago, the BBC found Molecule listings on a popular Russian online marketplace. When approached for comment, the site said it had promptly removed any products containing sibutramine. But it admitted it was difficult to find and remove listings that didn’t explicitly mention sibutramine.

If you do manage to get your hands on Molecule, it’s hard to know exactly what you’re getting – and it’s unclear where the pills are being manufactured.

The BBC found some sellers with production certificates from factories in Guangzhou and Henan, in China. Others claim to be sourcing the pills from Germany.

Some packets state they were produced in Remagen in Germany – but the BBC has discovered there is no such company listed at the address given.

Certain Kazakh vendors selling Molecule to Russians told the BBC they bought stock from friends or warehouses in the capital Astana but couldn’t name the original supplier.

Details of support with eating disorders in the UK are available at BBC Action Line
Meanwhile, online eating-disorder communities have become spaces where Molecule is promoted, with users relying on hashtags and coded terms to slip past moderation.

Ms Solovieva says Molecule is particularly harmful when taken by young people who already have eating disorders. For those in or near relapse, an easily available appetite suppressant can be seriously dangerous, she says.

Anna Enina, a Russian influencer with millions of followers who herself has admitted using unlicensed weight-loss pills in the past, publicly warned her subscribers: “As someone who has struggled with an eating disorder… the consequences will be dire. You’ll regret it tenfold.”

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c201xe61x0lo

Prince William’s feud with his uncle Andrew Mountbatten Windsor reportedly stems from a “rude” comment the former royal made about his nephew’s wife, Kate Middleton.

Author Andrew Lownie claimed in his royal biography, “The Rise and Fall of the Yorks,” that the Prince of Wales fully supported his father, King Charles III, in his decision to strip Andrew’s royal titles and honors due to his affiliation with late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

“He [William] also loathes Sarah [Ferguson], Andrew’s ex-wife, and can’t wait for the day when his father throws them both out,” read an excerpt from a source noted in the book, per Daily Mail.

The book continues: “If Charles doesn’t, I guarantee you the first thing William does when he eventually becomes king is to get them evicted.”

The author also noted that William, 43, also got upset that Andrew, 65, and Ferguson, 66, attended Katharine, Duchess of Kent’s funeral in September.

“William, meanwhile, was ‘furious’ at being ambushed in this way, according to friends. He has been at pains to distance himself from his uncle and not be photographed with him,” Lownie claimed in the book.

“He believes his father has not dealt with him with sufficient firmness and that Andrew — and Sarah Ferguson — have done much to undermine the good work of other members of the Royal Family.”

Andrew’s alleged remark toward Middleton, also 43, was not disclosed.

Reps for Kensington Palace did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment.

Andrew was stripped of his royal titles by Charles on Thursday amid a renewed interest in the former prince’s ties to sex trafficker Epstein.

The title removal applies to Prince, Duke of York, Earl of Inverness, Baron Killyleagh and “His Royal Highness.” The honors affected include his Order of the Garter and Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order.

Page Six was told that Andrew will be relocating to a property on the private Sandringham estate after he was evicted from his royal lodging.

Ferguson, on the other hand, will make her own arrangements. She has also lost her Duchess of York title.

The former couple’s two daughters, Princess Beatrice, 37, and Princess Eugenie, 35, retained their royal titles amid the scandal.

At the time, we’re told Andrew “has not objected” to the effective changes.

Weeks prior to Charles’ official announcement, the former British Navy captain pledged that he would no longer use [his] royal title or honors because his ongoing allegations “distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal family.”

Andrew wrote in a statement, “I have decided, as I always have, to put my duty to my family and country first. I stand by my decision five years ago to stand back from public life.”

However, Andrew added, “With His Majesty’s agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me.”

Source: https://pagesix.com/2025/11/01/royal-family/the-real-reason-prince-william-loathed-uncle-andrew-mountbatten-windsor-revealed/

The incident comes as immigration raids across Chicago are ramping up with Trump also threatening to send in the National Guard into the staunchly Democrat city

An immigration agent was caught on camera appearing to point a handgun at bystanders before slamming a man’s head into the tarmac.

The incident in Evanston, Illinois, on Friday was filmed by concerned witnesses. The man can be heard telling agents he can’t breathe. As the agent appears to strike the man, outrage can be heard from witnesses nearby, with one heard asking: “Why did you do that?”

A longer video of the same incident shows the same agent pull out his gun and point it at someone off screen. A bystander can be heard shouting: “Put that gun away. What are you going to do, shoot people?”

According to the Department of Homeland Security, agents “were being aggressively tailgated by a red vehicle,” which crashed into the agents’ SUV.

A spokesperson said in a statement: “A hostile crowd surrounded agents and their vehicle, and began verbally abusing them and spitting on them. As Border patrol arrested one individual, who actively resisted arrest, pepper spray was deployed spray to deter the agitator and disperse the crowd. ”

See more

🚨 ICE agents were caught on video beating U.S. citizens in Evanston, Illinois.

One ICE agent has a man zip-tied and pinned to the ground, repeatedly punching him in the head while pressing his face into the pavement.

This isn’t law enforcement, it’s brutality.

This is… pic.twitter.com/IH4Gsh1tv0

— Jesus Freakin Congress (@TheJFreakinC) October 31, 2025

Three citizens were arrested during the incident. It is unclear if the man on the ground was involved in the incident described by the DHS.

The DHS also claimed five illegal immigrants from Mexico were arrested in Evanston and neighboring Skokie. They say they had criminal histories, including trespassing charges and multiple illegal entries into the US.

Chicago has become one of the epicenters of Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigrants. With money being poured into the DHS and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, communities are feeling the brunt of the raids being conducted across the country.

Locals have been left terrified. Allie Harned, of Evanston, said: “Our children are terrified, and our families are terrified, and some are not sending their kids to school. They’re missing school. They’re missing their education. It’s not okay. This is not okay.”

Schools in Evanston and neighboring Skokie took precautions to protect students from immigration raids.

Source: https://www.themirror.com/news/us-news/immigration-agent-pointed-gun-bystander-1479383

 

 

Maldives seeks to “protect public health and promote a tobacco-free generation” with a ban on tobacco use for those born after 2007.

A generational prohibition on tobacco went into effect in the Maldives on Saturday, the country’s Health Ministry said.

Maldives is now the only country in the world with such a ban.

The measure will apply to anyone born after January 2007. The policy received backing from President Mohamed Muizzu earlier this year.

A statement from the Health Ministry said the goal of the ban is to “protect public health and promote a tobacco-free generation.”

“Under the new provision, individuals born on or after January 1, 2007 are prohibited from purchasing, using, or being sold tobacco products within the Maldives,” the statement read.

“The ban applies to all forms of tobacco, and retailers are required to verify age prior to sale,” it added.

Selling tobacco products to an underage person would mean a fine of 50,000 rufiyaa ($3,200).

Ban applies to tourists
The Maldives is a South Asian nation of 1,191 tiny coral islets scattered some 800 kilometers (500 miles) from north to south, with the Equator passing through its southern atolls.

The archipelagic country is known for its luxury tourism.

Tourists will also be subject to the comprehensive ban, which also includes the import, sale, distribution, possession, and use of electronic cigarettes and vaping products.

Source: https://www.dw.com/en/maldives-generational-ban-on-smoking-goes-into-effect/a-74585078

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he disagreed with the airing of an anti-tariffs ad featuring Republican icon Ronald Reagan that exacerbated tensions with the US government.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney formally apologized to the United States on Saturday for an ad depicting the former US President Ronald Reagan that set off Donald Trump’s anger and led to a halt of tariff talks with Canada.

Carney confirmed the apology while speaking to reporters after attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea.

“I did apologize to the president,” Carney said. The remark confirmed comments that Trump made on Friday.

Carney said he had reviewed the ad before it aired and had opposed it.

The ad was put forth by Ontario Premier Doug Ford and it featured the voice of Reagan talking about the disadvantages of trade tariffs, in excerpts from a 1987 address broadcast on radio.

The then Republican president, who died in 2004, made the address to explain why he decided to impose tariffs on some Japanese products.

Angry about the ad, Trump declared an end to “all trade negotiations” with Canada.

“I told Ford I did not want to go forward with the ad,” Carney told reporters.

Trump and Carney shared ‘very nice’ conversation
Trump had told reporters that he had a “very nice” conversation with Carney at a dinner during the summit in South Korea, but did not elaborate.

Despite the apology, Trump still said the United States and Canada will not restart trade talks.

Meanwhile, Carney downplayed tensions on Saturday, saying he was relaxed about when talks would resume.

Source: https://www.dw.com/en/canadian-pm-apologizes-to-trump-over-reagan-ad/a-74584147

 

Hurricane Melissa slammed into Jamaica on October 28 as a catastrophic Category 5 storm, the strongest to ever make landfall on the island nation. The storm’s rapid intensification over unusually warm Caribbean waters highlights a trend scientists have long warned about, where climate change fuels more powerful and destructive weather events.

The devastation in Jamaica and neighboring islands is expected to renew calls from developing nations for financial aid from wealthier countries to cope with the escalating impacts of a warming planet.

Wind speeds were well above the minimum level for the strongest hurricane classification. Forecasters at AccuWeather said it tied in second place for strongest-ever Atlantic hurricane on record in terms of wind speed when it struck land.

Melissa’s wind speeds are one of the highest in the Caribbean basin

Melissa is the most powerful hurricane to make landfall on Jamaica since Gilbert in 1988.

No stranger to hurricanes, Jamaica had never before been known to take a direct hit from a Category 4 or 5 storm (Gilbert made landfall as a Category 3), and the government called for foreign aid even as it prepared for Melissa’s arrival.

“It’s a catastrophic situation,” the World Meteorological Organization’s tropical cyclone specialist Anne-Claire Fontan told a press briefing ahead of the storm making landfall. “For Jamaica, it will be the storm of the century for sure.”

Melissa’s size and strength ballooned as it churned over unusually warm Caribbean waters, and forecasters warned that its slow movement could prove particularly destructive.

Jamaica and Haiti experienced heavy torrential rain

The storm’s trajectory across multiple islands and slow movement meant that rain lingered over regions for extended periods.

Authorities in Haiti, which was not directly hit but nevertheless suffered days of torrential rains from the slow-moving storm, reported at least 25 deaths, mostly in the southern town of Petit-Goave when a river burst its banks.

The banks of a river also caved in and carried off part of a national highway, local newspaper Le Nouvelliste reported. The road, which had been weakened by last year’s Hurricane Beryl, connected to the nearby city of Jacmel.

Melissa also hit eastern Cuba, where some 735,000 evacuated, but as of Thursday, no deaths were reported there, despite extensive damage to homes and crops.

Meteorologists at AccuWeather said Melissa ranked as the third most intense hurricane observed in the Caribbean after Wilma in 2005 and Gilbert in 1988 – the last major storm to make landfall in Jamaica.

Hurricanes are getting stronger, faster.

Scientists warn that storms are intensifying faster with greater frequency as a result of warming ocean waters. Rapid intensification is when hurricanes grow their wind speed over 35 mph in less than 24 hours, making it hard to predict the danger they may present.

Melissa rapidly intensified in less than 24 hours

This storm is now the fourth of this year’s five Atlantic hurricanes to undergo rapid intensification.

Many Caribbean leaders have called on wealthy, heavy-polluting nations to provide reparations in the form of aid or debt relief to tropical island countries.

Damage in Jamaica

Melissa made landfall in southwestern Jamaica, near the parish border between Westmoreland and St. Elizabeth, one of the areas hardest-hit by Beryl.

St. Elizabeth was submerged by flooding, local government minister Desmond McKenzie told a press briefing. Its only public hospital lost power and reported severe damage to one of its buildings.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness visited the hospital, where aerial footage showed the wrecks of buildings, roofs blown off, power cables knocked down and fields strewn with rubble.

SEAN “Diddy” Combs will have an easy time serving the remainder of his sentence at a relaxed college dormitory-style prison, but must undergo rigorous visitation protocols, including strip-searches, an ex-inmate said.

Combs, who is serving a 50-month sentence after being convicted of two prostitution-related offenses, was transferred from the notoriously neglected Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn to FCI Fort Dix in New Jersey on Thursday.

The fallen Bad Boy Records producer, 55, got his way after the Federal Bureau of Prisons granted his request to serve out his sentence at the low-security federal prison.

Bill Boyle, a former inmate who spent 14 months at Fort Dix, said if Combs survived the MDC for over a year, the New Jersey lockup is “going to be a breeze for him.”

Boyle described the living situation at Fort Dix as similar to a college or military barracks, “You have 12 men in a cell and it’s not a true cell. It’s basically a dorm,” he told The U.S. Sun.

“You have three sets of bunk beds on one side of the wall, three sets on the other. The door to your cell they don’t lock, so you’re not necessarily really locked in because there’s no bathroom in those cells.

“So, you have to have access to a bathroom. None of the doors lock. The front door locks and they lock you in but that’s the front door to get in and out of there.”

However, despite the lenient housing regulations, Boyle, the founder of Federal Prison Consultants, said the facility’s infrastructure is just as brutal as in the MDC.

“At Fort Dix, there’s three levels, three floors to these units, and you’re in the shower and you’re getting the discarded shower water from the shower above the third floor running down hitting you,” Boyle said.

“That’s disgusting. Then, some days the shower water would come out scolding hot or it would just literally burn your skin.

“Some days it was cold, ice cold like a Mountain Creek. You had a bath but it was very, very hard.

“Some days the water would come out and hit you like a fire hose.

“You couldn’t even stand under it, it was so fast, and other times come out like a trickle like someone was pouring a tiny glass of water on you.”

“So, the daily living conditions are brutal. The food once again horrific. They don’t feed you enough.”

Boyle, who is releasing a book, My Journey Through Hell While I’m Alive, in early 2026 about his experience behind bars, said he was housed in the west compound of the prison, which he heard from other inmates was the best out of the three sections.

“They got the east side, the west side, and the camp. I was in the west, which believe or not, they said was the better of the two because the east, the buildings were even more dilapidated, and I couldn’t imagine that,” he added.

RIGOROUS VISITATION RULES

Combs’ legal team requested that the music mogul be housed at Fort Dix because of the facility’s drug rehabilitation program and to maximize family visitation.

But Boyle said that despite Combs’ superstar status, he’ll have to be strip-searched before and after every visitation.

“That’s probably the hardest part,” Boyle, who was sentenced to 78 months after being convicted of federal mail and wire fraud charges, said of the visitation procedure at Fort Dix.

“Families go through rigorous screening protocol. For Diddy when he goes, he’ll come down, he’ll walk into a little cement block cubicle, and if it’s a cold day he’ll be freezing his nuts off, and you strip naked as the inmate.

“Completely naked. You got to show under your tongue, you got to run your hands through your hair, lift up your ball sack, you got to bend over and cough.

“That’s on the way into the visiting room and then you do the same exact thing on the way out of the visit.

“I hated to put my kids and my family through coming to see me in terms of getting through security because it’s very demoralizing for them as well.

“The visits, they’re very, very, very strict. You can give a hug when they first walk in, a quick peck, but there’s no intimacy because you’re sitting on hard plastic chairs in the visiting room and you’re lined up side by side.”

Boyle added, “You’re not even facing each other. You got to turn your body a little bit.

“So, it’s just rows and rows of plastic chairs, basically if I’m sitting on one chair and my kids sitting at the next chair there’s another inmate sitting next to his loved one.

“So there’s not really a time for real private conversation.

“But if he survived MDC for a little over a year and a half, Fort Dix is going to be a breeze for him, whether it’s the camp or the low, but he’s still somebody worth millions of dollars used to flying private, living in the best places.”

Combs was reportedly assigned laundry duties as his first job in Fort Dix, washing and drying dirty laundry, according to TMZ.

The disgraced hitmaker is scheduled to be released on May 8, 2028, but could be released sooner for good behavior.

Members of Combs’ team have reportedly approached White House officials in the Trump administration about a potential pardon.

President Donald Trump acknowledged the request, telling reporters in the Oval Office in early October, “A lot of people have asked me for pardons.

“I call him Puff Daddy; he has asked me for a pardon.”

DIDDY’S PUNISHMENT

Combs’ sensational eight-week trial concluded over the summer when a 12-person jury acquitted him of racketeering conspiracy and two counts of sex trafficking but convicted him of two prostitution charges.

During the trial, jurors heard excruciating testimony from two of Combs’ ex-girlfriends, including singer Cassandra “Cassie” Ventura, about the years-long abuse they suffered at the hands of the rap heavy-hitter.

Ventura and another woman, identified in court only as Jane, testified about the depraved drug-fueled sex marathons, “freak-offs,” they were allegedly coerced into with male escorts.

At his sentencing, Combs addressed the court for the first time since his legal troubles began in November 2023, begging the judge for mercy in his 12-minute speech.

In his remarks, Combs apologized to Ventura and Jane before turning to his family and telling his mother, Janice, “I failed you as a son and I’m sorry.”

He acknowledged the disturbing hotel surveillance footage of his assault on Ventura and apologized to all victims of domestic violence.

“I know that the disgusting video triggered people. I was sick. Sick from the drugs. I needed help. But I didn’t get the help,” Combs said in a shaky voice.

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/entertainment/15426100/diddys-new-prison-conditions-fort-dix-ex-inmate/

The former reality star has been scrutinized over her parenting after the teen has made numerous changes to her appearance

TEEN Mom Farrah Abraham’s teenage daughter, Sophia, has showcased her drastic transformation, including lip piercings and permanent fangs, in a new video.

The mother-daughter duo filmed themselves in the bathroom while flaunting their Halloween costumes.

In the clip posted earlier this week on Sophia’s Instagram page, the pair participated in a silly TikTok trend where they commented on the teen’s dark look.

“Check it, I’m a scary black cat,” Sophia mouthed to the camera while sporting a skintight black leather corset, a miniskirt, and heavy black makeup.

She completed the ensemble with black stockings and a big furry hat with gloves attached, mimicking cat paws.

Farrah, 34, stood beside her daughter, rocking a white, knee-high dress, a black leather jacket, a wedding veil, and dark makeup, seemingly channeling the character Tiffany from the 1998 horror film The Bride of Chucky.

“The only person that costume scares is me. Go change it,” the young mom mouthed over the track.

It was only recently that Sophia added to her dramatic makeover with permanent fang teeth and a giant stomach tattoo.

Before that, the 16-year-old received multiple lip and body piercings, which had fans divided over whether the behavior was appropriate for her age.

Most critics slammed Farrah for her seemingly loose parenting style and for allowing Sophia to make such significant changes to her appearance.

Teen Mom fans first met Farrah when she starred on MTV‘s 16 & Pregnant in 2009.

At the time, she was preparing for single motherhood following her baby daddy, Derek Underwood’s death, before Sophia was born.

Farrah went on to star in the spinoff series Teen Mom OG until she was fired in 2017 for her work in the adult entertainment industry.

Since her departure, Farrah has had a strained relationship with many of her former co-stars.

Most recently, the ex-TV personality was involved in a heated feud with Jenelle Evans, 33, who was axed from the franchise in 2019 after her then-husband, David Eason, shot and killed the family dog.

Farrah accused Jenelle of being a “horrible mom” regarding her parenting choices of her four kids, particularly her oldest son, Jace, which has been heavily discussed in the media.

The MTV alum also took a personal jab at Jenelle, calling her a “copycat” for allegedly trying to replicate her career outside of the show.

Farrah has focused much of her efforts on her OnlyFans, public appearances, and social media presence.

She’s been photographed numerous times in recent months wearing revealing outfits.

In July, Farrah posted photos of her posing in sexy white lingerie, and last month, she drew attention while frolicking on the beach in Miami donning multiple revealing swimsuits.

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/entertainment/15426366/teen-mom-farrah-abraham-daughter-sophia-fangs-piercings-goth/

President Frank-Walter Steinmeier is traveling to Egypt, Ghana and Angola, accompanied by German business leaders. The goal is to boost economic partnerships through investment in infrastructure and renewable energy.

To start his weeklong tour of Africa, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier will attend the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza, Egypt , on Saturday . After marveling at the important archaeological museum, which houses more than 100,000 artifacts and will display the complete Tutankhamun tomb collection for the first time, Steinmeier will get down to business.

Steinmeier’s focus during his planned visits, including stops in Ghana and Angola, will be on strengthening economic cooperation with African governments. A business delegation will accompany Steinmeier on his trip.

Egypt is attractive for German entrepreneurs

Khadi Camara, deputy head of countries and markets at the German-African Business Association, told DW that Egypt is very promising for German companies. “The country is one of the few markets in which Germany is implementing large-scale projects on a broad basis and in various sectors,” she told DW, referring to infrastructure and rail projects, digitization, and industry. More and more companies are choosing Egypt as an investment location, she added.

The security situation in the region and the future of Gaza will be on the agenda for Steinmeier’s meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi.

In September 2024, Steinmeier visited Egypt and praised its efforts to mediate in the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Egypt and Ghana, the second stop on the German president’s trip, are partners in the G20 Compact with Africa (CwA) initiative. It was launched under the German G20 presidency in 2017 to create investment for sustainable economic growth in reform-oriented African countries. 13 African countries are members of the CwA.

“The Compact with Africa has led to the German government’s export credit guarantees for these countries being assigned a better risk category,” Camara said. Germany seeks to maintain this partnership by making it relevant. The framework conditions for trade are not yet what they should be, and obstacles must continue to be removed.

Steinmeier will meet with Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama in Accra on Monday. Mahama has been in office since January; he won the election in December with the promise of a modern 24-hour economy . Gold mining and the construction sector, in particular, are expected to drive growth.

With a population of just under 35 million, Ghana is a relatively small economy. The country mainly supplies cocoa to Germany. Other important exports include fruit, rubber, and ores.

Ghana: A center for vaccine production

Another building block for expanding cooperation is vaccine research. Germany and the European Union (EU) are supporting Ghana in positioning itself asa West African center for the production of vaccines and medicines. This will create more jobs and improve health care.

Ghana also has a thriving startup scene. Steinmeier’s agenda also includes a meeting with the founders to discuss innovations.

Anna Lena Wasserfall, the resident representative of the German Konrad Adenauer Foundation in the capital, Accra, said Ghana, was a priority country for Germany’s development cooperation. This applies in particular to the field of renewable energies, but also to good governance and the fight against corruption. “Certainly against the backdrop that Germany has an interest in Ghana remaining a stable partner in the region,” Wasserfall told DW.

Wasserfall points to the military coups in West Africa in recent years. In some countries, she says, governments are in power that are skeptical or even hostile toward cooperation with Western partners.

The strategic realignment of the partnership between the countries includes banking reforms designed to stabilize the financial sector and new laws intended to simplify the process of setting up businesses in Ghana. “Overall, it can be said that the measures implemented under the CwA have strengthened Ghana structurally, but have not triggered any profound investment momentum in the country,” Wasserfall added.

Improving the CwA

Wasserfall said the lack of investment in Ghana was not a sign of a lack of attractiveness, but rather an expression of structural weaknesses and uncertainties that make long-term commitments appear risky.

“These are factors such as high public debt and deficits, which undermine confidence in fiscal stability, compounded by high currency volatility,” Wasserfall said. Bureaucracy, corruption and weak law enforcement are also challenges. To improve economic conditions, Germany and the World Bank in Washington have launched the new G20 Compact with Africa Trust Fund. The aim is to generate more growth and good job prospects through increased investment in sustainable development, infrastructure projects, and well-trained skilled workers.

Angola’s ambition to join the CwA initiative

The oil-producing nation of Angola is interested in joining the CwA. As the first German president to visit Angola, Steinmeier will explore closer economic cooperation with the government from November 5 to 7.

Angola, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary of independence and is currently holding the rotating presidency of the African Union, could be a candidate for the next round of the CwA, Camara said.

“The government has strongly promoted the diversification of the economy. For example, German companies are also active in the hydrogen sector. Large hydroelectric power plants are being installed there, and there are also German projects in the infrastructure, health, and agricultural sectors,” she said.

Steinmeier plans to meet with President Joao Lourenco in the capital, Luanda. Lourenco’s word carries weight within Africa. For example, he has been mediating for years between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda on the deadlocked situation in eastern Congo.

Source : https://www.dw.com/en/german-president-steinmeier-africa-tour-eyes-business-growth/a-74488873

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the Russians are trying to capture the embattled city of Pokrovsk. It could enable further Russian advances in the Donetsk region, which it aims to occupy fully.

A year after 16 people were killed when a canopy at Novi Sad railway station collapsed, the Serbian government and the student movement remain locked in a war of attrition. A commemoration event is planned for Saturday.

Under normal circumstances, Novi Sad student Boris Kojcinovic would currently be scouring guides to master’s programs abroad.

But circumstances for students in Serbia are far from normal due to student-led university blockades that have been going on for almost a year now.

So instead, he divides his time between reading literature for his thesis and checking lists of volunteers for an event that will mark the first anniversary of the collapse of the concrete canopy at the entrance to Novi Sad railway station that killed 16 people on November 1, 2024.

Kojcinovic is one of the faces of the student protest movement that, as his fellow activists say, has laid bare what they see as an obvious truth, namely that corruption and systemic negligence led to the canopy collapse almost a year ago.

The student movement is organizing a gathering in the city on Saturday to commemorate those who died at the station. The event will mark the anniversary of a tragedy that has also had a profound impact on Serbian politics and society.

The growth of a movement

“Our victory is that people have realized that something isn’t working and that we need a just society with institutions that function,” Kojcinovic told DW.

Using the slogan “You’ve got blood on your hands” and flooding both online and offline spaces with images of red palmprints (the symbol of the protest), the Serbian student protest movement that emerged after the Novi Sad tragedy has over the past 12 months grown into a considerable network with supporters across the country and in the Serbian diaspora.

To make sure their call for justice is heard by as many people as possible, students have crisscrossed the country on foot, talked to people and organized countless demonstrations and protest events nationwide.

Groups of students have even cycled to Strasbourg and run to Brussels to take their message to the European Union.

Enduring student protests

Over the past year, the students have learned to plan, negotiate and endure on a major scale.

But they haven’t succeeded in forcing those in power to take responsibility.

The authorities, for their part, have adopted a multi-pronged approach, seeking to “soften up” students and lecturers by offering them cheap housing loans and higher salaries respectively, while using smear campaigns, physical attacks and heavy-handed police interventions to intimidate protesting citizens.

None of these tactics have worked.

A war of attrition

Political scientist Zoran Stojiljkovic described the situation to DW in August as “a balance of powerlessness” — an assessment that Bojan Klacar, executive director of the Center for Free Elections and Democracy (CESID), says still holds true.

“We are in a political crisis that has not been fully resolved and for which no final outcome is in sight in the short term,” Klacar told DW.

The ruling coalition still lacks full control of the situation and has lost its old dominance, but at least it is more consolidated than it was six months ago, when the protests were at their peak.

“The [ruling Serbian Progressive Party] SNS was mostly on the defensive until the end of April. Today it can set the agenda — and it does,” said Klacar.

The students are not in a better position either. Klacar says that the movement has considerably changed the social climate, but not political relations, in the country.

“They are not — in terms of infrastructure, program, ideology or the level of energy that exists at this moment — ready to turn the process in their favor. So, the two blocs are engaged in a game of patience, a battle of nerves and a certain kind of attrition,” he said.

Elections will be key

What students want are elections. The authorities, however, rarely mention the subject.

Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic has only said that elections will be held next year, without specifying when.

Klacar considers the timing of the election to be the SNS’s trump card. Choosing the date of the election will allow it to stay one step ahead of its opponents.

“It suits the SNS most for the elections to be held in about a year or somewhat later,” he said.

But for a late election to work in the government’s favor, the government would have to deliver more “good news” and resolve a number of accumulated problems — from US sanctions on the Russian-owned Serbian oil company NIS to possible difficulties in gas supplies.

“Without resolving those issues and without ensuring the stability preferred by SNS voters, I’m not sure the party will be fully ready for elections,” said Klacar.

Students insist they’ll be ready

For the students, on the other hand, two conditions are decisive: maintaining high protest energy and creating a referendum-like atmosphere, where people would see an election as a poll on Vucic and the SNS.

The students are adamant they will be ready no matter when elections are called because they are already preparing for an election at “full steam.”

In addition to organizing protests, they are building an electoral infrastructure that includes teams, observers and a political program.

The students’ list of candidates is almost complete but remains shrouded in secrecy.

This has drawn both criticism and praise: While some say voters should know who will be standing for election as soon as possible, others argue that it is wiser to wait to avoid candidates being discredited by the ruling party and aligned media at an early stage.

“The student list resembles the student movement itself,” says student Boris Kojcinovic. “It is diverse in education, origin and even political orientation.”

“The idea,” he adds, “is that we don’t think about whether we are conservative or liberal, left or right, whether we are believers or not; we want something in common — and that common goal is a better, properly run, just society with institutions that function.”

Source : https://www.dw.com/en/serbia-novi-sad-tragedy-one-year-anniversary-explained/a-74529170                                                                                     

In a testament to Kim Kardashian’s power to grab the spotlight, the head of NASA felt compelled this week to set the record straight when the reality TV queen said she believed a well-worn conspiracy theory that the 1969 Apollo 11 moon landing was a fake.

In a new episode of Hulu’s long-running family saga “The Kardashians,” the show’s star said she thinks the lunar landing by astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin was a fiction.

What convinced her, she said during the segment, was a video she saw online of an Aldrin interview. She said she interpreted his comments in that interview to mean the moon landing never occurred.

Since the 1970s, skeptics have floated the notion that the mission – viewed live by tens of millions of people around the world – was actually staged.

That theory has waxed and waned over the years, but Sean Duffy, U.S. Transportation Secretary and NASA’s acting administrator, wasted no time in shooting it down after Kardashian told her 4 million viewers that she was embracing the idea.

“Yes, @KimKardashian, we’ve been to the Moon before … 6 times!” Duffy wrote on Thursday on the X social media platform.

In fact, he said, the U.S. was going back to the moon under the leadership of President Donald Trump. In 2026, the Artemis II mission is scheduled to send astronauts on a 10-day trip around the moon, ahead of a planned moon landing in 2027.

“We won the last space race and we will win this one too,” Duffy wrote.

Kardashian referenced a video in which Aldrin, now 95, was asked what was the “scariest moment” during the Apollo mission. Reading from her phone, Kardashian quoted Aldrin as saying: “There was no scary moment, because it didn’t happen.”

The reality star then said: “So I think it didn’t happen.”

Aldrin’s remarks appear to have been taken out of context from a 2015 onstage appearance at Britain’s Oxford Union debating society.

During the event, Aldrin was asked by someone in the audience, “What was the scariest moment of the journey?”

Source : https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/lawrence-wong-apec-2025-trump-xi-5438131

China has plans to send a crewed mission to the Moon by the end of the decade.

A crew of three Chinese astronauts, including the country’s youngest, docked early Saturday (Nov 1) at the Tiangong space station, accompanied by four lab mice.

The Shenzhou-21 spaceship docked at 3.22am (7.22pm GMT Friday), China’s state news agency Xinhua reported.

That was about three-and-a-half hours after the spaceship departed from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, powered aloft by a Long March-2F rocket.

The Tiangong space station – crewed by teams of three astronauts that are exchanged every six months – is the crown jewel of China’s space programme, into which billions of dollars have been poured in a bid to catch up with the United States and Russia.

China has bold plans to send a crewed mission to the Moon by the end of the decade and eventually to build a base on the lunar surface.

Mission commander and veteran space pilot Zhang Lu is accompanied by 32-year-old flight engineer Wu Fei, China’s youngest astronaut to undertake a space mission, and payload specialist Zhang Hongzhang, 39.

The three astronauts waved goodbye to colleagues and family members at the remote launch base in the Gobi Desert as a band played a patriotic song.

Zhang Lu told reporters on Thursday he was confident his team would “report back to our motherland and its people with complete success”.

Space first-timer Wu told a news conference Thursday that he felt “incomparably lucky”.

Four mice – two male and two female – join them as the subjects of China’s first in-orbit experiments on rodents.

“SPACE DREAM”

Beijing’s space programme is the third to put humans in orbit, after the United States and the former Soviet Union.

China has ramped up plans to achieve its “space dream” under President Xi Jinping, successfully landing its Chang’e-4 probe on the far side of the Moon in 2019, the first spacecraft to do so.

It then landed a small robot on Mars in 2021.

On Thursday, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) outlined a series of “crucial upcoming tests” it was undertaking in preparation for its 2030 Moon goal.

In addition to advancing scientific research, the Shenzhou-21 crew is expected to go on spacewalks and install anti-debris shields on Tiangong’s exterior.

The astronauts are also expected to conduct “popular science education”, the CMSA said, as Beijing searches for future space talent both domestically and internationally.

Source : https://www.channelnewsasia.com/east-asia/china-launches-shenzhou-21-mission-tiangong-space-station-5438716

There’s nothing “Hot N Cold” about their relationship.

Katy Perry confirmed her romance with former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during her Prague concert after a fan in the crowd asked the singer to marry him with a sign.

“This guy is trying to get me to marry him and he has a ring in his hand,” Perry said on Thursday, per a TikTok video of the interaction.

“No! I am dating someone else for crying out f–king loud,” she told the crowd.

@cookie.grafie
i can‘t with this woman 😂😂😂 @Katy Perry #katyperry #lifetimestour #prague #concert #katycats

♬ Silencio Blanco Es Asesinato Piano-JP – Thirst Follow

The announcement comes shortly after the pair made their first public appearance together at Paris’ Crazy Horse cabaret as they celebrated Perry’s 41st birthday earlier this week.

A source told Page Six earlier this week that Trudeau, 53, is on cloud nine dating the pop star.

“He is crazy about her and thinks she is the perfect woman,” the insider described. “They are simpatico on everything including politics, kids and French food.”

“They both have a sparkle for each other,” the source added.

The duo first sparked romance rumors in July when they were seen having dinner at chic Le Violon restaurant in Montreal.

A few days later, Trudeau was spotted watching Perry take the stage at her “Lifetimes” tour stop at Montreal’s Bell Centre.

They were since spotted getting hot and heavy on a yacht date earlier this month while they sailed off the coast of Santa Barbara, Calif.

But, while Trudeau is a fan of the romance, other sources previously told Page Six that the relationship is the former politician’s version of a “midlife crisis.”

Source : https://pagesix.com/2025/10/31/celebrity-news/katy-perry-confirms-justin-trudeau-romance-while-rejecting-fans-marriage-proposal/

President Trump on Friday unveiled the latest in his series of White House makeovers — a gleaming, all-marble renovation of the historic Lincoln Bathroom — and, in true Trump fashion, he did it with fanfare and plenty of polish.

Posting photos on his Truth Social platform, Trump bragged that he had replaced what he called the “inappropriate” 1940s-era art deco green tile design with “black and white polished Statuary marble,” accented with gold fixtures.

“I renovated the Lincoln Bathroom in the White House,” the president wrote, sharing before-and-after images of the small but storied space near the Lincoln Bedroom.

“It was renovated in the 1940s in an art deco green tile style, which was totally inappropriate for the Lincoln Era.”

He wrote in another post that he used “highly polished, statuary marble.

“I did it in black and white polished Statuary marble,” Trump wrote.

“This was very appropriate for the time of Abraham Lincoln and, in fact, could be the marble that was originally there!” Trump quipped in a follow-up post on Truth Social.

The glossy makeover — complete with gilded mirrors and ornate trim — fits neatly into Trump’s long-standing taste for glitz, grandeur and marble.

It also comes amid controversy over his larger move demolishing the East Wing of the White House to build a sprawling 90,000-square-foot, $300 million ballroom.

The project, which Trump says will be paid for entirely by private donors, has drawn widespread criticism.

A new ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll found that 56% of Americans oppose the project tearing down the East Wing, including 45% who “strongly” oppose it.

Just 28% support the construction of the ballroom, which Trump has described as “the most beautiful, most luxurious event space in Washington.”

Critics have blasted the ballroom construction as a vanity project that disrespects White House history, while supporters say Trump is restoring elegance to a building that has seen decades of wear and modernization.

Earlier this month, Trump slammed President Harry Truman’s postwar redesign of the Lincoln Bedroom and adjoining bathroom, calling the mid-century makeover “a style that is not good.

“It is actually art deco and art deco doesn’t go with 1850 and civil wars,” Trump said at the time, insisting that his update was truer to Lincoln’s legacy.

Source : https://nypost.com/2025/10/31/us-news/trump-unveils-lincoln-bathroom-renovation-complete-with-gold-accents/

Erika Kirk fights back tears in her first interview since the assassination of her husband, conservative activist Charlie Kirk, during a preview aired Friday on Fox News Channel’s “Jesse Watters Primetime.”

In the clip, Watters played a video of Charlie discussing Turning Point USA, the organization he founded to promote conservative student activism.

“Wow, he looks so good,” Erika said as she watched. “Sorry, guys, just give me a second. It’s the longest video I’ve watched of him.”

Watters, who also grew teary during the segment, told her that Charlie “was on a mission to save Western civilization” and asked whether she knew that was “what you signed up for.”

“You know, well, no, I didn’t sign up for anything,” Erika replied. “I just married the love of my life.”

The interview marks Erika Kirk’s first televised sit-down since her 31-year-old husband was fatally shot at a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10.

Tyler Robinson, 22, of Utah, has been charged with first-degree murder in the killing.

Kirk founded Turning Point USA in 2012 and became a key figure in the MAGA movement, hosting a popular podcast and speaking at Republican events nationwide.

The emotional sit-down with host Jesse Watters will air in full on Wednesday, followed by an extended multi-part docuseries on Fox Nation two days later.

Fox News announced the interview earlier this week, saying that it would cover “the impactful legacy that Charlie left on the nation, the power of faith in their lives, the timeline of what happened the day he was killed, and the future of Turning Point USA.”

Fox News is owned by Fox Corp, sister company to The Post’s corporate parent News Corp.

The segment will be followed by a Fox Nation documentary series, “This Is the Turning Point,” featuring behind-the-scenes footage of Erika Kirk as she assumed leadership of her husband’s student movement.

The grieving widow appeared on stage at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) on Wednesday night before a sold-out crowd that came out to see her first Turning Point USA campus appearance since her husband’s murder.

The event was marked by a video tribute to Charlie Kirk, which naturally elicited an emotional reaction from Erika before she took the microphone.

Source : https://nypost.com/2025/10/31/us-news/erika-kirk-calls-charlie-kirk-the-love-of-her-life-in-preview-of-first-interview-since-his-assassination/

Babar Azam broke Rohit Sharma’s record for most runs in men’s Twenty20s as Pakistan hammered South Africa by nine wickets and leveled their series on Friday.

Babar Azam broke Rohit Sharma’s record for most runs in men’s Twenty20s as Pakistan hammered South Africa by nine wickets and leveled their series on Friday. Saim Ayub returned to form with a belligerent unbeaten 71 off 38 balls as Pakistan raced to 112-1 in just 13.1 overs after bowling out South Africa for 110. Fast bowlers Salman Mirza and Faheem Ashraf shared seven wickets. The third and deciding T20 is on Saturday. Babar needed nine runs to pass Sharma’s record of 4,231 runs and finished 11 not out. He overtook the Indian batter’s record when he drove spinner Donovan Ferreira for a single to long-off.

Pakistan recalled Babar for his first T20s in almost a year after Fakhar Zaman was rested. Babar missed the chance in the first match to set the record when he was dismissed for a two-ball duck at Rawalpindi on Tuesday.

Source : https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/babar-azam-breaks-rohit-sharmas-world-record-in-pakistans-big-win-against-south-africa-9554450