Category: World

Thousands of people took to the streets of cities in southern Europe on Sunday to demonstrate against overtourism, firing water pistols at shop windows and setting off smoke in Barcelona, where the main protest took place.
“Your holidays, my misery,” protesters chanted in the streets of Barcelona while holding up banners emblazoned with slogans such as “mass tourism kills the city” and “their greed brings us ruin”.

Under the umbrella of the SET alliance – Sud d’Europa contra la Turistització, or Catalan for “Southern Europe against Overtourism” – protesters joined forces with groups in Portugal and Italy, arguing that uncontrolled tourism was sending housing prices soaring and forcing people out of their neighbourhoods.
Barcelona, a city of 1.6 million, drew 26 million tourists last year.
Authorities in the north eastern Spanish city said around 600 people joined the demonstration there, some firing water pistols or setting off coloured smoke and putting stickers saying ‘Neighbourhood self-defence, tourist go home’ on shop windows and hotels.

Outside one hotel, an agitated worker confronted the protesters saying he was “only working” and was not the venue’s owner.
There were similar demonstrations in other parts of Spain including Ibiza, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca, San Sebastian and Granada. Protests in Italy took place in cities including Genoa, Naples, Palermo, Milan and Venice, where locals oppose the construction of two hotels that will add around 1,500 new beds to the city, the organisers told Reuters.
In Barcelona, the city government said last year it would bar apartment rentals to tourists by 2028 to make the city more liveable for residents.
“I’m very tired of being a nuisance in my own city. The solution is to propose a radical decrease in the number of tourists in Barcelona and bet on another economic model that brings prosperity to the city,” Eva Vilaseca, 38, told Reuters at Sunday’s demonstration in Barcelona, dismissing the common counterargument that tourism brings jobs and prosperity.

International travel spending in Europe is expected to rise by 11% to $838 billion this year, with Spain and France among the countries set to receive record numbers of tourists.

Source : https://www.reuters.com/world/protesters-against-overtourism-take-streets-southern-europe-2025-06-15/

Iran has told mediators Qatar and Oman that it is not open to negotiating a ceasefire while it is under Israeli attack, an official briefed on the communications told Reuters on Sunday, as the two foes launched fresh attacks and raised fears of a wider conflict.
“The Iranians informed Qatari and Omani mediators that they will only pursue serious negotiations once Iran has completed its response to the Israeli pre-emptive strikes,” said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the conflict.

Iran made “clear that it will not negotiate while under attack,” the official said.
Israel launched a surprise attack on Iran on Friday morning that wiped out the top echelon of Iran’s military command and damaged its nuclear sites, and says the campaign will continue to escalate in coming days.
Iran has vowed to “open the gates of hell” in retaliation in what has emerged as the biggest ever confrontation between the longstanding enemies.
The official told Reuters media reports that Iran appealed to Oman and Qatar to engage the U.S. to broker a ceasefire and renew nuclear talks were inaccurate.
Iran’s foreign ministry did not respond to Reuters request for comment, nor did Qatar’s foreign ministry or Oman’s ministry of information.

Source : https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/iran-rejects-ceasefire-negotiations-while-under-israeli-attack-official-says-2025-06-15/

ARCHAEOLOGISTS have claimed to have discovered a second hidden city sat deep beneath Egypt’s famous pyramids of Giza.

The potentially seismic revelation could even help to prove the existence of a whopping complex of chambers buried 2,000ft underground.

Back in March, a clever team of Italian and Scottish archaeologists sensationally claimed that “an entire hidden world of many structures” is hidden beneath the pyramids.

This was described as a secret city at the time.

They used radar technology to see a complex network sat more than a kilometre below the ground of the Khafre pyramid.

It is said to include huge vertical columns with spiral stairs, a water system and connecting corridors which all formed a city.

But now, the same team has uncovered a similar phenomenon under a second pyramid in Giza.

Just months after the Khafre discovery, they claim to have found another city beneath the Pyramid of Menkaure – the smallest of the three main pyramids at Giza.

The newly-discovered shafts and pillars would blow apart the accepted wisdom about the origins of the pyramids, if ever proven.

Filippo Biondi, a radar expert from University of Strathclyde and co-author of the research, told the Daily Mail their data shows a 90 per cent probability the Menkaure and the Khafre share the same pillars.

The team used “objective analysis of the tomography data” to help uncover the mystery structures beneath the pyramids.

Biondi said: “We firmly believe that the Giza structures are interconnected, reinforcing our view that the pyramids are merely the tip of the iceberg of a colossal underground infrastructural complex.

“This network likely consists of a dense system of tunnels linking the main subterranean structures.

“Discoveries like these under Menkaure challenge us to rethink our understanding of ancient Egyptian history and humanity’s past, opening new perspectives on our origins and capabilities.”

In an even bolder claim, they theorised the Giza complex of pyramids, widely thought the be around 4,500 years old, was actually built 38,000 years ago.

The shafts and chambers they identified below ground are said to be a similar age.

Another major suggestion is that the people who built the pyramids may have been wiped out by a “divine flood” triggered by an asteroid pact.

According to the theory, the pyramids were the only “megastructure” to survive the extinction event.

Many fellow researchers remain sceptical about the existence of a hidden network underneath the great pyramids.

Some have even outright blasted the archaeologists for their proposals.

Dr Zahi Hawass, Egypt’s former Minister of Antiquities, labelled the findings “completely wrong” and not rooted in science.

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/tech/14487853/hidden-city-egypt-pyramids/

Another transfer of 1,200 bodies from Russia was received by Ukraine as part of an exchange agreement that was struck in Istanbul talks earlier this month, Ukrainian officials announced on Sunday.

“Another 1,200 bodies which the Russian side claims belong to Ukrainian citizens, including military personnel, were returned to Ukraine,” the coordination headquarters for the treatment of prisoners of war in Kyiv reported, adding that the bodies would have to be forensically identified.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov announced on Facebook that a total of 4,812 bodies have been returned this week. “I am grateful to everyone involved in this humanitarian mission,” he said.

Ukraine has not commented whether it has sent any bodies to the Russian side.

Russian news outlets also reported on the handover, which was part of a series of agreements reached between the two warring sides in Istanbul on June 2, that included also several prisoner exchanges.

According to the media reports, Russia did not receive any of its fallen soldiers from Ukraine on Sunday. Russia plans to return the bodies of 6,000 Ukrainians.

Exact extent of the losses remains unknown

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, neither Moscow nor Kyiv has typically disclosed its military losses.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told NBC, a US news channel, earlier this year that more than 46,000 Ukrainian soldiers have died and some 380,000 were hurt.

Russia has not disclosed the number of its military fatalities since September 2022, when it reported that fewer than 6,000 soldiers had died. This figure is widely considered to be significantly lower than the actual number of casualties.

Source : https://www.dw.com/en/ukraine-receives-1200-more-war-dead-bodies-from-russia/a-72917337

THIS is the heartstopping moment a six-year-old drowns in a pool as his cousin watches on helplessly – before a bystander bravely intervenes.

Shocking footage showed the boy desperately trying to stay afloat for nearly two minutes – before a quick-thinking stranger leapt into the water to help him.

The harrowing video begins with the two cousins standing on the side of a Fort Lauderdale pool in Florida.

The six-year-old boy named Oscar then decides to jump recklessly onto a blue inflatable sunbed.

He suddenly loses his balance, and then falls into the water.

Seemingly unable to swim, he starts wailing his arms around desperately, failing to tread water.

Standing on the side of the pool, his cousin realises he can’t do anything as he does not know how to swim either.

Desperate to help his drowning relative, the adult cousin tries dipping his feat in the water, in an attempt to get himself into the water too.

But he hesitates a few times when he realises he would also end up drowning.

He even tries to push out the sunbed for the child to grab on to.

But still struggling, the child takes no notice if the inflatable and continues to flail around in the water.

The youngster even appears to remain under the surface of the water for an extended amount of time.

He is trapped without air for over a minute and a half before someone comes to his rescue.

Luckily construction worker Roque Ivan Ocampo who was at the same building heard the screams and was alerted to the commotion.

He rushed into the pool area through a gate, before jumping in without any hesitation.

The heroic worker dragged the child to the side of the pool, before starting CPR.

Police are then seen arriving at the poolside, also helping the boy who luckily survived the frightening ordeal.

Ocampo told NBC News: “He doesn’t move at all, that’s why I thought maybe, ‘He’s dead,’ because he wasn’t moving.”

He also said in the moment there was “no time to think, just to act”.

The boy was rushed to hospital and is expected to make a full recovery.

Police officer Jamie Bodine said: “It takes a lot of bravery to do what he did, and I think Oscar’s outcome would’ve been a lot worse if [he] hadn’t jumped in the pool, pulled him out, and done CPR right away.

“I don’t think we thanked him enough that day.”

The boy and Ocampo reunited the next day, where he told Oscar: “You’re very strong and I’m so proud of you.”

But the internet was somewhat confused by the footage – especially the bizarre fact his cousin stood by for so long without doing anything.

One user said: “Where were the parents? Why were [they] left alone near the pool without supervision?

“Something is wrong with this scenario.”

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/news/14485495/boy-drowns-cousin-watches-stranger-saves/

Supporters of police officer killed in 2022 tell The U.S. Sun why they are confident justice will be served

ONE dead police officer, two furious camps of supporters, and a flood of sickening, bitter online hate that’s threatening to destroy lives.

The small Massachusetts suburb of Canton, just 20 miles south of Boston, will hold its breath this weekend as the tumultuous Karen Read murder trial enters a decisive stage.

DRAMATIC ENDING

Closing arguments were heard Friday, as Read fights a second degree murder charge over the January 29, 2022 death of her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe.

The jury were sent for deliberation after eight weeks in Norfolk Superior Court and will return on Monday with a decision expected imminently.

She also faced charges for driving drunk when the fatal incident occurred, along with fleeing the scene after allegedly causing O’Keefe’s death.

He was found dead in the snow outside a private party at the house of Brian Albert, a retired Boston cop and lifelong Canton resident.

What began as a tragic incident has spiraled into one of the most polarizing legal battles in recent state history.

And at the heart of the drama —played out daily via live courthouse streams — is a vicious tug-of-war between two increasingly hostile groups of observers, each convinced they know where justice truly lies.

The U.S. Sun spoke last month with Read supporter Rita Lombardi, who described how the town has been “torn apart,” with relatives and friends turning on her over her defense of the accused woman.

She even said her lawn had been vandalized with bleach filled balloons which were allegedly thrown onto her property.

Theories of police misconduct have circulated widely, with critics pointing fingers at investigators for alleged interference and a lack of transparency.

Read’s defense team alleges that O’Keefe, who was the legal guardian of his niece and nephew after their parents died, actually entered Albert’s house, only to be beaten, possibly bitten by a dog, then hauled out into the snow.

FURIOUS COUNTER-CLAIM

But O’Keefe’s loved ones argue that Read acted out of malice after a night of heavy drinking, insisting she is solely responsible for the 46-year-old’s death by reversing into him.

Read, who chose not to testify in either trial, has since become outspoken in the media.

She’s spoken to reporters outside court, appeared on TV, sat down for a Vanity Fair interview, and participated in a true-crime docuseries — all while maintaining her innocence.

But in court, prosecutors played a pivotal moment from her October 2024 Dateline interview, where Read appeared to waver. “I didn’t think I hit him,” she said in the clip. “But could I have clipped him… knocked him out… and in drunkenness and in the cold, he didn’t come to again?”

“She was drunk, she hit him and left him to die” said prosecutor Hank Brennan, who is best known for defending James “Whitey” Bulger, the notorious mob boss, in his closing statement Friday, where he described their two year relationship as “toxic.”

“It was crumbling. The discontent was palpable.”

The late officer also has a vocal group of backers on X, many of whom remain anonymous out of fear of retaliation — but are convinced of Read’s guilt.

The U.S. Sun spoke to two O’Keefe supporters who requested anonymity due to ongoing harassment.

They claim some Read advocates have contacted their employers and launched smear campaigns that spilled into their professional and personal lives.

“We get death threats,” said one supporter. “People stalk and dox us. They post old photos and dig through every account you’ve ever had. The harassment is unreal.”

The unnamed woman said the online chaos reminds her of the Delphi murders, where amateur sleuths posted graphic crime scene images of two slain Indiana teens.

The twisted man behind one of America’s most haunting child murder cases was unmasked not in court—but online, as chilling footage of his confession exploded across social media.

Richard Allen, the Indiana pharmacy worker who butchered two schoolgirls on a wooded trail, is now serving 130 years behind bars—but it’s the internet, not the justice system, that truly blew this case wide open.

The 2024 trial ended with Allen handed the maximum sentence for murdering 13-year-old Abigail “Abby” Williams and 14-year-old Liberty “Libby” German, who vanished while hiking in Delphi back in 2017.

But it wasn’t until after the courtroom drama wrapped that the most disturbing evidence began surfacing online — uncensored, unfiltered, and horrifying.

Clips from Libby’s phone — captured just moments before her death—and video of Allen breaking down and confessing during a police interrogation have been shared across X, TikTok, and YouTube in recent months.

Viewers were stunned to see the killer’s face twitch and crumble as he admitted to the murders, confirming years of whispers and theories that had dominated true crime forums and Reddit threads.

The footage, originally shown in court, was leaked or obtained through media pressure — and once it hit the web, it spread like wildfire.

“No matter what the verdict is, someone died.That’s the real tragedy here.

While there is no smoking gun confession in this case, critics say social media has done more to expose the truth than the authorities ever did, while the victims’ families wrestle with grief all over again as the killer’s confession plays out on loop for millions.

WILD THEORIES

In Canton, accusations have flown around about YouTubers profiting off false narratives. One blogger, known as Turtleboy, has been indicted on 16 counts including witness intimidation.

The woman we spoke to estimates “500 to 1,000 people” are involved in targeted harassment.

“It’s terrible. The same thing happened in Delphi. People are attacking witnesses and families. Defense teams have worked directly with TikTokers and YouTubers to push propaganda,” she said.

“We’re tired of seeing victims’ families get dragged. A group of us is working to name and call out the people spreading lies for clicks.”

She also noted that while some O’Keefe supporters have been physically stalked, they’ve avoided retaliation—focusing instead on courtroom updates.

“To me, it’s obvious. You’d have to suspend all logic to think this wasn’t a domestic violence drunk hit-and-run,” she said. “It’s shocking how badly we treat male victims. He was trapped in a coercive relationship.”

The public attention has overwhelmed Canton. Last year’s street demonstrations during the first trial, she said, were “humiliating.”

“It’s an embarrassing circus,” she added.

Another O’Keefe supporter from Massachusetts said he’s been forced to speak anonymously behind a parody account.

He told the U.S. Sun the case has “divided the community” and made it nearly impossible to talk about openly.

He also pointed to recent anti-police sentiment in cities like Los Angeles as a factor in the case.

“People are quick to believe police are hiding something,” said the man, who posts under @cccuomo870. “Whether that’s true or not, the fact that so many think it is shows how far trust has eroded.”

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/news/14475310/karen-read-murder-case-john-okeefe-delphi-murders/

DUCK Dynasty star Willie Robertson’s store Duck Commander has been slammed as “unimpressive” and “cheap” by customers.

Willie, 53, owns Duck Commander in West Monroe, Louisiana with the warehouse holding a store, museum, tour and other family businesses.

On Duck Dynasty: The Revival, Willie revealed he hasn’t been as involved in the business recently, as he shocked workers by making a rare appearance at the store.

The U.S. Sun can exclusively reveal the shop has faced backlash from customers because of the “cheap” merchandise.

One customer wrote, “Just stopped in because we were in the area. Our kids used to love the show. Didn’t take the tour so maybe we should have, but the store was not very impressive. Not sure what I expected but definitely something more.”

Another commented, “Buyer Beware… Love the show and the family so of course we had to stop at the store on our way through town. I bought my son a hat and my daughter a shirt.

“When we got home from Spring Break, I washed the shirt and a lot of the brown paint came off the duck. I called the store and they told me to email customer service, which I did.

“Maybe they should pick a better screen printing company to work with, which would allow them to stand behind their merch!”

A third said, “Big disappointment! Used to be a cool place to stop and stretch your legs but it’s not what it used to be. Don’t waste your time.”

A fourth wrote, “Kinda small. Not much to it.”

But other fans loved the experience, as one wrote, “The Duck Commander was amazing. We particularly enjoyed the museum and it was well worth the money as each of us got to make a duck call.
It was a very special day bc they filmed an episode of Duck Dynasty: The Revival Season 1 the same day we visited.”

A second praised, “Absolutely loved the store and the self guided tour of the Robertson family history.”

The store sells merchandise including $34.99 shirts, $29.99 hats, $42.99 duck callers, $42 water bottles and more.

FAMILY BUSINESS

The Robertson family returned to A&E with Duck Dynasty: The Revival on Sunday, June 1.

On the premiere episode, Willie visits Duck Commander headquarters.

Even though he is head of the business, he was completely out of the loop with his wife, Korie, taking the reins.

He explained on the series, “Duck Commander warehouse is totally different, five or six businesses. It’s got a museum, family history, pretty much everything we’ve ever said or done is up on the walls of the museum.

“The gift shop, we have podcasts, we’ve written books, it’s a lot for one man to manage.”

When Willie showed up to the warehouse, he didn’t know the name of the woman at the front desk.

When a producer asked who is in charge of the business in a confessional with Willie and Korie, he said, “I am still currently in charge of this business.”

Korie smiled and quipped, “For the most part.

“It’s kind of complicated now because other people have really stepped up and done a great job of taking over different aspects of it.”

Willie then said, “Well when something big comes up I still come.”

Korie shot back, “Every few months.”

He then learned Korie runs the company meetings, which he didn’t know existed.

At the company meeting, Willie announced he is going to semi-retire and is looking for his replacement.

The U.S. Sun previously reported that despite Korie’s involvement in the company and his semi-retirement on the show, she has been snubbed from the business.

According to Louisiana business records, Willie is president and director of Duck Commander INC, while his late father, Phil, is listed as the director.

Korie is not listed on the business license.

Instead, she is listed as a member on Duck Commander The Tour, LLC while Willie is listed as the manager and the member.

RATINGS CRISIS

The U.S. Sun previously reported Duck Dynasty: The Revival premiere had just 510,000 viewers for the episode.

The Sunday, June 8 show dropped down to 438,000 viewers.

While the show exceeded the current programs on A&E, ratings plummeted drastically compared to its heyday.

The highest Duck Dynasty episode was on August 14, 2013.

The season four premiere drew a whopping 11.8 million viewers, making it the number one nonfiction series telecast in history at that time.

Duck Dynasty ratings remained in the millions throughout the show’s 11 seasons.

The final episode on March 29, 2017 brought in 1,507,000 viewers.

Variety reviewed the episode, claiming the show will “bore” viewers “to tears.”

One viewer said after watching the premiere, “Tonight’s show was a huge disappointment. I’ll watch next week bc I want this to succeed. Hoping it gets legs and takes off.”

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/tv/14475121/duck-dynasty-willie-robertson-store-ripped-unimpressive-cheap/

THE best friend and roommate of the suspected Minnesota assassin revealed the final chilling text he received from the alleged killer.

Suspected gunman Vance Boelter is believed to have killed Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband at their home while disguised as a police officer wearing a latex mask.

The killer, who is still on the loose, also seriously injured Senator John Hoffman and his wife at their residence in Champlin just hours before, early on Saturday.

The alleged shooter’s friend, David Carlson, has now detailed his childhood pal’s final goodbye message, according to KARE.

Reading his text messages with Boelter, Carlson said: “David and Ron, I love you guys.

“I made some choices, and you guys don’t know anything about this, but I’m going to be gone for a while.

“May be dead shortly, so I just want to let you know I love you guys both and I wish it hadn’t gone this way.”

The suspected political assassin’s friend read the eerie messages to TV cameras in front of his home in North Minneapolis.

He continued to read the texts: “I don’t want to say anything more and implicate you in any way because you guys don’t know anything about this.

“But I love you guys and I’m sorry for all the trouble this has caused.”

Fearing his friend may have done something to harm himself, Carlson immediately called the cops.

The texts were sent at around 6am – after Boelter is believed to have commited the murders.

The 59-year-old, who met Boelter, 57, all the way back in fourth grade, was shocked at the prospect that his friend could have carried out the ruthless killings.

“He wasn’t a hateful person,” Carlson said.

He added: “But he needed help.”

The haunting texts were revealed after the accused killer’s wife was detained following a dramatic traffic stop – before cops said they found weapons and passports in her car.

Jenny Boelter was stopped by police while driving with several relatives near Onamia, Minnesota, on Saturday at around 10am, according to KTSP.

In the car she also had cash and ammunition, local cops said, adding that the wife was also held for questioning but not arrested.

It is currently unclear whether the Boetlers lived together – since Vance is understood to have lived at a residence in Camden, Minnesota.

The couple are understood to have joint-ran Praetorian Guard Security Services, a Minnesota-based security company.

Their website says: “Here to set up security options and provide security services right to your doorstep and property to keep what you own safe and secure.”

The site also says that Boelter had experience working with “security situations” across Eastern Europe, Africa, North America and the Middle East.

Online biographies also showed he was the CEO of Red Lion Group – which is based in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Additionally, he is said to have worked with Minnesota Africans United – a local organization working with African immigrants in the state.

2022 footage showed Boelter speaking about Red Lion Group’s ventures in the DRC, claiming to have business ventures there in fishing, farming, media, security, and motorcycle-taxis.

Last month, his online profiles said he was open to work.

Boelter’s longtime pal Carlson seemingly confirmed his search for work, and added that his friend was experiencing financial trouble, according to CNN.

Carlson said: “He was looking around, but maybe things didn’t work out and he just gave up and decided to go out in a blaze of glory.

“I have no idea what he was thinking.”

Boelter was twice appointed to Minnesota government by different Democratic governors.

In 2016, then Governor Mark Dayton appointed Boelter to the Workforce Development Council.

Later in 2019, current Governor Tim Walz enlisted him to serve a four-year stint on the Workforce Development Board, according to documents.

Despite his work under Walz, roommate and friend Carlson revealed that Boelter had voted for Donald Trump at the last election.

The security services worker also last registered to vote in 2022 as a Republican, according to the New York Post.

Carlson added that he wasn’t aware of what Boelter’s political leanings on state politics were, however.

He also shared that Boelter was also strongly anti-abortion – but not in a way that could have motivated him to kill.

“It wasn’t the thing that defined him,” Carlson said.

“I mean, it wasn’t his total existence. He would talk about other things.”

Boelter lived at Carlson’s home in North Minneapolis just a few days a week, according to the roommate.

He explained how Boelter was not at the residence at the time officers executed a search warrant on Saturday.

Cops were called to Senator Hoffman’s home at 2:08am on Saturday and responded to Rep. Hortman’s home at 3:35am — where they exchanged gunfire with the suspect.

The shooter was seen on home security footage released by the FBI outside one of the victim’s homes, wearing a fake police uniform and an eerie latex mask.

As cops launched an extensive manhunt for the killer who is still at large, they named 57-year-old Vance Luther Boelter as a suspect in the shootings.

He should be considered armed and dangerous and the public should not approach him, the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has warned.

A $50,000 reward for information leading to his arrest and conviction has been announced by the FBI.

A motive has not been released by cops, but the shootings come as millions take to the streets as part of the anti-Trump No Kings movement.

They came during and in the lead up to the President’s huge military parade in Washington DC.

Minnesota State Patrol Col. Christina Bogojevic said: “We don’t have any direct links, however there were some fliers that said ‘No Kings’ within the suspect’s vehicle.

“And as we know, the events planned throughout the state of Minnesota is a No Kings event.”

Boelter was last seen in the Twin Cities area wearing a light-colored cowboy hat, a dark long-sleeved shirt and light pants.

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/news/14483960/minnesota-assassin-vance-boelter-best-friend/

In the heart of Spain’s capital, Sobrino de Botín holds a coveted Guinness World Record as the world’s oldest restaurant. Exactly three hundred years after it opened its doors, Botín welcomes droves of daily visitors hungry for Castilian fare with a side of history.

But on the outskirts of Madrid, far from the souvenir shops and tourist sites, a rustic tavern named Casa Pedro makes a bold claim. Its owners assert the establishment endured not just the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s and the Napoleonic invasion in the early 1800s, but even the War of Spanish Succession at the start of the 18th century — a lineage that would make Casa Pedro older than Botín and a strong contender for the title.

“It’s really frustrating when you say, ‘Yes, we’ve been around since 1702,’ but … you can’t prove it,” said manager and eighth-generation proprietor Irene Guiñales. “If you look at the restaurant’s logo, it says ‘Casa Pedro, since 1702,’ so we said, ‘Damn it, let’s try to prove it.’”

Guiñales, 51, remembers her grandfather swearing by Casa Pedro’s age, but she was aware that decades-old hearsay from a proud old-timer wouldn’t be enough to prove it. Her family hired a historian and has so far turned up documents dating the restaurant’s operations to at least 1750.

That puts them within striking distance of Botín’s record.

Clients and rivals

Both taverns are family-owned. Both offer Castilian classics like stewed tripe and roast suckling pig. They are decorated with charming Spanish tiles, feature ceilings with exposed wooden beams and underground wine cellars. And both enjoy a rich, star-studded history.

Botín’s celebrated past includes a roster of literary patrons like Truman Capote, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Graham Greene. In his book “The Sun Also Rises,” Ernest Hemingway described it as “one of the best restaurants in the world.” While Casa Pedro may not have boasted the same artistic pedigree, it boasts its own VIPs. Its walls are adorned with decades-old photographs of former Spanish King Juan Carlos I dining in one of its many rooms. The current Spanish monarch, King Felipe VI dines there, too, albeit more inconspicuously than his father.

But the similarities between the two hotspots end there.

Casa Pedro was once a stop on the only road heading north from the Spanish capital toward France. Its clientele is largely local regulars, like David González and Mayte Villena, who for years have spent every Friday lunching at the tavern.

“It wouldn’t change a thing for us,” Villena said about the restaurant someday securing the Guinness title.

Botín, on the other hand, is a stone’s throw from Madrid’s famed Plaza Mayor, where any day of the week tour guides are herding groups around town — and often straight through the restaurant’s front door.

Antonio González, a third-generation proprietor of Botín, concedes that the Guinness accolade awarded in 1987 has helped business, but said the restaurant had enough history to draw visitors even before.

“It has a certain magic,” he said.

Pretenders to the crown

The question then becomes: How can either restaurant definitively claim the title? Guinness provides its specific guidelines for the superlative only to applicants, according to spokesperson Kylie Galloway, noting that it entails “substantial evidence and documentation of the restaurant’s operation over the years.”

Israel and Iran traded another round of blows late Saturday – in a series of overnight attacks that killed at least eight civilians in the Jewish state and struck Iran’s Ministry of Defense headquarters in Tehran.

Iran continued its response to Israel’s preemptive strike from earlier this week with a massive barrage of missiles on Sunday, sending countless people running for bomb shelters to escape the incoming fire, The Times of Israel reported.

Sunday’s most recent strike by Iran hit buildings in Bat Yam, Rehovot, and Tel Aviv as well as a mall in the town of Kiryat Ekron, that outlet stated citing first responders.

The evening’s later round of Iranian strikes killed four people in Bam Yat and injured a dozen with as many as 35 people still unaccounted for, according to the outlet.

Those victims included two children ages 8 and 13, a woman in her 60s, and a woman in her 70s, the report said, citing first responders.

In strikes earlier Saturday, a total of four Israeli civilians were killed and 200 more were injured. All four of those fatalities were women from the same family, according to The Times of Israel.

Manar Khatib and her daughters Hala, 20, and Shada, 13, alongside a relative also named Manar, perished in the bombings on the city of Tamra earlier Saturday, the outlet reported.

Overall throughout the day, some 140 were wounded.

The IDF lifted instructions to remain near bomb shelters just before 3:30 a.m. local time — however warnings remained in place for an ongoing drone attack, The Times of Israel reported.

Targets struck by Iran included Israel’s largest oil refinery in the Haifa region in the north of the country.

Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot was also hit with at least one building containing laboratories ignited in flames, The New York Times reported.

Hours after Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu vowed to bring the full force of the air force down on Tehran during a fiery address, sirens could be heard in the north of Israel, as Iran fired the “heavy and destructive” ballistic missile attack.

Meanwhile, Israel hit Iran’s central command and caused minor damage to one of the Ministry’s administrative buildings, while a separate attack targeted the defense ministry’s Organization of Defense Innovation and Research, Iranian news agency Tasnim reported.

Footage shared on social media captured smoke rising from the buildings following the strike conducted by the Israel Defense Forces.

Iran state media stated Israel struck the world’s largest natural gas field in South Pars, Shahran oil depot, and more fuel depots in Tehran.

“Tehran is ablaze,” Israel Defense Minister Katz posted on X, as footage circulating on social media from the strike showed large fires at the oil depot.

Earlier Saturday, Iran’s largest natural gas production facility, the South Pars gas field, erupted in flames, and piles of smoke were seen from the oil refinery in Abadan, off the Persian Gulf, after IDF air strikes

Israel has asked the United States to join the war to eliminate Iran’s nuclear capabilities but the US has rejected those requests, Axios reported citing two Israeli officials.

The US is specifically being asked to provide assistance in destroying Iran’s uranium enrichment site in Fordo, which is beyond Israel’s military range, that report stated.

Source : https://nypost.com/2025/06/14/world-news/iran-fires-another-round-of-missiles-at-israel-and-explosions-are-heard-in-tehran/

A massive “No Kings” rally opposing President Trump erupted into an alarming scene of chaos in downtown Los Angeles Saturday, as rocks, concrete and “commercial-grade” fireworks were lobbed at officers — as another rally in Portland near an ICE facility was reportedly decared a riot.

What started as a peaceful protest of more than 20,000 people quickly descended into mayhem as demonstrators clashed with the Los Angeles Police Department and other agencies in a cloud of tear gas outside the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building.

It prompted officials to declare the group and unlawful assembly.

Footage showed cops on horseback charging into the sea of people wielding their batons, as others in gas masks and tactical gear unleashed several rounds of mace and crowd-controls — sending protesters and bystanders scrambling through the streets.

Cops, who arrived at the scene in armored vehicles, said on X that protestors were hurling concrete, rocks, bottles and fireworks at officers trying to disperse the crowd and clear the streets.

The department’s Central Division later said that “commercial grade” fireworks were being launched at responding officers.

“We just wanted to come and support our people and we’re getting tear gassed for it,” Melissa Bran, 28, said while dabbing her red eyes with a wet cloth.

A citywide curfew will take effect at 8 p.m. to control the escalating unrest, which has continued for hours.

Volunteer medics are currently at the scene offering saline solution to those in need.

Some protesters thought the response by police was excessive.

“It was a total 100% over-reaction,” Samantha Edgerton, 37, said.

“We weren’t doing anything but standing around chanting peaceful protest.”

Source : https://nypost.com/2025/06/14/us-news/unlawful-assembly-declared-in-la-as-no-kings-protests-grow-chaotic-cops-hit-with-concrete-fireworks/

North Korea has successfully repaired and relaunched its new 5,000-ton naval destroyer less than a month after the boat embarrassingly capsized, according to state media reports.

The Korean Central News Agency said the destroyer — the second one Pyongyang has built this year — was back in the water on Thursday.

The reclusive North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was reportedly at the launch, held along the country’s east coast.

Kim said the new battleship stood as “convincing proof of the rapid transformation of our Navy. … No one will doubt, I think, the rapid transformation of our Navy as they have witnessed the launching of another new-type destroyer less than two months after a similar event at the Nampho Shipyard.”

Kim repeated prior claims he would bolster North Korea’s navy in response to perceived threats posed by the US and its Asian allies.

“The super-radical growth of our Navy’s operations capability is now being proved by powerful entities, not by a prediction or possibility, and this has already become an unstoppable, powerful current of history,” said Kim.

The ruler of the hermit kingdom previously attributed last month’s botched launch to criminal negligence. Four officials were later detained, including the vice director of the Workers’ Party’s munitions industry department.

Meanwhile, Kim has been visiting military industrial factories across the country, calling on the country to ramp up production of shells in order to meet the demands of war in the 21st century.

KCNP reported Kim “gave field guidance at a major munitions industry enterprise” on Friday, and “learned in detail about shell production, capacity expansion and modernization projects in the first half of 2025.”

Source : https://nypost.com/2025/06/14/world-news/sunken-warship-relaunched-in-north-korea-as-part-of-naval-beef-up/

We are driving at speed through the green hills of rural Hertfordshire. Through the passenger seat window, large elegant houses flash by. Each front lawn is neat, each hedgerow well-kept. It looks like England from a storybook – but this part of the country is actually on the frontline of a relatively new (and some might say divisive) approach to crime prevention.

In the driver’s seat is Robert, a guard employed by Blueline Security. His car is painted with blue and yellow stripes, meaning it looks a lot like a police car. Inside there’s a walkie-talkie, a first-aid kit, and a Belgian Malinois dog called Bella (given similar training to a police dog, I’m told).

But Robert – who wears a bullet-proof vest and carries a pair of handcuffs – is careful to point out that he is not a real policeman.

“The more keen eye will realise that this isn’t a police car,” he says as he flicks his indicator. He points out that they follow the regulations on vehicle markings designed to distinguish police cars from other cars.

“But it looks similar enough where criminality will see it at a distance and think, ‘Let’s maybe not go there’.”

Blueline is one of a handful of “private policing” firms that have emerged in recent years. It has operated mostly in wealthy enclaves of southern England since 2019 and, for a fee, its team of ex-police or ex-army guards can patrol villages, looking for burglars and car thieves. Robert, in fact, spent 14 years working in the police force.

Various similar businesses have sprung up around the UK in recent years, including My Local Bobby, which was founded in 2016 and now has almost 150 security guards, as well as a fleet of cars.

According to some customers who spoke to the BBC, this fills a gap left by the real police, who they claim they no longer trust to turn up promptly to a 999 call in their villages.

To residents who can afford these firms, they are a “lifeline”, as one customer tells me. But to others, they represent an affront to the values on which British policing was founded; a step towards a country in which the wealthy get better access to law enforcement than the poor.

One former senior figure in the Metropolitan Police says she fears the emergence of a “two-tier society”.

So, with pressures on real police growing, is there room for private firms to help ease the load – or do so-called “private bobbies” blur the lines between police and profit?

Stark images, captured from a drone by environmental campaigners and shared with the BBC, appear to show how nickel mining has stripped forests and polluted waters in one of the most biodiverse marine habitats on Earth.

The Raja Ampat archipelago – a group of small islands in Indonesia’s Southwest Papua Province – has been dubbed the “Amazon of the Seas”.

But mining for nickel – an ingredient in electric vehicle batteries and in stainless steel – has ramped up there in recent years, according to the organisation Global Witness.

In a move that was welcomed by campaigners, the Indonesian government this week revoked permits for four out of five mining companies operating in the region.

In a statement published online, Indonesia’s Ministry for the Environment said: “Raja Ampat’s biodiversity is a world heritage that must be protected.

“We pay great attention to mining activities that occur in the area.”

But photographs – taken by Global Witness as part of an investigation – appear to show environmental damage already done.

Aerial images show forest loss and sediment run-off into waters that are home to biodiverse coral reefs.

Global Witness told the BBC that land use for mining, across multiple small islands in the archipelago, increased by 500 hectares – equivalent to about 700 football pitches – between 2020 and 2024.

Some conservationists, including the organisation Greenpeace, are concerned that the government’s decision could be reversed by legal action by the mining companies.

And one company that operates on Gag island, which has particularly rich deposits of nickel, has been allowed to continue its operations. The government said it would order the “restoration of the ecological impacts that occur” there.

Coral reef conservationist and ecologist Dr Mark Erdmann told BBC News that he was “blown away, and so happy” about the government’s decision to revoke the mining permits.

“This is the global epicenter of marine biodiversity,” he told BBC News.

Dr Erdmann has worked in Raja Ampat for more than two decades and is one of the founders of a shark rewilding project there called Reshark. He added: “It was a voice of outrage form Indonesian people that made the government pay attention.”

But this ecological controversy is an example of how the demand for the metals needed to power battery technology – for electric cars and other low carbon energy sources – can damage the environment.

Indonesia now accounts for more than half of the world’s nickel mine production, according to a report last year by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis.

And while the beauty and biodiversity of the Raja Ampat has drawn attention to mining activity there, mining has been linked to ecological damage elsewhere too.

A 2024 study by Forest Watch Indonesia found a link between the loss of forests associated with mining activity and increased local flooding and landslides.

Increasing demand for so-called critical minerals is shaping economic decisions around the world. It was the driving force for President Trump’s recent executive order to jumpstart the mining of metallic nodules from the deep sea in international waters. It is a move that China has called illegal.

Dr Erdmann pointed out that balancing economic growth with environmental protection was a particular dilemma for Indonesia. “It has a lot of nickel – one way or the other, some of it’s going to come out of the ground,” he said.

Dr Michaela Guo Ying Lo from the University of Kent led a study in 2024 of the impact of mining on local communities in Sulawesi, the large Indonesian island that has most of the country’s nickel deposits.

That concluded that mining activity reduced poverty slightly, but that there was significant “worsening of environmental well-being” including increased local water and air pollution.

“Indonesia is positioning itself globally in the nickel market,” Dr Lo told BBC News. “But it’s important not to forget what’s happening locally.”

Imam Shofwan, an environmental campaigner from an organisation called Jatam, based in Jakarta, told BBC News: “They say nickel is a solution to the climate crisis. But it’s causing deforestation and destroying farmland.”

Source : https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0k36v50zvro 

They hoped for a better career but ended up in Russia’s war factories. A new study reveals how young women, mainly from Africa, have been being exploited. Some of those affected have shared their stories with DW.

“I like Russia, its language and culture,” Aminata, 20, told DW. She wants to leave her home country of Sierra Leone in a few weeks to pursue an apprenticeship around 7,000 kilometers (4,300 miles) away in Russia.

Her travel costs will be covered by the Alabuga Start program, named after an industrial area in southwestern Russia, where dormitories are provided for program participants.

Alabuga Start offers female applicants from poorer countries the prospect of a well-paid career.

Shattered dreams

For most of them, the dream is shattered shortly after their arrival in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone (SEZ), a large industrial area in the Russian region of Tatarstan.

According to a report published in May by the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime, many new arrivals find themselves assembling cheap drones under poor conditions.

DW contacted several program participants — most of whom do not want to talk about their experiences on the record for fear of reprisals.

Chinara, a young Nigerian woman who took part in the Alabuga program and left Russia disappointed, was willing to give an interview via social media messaging services.

“They turned us into hard laborers with low wages,” she wrote in the chat with DW.

“At first we felt good because when we applied, we were offered areas such as logistics, service and catering, crane operators,” wrote Chinara, whose name has been changed to protect her identity.

She explained that at first it seemed like a rare opportunity for African girls to gain a foothold in these professions. “But when we got here, they changed everything and gave excuses.”

Some said they were assigned to a drone assembly factory, others supervised drone production, and the rest worked as cleaners.

The young women were exposed to “highly dangerous and life-threatening chemicals,” Chinara claimed, adding that “Even the Russians themselves do not work there for long because it is a very dangerous place.”

A center of the war economy

The Alabuga SEZ is a major production hub for Geran-2 drones, which are based on the Iranian-made Shahed 136 and play a key role in attacks on Ukraine.

The SEZ was established in 2006 to attract companies and investments to Tatarstan.

After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the facility expanded rapidly and parts were converted to military production by adding new buildings or renovating them, as satellite images show.

Labor shortages are repeatedly reported from war-torn Russia. At the same time, migrant workers from the Global South are apparently becoming more of a focus for recruiters.

According to figures from the Single Interdepartmental Information and Statistical System (SIISS), an official Russian government database, more than 111,000 African workers arrived in Russia in 2024 — a 50% increase compared to the first year of the war in 2022.

The strongest growth was recorded by Cameroonians, with many others coming from Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Togo, the Central African Republic and Gambia.

Almost all of these countries appear in the GI study in connection with Alabuga Start. Initially, according to the study, mainly African women between 18 and 22 were recruited.

The program has since been expanded to other developing countries in Asia and Latin America, and several former Soviet republics.

The authors of the study analyzed data and conducted around 60 interviews between December 2024 and March 2025.

Co-author Julia Stanyard told DW that girls as young as 16 were also hired for drone production by the Alabuga Polytech training facility, which is located on the production site.

“The working conditions are exploitative, the young women spoke of working long hours and being supervised by Alabuga management. They work with chemicals that pose a risk to their health,” said Stanyard.

‘Our daughter talks about forced labor’

“The program seems to resemble a form of fraudulent exploitation,” Stanyard told DW. “They are not told what they will produce when they are recruited. Many young girls are trapped in Alabuga and leaving the country seems impossible.”

In Zimbabwe, parents are worried about their children who applied online and set off for Russia with a plane ticket paid for by Alabuga.

The mother of a girl from rural northern Zimbabwe complained about her daughter’s suffering.

“She wanted to further her technical education. Now she told us about forced labor, she is hardly allowed to use her phone and is under surveillance. She has not received the $1,500 (€1,300) she was promised,” she told DW. “Now I can’t even get her back.”

A father of another girl who left Zimbabwe for the Alabuga SEZ told DW it was a nightmare that a supposedly credible training program had turned into “a death trap.”

And a mother in the Zimbabwean capital, Harare, told DW about her 20-year-old daughter in Alabuga, who was also supposed to undergo technical training.

“But she is doing something completely different. We can hardly speak to her, her passport has been withheld so that she can’t run away,” the woman told DW.

Source : https://www.dw.com/en/exploitation-in-russia-building-drones-instead-of-training/a-72881545

Israel’s strikes on Iran have taken aim at its nuclear facilities, amid fears that the Iran is seeking to develop nuclear weapons – an accusation Tehran denies

Experts told AFP that while the attacks might have caused some damage to Iran’s nuclear programme, they are unlikely to have delivered a fatal blow.

WHAT IS THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE?

Israel’s operation included strikes on Iran’s underground uranium enrichment sites at Natanz and Fordow, and a uranium conversion facility at Isfahan, according to the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), citing information from Iranian officials.

IAEA said on Friday that a key, above-ground component of Iran’s Natanz nuclear site had been destroyed, also citing Iranian officials.

There was “extensive” damage to the site’s power supply, according to a report from the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS), a US-based organisation specialising in nuclear proliferation, which analysed satellite images.

A loss of electricity to underground facilities can significantly damage the site’s centrifuges, the machines used to enrich uranium, the ISIS institute said.

If backup power is lost, “at the least, the enrichment plant is rendered inoperable for the time being”, it said.

Iran has said the damage to Fordow, south of Tehran, was minor.

But experts said it is impossible at this stage to determine the impact the strikes might have had on uranium stockpiles believed to be stored around the Isfahan site.

Ali Vaez, International Crisis Group’s Iran project director, told AFP that if Iran managed to transfer significant quantities to “secret facilities,” then “the game is lost for Israel”.

CAN THE PROGRAMME BE DESTROYED?

While “Israel can damage Iran’s nuclear programme … it is unlikely to be able to destroy it”, Vaez said, arguing that Israel does not have the massively powerful bombs needed “to destroy the fortified, bunkered facilities in Natanz and Fordow”.

Destroying those would require US military assistance, added Kelsey Davenport, an expert with the Arms Control Association.

She also stressed that Israel’s unprecedented attack cannot erase the expertise Iran had built up on nuclear weapons, despite killing nine Iranian nuclear scientists.

WHAT ARE THE RISKS TO THE IRANIAN POPULATION?

The IAEA has not detected any increase in radiation levels at the affected sites.

“There is very little risk that attacks on Iran’s uranium enrichment facilities would result in a harmful radiation release,” said Davenport.

But an attack on Bushehr, Iran’s only nuclear power plant, could “have a serious impact on health and the environment”, she added.

After Israel launched its strikes, IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said that nuclear facilities “must never be attacked” and that targeting Iranian sites could have “grave consequences for the people of Iran, the region, and beyond”.

IS IRAN CLOSE TO DEVELOPING NUCLEAR BOMBS?

After the United States unilaterally withdrew in 2018 from a landmark deal that sought to curb Tehran’s nuclear activities, Iran has gradually retreated from some of its obligations, particularly on uranium enrichment.

As of mid-May, the country had an estimated 408.6 kilogrammes enriched to up to 60 per cent – just a short step from the 90 per cent needed for a nuclear warhead.

Iran theoretically has enough near-weapons-grade material, if further refined, for about 10 nuclear bombs, according to the definition by the Vienna-based IAEA.

Iran is the only non nuclear-armed state producing uranium to this level of enrichment, according to the UN nuclear watchdog.

Source : https://www.channelnewsasia.com/world/how-much-damage-has-israel-inflicted-irans-nuclear-programme-5182566

Princess Charlotte is keeping Queen Elizabeth II close to her heart.

During the 2025 Trooping the Colour ceremony in London over the weekend, the 10-year-old daughter of Prince William and Kate Middleton subtly paid tribute to her late great-grandmother with a sweet gesture.

Charlotte wore a short-sleeved turquoise dress with white trim and white Mary Jane flats. She accessorized with a diamond brooch in the shape of a horseshoe.

Queen Elizabeth II reportedly gifted the equestrian fashion accessory to the pre-teen prior to her death at the age of 96 in 2022, as the late monarch and her great-granddaughter shared a mutual passion for horseback riding.

Charlotte debuted the sentimental brooch while attending Queen Elizabeth’s funeral in September 2022.

At the time, she styled the accessory with a black coat dress by Spanish childrenswear label Ancar, matching tights, buckled dress shoes and a chic boater hat by Jane Taylor.

The fashion move marked the first time Charlotte wore a significant piece of jewelry to a public event with the royal family.

As Page Six reported earlier Saturday, the Trooping the Colour event was held to honor the official birthday of King Charles III, who will turn 77 on Nov. 14.

For the occasion, Charlotte twinned with her mom, Kate Middleton, who wore an aquamarine coat dress with ivory lapels by Catherine Walker.

She completed the look with a matching wide-brimmed hat by Juliette Botterill and Bahrain Pearl Drop earrings formerly owned by Queen Elizabeth.

Source : https://pagesix.com/2025/06/14/style/how-princess-charlotte-sweetly-paid-tribute-to-queen-elizabeth-ii-during-trooping-the-colour-2025/

The bizarre LA property has a history of nuclear testing and was transitioned into a now-shuttered rehab facility before becoming Jared’s private home

JARED Leto’s $20 million abandoned military compound that he’s turned into his private home has been revealed.

The eerie property once housed nuclear weapons and remains a guarded fortress in the Hollywood Hills as the actor faces a slew of sexual misconduct allegations from nine women.

Jared, 53, purchased Lookout Mountain Air Force Station for $5 million in December 2014.

The 1.5-acre gated estate is now estimated to be worth upwards of $20 million, real estate records show.

The eight-bedroom, 12-bathroom compound, which was built in 1941, is a whopping 50,000 square feet.

In addition to being a personal residence, the home also offers a creative space with several galleries, a sound stage, a theatre, and a massive motor court.

Outdoors, there is plenty of lounging space with multiple lawns, gardens, and an oversized swimming pool.

MILITARY GRADE HISTORY

Tucked away in the hills of Los Angeles, Lookout Mountain was originally built in 1941 as a World War II air defense center that coordinated radar installations at the time.

The United States Air Force built a military installation studio on the property, which was responsible for producing motion pictures and photographs for the Department of Defense and the Atomic Energy Commission.

Between the years of 1947 and 1969, the studio, which included a large sound stage, a film laboratory, four editing rooms, an animation, two screening rooms, and still photo department, sound mixing studio, and numerous climate controlled film vaults, operated in secret from Lookout Mountain.

The property was crucial in documenting nuclear testing, beginning with Trinity, the first nuclear test the U.S. conducted, back in 1945.

According to historical records, the government at the time needed film documentation of a nuclear explosion in order to understand the implications of that level of weapons.

During this time, when it was still operating in secret, it was reported to have also housed nuclear weapons within the property perimeters.

In January 1948, the building was acquired from the War Assets Administration by the Air Force and the Atomic Energy Commission for further military use.

At that time, the property underwent extensive remodeling, commenced by the Los Angeles Office of the Army Corps of Engineers, and was paid for by the Atomic Energy Commission.

It continued to provide military footage in the following decades and was officially designated as the Lookout Mountain Air Force Station in March 1958.

During the 1960s, Lookout Mountain Air Force Station was “responsible for all documentary photographic capabilities and the maintenance and operation of laboratories and production facilities in the western part of the United States,” historical records state.

Lookout Mountain Air Force Station also assisted the AEC with documentation of underground nuclear tests at their Nevada Test Site.

In the span of the 1960s, 250 military and civilian personnel were stationed on the property, including executives from Warner Bros., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and Universal Pictures.

However, in June 1969, the government discontinued use of work at Lookout Mountain Air Force Station, and all of the equipment was relocated to a nearby air force base.

The decommissioned facility was sold to a private buyer for just $50,000 in 1970, and the estate continued to go through a carousel of new owners in the following years.

To make the history of the home even more bizarre, in November 2012, it was leased by One80Center to turn it into a “celebrity-targeted” rehab facility that cost $50,000 per month.

However, the company shuttered its doors in August 2013 following an investigation by The Hollywood Reporter, which raised concerns about allegations of negligence and a wrongful death lawsuit.

After the rehab center was forced to close up shop, Jared became the next immediate owner of the property.

LETO’S LAIR

Jared has lived in the unique home for over 10 years now as he faces allegations of sexual misconduct from nine women who came forward this month.

In an Air Mail exposé, the publication interviewed nine women, the majority of whom remained anonymous, who all alleged that Jared acted inappropriately with them.

According to some of the women, they claim they were underage at the time of their interactions with the Oscar winner.

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/entertainment/14474739/jared-leto-military-compound-nuclear-weapons-sexual-misconduct/

THIS is the moment a drunk Delta Air Lines passenger refused to get off a flight – forcing the whole plane to disembark so cops could carry her off.

Police bodycam footage shows cops repeated attempts to get the woman, stubbornly seated on the plane, to cooperate.

In the shocking newly released video shared by police, the passenger, named Alicia, can be seen refusing to budge from her seat on a flight scheduled to travel from Dallas to Boston on April 14, 2024.

After repeated warnings, officers resort to physically removing her from the plane.

As officers cuffed her, she pleaded: “Give me my one and only warning back.”

She can also be heard saying: “I do not trust this state and I’m trying to go home. So do not hold me here.”

The officer responds: “You need to stand up and get off the airplane, ma’am.”

Frustrated passengers are then seen disembarking the plane to allow officers’ to handcuff her.

As she is being dragged off the plane, Alicia says in a more emotional tone: “Why would you do that? Why would you do that?

“All I was trying to do is f**king fly home?””

A flight attendant told police that the passenger had a glass of prosecco and two shots of tequila while on board.

But Alicia later admitted that while waiting for her delayed flight, she had drunk six glasses of wine.

While escorted by police through the terminal, angry passengers in the terminal – who had been forced off the plane – booed her.

At the exit of the airport, police can even be seen lifting her off the ground as she tries to resist.

Outside the airport, the intoxicated passenger refuses checks for weapons before being placed in a squad car.

She was reportedly arrested for criminal trespassing and public intoxication.

It comes as Delta Air Lines passengers had to evacuate a plane by the emergency slides during a scary landing at an airport in Atlanta.

The Boeing 717-200 was going to Columbia Metropolitan Airport in South Carolina when smoke suddenly filled the plane cabin.

The Delta flight was en route from Atlanta to South Carolina when it had to turn around.

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/news/14477761/passenger-hauled-off-flight/

SEAN ‘Diddy’ Combs’ sex-trafficking case could result in a hung jury and second trial as the prosecution has a lot more to prove, an expert has told The U.S. Sun.

The disgraced music mogul, 55, is currently on trial in New York and facing life behind bars if convicted.

He’s pleaded not guilty to charges of sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, and transportation to engage in prostitution, as prosecutors alleged his business empire was also a criminal enterprise.

Combs’ trial has been ongoing for more than 20 days and is expected to last eight to 10 weeks.

The jury has already heard disturbing accounts of the star’s alleged behavior over the years, including his abuse of ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, who took to the stand.

They also heard from former employees, including personal assistants, who claim they survived threats, were assaulted, and forced to supply drugs.

Los Angeles-based trial attorney Tre Lovell feels the accusations against Combs are strong enough that he will not be acquitted.

However, he feels the prosecution has faced some difficulties early on and jurors still need to see a lot more evidence for each of the charges.

He said, “I don’t think he’ll get an acquittal, which means you have to have a unanimous jury saying he didn’t do anything wrong, but there is a chance of a hung jury.

“And the way that’s gonna happen is one or more jurors are going to believe that these witnesses consented and wanted to be part of his world and that a lot of what they said is fabricated.

“There’s no way he’s going to take the stand.”

“One of the overall themes of the testimony is.. all these employees and people who were raped, who were assaulted, who were threatened, stayed. They didn’t leave, continued to work for him, and then, even after they worked for him, even after they left, they stayed in touch with him.

“And so if the defense can be successful [in] cutting that down and say, ‘Hey, this just doesn’t make sense. It’s not consistent.’ Thus you have reasonable doubt.”

Lovell also feels the start of the trial felt more like a domestic violence case.

He said, “I think throughout the first week of testimony with Cassie Ventura that the prosecution was having some problems, and that was because, they weren’t able to differentiate that this was a sex-trafficking or racketeering case, as opposed to, domestic violence between two people in a relationship.

“However, as the cases started to progress we have seen assistant after assistant after assistant come forward with testimony, that of criminal act, criminal conduct.

“Whether or not it’s arson, whether or not it’s kidnapping, whether or not it’s extortion, threats, physical violence.

“The most difficult offense to prove is the racketeering because a lot goes into that and those tend to be a big hike.

“Sex trafficking would probably be the second most difficult to prove, and then the easiest could be the prostitution, the transportation to engage in prostitution, which means if he [was] hiring sex workers and bringing them across state lines, and the jury believes that is a form of prostitution.

Lovell went on, “I often say it’s like building a house. Opening arguments are the framing, and then as each witness comes in, each document comes in, you’re starting to build more and more of the house, and at the very end through closing arguments, that’s when the house is finished.

“Sometimes things aren’t going to seem as organized, maybe a little discombobulated, but it’s about tying it up at the end.

“So that we will see witness after witness after witness.

“Sometimes we’ll wonder why the order is as it is, but [by] the end the picture should be painted.”

Lovell says the prosecution’s case is getting stronger but believes it’s not a slam-dunk win and the defense still has a good chance.

He also feels there is no way Combs will take to the stand because his legal team will have a strong strategy and be focusing solely on reasonable doubt.

Lovell said, “There’s no way he’s going to take the stand. There’s no way his lawyers are going to let him.

“There is so much negative testimony out there, so many negative acts that they could use to cross-examine him.

“It would just be a waterfall of pain, and so I don’t think they would ever put him on the stand. They’re going to go through reasonable doubt.

“They’re going to poke holes in the prosecution’s case.

“They’re going to have some testimony from witnesses on his side that are going to corroborate that he’s a good person, that they never saw any of this. Everybody in his orbit was consenting, wanted to be there.”

Meanwhile, even if Combs is found guilty, he could be pardoned by President Donald Trump.

Trump surprised reporters by commenting on the court case during a news conference with Elon Musk and revealed he would consider whether or not he has been “mistreated.”

Asked if he would consider pardoning him, Trump said, “Nobody’s asked. But I know people are thinking about it. I think some people have been very close to asking.”

He said he felt the former music mogul used to like him “a lot” but wasn’t his biggest fan after he went into politics.

Despite this, Trump said, “I would certainly look at the facts. If I think somebody was mistreated, whether they like me or don’t like me, it wouldn’t have any impact on me.”

Lovell previously told The U.S. Sun a pardon would mean Combs would be out in days.

He said, “The pardoning power is one of the ultimate powers of the President. It’s virtually unchecked, and he can do it.

“He doesn’t even have to wait for the conviction. He can do it at any time after somebody’s charged, even after the crime occurs.

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/entertainment/14464176/diddy-risks-second-trial-even-wins-over-jury/

THE Minnesota shootings suspect wore a fake police uniform and an eerie latex mask when he killed a lawmaker and her husband.

In the early hours of Saturday, suspected gunman Vance Luther Boelter shot and killed Minnesota Rep Melissa Hortman and her husband at their home in Brooklyn Park.

Boelter has now been identified as a former appointee of Governor Tim Walz.

The FBI released stills from home security footage of the gunman donning a bald-headed mask while disguised as a cop as he knocked on the door of his victims.

He also shot Senator John Hoffman, 60, and his wife Yvette multiple times at their home in Champlin just hours beforehand, leaving them seriously injured.

Hoffman and his wife have both undergone surgery at the Mercy Hospital in Coon Rapids and are said to be in a stable condition with officials “cautiously optimistic” of their survival.

As cops launch an extensive manhunt, police have named 57-year-old Vance Luther Boelter as a suspect in the shootings.

He should be considered armed and dangerous and the public should not approach him, the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has warned.

A $50,000 reward for information leading to his arrest and conviction has been announced by the FBI.

Boelter was last seen in the Twin Cities area wearing a light-colored cowboy hat, a dark long-sleeved shirt and light pants.

He is described as 220lbs and 6 foot 1 and cops believe he is trying to flee the area and may be carrying a dark bag.

The public should call 911 or sent tips to bca.tips@state.mn.us or call 877-996-6222.

Boelter is a former appointee of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, per the Post.

Documents obtained by the outlet show that he was appointed by Walz in 2019 to serve on his Workforce Development Board for four years.

A notice of appointment signed by Walz reads: “Because of the special trust and confidence I have in your integrity, judgment, and ability, I have appointed and commissioned you to have and to hold the office of: Business Member Governor’s Workforce Development Board.”

In 2016 he was on the Workforce Development Council under the previous Governor Mark Dayton.

He is listed as living in Green Isle, Minnesota and according to his LinkedIn, works with the Red Lion Group in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Praetorian Guard Security Services.

The gunman posed as a police officer to gain entry to the lawmakers’ homes, cops previously revealed.

Walz led a press conference on Saturday to confirm the deaths of Hortman, 55, and her husband Mark in what he called a “politically motivated assassination”.

“This was an act of targeted political violence,” Walz said.

“Those responsible for this will be held accountable and each and every one of us are committed to making sure a tragedy like this never repeats itself,” he added.

The Governor has not publicly commented on the reports that the suspect is his former appointee.

Cops were called to the Hortman residence around 3:35 am, less than three hours after the shooting at the Hoffmans’ home located just five miles away, around 2 am.

Hortman and her husband were pronounced dead at the scene where officers exchanged fire with the suspect who managed to flee on foot.

A search of the suspects’ vehicle, which was found in the driveway of the Hortmans’ home, revealed ‘No Kings’ protest fliers and a manifesto with the details of many officials including Hortman and Hoffman.

The SUV was made to look like a police squad car and the emergency lights were flashing in the driveway when cops arrived at the residence.

Security has been ramped up for other elected officials following the shootings with some of those listed in the manifesto being placed in protective custody.

A motive has not been released by cops, but the shootings come as millions take to the streets as part of the anti-Trump No Kings movement as the President holds a military parade in Washington DC.

“We don’t have any direct links, however there were some fliers that said ‘No Kings’ within the suspect vehicle, and as we know, the events planned throughout the state of Minnesota is a No Kings event,” Minnesota State Patrol Col. Christina Bogojevic said.

Officials have urged the public not to attend protests planned for the area including the Minnesota State Capitol in St Paul.

Organizers have confirmed that the events have officially been canceled but many are still gathering to demonstrate.

President Donald Trump called the shootings “horrific” and vowed that those responsible will face “the fullest extent of the law”.

BADGE BETRAYAL

Law enforcement was first notified of a shooting around 2 am where Hoffman and Yvette were found with multiple gunshot wounds and given life-saving measures by attending officers.

Due to the political nature of the shooting, officers immediately went to the speaker’s home to check in on her and while doing so, calls of the second shooting were made.

Attending officers from Brooklyn Park Police saw the fake cop car in the drive way and the suspect posing as a police officer at the door.

“When our officers confronted him, the individual immediately fired upon the officers who exchanged gunfire and the suspect retreated back into the home,” Brooklyn Park Police chief Mark Bruley told reporters.

“It was not a real officer this is somebody who clearly had been impersonating a police officer using the trust of this badge and this uniform to manipulate their way into the home.”

Bob Jacobson, the commissioner of Public Safety for Minnesota called it a “dark day” and said the targeting of elected officials was “cowardly”.

“The suspect exploited the trust of our uniforms and what our uniforms are meant to represent,” he told reporters.

“That betrayal is deeply disturbing to those of use who wear the badge with honor and responsibility.”

Hundreds of police officers, SWAT teams, and the FBI are involved in the search for Boelter as a shelter-in-place order remains active within a three mile radius of Edinburgh Golf Course.

The order for Champlin has since been lifted but with the manhunt now going past the 12-hour mark, the search area is widening.

“I’ve activated the State Emergency Operations Center,” Walz said on X.

“Local law enforcement in Champlin and Brooklyn Park have the full resources of the State of Minnesota behind them.”

Residents were initally told to look out for a white male with brown hair, wearing black body armor over a blue shirt and blue pants and to call 911 immediately.

They also warned that the suspect may still pretending to be law enforcement and that any real police officers in the area will arrive in pairs as the search continues.

Hortman, 55, represented District 34 B and was minority leader between 2017 and 2019 before becoming speaking from 2019 to 2025.

She and her husband Mark Hortman and the pair are survived by their two children.

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/news/14481517/minnesota-shooting-suspect-vance-boelter-melissa-hortman/

The ‘No Kings’ protests being held today across the United States saw a major setback after the Minnesota leg was cancelled after two Democrat leaders were shot early morning, resulting in the death of Rep. Melissa Hortman and her spouse. Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were also the victims of this shooting, with police suspecting that they were two among the long ‘hit list’ prepared by the shooter. According to reports, Governor Tim Walz’ name also featured in this hit list, which was left behind by the suspect after the incident.

Fliers of ‘No Kings’ protest found inside suspect’s car

According to CBS, sources claim that there were fliers connected to the ‘No Kings’ protests that were found inside the suspect’s vehicle. Moreover, a car was reportedly towed away from the Hortmans’ home, and it had a license plate that said “police”, say sources. Interestingly, the suspect, according to reports, was impersonating a police officer while carrying out his deeds.

A Minnesota State Patrol X Page showed glimpses of the documents seen in the suspect’s car. The X Post reads,”Given the targeted shootings of state lawmakers overnight, we are asking the public to not attend today’s planned demonstrations across Minnesota out of an abundance of caution.”

More than 50 individuals, including high-profile Democrat leaders and officials were a part of this list prepared by the suspect, Vance Luther Boelter, of Minnesota, who is employed with a security firm.

Protest called off

In the wake of these incidents, the organizers of the No Kings protest in Minnesota issued a statement that read, “Out of an abundance of caution and in adherence to guidance from Governor Walz and the Minnesota State Patrol, all remaining No Kings events in Minnesota are being canceled immediately. This decision comes in light of the ongoing shelter-in-place order and the tragic shooting that targeted two elected officials and their spouses.”

Source : https://www.livemint.com/news/us-news/no-kings-protest-anti-trump-demonstrators-crowd-into-streets-parks-and-plazas-across-the-us-11749930319657.html

Everybody loves to travel to new, iconic places they have never seen. Nothing is more exciting than packing a bag and exploring a new culture and landscape.

However, some countries aren’t quite as perfect as the media makes them out to be. After all, every country has its fair share of problems.

Below, we will discuss some of the world’s most unfriendly countries, ranked by their lack of hospitality. While you may be able to guess a few, it’s safe to say that our list might just have you rethinking your next holiday…

#1. Qatar

When you think of Qatar, you probably think of luxury, high-rise buildings, scorching hot temperatures, and beautiful marinas.

Thanks to the Fifa World Cup, Qatar has become an increasingly popular holiday destination in recent years, but it’s definitely not everybody’s cup of tea.

In fact, many tourists to the country claim that they won’t visit Qatar again simply because they feel unwelcome.

The traffic is also some of the worst in the world, which may explain why the locals would prefer the tourists to stay away.

#2. South Africa

For many, South Africa may seem like the perfect holiday destination. While there are many great things about this country, it’s hard to overlook the high crime rates.

In fact, most tourists are told to avoid the big cities, such as Johannesburg, as local criminals will specifically target them.

South Africa has many political problems, which means that the locals may seem angry or, in some cases, violent.

You’ll probably be safe if you plan to go on a safari, but we recommend avoiding any built-up areas.

#3. The Czech Republic

Prague is another popular tourist destination that may surprise you. In recent years, the city has become so popular amongst tourists that it has actually downgraded its reputation.

The government throws so much money at Prague that other areas of the Czech Republic have been put on the back burner.

For this reason, you could probably understand why the locals resent tourists. There’s no denying the fact that Prague is a stunning city with plenty of culture, architecture, and activities to keep you busy.

However, the unwelcoming attitude of the locals seems to overshadow this slightly.

#4. Hungary

Most people associate Hungary with one city in particular: Budapest. While this large country has plenty to offer in terms of architecture and natural beauty, tourists tend to flock to Budapest, ignoring the many other wonderful cities and sites to see.

As a result, Budapest has garnered a rather poor reputation for being one of the world’s rudest and most unwelcoming cities.

Like most popular tourist destinations, the city locals get rather annoyed when hoards of tourists visit.

#5. Argentina

The people living in neighboring countries consider Argentina one of the rudest places in the world. In fact, Argentina and Brazil have had a few clashes of opinion in recent years, mainly because they have very different cultures.

Like most places, you will encounter a few rude and unwelcoming locals in Argentina. While many tourists claim that Argentina is generally a very unwelcoming country, this may come down to a simple difference in social etiquette.

#6. Morocco

When you think of Morocco, you are likely to think of bustling streets and crowded souks. In general, overpopulated areas are considered unwelcoming, as there isn’t enough space for tourists.

For this reason, Morocco has gained a rather poor reputation for being rude to visitors.

Some tourists feel they are taken advantage of when visiting the country. Vendors often hike their prices when they realize that a customer is foreign or a tourist, which can make the whole experience unpleasant.

#7. Northern Sentinel Island

North Sentinel Island is arguably the most unwelcoming destination on our list. While most countries allow tourists to visit (even though the locals may not want them there), North Sentinel Island refuses to let tourists in.

As a result, we aren’t even sure how many people actually live on this island.

The natives are very primitive and even resort to violence when they encounter tourists approaching their island.

Many people who have attempted to get close to the natives mysteriously disappear… We’ll give this place a miss.

#8. Brazil

There is so much to see and do in Brazil. From the iconic Copacabana Beach to the Christ the Redeemer statue…

it does seem like a tropical paradise tourist destination. While Brazil is one of the most popular vacation destinations in the world, there are a few downsides.

For starters, the crime rate is high, and the locals are considered very rude – especially during the holiday season.

However, it is important to remember that South American customs are very different from those of other places.

#9. The Caribbean

It’s safe to say that the Caribbean is on everybody’s list of must-see places. These islands are famous for their sandy beaches, crystal-clear waters, and tropical lifestyle.

Iran on Saturday claimed that the air defence force of its army has successfully shot down and destroyed two Israeli F-35 fighter jets and a large number of other micro air vehicles.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) on Saturday accused the Iranian media of “spreading lies” while terming reports about the downing of two Israeli F-35 fighter jets as “fake news”.

Iran on Saturday claimed that the air defence force of its army has successfully shot down and destroyed two Israeli F-35 fighter jets and a large number of other micro air vehicles.

IDF’s international spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani took to social media, labelling it as a “complete FAKE NEWS”.

“While the Iranian regime spreads lies, we’re taking down real threats like this Iranian UAV shot down over northern Israel this morning,” he posted on X along with a video of Israeli defence forces downing an Iranian Unmanned Aerial Vehicle.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday announced the launch of ‘Operation Rising Lion’ against Iran, a targetted military operation to roll back the Iranian threat of nuclear weapons to Israel’s very survival. He asserted that the operation will continue for as many days as it takes to remove the threat.

Tensions in the Middle East escalated further early Saturday as Iran launched a fresh wave of missile attacks on Israel. The renewed offensive comes amid a period of heightened hostilities between the two nations.

“Two salvos of surface-to-surface missiles were launched from Iran towards the territory of the State of Israel, and in both salvos less than a hundred missiles were fired, most of which were intercepted by air defence systems or did not arrive. There is limited damage to the buildings, some from landslides,” IDF Spokesperson, Brigadier General Efi Dufferin said on Saturday afternoon.

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/world/israel-denies-irans-claim-of-downing-f-35-jets-calls-it-fake-news-amid-rising-tensions

The blaze was brought under control by firefighters and other authorities after nearly six hours. There were 3,820 residents in the high-rise, all of whom were safely evacuated. No injuries or fatalities have been reported in this incident.

A massive fire broke out inside the 67-storey residential tower, Marina Pinnacle, in Dubai Marina late Friday night. The blaze was brought under control by firefighters and other authorities after nearly six hours. There were 3,820 residents in the high-rise, all of whom were safely evacuated. No injuries or fatalities have been reported in this incident.

According to a report in Gulf News, some residents said they were unaware their own building was on fire until it was nearly too late. The report also mentioned that while some had smelled smoke, they only realised the urgency of the situation after first responders arrived.

Social media was flooded with videos and images showing the high-rise engulfed in thick smoke, which continued to intensify during the blaze.

Many social media users applauded the authorities and firefighters for their diligent efforts in rescuing over 3,820 residents and ensuring there were no casualties during the evacuation.

Issuing an official update on the situation, the Dubai Media Office in a X (formerly twitter) post said “Following the containment of the fire and the safe evacuation of all residents, the smoke currently visible at the site is due to ongoing cooling operations as part of the firefighting process. Control measures remain in place and the situation is fully managed by the firefighting teams.”

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/viral/video-massive-fire-erupts-at-dubais-67-storey-marina-pinnacle-3820-residents-safely-evacuated

FOX News reporter Trey Yingst has been seen running for his life while reporting live on air as Iranian missiles struck Israel on Friday.

Yingst yelled at his team to take cover as his camera crew showed the panicked moment that the missile attack reached Tel Aviv.

Fireballs could be seen coming from the sky and plumes of smoke were seen rising as explosions rumbled throughout the city in a missile strike at around 9 pm local time on Friday.

Yingst, Fox News’ chief foreign correspondent, was reporting from the scene as the missiles could be seen from far away.

“There’s a massive amount of fire coming to Tel Aviv right now,” Yingst said calmly at the beginning of the video.

Missiles could be heard screeching in the distance.

The energy in the broadcast then turned tense as explosions lit up the sky and Yingst said, “Time to go!”

“Guys, come on, everyone move!” he yelled.

He told his crew to grab their equipment and go as the cameras jostled.

A man could be heard shouting instructions behind Yingst.

After the panicked broadcast, Yingst posted on social media.

“Just getting a moment to post here,” he wrote on X.

“As you saw in our reporting, a massive ballistic missile barrage targeted central Israel.

“We could see impacts and many interceptions.”

Yingst later appeared on Fox News again to speak about the missile attack.

Multiple people were injured in the blitz in Tel Aviv on Friday night.

While some missiles landed, others burned up in the sky while being intercepted by Israel’s air defense systems.

The US is reportedly helping Israel intercept Iran’s missiles, according to the Associated Press.

Explosions were reported in Tel Aviv and Ramla.

Air raid sirens sounded across Israel as the missiles were launched in retaliation for deadly Israeli attacks.

Just hours earlier, Israel launched strikes across Iran targeting nuclear sites.

The attacks killed at least three top Iranian military officers.

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/news/14475908/trey-yingst-fox-tel-aviv-video-israel-live/

There are now 138 million child laborers, down from an estimated 160 million in 2020, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the International Labor Organization (ILO) said in a joint report that was released to mark Thursday’s World Day Against Child Labor.

The drop represents good news for child welfare; in 2000, the ILO estimated 245.5 million children were forced to work. The almost 50% decrease is especially promising, as the number of children has risen by 230 million over the same period.

The number of children, which the ILO defines as 5 to 17-year-olds, engaged in “hazardous work” — mostly in mining, industrial or agricultural sectors — has also decreased from 79 million in 2020 to 54 million in 2025.

However, the ILO said even optimistic estimates project it will be decades before child labor is completely eliminated.

Challenges remain across Africa

Around 86.6 million child laborers — almost two-thirds of all child laborers — are in sub-Saharan Africa.

Nankali Maksud, regional adviser for child protection at UNICEF, told DW: “In terms of prevalence rate, it has been reduced. So we’ve gone from 24% to 22% between 2020 and 2024. But what we’re challenged with in this region is the rapid population growth. So in absolute numbers, we haven’t made much progress.”

Particularly concerning for Maksud is that younger children, between the ages of 5 to 11, make up the largest share of child laborers.

“We’re not addressing seriously enough poverty at household level, particularly in rural areas. Unless we have the right political will and financing to lift those households, we will not be able to address child labor,” she said.

Additionally, Maksud believes regional efforts to increase access to quality education — through building schools and encouraging parents to send children to school — must be prioritized, as well as stronger enforcement of laws to punish child labor practices.

Recommendations also include more stringent labor inspections in high-risk sectors like mining and agriculture, and improved supply chain accountability.

“The majority of our countries have laws in place,” said Maksud, noting that enforcement of those laws is weak. “The ministries responsible for issues like child labor, most of the time, they have the smallest budget lines.”

Lisa Zimmermann, Chief of Child Protection at UNICEF Madagascar, said 47% of 5- to 17-year-olds there are affected by child labor — much higher than in other parts of sub-Saharan Africa.

“Child labor affects boys a little bit more than girls. It also affects children in rural areas more than those in urban areas, and it generally affects children from poor families,” Zimmermann told DW, adding that “32% of all children in Madagascar actually engaged in child labor work under dangerous conditions, so that is the worst form of child labor.”

Climate change brings more misery to child workers

Multiple climate-related problems, from drought to cyclones, have plagued agriculture-dependent Madagascans.

“Climatic shocks push families and children into labor, new forms of labor and into more hazardous forms of labor,” said Zimmermann.

Some rural communities in arid southwestern Madagascar have turned to mica mining, instead or alongside agricultural practices.

Madagascar is the third-largest exporter of mica, after Russia and India, and the sector has boomed in recent years as the mineral is used in the renewable energy sector.

“It’s then mostly children that have to climb into the mines to support their families and to have enough to eat,” Zimmermann added.

Mica mining in these communities often involves the whole family, from elders to young children. They also told UN researchers that if their family members do not work, they cannot afford to eat.

How is child labor perpetuated?

While the ILO defines child labor as work that deprives children of their childhood, dignity, potential and development, especially with regard to schooling, communities across Africa have their own understandings of what constitutes child labor, and when it is necessary.

Lydia Osei, a researcher from the University of Ghana, has observed trends within Ghanaian society.

“Child labor is a huge problem, except we haven’t as a people made conscious efforts to deal with it,” she told DW.

Particularly under scrutiny in West Africa is child labor in mining, agriculture and housework. In Ghana, reports of child labor in cocoa farming and informal mining are rife.

“I don’t think any parent would want their child as young as 8 years to be at the quarrying site, to be hit and hurt. But because tradition allows that the child helps in the maintenance of the family, they take their children to artisanal mining sites,” said Osei.

Often, employers at mining sites participate in child labor by allowing children to work alongside their parents, with small children given jobs in sorting, or climbing into areas that adults cannot reach.

“Usually, young people do not get physical cash as payment. They get some of the rocks or ore as payment,” said Osei. “But because the underage workers are usually able to get something they classify as enough, they don’t see it as exploitation. And that is why the relationship keeps going.”

As in other communities, the effects of children being unable to attend school and entering the job market early become apparent only in the long term. For this reason, the ILO and UNICEF have said governments across sub-Saharan Africa need to introduce strategies that break the cycle of child labor.

Source : https://www.dw.com/en/world-fails-to-meet-2025-child-labor-target/a-72871346

Trapped between what it sees as a historical responsibility to Israel and international law and diplomacy, Germany is facing a tough foreign policy test after the latest Israeli attacks on Iran.

Germany’s foreign policy in the Middle East has always involved a delicate balancing act — a balancing act that just got a little more difficult. Israel’s attack on Iran this week is likely to put further pressure on Germany’s close relationship with Israel.

Israel’s security is part of Germany’s so-called “Staatsräson,” or “reason of state.” Former Chancellor Angela Merkel popularized the term when she addressed the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, in 2008. Although the idea has no official legal standing, Merkel’s successor, Olaf Scholz, doubled down on it in the months after the militant group Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023.

More recently though, the severe humanitarian consequences of Israel’s ongoing offensive in the Gaza Strip have made it difficult for the German government to find a suitable position on the conflict there. Only a few days ago, Germany’s new Chancellor Friedrich Merz said, “frankly speaking, I no longer understand what the goal of the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip is,” during a television interview.

“Harming the civilian population to such an extent, as has increasingly been the case in recent days, can no longer be justified as a fight against Hamas terrorism,” he told German public broadcaster WDR. Despite those statements though, there have been no consequences. For example, Germany continues to send weapons to Israel.

Germany’s support to Israel

The Israeli government is defending its latest strikes against Iran by saying it was acting against “an existential threat.” Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz called it a “pre-emptive strike” because Iran was close to developing a nuclear bomb, something Israel wanted to prevent happening.

The German government appears to share that opinion. In a press statement issued the morning of the first Israeli strikes, Merz said Israel had “the right to defend its existence and its citizens.” Merz had spoken to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the phone and Netanyahu had informed him of the military action and its objectives.

The press statement also said that the German government has repeatedly expressed concerns about the Iranian nuclear program. Iran’s “nuclear program violates the provisions of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and poses a serious threat to the entire region, especially to the State of Israel,” the German government statement said.

The goal of any diplomatic intervention and de-escalation, which Germany supports, must be that Iran does not develop nuclear weapons, the statement concluded.

That reaction from the German government was to be expected, Hans-Jakob Schindler, senior director of the Netherlands-based Counter Extremism Project, told DW.

“Now it is the direct negotiations between the US and the Iranians that are crucial,” Schindler said. “The previous negotiating format — Germany, France, the UK and the US, with the Iranians — is not a part of this any longer. In this conflict the Europeans are increasingly spectators, rather than actors.”

Growing criticism of Israel

Schindler does not believe that the current military escalation will change anything around Germany’s position on Israel. “We’re not just any other country. We’re Germany, with the history of the Holocaust,” he explained. “In that sense there’s absolutely no other moral or ethical option than expressing solidarity with Israel.”

That does not mean that Germany has to approve of each Israeli military operation and every Israeli government decision, Schindler continued. “The new German government seems much more prepared to criticize than the previous one,” he noted.

Voices critical of the Netanyahu government had recently been growing louder in the German government, including in the governing coalition made up of conservatives from the Christian Democratic Union, or CDU, and the Christian Social Union, as well as the left-centrist Social Democrats, or SPD.

Some members of the government seem to fear being pressured by Israel. At the end of last month, Germany’s Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Germany would not allow what he called “compulsory solidarity.”

During his visit to Cairo, Wadephul commented on the Iranian strikes that came in retaliation for the earlier Israeli ones. “We condemn the indiscriminate Iranian attack on Israeli territory in the strongest possible terms,” ​​Wadephul, a member of the CDU, said. “Iran is currently attacking Israel with hundreds of drones. There are initial reports of casualties. These developments are more than worrying.” Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar had apparently informed him of the attack.

After the Israeli attacks on Iran, SPD foreign policy specialist Rolf Mützenich told German public radio broadcaster Deutschlandfunk that Israel had the right to defend itself. However, that right should be connected to imminent danger and an existential threat. Whether those prerequisites had been present for Israel to base its attack on, would certainly be discussed at the United Nations Security Council, or UNSC.

At the same time, Mützenich also confirmed the dangers posed by the Iranian nuclear program, adding that Teheran had also acted irresponsibly and was also part of the current escalation spiral.

International law?

Whether Israel’s attack on Iran was legitimate under international law is also being discussed. Law experts say a preemptive strike is actually only permissible under certain, very specific conditions — for example, when there is an imminent threat that cannot be prevented any other way.

Foreign policy spokesperson and co-chair of Germany’s Left party, Jan van Aken, described the Israeli attack as “a serious violation of international law, which cannot be justified as self-defense.”

The UNSC should meet today in order to decide on the nature of this attack, van Aken said. “All sides must immediately deescalate, also to protect the affected civilian population in Iran and Israel,” he added.

Source : https://www.dw.com/en/israel-attacks-put-pressure-on-germanys-middle-east-policies/a-72900451

Scale AI founder and chief executive Alexandr Wang will join Meta to help with the tech giant’s own AI efforts as part of the deal.

Scale AI announced a major new investment by Meta late Thursday that values the startup at more than $29 billion and puts its founder to work for the tech titan.

Company founder and chief executive Alexandr Wang will join Meta to help with the tech giant’s own artificial intelligence efforts as part of the deal, according to the startup.

Meta was reportedly pouring more than $10 billion into San Francisco-based Scale AI, and acquires its 28-year-old CEO amid fierce competition in the AI race with rivals such as OpenAI, Google and Microsoft.

“Meta has finalised our strategic partnership and investment in Scale AI,” a Meta spokesperson said in response to an AFP inquiry.

“As part of this, we will deepen the work we do together producing data for AI models and Alexandr Wang will join Meta to work on our superintelligence efforts.”

Meta promised more details about the move in coming weeks.

Scale AI works with business, governments and labs to exploit the benefits of artificial intelligence, according to the startup.

“Meta’s investment recognises Scale’s accomplishments to date and reaffirms that our path forward — like that of AI — is limitless,” Wang said in a release.

“Scale bridges the gap between human values and technology to help our customers realize AI’s full potential.”

Since Wang founded Scale AI in 2016, it has grown to more than 1,500 people, he wrote in a post on X.

He said a few other employees, whom he referred to as “Scaliens,” will go with him to work on Meta’s AI initiative.

Wang described his departure as “bittersweet,” adding he will remain a member of the Scale AI board of directors.

– Military AI –

Along with work that includes AI data, agents, and optimizing systems, Scale AI late last year announced an artificial intelligence model built on Meta’s Llama 3 model that is customized for US national security missions including planning military or intelligence operations and understanding adversary vulnerabilities.

Listed capabilities of “Defense Llama” include assessing scenarios and answering tactical questions such as how enemies might attack and how to effectively counter, according to Scale AI.

“Scale AI is committed to ongoing collaboration with the defense community to ensure Defense Llama remains a trusted and effective asset for US military and intelligence operations,” Wang said at the time.

Scale AI will use the infusion of capital to accelerate innovation and strengthen partnerships, along with distributing proceeds to equity holders, according to the startup.

Meta will hold a minority stake in Scale AI after the investment deal closes, but an exact figure was not revealed.

Tech industry veteran and investor Jason Droege, a co-founder of Uber Eats food delivery platform, will take over as chief of Scale AI, according to the company.

“Scale has led the charge in accelerating AI development,” Droege said in a release.

“We have built the strongest foundation to tackle AI’s data challenges and push the boundaries of what’s possible.”

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/meta-invests-over-10-million-in-scale-ai-takes-in-ceo-alexandr-wang-8657154

Strike a pose.

Madonna’s the latest A-lister to carry one of Aupen’s signature Nirvana bags, but the Queen of Pop’s pricey purse is quite literally a cut above the rest.

Created in partnership with French luxury conglomerate LVMH’s Métiers d’Art program, the patchwork crocodile style is valued at a whopping $100,000.

What’s more, “one of one” couture carryalls like Madonna’s will be available to order by invitation only as part of Aupen’s new Haute Maroquinerie initiative.

For those without such deep pockets — or fashion-world connections — the brand’s calfskin leather Nirvana bags start at $340 and are available in several colors with either buckled, braided or chain-link straps.

Aupen, whose brand name is a portmanteau of “authentic” and “open,” was founded in 2022 by Singaporean designer and entrepreneur Nicholas Tan.

“Influenced by art and architecture, we wanted to move away from the idea of perfection and embrace irregularity and to truly appreciate beauty with all its flaws,” Tan told Page Six Style the following year of the label’s signature asymmetrical shapes.

Taylor Swift was among the first stars to be spotted with a Nirvana, toting hers to Jack Antonoff and Margaret Qualley’s wedding in 2023 and later during a date with boyfriend Travis Kelce (and sending orders through the roof in the process).

Source : https://pagesix.com/2025/06/13/style/madonna-shows-off-her-100000-aupen-bag-on-instagram-one-of-one/

Kanye West made a shocking — and bizarrely quick — appearance at Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex trafficking trial Friday to support the fellow rapper.

West, 48, arrived with Combs’ son Christian “King” Combs, wearing the same all-white denim ensemble he sported Thursday.

Completing his outfit with black sunglasses, the musician stopped to shake a fan’s hand before beelining into Manhattan federal court.

When a reporter asked if he was there to support Diddy, West gave a slow nod and replied, “Yes.”

He did not respond when asked whether he would be testifying on Diddy’s behalf.

Page Six can confirm that West was not allowed into the main courtroom because his name was not included on a list of Diddy’s friends and family that was required to be submitted in advance to the court marshals.

Therefore, he went to the 23rd floor to watch the trial via a TV screen in one of the overflow rooms.

The Grammy winner saw some testimony with King and a few members of his team before other reporters caught wind of his presence, prompting him to leave roughly 45 minutes after arriving.

He exited the building with King and what appeared to be security guards before getting into the backseat of a black car.

West’s wife, Bianca Censori, did not accompany him, even though she is in New York with him.

His rep did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment.

A source told CNN Thursday that West had been in touch with King about attending the trial with the Combs family.

The source noted that West and King are currently working on music together.

West, who has faced a myriad of his own controversies in recent years, has publicly supported Diddy, 55, since the latter was arrested in September 2024 on charges of sex trafficking, transportation to engage in prostitution and racketeering conspiracy.

In fact, West advocated for Diddy’s release from jail in February.

“FREE PUFF,” the former posted on X at the time.

“ALL THESE CELEBRITY N—-S AND BITCHES IS P—Y YALL A WATCH OUR BROTHER ROT AND NEVER SAY S–T.”

“… FOR EVERY SON WHO DAD IS LOCKED UP WRITE [sic] OR WRONG I WANT YALL TO LISTEN TO DAVE CHAPELLES JOKES VERY CLOSE THIS TIME,” West captioned the post.

“LETS SEE HOW FUNNY IT GETS WHEN FAMILIES ARE SEPARATED ESPECIALLY BLACK FAMILIES.”

In March, West released via his social media channels a song featuring Diddy, King and his daughter North, 11, which infuriated her mother, Kim Kardashian.

Source : https://pagesix.com/2025/06/13/celebrity-news/kanye-west-shows-up-in-court-at-sean-diddy-combs-trial/

Four staffers have left Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s team, Page Six can confirm.

Kyle Boulia, the couple’s Los Angeles-based deputy press secretary, and Charlie Gipson, their UK press officer, have quietly exited their positions after the couple took on new advisers, Hello! reported Friday.

A source also confirmed to the outlet that two members of their private team have also departed their roles in recent weeks.

The exits came after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex launched a new team headed by Meredith Kendall Maines, who was appointed as their Chief Communications Officer earlier this year.

Maines addressed the changes in a statement to Page Six Friday, telling us, “As the Duke and Duchess’s business and philanthropic interests grow, I have made the strategic decision to move toward a more traditional communications structure of specialist agency support, as previously reported in Forbes and PR Week several weeks ago.”

She continued, “Transitioning from a team of two to an agency support staff of eight, operating across five different time zones, will give international media and stakeholders better access, and critically, faster response times to inquiries.”

Boulia and Gipson hung up their hats just over a year after they were hired by the Invictus Games founder and his wife in April 2024. Boulia previously worked at United Talent Agency and Gipson was a brand manager at Edelman.

A source familiar with the situation told Hello! that they believe there will be “another change in the future.”

“Meghan and Harry have hired some of the most incredible people at the top of their fields, yet somehow none of them ever work out,” the source said.

Last summer, the Sussexes’ then-chief of staff, Josh Kettler, memorably quit after just three months on the job.

In January, a former media staffer accused the “Suits” alum of creating a toxic work environment.

It was “really, really, really awful. Very painful,” the unnamed staffer claimed in a Vanity Fair exposé.

“Because she’s constantly playing checkers — I’m not even going to say chess — but she’s just very aware of where everybody is on her board. And when you are not in, you are to be thrown to the wolves at any given moment.”

Source : https://pagesix.com/2025/06/13/royal-family/prince-harry-and-meghan-markle-abruptly-lose-four-more-employees-as-staffing-woes-continue/

Like many in Singapore, 37-year-old Ella Lyn would spend her days off indulging in a hobby, namely rollerblading with friends.

What’s unique about Ms Lyn’s experience is that her fellow rollerbladers are made up mostly of migrant workers – though not entirely by choice.

The domestic helper from the Philippines said that during her 12 years here, she has encountered Singaporeans who openly express their displeasure at the mere sight of migrant workers meeting up with their friends in public spaces.

“In my experience, and my group of friends’ experience, they (locals) like making bad comments and have bad opinions about us,” she told CNA TODAY.

Even when her friends in the Skate Club Singapore cruise around without bothering members of the public, they become the target of negative comments.

Ms Lyn set up the club with her friends in 2022 and it now comprises mainly migrant workers from the Philippines, Indonesia, Bangladesh and India.

“We have experienced them (members of the public) shouting at us, telling us that we just formed the group to find boyfriends and girlfriends … they also tell us our group is for ‘lust’,” she recounted.

Ms Lyn wishes that Singaporeans would see migrant workers like her as “the same (like them), fellow humans who want to relieve stress after work”. She added that she is open to making friends with locals – though she is hesitant about making the first move.

Meanwhile for Mr Mosharof, a lorry crane operator from Bangladesh, told CNA TODAY that he “don’t have many” Singaporean friends, despite having worked here for 17 years.

He said that the Singaporeans he has met are generally nice and helpful, but given the very little and precious rest time that he has, he would rather spend it catching up with his friends and family members who are also working here.

“No need, thank you. My work hours are already so long,” he replied when asked if he would like the opportunity to make friends with more Singaporeans.

The experiences of Ms Lyn and Mr Mosharof highlight the challenges that work permit holders face when it comes to integrating into and forming friendships with the wider community here.

This group of foreign workers often work in roles which are traditionally shunned by Singaporeans such as in construction, marine shipyards and domestic work.

As many observers have pointed out over the years, they are viewed in a different light to foreign professionals who hold higher-tier work passes, who are regarded by many Singaporeans as a form of job competition.

Still, the migrant workers interviewed by CNA TODAY said they are aware that they are not fully welcome by some segments of Singaporeans.

Despite such negative perceptions about them, most said they would welcome that chance to befriend Singaporeans should they be given the chance.

After all, even though these foreigners are often seen as transient due to the relatively short-term nature of their work permits, many have ended up working here for years, even decades.

This is why Ms Dipa Swaminathan, founder of non-governmental organisation It’s Raining Raincoats, said it is a “misconception” to regard such workers as merely transient.

“You put yourself in their shoes…. If you have studied abroad in a particular country, or work there…people who go and live somewhere else, want to belong in that place,” she said.

“You may have your own family back in your country that you left, but while you’re in a place, it’s the human instinct to want to belong.”

This underscores the importance of integrating such workers and building bonds with them so that they can feel that they are part of the Singapore that they have helped build, Ms Swaminathan said.

In a speech at an appreciation dinner held in his honour by organisations from Singapore’s Indian community earlier this year, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong called on Singaporeans to help immigrants and foreign workers adapt to the country’s social norms to build a cohesive and inclusive society.

“Immigrants and foreign workers raise political sensitivities in many societies,” Mr Lee noted.

But as Singapore relies on them “to top up our population base and talent pool”, the inflow and integration must be be managed with “utmost sensitivity”, while Singaporeans at the same time “must also stand firmly against nativism and xenophobia, and welcome the new arrivals to become part of our extended family.”

Currently, work permit holders are only allowed to work here for a maximum duration of between 14 and 26 years based on skill level, sector and country of origin.

From July, this cap will be removed, which some observers believe will provide a stronger impetus to reassess the integration of such workers and their relationship with the local community, given their even longer duration of stay here.

Sociology experts, advocacy groups and volunteers who work with migrant workers noted that as a society, Singapore will benefit from a more integrated pool of migrant workers since they make up over one-quarter of the total population here.

To achieve this goal, however, would require a gradual approach of dismantling long-held stereotypes and concerns among Singaporeans that have led to the current separation between migrant workers and local citizens.

There is, however, the matter of priority too — and integration is not necessarily high up the list of issues that the migrant worker workforce face.

Non-government organisations (NGOs) and advocacy groups, as well as workers CNA TODAY spoke to, generally agreed that there are more pressing issues that directly impact the daily lives of work permit holders, which still require significant attention.

Such issues include wage theft, welfare protection and physical safety, be it in workplaces or when being transported to their work sites.

Vice-president of Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2) Alex Au noted that low-wage work permit holders do not have the right to bring in their family members, stay beyond their employment and have to return home at some point.

“If, by ‘integration’, we mean turning them into Singaporeans, and getting Singaporeans to accept them as one of ‘us’, then it is all quite pointless,” said Mr Au, adding that it applies more to those holding higher-tier work passes and their dependents.

“It has no reason to be a priority when we’re talking about work permit holders — at least if that is the definition we use.”

The “far more important discussion”, he said, is how such low-wage workers get mistreated through “active disempowerment and exploitation or through neglect”.

Dr Mathew Mathews, principal research fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), acknowledged that integration and forging relationships with locals is a “second, third order” issue relative to the immediate ones listed earlier.

“But I think the bigger picture, in the longer term, fostering a relationship (with Singaporeans) will increase the motivation that Singaporeans have of ensuring that migrant workers are better protected.”

HOUSED SEPARATELY FROM WIDER SOCIETY 

Work permit holders here have long formed a big part of Singapore’s population, yet many have remained removed from the wider society.

The number of work pass holders here have grown from 990,000 in 2019 to close to 1.7 million as of December 2024. Singapore’s total population is about 6.04 million as of June 2024, according to the latest available official figures.

About 301,600 work pass holders are domestic helpers, and 456,800 are from the construction, marine shipyard and process sectors.

As the number of such foreign workers increases, so too have efforts to house them largely away from the wider society.

Since 2006, public flat owners have been disallowed from renting out their homes to non-Malaysian work permit holders from the construction sector. The restriction has since been extended to the manufacturing as well as marine shipyard and process sectors.

The authorities said then that they had taken into account the sentiments of HDB dwellers towards their migrant neighbours in introducing the restriction.

At the same time, dormitories – mostly situated away from residential areas – were built to house male migrant workers.

In 2008, about 1,400 residents in the affluent neighbourhood of Serangoon Gardens petitioned against the proposed construction of a migrant worker dormitory next to their homes. While their concerns were framed around practical concerns such as overcrowding and traffic, the arguments increasingly took on a classist and xenophobic tone, observers noted at the time.

In 2015, during the debate on the Foreign Employee Dormitories Bill to license and regulate dormitory standards, several Members of Parliament also raised concerns from local residents over the prospects of having migrant workers in their neighbourhoods.

The law, which regulates and licenses purpose-built dormitories, came two years after the Little India riot, which primarily involved migrant workers and had accentuated public order and safety concerns.

All these developments influenced how the majority of male permit holders are housed today in relation to the wider community, said experts.

Dr Leong Chan-Hoong, senior fellow at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), said: “What we’re doing now, is to mitigate potential tension that could arise due to factors such as very different cultures, different economic backgrounds.”

Dr Leong heads the social cohesion research programme at RSIS.

As of end 2024, there were 1,441 dormitories which can accommodate about 439,200 work permit holders – most of them operating at “near full” capacity, according to an industry report by the Dormitory Association of Singapore Limited and property consultancy Knight Frank Singapore.

In April this year, the government announced six new dormitories with a combined capacity of about 45,000 will be built “over the next few years”.

Aside from dormitories, there are also eight recreation centres (RCs) for migrant workers, designed to be one-stop places providing basic amenities, shops and services as well as event venues for them.

Six of them are run by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), and the NTUC-affiliated Migrant Workers’ Centre (MWC). The remaining two are managed by private operators.

More and more migrant workers are turning to such centres for their recreational needs.

MWC’s executive director Michael Lim told CNA TODAY that there was a 41 per cent increase in visitorship in 2024 from the year before, averaging 150,000 visitors each month at the RC it operates at Soon Lee.

“This positive momentum has continued into 2025,” said Mr Lim.

Meanwhile, an MOM spokesperson said overall, each of these centres drew an average of over 80,000 monthly visitors in 2024.

Also, the nearly 90 outreach events organised in 2024 attracted over 75,000 migrant workers, the spokesperson added.

Experts cautioned that the physical distance between workers’ dormitories and the heartlands pose a challenge to integration efforts.

Associate Professor Laavanya Kathiravelu from the department of sociology and human geography at the University of Oslo said: “Migrant worker dormitories and recreation centres at the edges of the island or in less accessible places means that these men don’t interact at all with Singaporeans on a regular basis.

“They are not seen by locals as members of the neighborhood and nation,” added the Singaporean academic who concurrently holds a position in Nanyang Technological University (NTU).

Indeed, a report by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) published in December 2020 on public attitudes towards migrant workers in Singapore said that physical distance in accommodation “hinders migrant workers from integrating into the local community and encourages segregation and discrimination”.

“City planning can promote social inclusion by avoiding separation of migrant workers’ accommodation,” it added.

The report also found that between 2010 and 2019, there was a seven-point decline on a 100-point index measuring public support towards migrant workers. It noted that respondents with no interaction at all with migrant workers recorded a decline of 22 points, more drastic than the four-point decline among locals who had interacted with such workers.

Ms Ratna Mathai-Luke, a programme technical officer from ILO, told CNA TODAY: “People who have regular interactions with migrant workers generally tend to have a more positive perception of migrant workers. So we do know that is one condition that will support positive attitude towards migrant workers.”

Commenting on the locations of RCs, MOM said: “They provide attractive options for workers who do not wish to travel far to unwind, connect with their peers and participate in events and activities.”

The ministry spokesperson added that workers can still choose to visit any part of Singapore on their rest days.

Agreeing, Mr Lim of MWC added that his organisation “does not see them (RCs) as tools of segregation.”

“In fact, many of our programmes at the RCs are designed to bridge communities and build understanding. The RCs are one of several platforms through which we engage migrant workers meaningfully.”

Mr Lim added: “Importantly, there are no restrictions on where migrant workers can go during their rest days – they are free to visit the public spaces, malls, parks, and places of worship as any other member of the community.

“They are also free to catch up with their friends and social circles both within the RCs and beyond.”

Both MOM and MWC highlighted various programmes organised at the RCs that provide opportunities for locals to interact with migrant workers.

For instance, MWC work with corporate partners to hold “meaningful corporate social responsibility activities” that allow employees connect with the migrant worker community.

“These include hosting appreciation events, skill-sharing workshops, and inter-cultural team-building activities that highlight the contributions and personal stories of migrant workers,” said Mr Lim.

Meanwhile, MOM also works with schools and youth groups to encourage ground-up initiatives that support and care for the well-being of migrant workers and promote appreciation for the latter, said a ministry spokesperson.

“Last year, over 4,000 youths from schools and youth groups took part in activities supporting the well-being of our migrant workers. These initiatives include health screenings, financial and computer literacy classes, recreational sports and cultural exchanges as well as youth-hosted visits to local cultural and heritage centres,” said the spokesperson.

GROUND-UP EFFORTS TO BUILD BRIDGES

Apart from these official initiatives, there are notable efforts by civil society, Singaporeans and migrant workers seeking to integrate work-permit holders and to forge a closer relationship between them and residents.

Those involved in such initiatives cited the COVID-19 pandemic, which began in early 2020, as a turning point that shed light on the plight of migrant workers confined to their dormitories during the health crisis.

“The whole nationwide attention on the migrant worker situation has, of course, gone down since then, but I think many of the groups that have actually started during COVID-19 have sustained themselves,” said Ms Jaya Anil Kumar, senior manager for research and advocacy at Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics (HOME).

SayurStory is one such initiative started by Singaporean Leong Man Wei during the pandemic. Her interest in gardening during the pandemic prompted conversations about plants with her own helper, which made Ms Leong realise how much the woman could share with others about the subject due to the latter’s own experience back home in Indonesia.

Ms Leong, now 25, felt that SayurStory could be a way to momentarily “reverse the power dynamics and direction of teaching and learning”, so that employers see their helpers as empowered individuals with knowledge to share, and not just view them as employees.

The community has since organised various activities and events, such as workshops and visits to the park.

One instance that left a deep impression on Ms Leong was an event last October at the National Library where migrant helpers from the SayurStory community acted as facilitators, sharing information on jamu, the Indonesian traditional medicine, with members of the public.

“They (attendees) engaged with the facilitators, with a lot of respect and curiosity in the topic that they were teaching, with a lot of questions around their Indonesian heritage, which in the setting of a typical home between a helper and employer, you don’t actually get so much of,” said Ms Leong.

Sports is another area of interest that could transcend ethnic boundaries, if the experience of Mr Shaji Philip is any indicator.

The 55-year-old naturalised Singaporean who came from India, started organising cricket games in 2007 for himself and his friends – but word soon spread and the league now has over 100 teams with more than 3,000 players, of which about 20 per cent are local residents.

“They actively mingle and help the fellow migrant workers to get accustomed and take care of game expenses, if any. When it comes to sports there is no differentiation or segregation between the nationalities and other ethnic factors,” said the deputy director at a public transport operator here, referring to the interactions he saw on the pitch.

“I do observe there are a lot of team parties outside the pitch as well. For some parties, they invite me to be part of their gatherings and I try my best to be available for their invitations.”

Migrant workers, too, are also taking steps to forge closer bonds with the local community.

Ms Janelyn Dupingay, 34, a migrant domestic helper from the Philippines, is a member of the core team behind the Migrant Writers of Singapore, which organises many literary-related events all year round that are attended by both migrant workers and locals.

“For our art and writing workshops, usually there are four Singaporeans out of 10 participants and the rest are migrants. And for (the group’s event) Carnival of Poetry, there would be at least two Singaporean writers out of five,” she said, referring to the group’s monthly poetry reading sessions.

These events not only provide an outlet for participants to express themselves through the arts, but also to interact with people of different backgrounds and bond over common interests.

“Two years ago, we paired a local and migrant writer to collaborate on a poem that they will perform at Esplanade and just recently, they asked me for a foreword for their upcoming anthology book,” said Ms Dupingay.

“As an organiser, I feel amazed how they stayed connected even after their performance. So I’m looking forward to their book coming out.”

WHY IT’S WORTH FORGING A CLOSER RELATIONSHIP

NGOs and experts noted that in reality, due to how certain policies are structured, low-wage work permit holders cannot be expected to be as fully integrated into the wider Singaporean community as the foreign workers who hold higher-tier passes.

“Integration is typically measured by factors like levels of inter-marriage with locals, inclusion into different sectors of the labour market, access to healthcare and spatial inclusion,” said Assoc Prof Kathiravelu.

“Because low-wage migrants are structurally kept out of institutions like marriage, allowed to work only in certain sectors, have to rely on private healthcare, and stay outside the public housing system in privately run dormitories, the notion of integration is really quite inappropriate,” she added.

Ms Jaya of HOME and Ms Dipa of IRR noted that many migrant workers they have worked with would love a long-term residency in Singapore, a place where they typically spend over a decade working.

“They want to bring their children, they want to bring their spouses, but because they’ve remained a work permit holder, it’s tough for them to do so, and at the end of their tenure, they have to go back,” said Ms Jaya.

Though the migrant workers’ stay here is temporary by design, the negative attitudes held by some Singaporeans towards them must still be addressed.

Experts noted how these low-wage migrant workers tend to do “3D” jobs – dirty, demeaning and dangerous – that Singaporeans generally do not want to do themselves, yet acknowledge that they are necessary.

Ms Dipa said that this led to the “conflicting” way in which Singaporeans treat permit holders.

“They are everywhere, we want them to do the work around us. We don’t mind that. Yet, we don’t want them living around us,” said Ms Dipa. “It’s something for us to really reflect on ourselves.”

As in other parts of the world where citizens are grappling with the presence of immigrants, two main concerns often underlie locals’ fears: economic competition and perceived cultural erosion.

It is the fear of cultural erosion that sometimes takes primacy in the minds of some Singaporeans, said Dr Leong.

“You can reassure Singaporeans as much as you want about the importance of the migrant worker community. You can reassure them as much as you want in terms of what economic benefits, and whether they are law abiding or not.

“But at the end of the day, a lot of what’s driving how sharp you want to define the the intergroup boundary has a lot to do with whether you feel that you are being marginalised, whether you feel that your sense of community is being eroded because you have an influx of people who are alien to you,” Dr Leong added.

Given these negative sentiments held by some locals, the importance of integrating work permit holders to the rest of society still needs to be reinforced.

At the most economically pragmatic level, experts and NGOs noted that Singapore, with its fast-greying population and declining birth rate, will constantly be in need of migrant workers. However, as their home countries develop and other countries, too, seek the services of such migrant workers, the latter may not automatically view Singapore as a top destination to work.

For the migrant workers, integration could benefit them in tangible ways too.

Mr Ripon Chowdury, a worker from Bangladesh who runs a self-help community initiative called Migrant Workers of Singapore, said that the social distance between the two sides means that migrant workers’ issues “are not fully understood” by locals.

“When local communities see migrant workers not just as laborers but as individuals contributing to society, fairer treatment becomes a shared cause rather than an isolated issue,” he said.

“In that sense, integration may serve as the foundation that strengthens calls for safer work environments, fair wages, and better living conditions.”

As a society, keeping migrant workers apart from the rest of Singapore will only perpetuate negative sentiments towards the workers.

Dr Mathews from IPS said: “I don’t know how tenable it is to keep the groups so separate. I think it does breed all the stereotypes, all the (negative) concerns. A continual gap between the two groups may not be the most healthy in the longer term.”

Providing shared spaces for both sides to meet and interact meaningfully, on the other hand, would engender trust and greater shared sense of responsibility towards Singapore.

Source : https://www.channelnewsasia.com/today/big-read/not-just-cheap-labour-case-greater-integration-singapores-migrant-workers-5177546

A GIRL was attacked by a school of piranha fish just moments after taking a dip in a scenic lake in Brazil.

Nine-year-old Yasmin Luis Vieira’s foot was mutilated in the savage attack that took place before her mum’s eyes.

Mum Janaina Luis Pereira, 31, said the horror unfolded on a day trip to a lake in the Brazilian municipality of Caldas Novas on June 8.

She said the piranhas pounced on Yasmin within seconds of her feet entering the water.

The fish bit off two of her middle toes on her right foot while also injuring her left foot, according to the mum.

Gruesome images show victim Yasmin’s wounded feet.

Janaina said: “We went to the lake to have a family picnic. We went to the edge so she could put her feet in the water.

“I heard her scream, ‘Mummy, a piranha got my foot’.

“She jumped and got out of the water. When she sat down, I saw that her toes were gone. It was terrifying.

“I never imagined a piranha would do that.”

The mum said plenty of families, along with their children, were bathing in the lake at the time of the attack.

She said: “It’s a freely accessible place. There’s no fee to enter, but the signage is very poor.

“The area where everything happened is the same one where visitors have free access to the water. There is no isolation or protective barriers.”

Paramedics rushed Yasmin to hospital where she was treated for shock and a possible infection and doctors carefully stitched up her mutilated toes.

Her mum said: “She was losing a lot of blood. She was taken to the Mother and Child Hospital and treated immediately.”

Yasmin, said to be in intense pain, will soon have to learn how to walk again.

Janaina said: “The pain is constant, she screams a lot. She is sad because she keeps missing something that was ripped from her body.

“As a mother, seeing this is devastating.

“My emotional state is terrible. She tries to be strong, but she is going through a lot of suffering.”

Environmental experts are investigating the attack, according to city officials.

Around 30 different species of piranha fish are believed to dwell in the lakes and rivers of South America.

They are known for their razor-sharp teeth – the word ‘piranha’ literally translates to ‘tooth fish’ in Tupí, a language spoken by indigenous Brazilians.

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/news/14471966/girl-attacked-piranhas-lake/

Nippon Steel’s (5401.T), $14.9 billion bid for U.S. Steel (X.N), poses a national security risk, but those concerns can be mitigated if the companies fulfill certain conditions laid out by the Trump administration, U.S. President Donald Trump said in a executive order on Friday.

Source : https://www.reuters.com/business/trump-says-nippon-us-steel-deal-has-resolvable-national-security-risk-2025-06-13/

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday expressed condolences for the loss of lives in a plane crash in Ahmedabad. In a post on micro-blogging website X, Sharif said, “My heartfelt condolences to the families of the precious lives lost in the tragic Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad.”

“This devastating loss transcends borders and reminds us of our shared humanity. My deepest sympathies to Prime Minister Modi and the people of India,” Sharif wrote on X.

Netizens on X have slammed the President of Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) pointing fingers and expressing suspicion at Pakistan for the tragic plane crash.

One of the users on X said, “Tum log ne he kuch kiya hoga aatankwadiyo ??? Agar aisa nikla na to ready raho map se pakistan ko hataane k liye.”(sic)

Another user “Mayur” said, “Sach bol de pakistan ne hi kiya hai ye, IsI se bachane ki zimedari India ki, bol?”(sic)

“Didn’t you deny permission to Delhi-Srinagar IndiGo flight while attempting to avoid a very severe hailstorm and turbulence? Save your tears!!” (sic) another user said.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also condoled the loss of lives in the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad.

“Saddened by the tragic crash of Air India flight near Ahmedabad today. We extend our condolences to the families of the victims grieving this immense loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by this heartbreaking tragedy,” he said.

Source : https://www.freepressjournal.in/world/tum-log-ne-hi-kuch-kiya-hoga-netizens-react-after-former-pakistan-pm-nawaz-sharif-expresses-grief-over-ahmedabad-flight-crash

Cambodia escalated its cold war with Thailand on Friday when it announced a ban on Thai movies and TV shows and a boycott of the neighboring country’s international internet links.

Tensions between the Southeast Asian countries have soared since an armed confrontation in a border area on May 28 that each side blamed on the other and which left one Cambodian soldier dead.

Cambodian officials said the import and screenings of Thai movies would be banned, and that broadcasters would be ordered not to air Thai-produced shows, which include popular soap operas. The government said it would inflict a financial blow on Thailand by rerouting its international internet traffic through other countries instead.

Cambodian and Thai authorities engaged in saber-rattling last week, though they have since walked back much of their earlier statements emphasizing their right to take military action.

But they continue to implement or threaten measures short of armed force, keeping tensions high. Thailand has added restrictions at border crossings. Much of their war of words actually has appeared intended to mollify nationalistic critics on their own sides.

The confrontation reportedly took place in a relatively small “no man’s land” constituting territory along their border that both countries claim is theirs.

The area is closed to journalists, but it appears that both sides withdrew soon after the fatal confrontation to avoid further clashes, without explicitly conceding the fact in order to save face.

“Neither side wants to use the word ‘withdraw’. We say ‘adjust troop deployments’ as a gesture of mutual respect—this applies to both Cambodia and Thailand.” Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was quoted telling reporters this past week.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said Friday on the Telegram social network that his government would act preemptively to establish self-reliance in response to exhortations by Thai nationalists to cut off electricity and internet connectivity to Cambodia.

Camboia’s Minister of Post and Telecommunication Chea Vandeth announced on his Facebook page that “all telecommunications operators in Cambodia have now disconnected all cross-border internet links with Thailand,” and that the move would deprive Thailand of as much as hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue, a claim that could not be immediately checked.

The reported move to use circuits bypassing Thailand temporarily disrupted internet connectivity for users of at least one Cambodian service provider.

Thai officials said any plans to cut services to Cambodia were unrelated to the territorial conflict and would actually be targeting the infamous online scam centers in the Cambodian border town of Poipet that have been a problem for several years.

Cambodia’s Ministry of Fine Arts meanwhile informed all film distributors and cinemas owners that starting Friday, the import and screening of all Thai films must be immediately suspended.

Som Chhaya, deputy director general of a popular Cambodian TV channel, People Nation Network, told The Associated Press that his company will comply with another government order to drop Thai-produced shows, and in their place broadcast Chinese, Korean or Cambodian dramas.

Source : https://apnews.com/article/border-internet-tv-movie-ban-1d554bda4b59aa89b79f02ad2913acc7

President Trump reported more than $57 million in income from his family-linked cryptocurrency venture — one of several sources of revenue the commander in chief listed in his financial disclosure on Friday.

The disclosure, released by the Office of Government Ethics, shows Trump’s stake in crypto platform World Liberty Financial netted him $57,355,532, one of his largest sources of income last year.

World Liberty Financial, a decentralized finance (DeFi) platform, was co-founded in 2024 by Zach Witkoff, son of Steve Witkoff, the president’s envoy for Ukraine-Russia peace talks and Iran deal discussions.

The president’s three sons, Donald Jr., Eric, and Barron, are co-founders as well.

Trump’s personal crypto wallet is valued at between $1,000,001 and $5 million, according to the disclosure.

The 234-page document also lists several royalty payments the president received for selling items with his name and likeness, including $3 million for the “Save America” coffee table book, $2.5 million for “Trump Sneakers and Fragrances,” $2.8 million for Trump-branded watches, $1,055,100 for his “45 Guitar” and $1,306,035 for “The Greenwood Bible.”

A licensing agreement with a company hawking Trump digital trading cards generated another $1,057,490 for the president.

The president’s stock and bond investments span 145 pages of the document, which also shows he received north of $700,000 in fees for speaking engagements.

The White House has said that Trump’s assets are being held in a trust managed by his children while he serves his second term, and maintains that none of his business ventures present a conflict of interest.

The liabilities section of the disclosure shows Trump has yet to pay off more than $100 million mortgage loans received for various properties, including Trump Tower in Manhattan and Trump National Doral Golf Club in Miami.

The president also listed the $88 million in damages jurors awarded to E. Jean Carroll, the former magazine columnist who sued Trump, alleging sexual abuse and defamation.

The $454 million civil fraud judgment won by New York Attorney General Letitia James is also noted.

Trump notes that all the judgments have been “stayed pending appeal.”

Between $15,001 to $50,000 owed on an American Express credit card is also listed in the liabilities section.

Source : https://nypost.com/2025/06/13/us-news/trump-raked-in-57m-income-from-family-crypto-firm-seven-figures-from-guitars-sneakers-watches-and-books-financial-disclosure/

Two shocking attacks within two hours of each other, in France and Austria, have left parents and governments reeling and at a loss how to protect school students from random, deadly violence.

At about 08:15 on Tuesday, a 14-year-old boy from an ordinary family in Nogent, eastern France, drew out a kitchen knife during a school bag check and fatally stabbed a school assistant.

Not long afterwards in south-east Austria, a 21-year-old who had dropped out of school three years earlier, walked into Dreierschützengasse high school in Graz at 09:43, and shot dead nine students and a teacher with a Glock 19 handgun and a sawn-off shotgun.

In both countries there is a demand for solutions and for a greater focus on young people who resort to such violence.

Austria has never seen a school attack on this scale, but the French stabbing took place during a government programme aimed at tackling the growth in knife crime.

Australia’s defence minister woke up to a nightmare earlier this week – and it’s one that has been looming ever since the United States re-elected Donald Trump as president in November.

A landmark trilateral agreement between the US, UK and Australia – which would give the latter cutting-edge nuclear submarine technology in exchange for more help policing China in the Asia-Pacific – was under review.

The White House said on Thursday it wanted to make sure the so-called Aukus pact was “aligned with the president’s America First agenda”.

It’s the latest move from Washington that challenges its long-standing friendship with Canberra, sparking fears Down Under that, as conflict heats up around the globe, Australia may be left standing without its greatest ally.

“I don’t think any Australian should feel that our ally is fully committed to our security at this moment,” says Sam Roggeveen, who leads the security programme at Australia’s Lowy Institute think tank.

If confirmed by the Senate, Mr Kapur will be responsible for overseeing America’s strategic and diplomatic engagement with countries such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

US President Donald Trump nominated S Paul Kapur, an Indian-American academic, to serve as the Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs earlier this year. If confirmed by the Senate, Mr Kapur will be responsible for overseeing America’s strategic and diplomatic engagement with countries such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

Mr Kapur, born in New Delhi to an Indian father and American mother, has made no secret of his commitment to strengthening US-India relationships.

During his Senate nomination hearing on Tuesday, Mr Kapur said that the United States and India “share a host of common interests,” including maintaining a “free and open Indo-Pacific region”, boosting trade and economic ties, improving collaboration in technology and innovation, and securing reliable energy access to support economic growth.

When his nomination is approved, Mr Kapur will become only the second Indian-origin diplomat to head the South Asia bureau. Currently a professor at the US Naval Postgraduate School’s Department of National Security Affairs, he brings with him expertise on South Asian security, nuclear policy and Indo-Pacific geopolitics. He has also served in the past as a policy advisor at the US State Department and is affiliated with Stanford University’s Hoover Institution as a visiting fellow.

Mr Kapur was earlier part of the US State Department’s policy planning team during Trump’s previous tenure from 2020 to 2021. His current nomination follows the completion of Donald Lu’s term in January 2025.

Reflecting on his Indian heritage, Mr Kapur said, “Appearing before you, I can’t avoid the feeling of having come full circle. I was born in New Delhi, to an Indian father and an American mother. Although I visited India often during my childhood, I grew up in the United States as a thoroughly American kid, never imagining that my career would someday return me to the place where I was born.”

Known for his critical stance on Pakistan, he has frequently commented on the regional instability and challenges posed by cross-border militancy and nuclear risks in South Asia.

Referring to recent India-Pakistan tensions, Mr Kapur said the region narrowly averted a major conflict. He said he was committed to advancing US security interests in South Asia by promoting peace, stability, and counter-terrorism efforts.

Mr Kapur also emphasised a pragmatic approach towards Islamabad. “If confirmed, I will pursue security cooperation with Pakistan where it is in America’s interest while seeking opportunities for bilateral collaboration in trade and investment.”

A vocal proponent of counterbalancing China’s influence in Asia, he reiterated the need for a strong US-India alliance.

Source : https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/meet-s-paul-kapur-trumps-indian-american-pick-for-south-asia-diplomatic-role-8648866

Los Angeles has been rocked by widespread unrest following a series of immigration raids carried out by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency. What began as demonstrations against the agency quickly escalated, with tear gas, hundreds of arrests, and clashes transforming parts of the city into scenes of violent protests.

On social media, the turmoil has fueled a wave of viral videos and dramatic claims; with many of them being misleading and unfounded.

DW Fact Check investigated a few of the widely shared ones.

Old video falsely linked to LA protests

Claim: “OVERNIGHT IN LA: Illegal Aliens light themselves on FIRE after dousing Jeep with gasoline and lighting it.” This is claimed in a post on X with nearly 2.8 million views. Along with the claim, a video is shared showing a group of young people pouring gasoline on a Jeep before it explodes in flames. The same footage has been widely shared across platforms including YouTube and Instagram, all claiming it shows part of the current unrest in Los Angeles.

DW Fact Check: False.

The video is not related to the current protests. It first appeared online in March 2024 and shows a street takeover in Los Angeles’ Hyde Park neighborhood, unrelated to immigration raids or migrant protests.

A visible watermark in several versions of the clip links it to an Instagram account that regularly posts viral videos of car crashes, explosions, and street racing scenes. The video was published on that account on March 9, 2024.

A reverse image search leads to a Daily Mail article from March 2024 featuring screenshots from the same video and providing details of the street takeover, referring to when a group of people meet to showcase their cars and driving abilities. Searching keywords related to the Hyde Park incident in Los Angeles also yields additional reports and images from local outlets, confirming the video’s original context.

Cars have been set on fire during the recent unrest in Los Angeles, as documented by photo agencies and verified news sources. However, this video does not show a current incident.

Are photos of personnel lying on the ground actually from Afghanistan?

On Sunday, June 8, National Guard personnel began arriving in Los Angeles after an order by US President Donald Trump. Images of them sleeping on the ground went viral on several platforms (like on X and Instagram) and are accompanied by different claims. Some criticize Trump for having deployed the troops without taking adequate precautions. Amongst them is California’s Democratic Govenor Gavin Newsom who is a fierce critic of Trump. His post on X which includes the photos has been viewed more than 30 million times. Others allege the images are old and taken out of context.

Claim: In this post on X, with over 49,000 views at the time of writing, the claim is shared that the photographs were taken in Afghanistan in 2021. The same claim has been made in this TikTok video that has been viewed over 215,000 times.

The photos were published by the San Francisco Chronicle on June 9, 2025. The newspaper, based in California, states that they obtained the photographs.

Reverse image searches (like here and here) also do not reveal any older versions of the photographs, which means they have most likely not been published on the internet before. They do lead to similar images of National Guard personnel lying on the ground, like these taken in parking garages in the US in 2021, as news reports from that time show. Those photographs do not match the images in the claim, however, as the latter lack white walls with red stripes. Additionally, in the older news reports we see people wearing face masks, as 2021 was still the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. No masks are worn in the pictures of the current claims.

In the post’s comment section, some users turned to Grok, X’s AI chatbot, to try to verify the time and place the photographs were taken. Grok first indicated that they were taken in Afghanistan in 2021. Upon further questioning, Grok then suggests they may have been taken at the US Capitol in 2021, before replying it is “9 out of 10 certain the photos are from 2025,” pointing to the unreliability of the answers of the AI chatbot.

Source : https://www.dw.com/en/fact-check-fake-news-surrounding-the-los-angeles-protests/a-72857568

AS my odd-looking taxi pulled up, it was comforting to know that the driver couldn’t have downed a skinful the night before.

And I was certain this cabbie wouldn’t spend the journey telling me why my football team, Crystal Palace, aren’t as good as I think they are.

That’s because there wasn’t a human behind the steering wheel. I was about to take a ride in an AI-powered robotaxi.

They are coming to Britain next year after driverless vehicles were given the go-ahead. Ride-hailing app Uber will be allowed to put passengers’ lives in the hands of artificial intelligence in London.

For someone who has struggled to comprehend tech since the invention of the SodaStream, this ride was a frightening prospect.

Well, would you get on an airliner without a pilot?

Gazing out on to the busy freeway in Phoenix, Arizona, with giant SUVs motoring past, I had a similar pang of nerves about riding in the driverless contraption that had come to pick me up.

More gadgets than Bond

I had read some horror stories about robotaxies going rogue.

In 2021, a self-driving car in the sunbelt city became confused by traffic cones then drove away from a technician sent to rescue it.

Eventually the Waymo motor had to be disabled so a human driver could get behind the wheel. The passenger filmed the 33-minute debacle and plastered it on YouTube.

In 2023, a General Motors-owned Cruise robotaxi struck and dragged a pedestrian 20 feet in San Francisco. The woman — who was injured — survived the ordeal.

And in 2018 a cyclist was killed by an Uber cyber car with a safety driver in Phoenix.

The back-up driver had been looking down to watch The Voice TV show which he was streaming when Elaine Herzberg, 49, crossed a darkened road in front of her.

It was the first fatal collision involving a fully autonomous vehicle.

Nevertheless, with self-driving cars being touted as the future of motoring, it was time for a test run.

Booking my ride was simple. I downloaded the app of Waymo One — a self-drive firm owned by Google’s parent company Alphabet — and punched in my details along with where I wanted to go.

With the thermometer hitting 39C in this desert city, I was on the hunt for a nice, cool pint of Guinness and was told Casey Moore’s Oyster House was the place to go.

At least there would be no argument about designated drivers.

Soon I was tracking the Waymo on my phone as it surged to my hotel through the early rush-hour traffic.

And then the gleaming white Jaguar I-PACE came into view — with no one at the wheel. On the roof was something that looked like a giant police blue light with my initials displayed on it.

Unlocking its door with the app, I sat in the back (no one is allowed in the driver’s seat) as the Waymo played calming elevator music.

I pressed a screen between the front seats saying “start ride”. Then, a bit like KITT, the car from Eighties TV series Knight Rider, Waymo began talking.

As we pulled smoothly away from the hotel forecourt, the robotaxi told me to buckle up.

And then, with the steering wheel spinning as if by some invisible force, we eased into the Phoenix traffic as I let out an involuntary “whoaa!”

On the opposite side of the road cars were whizzing towards us but all-electric Waymo deftly navigated the right path before pulling up at a red light.

How did it know it was red? That’s one for the brainiacs. Swinging left into East Apache Boulevard, I caught sight of a couple of pedestrians ahead. How would the cyber motor react?

My Waymo One slowed and made sure to give them a wide berth.

That’s because it is bristling with more gadgets than a James Bond car.

Its sensors include cameras, radars and something called lidars which use lasers to create a 3D image of the vehicle’s surroundings.

The in-car computer then makes sense of all the data that Waymo is gathering.

And, learning to trust the tech, I was soon beginning to relax. All speed limits were observed and driving rules obeyed.

The ride was smooth and felt safe. Perhaps I was better off without a driver after all.

“Wayve’s technology operates more like a human driver would learning to drive in one city and then applying that knowledge to drive in new places.

Britain’s Department for Transport estimates that 88 per cent of road accidents are caused by human error. Soon we were pulling up outside the pub.

Keeping the rear door open a little too long, an actual human called Brian came through on Waymo’s intercom to check I was OK.

He was certainly more amenable than Johnny, the robot driver of the taxi in 1990 sci-fi flick Total Recall, who Arnold Schwarzenegger ripped out of the cab in frustration be- cause he was not listening to his in- structions.

My 14-minute journey over 1.6 miles had cost $9.33 (just over £7). And, unlike most things in America, there was no need to add a tip.

Waymo One serves 180 square miles of Arizona’s capital — that makes Phoenix the largest fully autonomous ride-hail service zone in the world.

After a couple of pints, I decided to summon another Waymo.

Not arriving at the front of the pub as I had imagined, it headed to- wards a parking lot at the back. Would the robotaxi be able to navigate this manoeuvre?

In May last year, another empty Waymo trying to pick up its ride collided with a telephone pole in a Phoenix alleyway.

No one was injured but pictures show a fire crew attending the scene with the robotaxi suffering a crumpled front grill.

Hunk of metal

Waymo voluntarily recalled its 672-car fleet for a software update in what the company called a “safety-first approach”.

The crash was put down to the robotaxi’s software having “assigned a low damage score” to the pole. It had misjudged the danger because there was no kerb or clear road edge.

My Waymo pulled into the parking lot smoothly and confidently.

But, unlike many humans, could it parallel park? Indeed it could and reversing is no problem either.

And — despite having sampled some local beverages — there was no barked warning: “Mate, you’re not going to be sick in my cab, are you?” Soon this taxi was traversing the two miles to Society restaurant like a London cabbie with The Knowledge.

The 11-minute ride cost $13.31 (£10.25). Again, no tip required by the computer chip and its hunk of metal.

With millions employed as drivers across the globe, tech titans are investing billions in robo vehicle technology for what they see as a lucrative driverless future.

Last year Elon Musk unveiled Tesla’s Cybercab at the Warner Bros studio lot in Hollywood.

The world’s richest man insisted that the sleek, golden two-seater car without a steering wheel or pedals will be on sale “before 2027”.

Meanwhile Amazon-owned Zoox’s self-driving cars are available to the public in Las Vegas.

In Scotland a robobus with a back-up driver plies a route over the Forth Road Bridge. Wuhan in China — where Covid was first detected — has more than 400 self-driving Apollo Go cars taking passengers.

Tech giant Baidu delayed increasing the fleet to a thousand after complaints by human taxi drivers.

A cab firm in the city accused the robotaxis of “taking jobs from the grass roots”.

It will be far from the last time humans protest about losing their jobs to AI-powered robots.

“Self-driving cars could bring jobs, investment, and the opportunity for the UK to be among the world leaders in new technology.

Over here, the UK start-up Wayve will be teaming up with Uber for its taxi service next spring.

If all goes well, the plan is to roll out these services across the country in the second half of 2027 when last year’s Automated Vehicles Act comes fully into force.

Founded in 2017 by New Zealand-born Alex Kendall, Wayve believes it can produce robocars that are safer and cheaper than anyone else by giving the car “its own brain.” Its AI-driven software can be used to make any car self-driving using cameras.

The live images are used to train itself to drive by visual observation.

Microsoft founder Bill Gates went for a ride to get fish and chips in a Wayve-powered motor — with a back-up driver — while in London.

The tech giant said: “Other self-driving technologies work only on specific mapped streets.

“Wayve’s technology operates more like a human driver would learning to drive in one city and then applying that knowledge to drive in new places.”

In May 2024, Wayve raised $1.05billion (£840million) in funding, with Microsoft and Nvidia, a leading chip-maker, among investors.

It is the largest known investment in an AI company in Europe to date.

According to the Department for Transport, the UK cybercar industry could be worth £42billion and create 38,000 jobs by 2035.

This week, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: “The future of transport is arriving.

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/motors/14457565/ai-powered-robotaxi-driverless-vehicle-test/

A CALIFORNIA Democrat has been thrown out of an LA protests news conference and handcuffed in a dramatic scene as he tried to confront Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.

Wild video shows the moment cops shoved Sen. Alex Padilla out of the room and forced him to the ground.

“I have questions for the secretary,” Padilla could be heard saying in the stunning footage.

“Because a fact of the matter is, a half a dozen violent criminals that are rotating on your …” he said before being cut off and pushed out of the room.

Padilla was shoved into a nearby hallway and told to put his hands behind his back before being handcuffed.

His office said he’s no longer detained.

Noem was asked about the outburst during the live news conference and she said Padilla did not ask for a meeting with her.

“I think everybody in America would agree that that was inappropriate,” she said.

Padilla’s office claimed he was just trying to ask the secretary a question.

California Governor Gavin Newsom was quick to capitalize on the drama, writing, “If they can handcuff a U.S. Senator for asking a question, imagine what they will do to you.”

President Donald Trump and Newsom have engaged in a war of words since Trump intervened and sent federal troops to the protests in downtown Los Angeles against Newsom’s wishes.

Newsom attacked Trump’s mental fitness – echoing the harsh criticism former President Joe Biden faced about his ability to lead as he finished his time in the White House.

Newsom’s attacks come after Trump claimed he spoke to Newsom on the phone earlier this week – but the governor insisted they last spoke to each other on Friday.

“It honestly starts to disturb me on another level – maybe he actually believes he said those things and he’s not all there,” Newsom said on Thursday’s episode of the New York Times’ political podcast The Daily.

He told Fox station KTTV, “He is not the same person that I dealt with just four years ago, and he’s incapable of even a train of thought. He’s lost it.”

Trump has repeatedly blasted his West Coast rival as “incompetent” and blamed him for “third world lawlessness” in the protests.

In response to Newsom daring border czar Tom Homan to arrest him, Trump said on Monday he “would do it if I were Tom.”

The president has now deployed 4,000 members of the National Guard and 700 Marine Corps to Los Angeles to try and restore peace.

While the troops aren’t allowed to arrest citizens, they can temporarily detain them until cops arrive to arrest them.

ICE has been accused of having a heavy-handed approach to Trump’s immigration policy including wrongly detaining US citizens.

The Trump administration has made it clear that despite the nationwide protests, they will continue to rid the US of illegal immigrant offenders.

Following California’s lead, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced he was deploying over 7,000 troops across the state after protests turned tense in Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio over the weekend.

Trump has now vowed to crack down on the growing demonstrations with more force than ever.

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/news/14424780/trump-troops-la-protests-ice-raids/

ISRAEL has launched devastating air strikes against Iran in a dramatic escalation risking all-out nuclear war in the Middle East.

Explosions rung out and plumes of smoke billowed above the capital Tehran after a volley of “preemptive strikes” as part of Operation Rising Lion.

Israel claimed it targeted a nuclear enrichment facility in Natanz, and threatened even more to come.

A defence official claimed the strikes eliminated Iran’s military chief General Hossein Salami and senior nuclear scientists, although this has not been confirmed.

State television also reported the attack set the headquarters of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard ablaze.

Tensions had flared following Iran’s advancing nuclear programme, with Donald Trump warning of a “massive conflict” between the enemy nations.

Iran has been stockpiling uranium and it is feared they are close to having enough weapons-grade fusion material for as many as 15 nuclear bombs.

Iran has also been distributing weapons and arms to proxy groups across the region fighting Israel including Hezbollah and Hamas.

The US has already declared it had no involvement in the strikes, which could set off a huge chain reaction triggering a major war in the region.

Fearing a reprisal, Israel has already declared a “special state of emergency”, closing airspace, shutting down schools, banning public gatherings and sounding air-raid sirens.

Defence Minister Israel Katz said: “Following the State of Israel’s preemptive strike against Iran, a missile and drone attack against the State of Israel and its civilian population is expected in the immediate future.”

The orders have been imposed across the entire state, with emergency messages sent to mobile phones ordering Israelis to stay close to shelters and limit movement in open areas.

Speaking after the blitz, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it was a “decisive moment in Israel’s history”.

He said in a video statement the operation “will continue for as many days as it takes to remove this threat”.

He added: “We struck at the heart of Iran’s nuclear enrichment programme… We also struck at the heart of Iran’s ballistic missile programme.”

On Thursday, the UN’s nuclear watchdog the International Atomic Energy Agency censured Iran for failing to work with its inspectors.

Iran’s nuclear chief, Mohammad Eslami, slammed the resolution as “extremist” and blamed Israeli influence.

It comes after an ex-military intelligence agent chillingly warned that Iran could rush to finish its nuclear weapons if attacked by Israel.

Raz Zimmt, who spent more than two decades in the IDF’s military intelligence, said Iran is likely to immediately retaliate with a huge missile blitz if Israel launches missiles as its turf.

He told The Sun: “The immediate retaliation would probably be the launching of long-range missiles from Iran against Israel if that’s an Israeli attack.”

Trump, whose administration is in talks with Iran in a bid to hammer out a deal over its nuclear programme, said he had urged ally Israel to hold off as he stressed his commitment to a diplomatic solution.

“I don’t want to say imminent, but it looks like it’s something that could very well happen,” Trump told reporters at the White House when asked if an Israeli attack loomed.

Trump said he believed a “pretty good” deal on Iran’s nuclear program was “fairly close,” but said that an Israeli attack on its arch foe could wreck the chances of an agreement.

The US has already pulled some diplomats from Tehran and offered evacuations for troops and families stationed in the Middle East.

US and Iranian officials were due to hold a sixth round of talks on the nuclear programme in Oman on Sunday until the negotiations reached a stalemate.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Israel had claimed the strikes were necessary for self-defence, while warning Iran not to target US forces in retaliation.

There are fears US could get dragged into the conflict if Iran decides to target military bases in the region, over the West’s support for Israel.

In a statement, he said: “Tonight, Israel took unilateral action against Iran. We are not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region.

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/news/14467440/israel-launches-strike-iran-explosions-rocked-tehran/

A RARE virus that killed Gene Hackman’s wife is spreading in the United States, warn health experts.

The rodent-borne disease can cause a range of debilitating symptoms including flu-like illness, headaches, and vomiting.

Nevadans have been urged to take steps to prevent exposure to hantavirus following two recently confirmed cases.

That takes the total cases in the U.S. since records began in 1993 to nearly 900.

People get hantavirus from contact with rodents like rats and mice, especially when exposed to their wee, poo, and saliva.

It can also spread through a bite or scratch by a rodent.

On Tuesday, the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) released a statement on the latest cases.

Urging “caution,” they advised “Nevadans to take steps to prevent exposure to hantavirus following two recently confirmed cases.

“As warmer weather arrives, people will be more active in areas such as sheds, barns, trailers, garages, and cabins where deer mice have nested or left droppings.

“NDOW reminds the public to be cautious in these areas or other structures that may have been closed up during the winter months.”

Melissa Bullock, state medical epidemiologist, added, “We urge people to be aware of any signs of rodent activity and to take precautions to reduce the risk of exposure to hantavirus.

“Anyone who has been in contact with rodents, nests or droppings and subsequently develops symptoms consistent with hantavirus pulmonary syndrome should see a health care provider immediately.”

It is believed that the virus can live up to four days depending on the environment.

There is no specific treatment for hantavirus infection, according to the American Lung Association.

It added, “However, if the virus is caught early and the patient receives medical care in an intensive care unit (ICU), they will likely improve.”

While hantavirus infections are thankfully rare, the tragic death of Betsy Arakawa, the wife of Academy Award winning actor Gene Hackman, has increased concern about the disease.

The concert pianist, 65, was found dead alongside her husband and one of their dogs on February 26.

The bodies of Hackman, 95, and Arakawa were discovered at the couple’s Santa Fe home after maintenance and security workers called the cops.

New Mexico officials later confirmed that Arakawa had died of the rare hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS).

FLUID IN LUNGS

HPS is a severe and potentially deadly disease that affects the lungs.

Dr. Heather Jarrell, New Mexico’s chief medical investigator, said in February following the discovery of Arakawa, that once fluid is inside and around sufferers’ lungs, it’s a life-threatening situation.

She said, “At that point, a person can die very quickly, within 24 to 48 hours, roughly speaking, without medical treatment.”

But – confusingly for victims – HPS is a disease that can start to show at any time from one to eight weeks after contact with an infected rodent.

Experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said people suffering HPS will show symptoms including fever, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

It said, “Hantaviruses found in the Western Hemisphere, including here in the U.S., can cause hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.

“The most common hantavirus that causes HPS in the U.S. is spread by the deer mouse.”

SPREAD BY RODENTS

However, according to Uinta County in Wyoming, there are four rodents in the United States which carry hantavirus, including the deer mouse.

The others include the white-footed mouse, found throughout southern New England and the Mid-Atlantic and southern states, the midwestern and western states, and Mexico.

The cotton rat, found in the southeastern U.S. and down into Central and South America, is another rodent to be wary of.

The rice rat, which is slightly smaller than the cotton rat, lives in marshy areas and is semi-aquatic. It lives throughout the southeastern U.S. and Central America.

The CDC said that HPS can be deadly, as “38% of those who develop respiratory symptoms may die from the disease.”

BLEEDING

Americans should also be aware that Hantaviruses cause two syndromes.

Aside from HPS, there is hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS).

People infected with the latter may have flushing of the face, inflammation or redness of the eyes, or a rash.

They can eventually suffer from internal bleeding and acute kidney failure.

OTHER CASES

As of the end of 2022, 864 cases of hantavirus disease were reported in the United States since official surveillance began in 1993.

These were all laboratory-confirmed cases and included HPS and non-pulmonary hantavirus infection, said the CDC.

Since then, there have been seven confirmed cases of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in New Mexico in 2024, plus two in Nevada so far this year.

Hantavirus caused three recent deaths in California, reported the Los Angeles Times in April.

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/health/14465953/rare-hantavirus-killed-gene-hackmans-wife-spike-cases-us/

A GLAMOROUS Instagram star who soared to fame by claiming she was an astronaut has been exposed as a fraud by NASA.

Laysa Peixoto, known to her 156,000 followers as @AstroLaysa, announced earlier this month she’d been picked for a career in space exploration.

The 22-year-old Brazilian claimed she earned a spot in the coveted “Astronaut Class of 2025” with plans to fly to the Moon and Mars.

But just days after her triumphant Instagram reveal – complete with snaps of her in a NASA-branded jumpsuit and helmet – NASA itself came crashing into her orbit with a reality check.

The agency said bluntly in a statement: “This individual is not a NASA employee, principal investigator, or astronaut candidate.

“It would be inappropriate to claim NASA affiliation as part of this opportunity.”

Peixoto, from the state of Minas Gerais, has told followers she was chosen by private space outfit Titans Space for a 2029 mission led by Veteran NASA astronaut Bill McArthur.

She gushed in a post on June 5: “It hasn’t fully sunk in yet, but I feel immense gratitude for the entire journey I’ve taken so far and for everyone who has been and is a part of it.”

She added: “It is a great joy to represent Brazil as an astronaut in such a decisive era of space exploration… It is an honour to carry the Brazilian flag with me as the first Brazilian woman to cross this frontier.”

But NASA’s no-nonsense response made it clear she had never trained with them and had only participated in a student workshop called L’SPACE – which it described as neither a job nor an internship.

Titans Space added to the confusion, confirming she had been accepted into a “candidate programme” – a far cry from a guaranteed seat on a rocket.

The company reportedly doesn’t even hold a license to conduct manned spaceflights.

The programme Peixoto apparently joined is a $1million “Inaugural Astronauts” package promising a five-hour space trip and just three hours of zero gravity.

Questions around Peixoto’s education also started brewing.

She had claimed to be earning a master’s in Quantum Physics and Computing at Columbia University in New York City.

But the Ivy League school told Brazilian outlet Metropoles there’s no record of her.

Meanwhile, her former university in Brazil confirmed she was dismissed in 2023 for failing to re-enrol.

In a press release statement acquired by Brazilian outlet O Tempo, Peixoto’s team attempted to address any misunderstandings her Instagram may have caused.

Her publicist said in a press release: “In the announcement made on Instagram, the only statement given so far (June 11), having not checked any interview so far, Laysa explains that she was selected as an astronaut by the private company Titans Space

“At no time is there a mention of NASA, or that it would be an astronaut from the agency. The post was never edited.”

According to the press release, Peixoto also has no direct affiliation with NASA.

“It’s explicit and clear: Laysa was selected to become a career astronaut by Titans Space, which will have as mission commander, Bill McArthur, a veteran NASA astronaut – the only mention made about NASA in the post.”

But eagled-eyed internet sleuths say otherwise – noting the post was edited and included photos heavy with NASA iconography.

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/news/14460724/fake-astronaut-nasa-instagram-exposed/

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday (Jun 12) that he hoped to press US President Donald Trump at the upcoming G7 summit to introduce tougher sanctions against Russia, as peace talks between the two sides remain stalled.

Speaking at a press conference in Kyiv, Zelensky said: “I count on having a conversation with President Trump at the G7. This sanctions package is very important… the final decision is still in the White House.”

Zelensky’s comments come as Moscow and Kyiv continue negotiations, most recently in Istanbul, that have so far yielded little beyond large-scale prisoner swaps. Russia has rejected calls for a ceasefire in its three-year invasion of Ukraine.

TRUMP EXPRESSES FRUSTRATION

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday he was “very disappointed in Russia” but also in Ukraine, for failing to reach a peace agreement. “I think deals could have been made,” Trump told reporters at the White House. He estimated that up to 6,000 people were dying each week in the conflict, including civilians “getting hit by missiles.”

Trump has previously urged both sides to reach a settlement, but while he has threatened new sanctions on Moscow, these have yet to materialise. His return to the White House has also cast uncertainty over Washington’s military and financial support for Kyiv.

US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a close Trump ally, is currently backing a bipartisan “bone-breaking” sanctions bill, proposing a 500 per cent tariff on countries that continue to import Russian oil and gas, particularly targeting China and India.

EUROPEAN CAUTION AND NEW PLEDGES

Germany, Ukraine’s second-largest defence backer after the US, signalled it would not send Taurus long-range missiles, a setback to Kyiv’s ambitions. “Asked whether we are considering this, my answer is no,” said German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius during a visit to Kyiv.

He did, however, announce a new €1.9 billion (US$2.2 billion) military aid package.

Zelensky appeared with Pistorius at the joint press conference and noted the urgency of maintaining and increasing military support. “We want to end this war this year,” he said.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga, speaking separately at a conference in Rome, warned against appeasement in dealing with Russia. “The diplomacy of appeasement does not work with Russia,” he said in what was widely seen as a veiled critique of Trump’s approach.

CASUALTIES AND ONGOING ATTACKS

Russia has intensified drone and missile strikes in recent days, with two civilians killed in Donetsk on Thursday, according to Ukrainian officials. Ukrainian forces have responded with drone attacks of their own.

In Russia’s Belgorod region, a two-year-old child was killed during one such Ukrainian strike, regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said.

Tens of thousands have died since Russia invaded in February 2022. Millions more have been displaced, with large swathes of eastern Ukraine heavily damaged by continuous bombardment.

PRISONER SWAP OFFERS RARE BREAKTHROUGH

Amid the ongoing conflict, the warring sides completed another large prisoner swap on Thursday. Under an agreement reached in Istanbul, each side released more than 1,000 detainees, focusing on wounded soldiers and troops under the age of 25.

“Today, warriors of our Armed Forces, National Guard, and Border Guard Service are back home,” Zelensky wrote on social media. He added that many of the returnees were seriously injured and in need of medical attention.

Images published by Kyiv showed the Ukrainian servicemen smiling, wrapped in national flags, and calling loved ones. AFP reporters at the scene noted that many families gathered at the exchange site, hoping to learn about the fate of their missing relatives.

Source : https://www.channelnewsasia.com/world/zelensky-urge-trump-stronger-russia-sanctions-g7-summit-5178246

A group of 11 states led by California on Thursday filed suit challenging a repeal by Congress of the state’s 2035 electric vehicle rules and heavy duty truck requirements.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday signed three resolutions approved by lawmakers barring California’s electric vehicle sales mandates and diesel engine rules, including its landmark plan to end the sale of gasoline-only vehicles by 2035.

“We officially rescue the U.S. auto industry from destruction by terminating the California electric vehicle mandate once and for all,” Trump said on Thursday.
“Trump’s all-out assault on California continues,” California Governor Gavin Newsom responded. “And this time he’s destroying our clean air and America’s global competitiveness in the process.”
The states asked a judge to declare that Trump’s repeal of waivers issued by the Environmental Protection Agency under President Joe Biden have no effect on state emissions rules.
“The Federal Government carried out an illegal playbook designed to evade lawful procedures that might prevent the ‘take down’ of disfavored California laws,” said the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in northern California.

The plaintiffs include New York, New Jersey, Colorado, Massachusetts and Washington state. The defendants are Trump, the EPA and its Administrator Lee Zeldin.
In March, the Government Accountability Office said the waivers cannot be repealed under the Congressional Review Act. Senate Republicans rejected the advice of the Senate parliamentarian in moving forward under the act.
Biden’s waiver allowed California to mandate that at least 80% of new vehicles sold in the state be electric by 2035, with the remainder being plug-in hybrids.
Trump also signed a resolution to rescind the EPA’s 2023 approval of California’s plans to require a rising number of zero-emission heavy-duty trucks, and another resolution on California’s low-NOx, or low-nitrogen oxide, regulation for heavy-duty highway and off-road vehicles and engines.

The lawsuit said regulations requiring “crucial emission
reductions from gasoline- and diesel-fueled vehicles got swept in for termination too.”
The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, representing General Motors (GM.N), Toyota (7203.T), Volkswagen (VOWG.DE), Hyundai (005380.KS), Stellantis (STLAM.MI), and others, praised Trump’s signing, saying the EV rules were unachievable and made cars less affordable, limited consumer choice and reduced industry competition.
Alliance CEO John Bozzella said Trump “got behind this repeal before the EV mandates did real damage to the auto industry in America, stood up for customer choice and helped restore a degree of balance to U.S. emissions regulations.”
Experts and automakers say Trump’s repeal significantly reduces the value of Tesla’s (TSLA.O), EV emissions credits.

The EPA said the lawsuit lacked merit. “This is nothing more than California throwing a temper tantrum because the American people don’t want the state’s terrible policies,” agency spokeswoman Molly Vaseliou said.

Source : https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/california-10-other-states-sue-block-trump-killing-2035-ev-rules-2025-06-12/

The Khalistani presence in Canada is a complex issue, raising concerns about radicalisation, terrorism, and diplomatic tensions between India and Canada

Anti-India and anti-Modi protests in Canada are being driven by the ISI-backed Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) and other radical groups, top intelligence sources have told CNN-News18. Funds from drug and illegal weapons supplies fuel these protests, they said. Divisions have emerged within gurdwaras following the previous Justin Trudeau government’s stance on the Khalistan issue, they added. Most Sikhs oppose unnecessary community conflict under ISI influence, said the sources.

“The G7 countries are keen to engage with India on business and trade, but Pakistani terror groups create obstacles. Former Trudeau government ministers, such as Sukh Dhaliwal, have been sidelined due to past activities. Canada has become a haven for gangsters and Pakistan-backed Khalistani groups, sheltering banned terror groups from India and showing no cooperation in investigating Khalistani crimes,” a source said.

Khalistani groups in Canada

1. International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF)

2. Babbar Khalsa

3. Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF)

4. Sikh For Justice (SFJ)

5. Dal Khalsa

Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus has refused to meet Labour MP Tulip Siddiq to discuss corruption allegations against her during his visit to London.

Yunus told the BBC the allegations were a “court matter” and said he had confidence in Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), which is investigating Siddiq.

The ACC has accused Siddiq of illegally receiving land from the regime of her aunt Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted as Bangladesh’s prime minister last year.

Siddiq, a former Treasury minister, has denied the allegations and accused the Bangladeshi authorities of a “politically motivated smear campaign”.

In a letter, Siddiq requested a meeting with Yunus, a Nobel-prize winning economist who has led an interim government in Bangladesh since a student-led protest movement toppled Hasina from power.

Siddiq said a meeting “might also help clear up the misunderstanding perpetuated by the Anti-Corruption Commission in Dhaka”.

In an interview with the BBC, Yunus was asked whether he would meet Siddiq during his four-day visit to the UK this week.

“No I’m not because it’s a legal procedure,” Yunus said. “I don’t want to interrupt a legal procedure. Let the procedure continue.”

Siddiq has argued Bangladeshi authorities have not provided any evidence to back up their allegations and refuse to engage with her lawyers.

Responding to those arguments, Yunus said: “It’s a court matter.

“A court will decide if enough materials are available to pursue the case or cancel it”.

When asked if prosecutors in Bangladesh needed to be more transparent and provide evidence of wrongdoing to Siddiq, Yunus said: “As chief adviser I have full confidence in our Anti-Corruption Commission and they are doing the right thing.”

On the question of whether he would seek Siddiq’s extradition if she was found guilty of any crimes in Bangladesh, Yunus said: “If it is part of the legal procedure, of course.”

Pope Leo XIV has appointed the first Chinese bishop of his papacy, signalling that he will continue a historic agreement that sought to improve relations between the Vatican and China.

Both sides have hailed the appointment of Fuzhou Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Lin Yuntuan as an affirmation of their commitment to the 2018 accord, which was reached under the late Pope Francis.

The agreement gave Chinese officials some input on the appointment of bishops. However, its contents were never fully disclosed to the public.

Beijing insists that the state must approve the appointment of bishops in China, running contrary to the Catholic Church’s insistence that it is a papal decision.

China has some 10 million Catholics.

Currently, they face the choice of attending state-sanctioned churches approved by Beijing or worshipping in underground congregations that have sworn allegiance to the Vatican.

On Wednesday, the Vatican said Yuntuan’s ministry had been “recognised” by Chinese law.

“This event constitutes a further fruit of the dialogue between the Holy See and the Chinese Authorities and is an important step in the journey of communion of the Diocese,” the Vatican said.

When asked about Yuntuan’s appointment, foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told reporters on Thursday that this showed how the 2018 agreement had been “smoothly implemented”, state media reported.

China is willing to work with the Vatican to continue improving relations, he said.

The Pope’s move shows a “willingness to support reconciliation instead of antagonism”, Michel Chambon, a research fellow at the Asia Research Institute in Singapore who has written extensively about the Catholic Church, told Reuters news agency.

In September 2018, Pope Francis recognised seven bishops appointed by China. The Vatican also posthumously recognised an eighth bishop who died the year before.

Source : https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn4g9dlnynmo

A federal judge on Thursday ordered the Trump administration to “return control” of thousands of National Guard troops that had deployed to Los Angeles to quell anti-ICE riots to the state of California.

Senior San Francisco US District Judge Charles Breyer issued the order after hearing arguments from attorneys for Trump’s Justice Department and California Gov. Gavin Newsom after the Democrat had sued the feds over dispatching roughly 4,000 Guard members to protect officers carrying out immigration enforcement operations.

“At this early stage of the proceedings, the Court must determine whether the President followed the congressionally mandated procedure for his actions. He did not,” Breyer wrote in his order.

“His actions were illegal—both exceeding the scope of his statutory authority and violating the Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. He must therefore return control of the California National Guard to the Governor of the State of California forthwith.”

“That’s the difference between a constitutional government and King George.”

Breyer’s order will be stayed until Friday at 3 p.m., and the Trump administration has already filed an appeal with the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Brett Shumate, the head of the DOJ’s Civil Division, disputed Breyer’s characterization of the president’s order throughout the 70-minute hearing, arguing that the commander-in-chief had “delegated” the federalizing of the Guard through California’s adjutant general, as legally required.

Shumate also claimed that Newsom was merely a “conduit” for that order as it passed through the chain of command from Trump to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to the state Guard.

“There’s no consultation requirement, pre-approval requirement,” he argued. “There’s one commander-in-chief of the armed forces.”

The underlying statute that Trump invoked permits a president to call up the National Guard when threatened by an invasion of a foreign nation, “rebellion or danger of a rebellion” against the government or if law enforcement is unable “to execute the laws of the United States.”

Breyer’s line of questioning focused on how orders for the federalization of National Guard forces “shall be issued through the governors of the States.”

That led to some back-and-forth with Shumate about whether Trump discussed the order with Newsom beforehand, to which Shumate answered the two “certainly spoke about the situation in Los Angeles on Friday night.”

Two days later, Newsom called Trump a “a stone-cold liar” and said the president “never once” mentioned the National Guard deployment on the phone call.

The California attorney general’s office, which is representing Newsom’s administration, countered that allowing Trump’s action to stand implied there would be “no guardrails” for further abuse by the executive branch.

“The president, by fiat, can federalize the National Guard and deploy it,” said Nicholas Espiritu, the state’s supervising deputy AG, “whenever there is disobedience to an order.”

While Breyer took issue with the deployment of the National Guard, he appeared more inclined to let stand Trump’s order sending around 700 US Marines to the Golden State to assist with the federal immigration crackdown.

Source : https://nypost.com/2025/06/12/us-news/federal-judge-questions-constitutionality-of-trump-sending-national-guard-to-contain-la-riots/

The order was clear and indisputable, the timeline startling. You have 45 minutes to pack up and leave Pakistan forever.

Sher Khan, a 42-year-old Afghan, had returned home from his job in a brick factory. He stared at the plainclothes policeman on the doorstep, his mind reeling. How could he pack up his whole life and leave the country of his birth in under an hour?

In the blink of an eye, the life he had built was taken away from him. He and his wife grabbed a few kitchen items and whatever clothes they could for themselves and their nine children. They left everything else behind at their home in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir.

Born in Pakistan to parents who fled the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the ensuing war, Khan is one of hundreds of thousands of Afghans who have now been expelled.

The nationwide crackdown, launched in October 2023, on foreigners Pakistan says are living in the country illegally has led to the departures of almost 1 million Afghans already.

Pakistan says millions more remain. It wants them gone.

“All our belongings were left behind,” Khan said as he stood in a dusty, windswept refugee camp just across the Afghan border in Torkham, the first stop for expelled refugees. “We tried so hard (over the years) to collect the things that we had with honor.”

Pakistan set several deadlines earlier this year for Afghans to leave or face deportation. Afghan Citizen Card holders had to leave the capital Islamabad and Rawalpindi city by March 31, while those with Proof of Registration could stay until June 30. No specific deadlines were set for Afghans living elsewhere in Pakistan.

Khan feared that delaying his departure beyond the deadline might have resulted in his wife and children being hauled off to a police station along with him a blow to his family’s dignity.

“We are happy that we came (to Afghanistan) with modesty and honor,” he said. As for his lost belongings, “God may provide for them here, as He did there.”

A refugee influx in a struggling country

At the Torkham camp, run by Afghanistan’s Taliban government, each family receives a SIM card and 10,000 Afghanis ($145) in aid. They can spend up to three days there before having to move on.

The camp’s director, Molvi Hashim Maiwandwal, said some 150 families were arriving daily from Pakistan — far fewer than the roughly 1,200 families who were arriving about two months ago. But he said another surge was expected after the three-day Islamic holiday of Eid Al-Adha that started June 7.

Aid organizations inside the camp help with basic needs, including healthcare. Local charity Aseel provides hygiene kits and helps with food. It has also set up a food package delivery system for families once they arrive at their final destination elsewhere in Afghanistan.

Aseel’s Najibullah Ghiasi said they expected a surge in arrivals “by a significant number” after Eid. “We cannot handle all of them, because the number is so huge,” he said, adding the organization was trying to boost fundraising so it could support more people.

Pakistan blames Afghanistan for militancy

Pakistan accuses Afghans of staging militant attacks inside the country, saying assaults are planned from across the border — a charge Kabul’s Taliban government denies.

Pakistan denies targeting Afghans, and maintains that everyone leaving the country is treated humanely and with dignity. But for many, there is little that is humane about being forced to pack up and leave in minutes or hours.

Iran, too, has been expelling Afghans, with the UNHCR, the UN’s refugee agency, saying on June 5 that 500,000 Afghans had been forced to leave Iran and Pakistan in the two months since April 1.

Rights groups and aid agencies say authorities are pressuring Afghans into going sooner.

In April, Human Rights Watch said police had raided houses, beaten and arbitrarily detained people, and confiscated refugee documents, including residence permits. Officers demanded bribes to allow Afghans to remain in Pakistan, the group added.

Searching for hope while starting again

Fifty-year-old Yar Mohammad lived in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir for nearly 45 years. The father of 12 built a successful business polishing floors, hiring several workers. Plainclothes policemen knocked on his door too. They gave him six hours to leave.

“No way a person can wrap up so much business in six hours, especially if they spent 45 years in one place,” he said. Friends rushed to his aid to help pack up anything they could: the company’s floor-polishing machines, some tables, bed-frames and mattresses, and clothes.

Source : https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-pakistan-refugee-expulsion-taliban-torkham-crackdown-4aa29a801b471e8864bee279ca1b278a

The Palestinian death toll from the 20-month Israel-Hamas war passed 55,000, the Gaza Health Ministry said Wednesday, and hospitals said at least 21 people were killed while on their way to aid distribution sites.

The circumstances of the deaths reported near the sites were not immediately clear. The Israeli army said Wednesday it fired warning shots in central Gaza toward “suspects” that posed a threat to troops.

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which operates the aid distribution sites, said at least five of its local aid workers were killed in an attack that it blamed on Hamas as they headed to one of the centers.

The Gaza Health Ministry doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants, but has said that women and children make up more than half the 55,000 dead. Israel says it only targets militants and blames civilian deaths on Hamas, accusing the militants of hiding among civilians, because they operate in populated areas.

The ministry says 55,104 people have been killed since the start of the war and 127,394 wounded. Many more are believed to be buried under the rubble or in areas that are inaccessible to local medics. The figure did not include Wednesday’s deaths.

The Health Ministry is part of Gaza’s Hamas-run government, but staffed by medical professionals who maintain and publish detailed records. Its tolls from previous conflicts have largely aligned with those of independent experts, though Israel has questioned the ministry’s figures.

Also Wednesday, Israel said forces recovered the remains of two additional hostages held in Gaza. Militants still hold 53 captives, less than half of them believed to be alive.

Casualties at separate aid hubs, health officials say

Health officials in Gaza said 14 people were killed while on their way to collect aid near the southern city of Rafah. Their bodies were taken to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis. In central Gaza, Al-Awda Hospital said that seven additional people were killed while on their way to an aid distribution site.

The Israeli military said troops fired warning shots before daylight toward people it identified as suspects “who were advancing while posing a threat” in central Gaza. The military had no immediate comment on the reports of casualties in southern Gaza.

Safaa Farmawi said her daughter, Ghazal Eyad, 16, was killed while on her way to collect food in Rafah.

“My daughter and I went to get aid, she came before me, I looked for my daughter but couldn’t find her. People told me your daughter was martyred,” Farmawi told the AP.

Near-daily shootings have erupted as crowds make their way to aid sites run by a newly created aid group rejected by the United Nations. Palestinian witnesses to previous shootings have said Israeli forces fired toward the crowds. The military has acknowledged firing warning shots toward people it says approached its forces in a suspicious manner.

The foundation says there has been no violence in or around the distribution points. It has warned people to stay on the designated routes and recently paused delivery to discuss safety measures with the military.

Foundation says some of its aid workers have been killed

The GHF accused Hamas of attacking a bus carrying two dozen of its Palestinian workers who helped deliver aid. It said in a statement that at least five people died, multiple others were injured and it fears some may have been taken hostage.

It said the attack happened as the team was heading to one of its aid distribution sites in the area west of Khan Younis.

“Our hearts are broken and our thoughts and prayers are with every victim, every family, and every person still unaccounted for,” the statement said.

The AP could not confirm the foundation’s account.

New aid system marred by chaos

The aid system rolled out last month has been marred by chaos and violence, while a longstanding U.N.-run system has struggled to deliver food because of Israeli restrictions and a breakdown of law and order, despite Israel loosening a total blockade it imposed from early March to mid-May.

Experts and human rights workers say hunger is widespread and that the territory of some 2 million Palestinians is at risk of famine if Israel does not fully lift its blockade and halt its military campaign, which it renewed in March after ending a ceasefire with Hamas.

Israel says the new aid distribution system is designed to prevent Hamas from siphoning off aid, but U.N. agencies and major aid groups say there is no evidence of systematic diversion.

They say the new system violates humanitarian principles by allowing Israel to control who receives aid and by encouraging more mass displacement as Palestinians seek access to just three operational sites, two of them in the territory’s southernmost city of Rafah, now a mostly uninhabited military zone.

Israel recovers remains of 2 more hostages

Israeli authorities identified one of the hostages recovered as Yair Yaakov who was killed during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack and whose body was taken into Gaza. His partner and two children were also taken captive and released in a ceasefire deal early in the war.

The second hostage’s identity was not disclosed.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the bodies were retrieved in a “complex” operation without disclosing details. The Israeli military said they were recovered from Khan Younis.

The war began when Hamas-led militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in the Oct. 7 attack and abducted 251 hostages. More than half the captives have been released in ceasefires or other deals. Israeli forces have rescued eight and recovered the remains of dozens more.

Hamas has said it will only release the remaining hostages in return for more Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and a complete Israeli withdrawal. It has offered to hand over power to a politically independent Palestinian committee. but has not agreed to disarm.

Source : https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-hostages-aid-06-11-2025-5c84e29a249b988e1172cfcf4528cdc8

THE lone gunman who killed ten people in a school gun massacre has been pictured for the first time.

The 21-year-old, identified as Artur A., was a former student at the school which yesterday was the scene of Austria’s worst mass shooting in modern history.

The attacker lived in a suburb of Graz, and had left the BORG Dreierschützengasse high school two years ago without successfully graduating sixth grade.

He had no previous convictions and was only known to the police as a victim of pick-pocketing.

Former classmates have said he was subjected to severe bullying during his school years, according to local reports.

There is speculation he targeted the school in an act of furious revenge, though police are yet to specify a motive.

When cops searched his house, they found a non-functional “pipe bomb” and a suicide note.

Officers also discovered what appeared to be abandoned plans for a bomb attack during the search, the local media reports.

In the “farewell letter”, Artur A. reportedly said goodbye to his parents and framed himself as a victim of bullying, reports Krone.

He also reportedly recorded a video and sent it to his mother where he spoke of his imminent atrocity and said he was acting “of his own free will”.

Artur A. stormed through two classrooms, firing with a Glock pistol and shotgun – both of which he owned legally.

Ten people were killed in the horrific attack.

A further 12 were taken to hospital with serious injuries, and an adult woman became the tenth victim to pass away on Tuesday evening.

Lea Bajrami, 15, was named as the first victim of the massacre.

She was one of the six girls to be killed alongside three boys and a woman.

Another 15-year-old girl named Hana Akmadžićis has been identified as the second victim of the tragedy.

Her uncle Ilhad paid heartfelt tributes to his niece and said: “She was my child, not just my niece. A flower of paradise. I can’t believe she’s gone.”

All the 11 surviving victims are aged between 15 and 26 years – and are currently being treated in hospitals. They are understood to be in a stable condition.

Eight of them are from Austria, two from Romania, and one from Iran, according to the police.

Austria was stunned by the senseless violence, and three days of national mourning has been declared.

Horrifying video from the scene yesterday showed pupils hiding in a classroom as gunshots rang out nearby.

Other clips showed students running for their lives as heavily armed cops made their way inside the BORG Dreierschützengasse high school.

A dad told local media that one of his sons lay down on the floor and pretended to be dead to escape the slaughter.

The youngest victim was only 14 years old, while other students were between 15 and 17. A 59-year-old teacher was also killed.

Immediately after the killing spree, the attacker went into a toilet and turned one of the guns on himself.

On Tuesday evening, government officials attended a memorial service in Graz Cathedral, and thousands gathered for a candlelight vigil in the city’s main square.

Austria’s Chancellor Christian Stocker said: “Today is a dark day in the history of our country.”

There is no record of a mass shooting in Austria with a death toll this high in the post-war period.

A nationwide minute of silence was observed Wednesday morning, and flags on official buildings were flying at half-mast.

Crisis centres were set up to support Graz locals, with specially-trained psychologists on hand to support students and parents associated with the school.

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/news/14447443/first-picture-austrian-school-shooter/

A JURY has reached a split verdict in the landmark retrial of disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein.

Jurors convicted Weinstein, 73, of one of the two criminal sexual assault counts he was facing and acquitted him of the other, but they were deadlocked on the rape charge.

Weinstein was given a new trial after last year’s bombshell decision to overturn his 2020 conviction in New York for rape and sexual assault.

The shocking ruling by a New York Appeals Court set in motion the retrial, which began on April 23.

Following five days of deliberation, the 12-person jury convicted Weinstein of engaging in a criminal sex act with actress Mimi Haley, one of the top charges.

However, jurors acquitted Weinstein of engaging in a criminal sex act with model Kaja Sokola, who accused the disgraced Miramax founder of forcing oral sex on her in 2006 when she was just 16 years old.

This was a new charge that wasn’t brought againstWeinstein during his first trial.

The majority female jury was deadlocked on the rape charge against Weinstein, who is accused of forcing himself onto actress Jessica Mann in 2013.

Judge Curtis Farber dismissed jurors for the day but informed them that they will reconvene on Thursday to continue deliberating on the rape charge.

Weinstein had a slightly stunned expression on his face after the mixed verdict was read and court officers cuffed him to his wheelchair, according to The New York Times.

Weinstein denied all allegations throughout the case as his lawyer, Arthur Aidala, said during closing statements that “he’s the one being abused.”

Despite the mixed verdict, Weinstein is still serving a 16-year prison sentence in Los Angeles, where he was convicted in 2022 on several sexual assault counts.

HEATED DAY IN COURT

Shortly before the verdict was announced, the trial heated up after the jury foreperson claimed jurors were getting in yelling matches and discussing inadmissable evidence.

The foreperson had a conversation with the judge and, “said words to the effect of, ‘I can’t go back in there with the other jurors,'” Judge Curtis Farber said.

The foreperson said he was being bullied over his position with heated threats from the jury, the judge said.

“He did indicate that at least one other juror made comments to the effect of ‘I’ll meet you outside one day,’ and there’s yelling and screaming,” Farber explained.

In a rare move, Weinstein then spoke to the courtroom and asked for the trial to be dismissed.

“My life is on the line, and you know what? It’s not fair,” he said after he asked to address the court.

“It’s time, it’s time, it’s time, it’s time to say this trial is over.”

Defense attorney Arthur Aidala said he was “disgusted” by the jury drama and called for a mistrial, but prosecutors said the spats were just part of deliberations.

Criminal defense lawyer Mark Bederow speculated that this dramatic twist will be “central to an appeal,” he told the New York Times.

He said it was “very concerning that a juror alerted the court that jurors were discussing inadmissible bad acts of Mr. Weinstein.”

“However, the fact that the jury split the verdict may cut against the defense by showing that jurors were able to deliberate fairly and carefully, as indicated by a partial verdict,” he added.

ACCUSERS SPEAK

Aidala ended his closing arguments in the retrial by insisting that Weinstein’s relationships with the women were “transactional” and that they were all angry that their film careers failed.

“If this guy wasn’t Harvey Weinstein, would we even be here?” Aidala asked the jury.

District Attorney Nicole Blumberg argued that Weinstein was never interested in the victims’ careers – only their bodies.

“The defense is no victim in this case — and to suggest otherwise is offensive,” Blumberg said.

Outside the courthouse, the accusers relived their emotional experiences testifying in the grim case.

Sokola briefly chatted to reporters to say, “It’s a big win for everyone. Harvey Weinstein will be in jail.”

Meanwhile, Haley, who has now won her case twice, was described as a “shero” by her lawyer Gloria Allred.

Haley said, “Testifying in the face of constant disruptions, victim-shaming, and deliberate attempts to distort the truth was exhausting and, at times, dehumanizing.

“I’m so grateful to the jury. I hope it is finally over.”

SHOCKING RULING

Weinstein was serving a 23-year sentence in New York when his conviction was overturned last April.

Officials ruled that the trial made an error by allowing irrelevant testimonies from three additional accusers.

Prosecutors brought the women to the stand to try to prove that Weinstein was engaged in a pattern of abuse, but the higher New York court determined that the strategy was prejudicial.

This time around, Weinstein said he wanted to take the stand to defend himself, but his lawyers shot down the idea, just like they did during the first trial.

While Weinstein awaited his verdict, he gave a rare interview to Fox 5’s Good Day New York anchor Rosanna Scotto, in which he said he understood why he was blocked from testifying.

“I’m not afraid of the DA, but this was the best advice and this is the advice you often hear: don’t take the stand if you don’t have to,” Weinstein said.

“He wanted to testify, and we respect that instinct,” Weinstein’s spokesperson Juda Engelmayer told Deadline on Monday.

“At this stage, doing so would subject him to scrutiny far beyond the scope of the current charges — raising issues that could unfairly damage his credibility. Our position is one of caution, not evasion.”

BIZARRE RECENT INTERVIEW

While he wasn’t allowed to testify, he proclaimed his innocence from prison in a bizarre recent interview with right-wing political commentator Candace Owens last month.

Weinstein said he “made mistakes,” but that he never committed any crime.

“I hurt my family. I hurt my friends. I cheated on my wife, and that was a mistake, a terrible mistake,” he told Owens in his first on-camera interview in eight years.

“But I did not commit these crimes. I swear that before God and the people watching now and on my family. I’m wrongfully accused.

“But justice has to know the difference between what is immoral and what is illegal.”

Weinstein said the allegations left him friendless and alone.

“They are frightened to death. They are frightened that they’re going to be canceled, that they’re not going to be able to work,” he said about his former friends.

“I tried to get my people to stand up and even testify in the trial. And nothing.”

Owens asked Weinstein about Gwyneth Paltrow, who previously said the exec had made a pass at her in a hotel room that sparked Brad Pitt, her boyfriend at the time, to tell him to leave her alone.

Weinstein slammed Paltrow’s story as a “fabrication.”

“At the end of the meeting, we had a glass of Champagne. As I was walking out the door, I said to her, ‘I’d love you to give me a massage,'” Weinstein said.

He said Paltrow didn’t have much of a response as she left the hotel.

“That was it. I didn’t put my hand on her. I didn’t touch her. I definitely made a pass. I guess, you know, you could call it that, but that was the sum total of that situation,” he said.

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/news/14378474/harvey-weinstein-rape-trial-verdict/

The Taliban are calling on all Afghans who have fled the country to return, claiming Afghanistan is safe.

Mohammad Hassan Akhund, the chairman of the Taliban government’s Council of Ministers, promised a general amnesty to returnees in his message on Saturday to mark the Islamic festival of Eid al-Adha.

“The perpetrators of the violence are now in power, for example, as head of the Ministry of the Interior. Of course, they now claim that the country is safe,” Nilofar Ibrahimi, a former member of Afghanistan’s parliament before the Taliban takeover, told DW.

Sirajuddin Haqqani serves as the Taliban’s interior minister. Haqqani is believed to be responsible for numerous deadly attacks in Afghanistan up until the Taliban takeover of the country in 2021.

He is on the FBI’s Most Wanted List on suspicion of “coordinating and supporting cross-border attacks against United States and coalition forces in Afghanistan.”

Haqqani now plays a key role in the Taliban’s power structure and is responsible, in particular, for security and police matters.

“The Taliban suppress any resistance and intimidate the population,” said Ibrahimi, who had to leave Afghanistan after the Taliban took power.

“In Badakhshan province, in the northeast of the country, they are taking action against farmers who don’t know what else to grow because the Taliban have banned poppy cultivation,” she added.

In Afghanistan, one of the poorest countries in the world, up to 80% of the population works in agriculture. Compared to other crops, opium cultivation was significantly more profitable, even in times of drought, and offered many farmers a secure source of income.

On the orders of their supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban have stopped poppy cultivation throughout Afghanistan. Now the farmers are left with nothing and don’t know how to feed their families.

Poverty in Afghanistan under the Taliban

Since the Taliban came to power, more than half of Afghanistan’s population has slipped below the poverty line. Millions of people are dependent on humanitarian aid. The country has a population of around 41.5 million. According to the United Nations Population Fund, around 43% are children between the ages of 0 and 14.

According to a March 2025 report by UNICEF, every second child in Afghanistan is in urgent need of emergency aid. The number of acutely malnourished children is rising steadily. Many underage girls are forced into marriage because their families no longer know how to feed their children.

“These are children who are denied the right to education, personal development and even childlike play. They are also confronted with painful consequences such as premature births, extreme poverty, family violence and social isolation,” an activist from an Afghan women’s protest movement, Purple Saturday, told DW in an email. For security reasons, she asked not to be named.

“And this in a society in which the support structures for women and children have practically collapsed,” she added.

These local activists try to inform women and young girls through their networks and, for example, teach them privately.

Under the Taliban, women are no longer allowed to study at universities. Secondary schools after the fifth grade have been banned for girls.

“Now more than ever, we need the genuine and unconditional solidarity of the international community,” the activist said.

Those who fled the Taliban fear returning

Many desperate mothers have fled to neighboring countries, including Diba, a mother of three.

Before the Taliban takeover, she had worked in the Afghan Ministry of Education and was a co-founder of an institution for the advancement of women, which was later closed by the Taliban. After months under Taliban rule, the women’s rights activist was forced to flee to Pakistan.

“I sold all my belongings and fled,” she told DW, adding she now fears being deported from Pakistan after her visa expired. Afghan refugees are currently being deported from Pakistan en masse. According to estimates, around 200,000 people were deported in April and May alone.

“I would rather hide than return to Afghanistan,” Diba said.

In Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, she would not even be allowed to move freely in society as a woman, let alone find a job to support her family. Her daughters would not have a self-determined life. She hopes to find a way to get herself and her children to a safe third country.

Source : https://www.dw.com/en/how-safe-is-afghanistan-under-the-taliban/a-72871878

A violent brawl aboard Carnival Sunrise on June 7 led to multiple passengers being permanently banned. The altercation occurred on the Lido Deck shortly after leaving Half Moon Cay. This follows an April incident on Carnival Jubilee, reinforcing the cruise line’s zero-tolerance policy for disruptive behavior during the summer season.

Carnival Cruise Line has permanently banned several passengers following a violent brawl aboard the Carnival Sunrise during a four-night Bahamas cruise. The incident took place around 5:30 PM on Saturday, June 7, shortly after the ship departed from Half Moon Cay, Carnival’s private island.
The fight erupted on the Lido Deck near the complimentary pizzeria, where many guests had gathered after returning from shore. Video footage shared on social media shows passengers throwing chairs and shouting, while others hurried to move out of harm’s way. Carnival’s security team responded swiftly, separating those involved and detaining them.

At least one passenger was confined to their stateroom under 24-hour surveillance for the remainder of the cruise. While it remains unclear whether that person was disembarked in Nassau on June 8 or remained onboard until the ship returned to Miami on June 9, Carnival has confirmed that all passengers involved in the altercation are now banned from sailing with the line in the future.

This latest incident follows another high-profile confrontation in April 2025, when a large fight broke out in the Galveston terminal during disembarkation from Carnival Jubilee. That altercation resulted in over two dozen passengers being banned and one man facing felony charges for assaulting an elderly guest.

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/world/us/us-news/carnival-cruise-bans-passengers-after-violent-brawl-during-bahamastrip-video-article-151879356

At least 49 people have died in South Africa after heavy rains caused major flooding Eastern Cape province, officials said on Wednesday.

The largely rural region, which stretches from the Indian Ocean into high inland mountains, has been battered by heavy rain and snow since the weekend.

Much of South Africa has been struck by heavy rainfall and bitterly cold conditions in the past days.

“We have never seen this kind of combination of snow and torrential rains in winter simultaneously,” Eastern Cape premier Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane told reporters.

Schoolchildren among the dead

Among those who perished were four children on a school minibus that was swept away by the waters, provincial authorities said.

“Sadly, four of those learners have been confirmed to be deceased, together with the driver and the conductor of the minibus taxi,” Mabuyane said.

“Four learners are still missing and are still being looked for,” he continued, adding that three others had been found alive.

Officials did not provide additional information about the other victims, saying the situation is evolving.

Eastern Cape ‘never experienced’ such disasters

South Africa’s national weather service has warned that severe and extreme winter weather conditions are expected to continue until at least the middle of this week.

“Now we are busy with the rescue operation. So we are trying to get figures, our people out of that situation, dead or alive,” Mabuyane said.

He told public broadcaster SABC News earlier that only one helicopter was available in the province.

“We need more resources,” he said. “We have never experienced disasters like this but now it’s inevitable with climate change and global warming,” Mabuyane added.

Source : https://www.dw.com/en/south-africa-winter-storm-leaves-over-40-dead/a-72876851

Billionaire businessman Elon Musk backed off digs he took at President Donald Trump after extensive outreach from administration officials, including Vice President JD Vance, with Musk saying on Wednesday he had gone “too far.”
The Tesla <TSLA.O> and SpaceX CEO voiced regret after having launched an exchange of increasingly personal attacks last week on their respective social media sites by calling Trump’s sweeping tax and spending bill a “disgusting abomination.” In other remarks, he called it too expensive.

The feud escalated to a point where Musk threatened to start a rival political party and suggested Trump be impeached.
For investors, the open rift potentially posed multiple hurdles for Tesla, SpaceX and the rest of Musk’s sprawling business empire, including Starlink, which depends heavily on its relationship with the U.S. and other governments.
“I regret some of my posts about President Donald Trump last week. They went too far,” Musk wrote in a post on his social media platform X on Wednesday, without saying which specific posts he was talking about.
He has deleted some of the posts, including the one signaling support for impeachment. He has not walked back his criticism of Trump’s tax bill, however.

Vance, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and David Sacks, Trump’s crypto czar and a longtime Musk friend, all pushed for Musk and Trump to make up, said two people briefed on the conversations.
Asked if he had helped defuse tensions between the two, Vance told reporters at the Kennedy Center that he had spoken with Musk and Trump about “trying to ensure that Elon is publicly supporting and privately supporting the president’s agenda.”
He said Trump was “rightfully very frustrated” with about Musk’s comments, but had no desire to be in a long-term feud with the billionaire and big campaign donor.
One of the sources said Musk was serious about potentially starting a new party, a risk for Trump’s Republicans going into the November 2026 midterm congressional elections.
In the 2024 vote, Musk gave Republicans roughly $300 million, contributing to their sweep of the White House and both houses of Congress.

On Friday, James Fishback, a Tesla investor and adviser to Musk’s government cost-cutting effort, posted on X that the billionaire owed Trump “a full-throated apology.”

Musk retorted: “What’s the apology for exactly?”
Musk subsequently deleted several posts, and a senior Trump adviser called Fishback to thank him, according to one of the sources.
Musk spoke to Trump on Monday, according to a White House source with knowledge of the matter.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Wednesday that Trump appreciated the apology. Asked if the administration was reviewing Musk’s government contracts after Trump’s threat last week to cancel them, Leavitt said she was not aware of any such efforts.

TESLA CONCERNS

Blake Lively’s attorneys plan on subpoenaing former A-list publicist Scooter Braun as she prepares to take her sexual harassment lawsuit against Justin Baldoni to court.

The HYPE America CEO will reportedly be served the subpoena Thursday as the actress’ lawyers seek details about what his entertainment company has on PR crisis manager Melissa Nathan, who was hired by Baldoni when feud rumors between him and Lively sparked last August, according to Deadline.

A court date has been set for March 2026.

Reps for Lively, 37, Braun, 43, and Baldoni, 41, did not immediately respond to Page Six’s requests for comment.

Nathan was listed as a co-defendant in Lively’s December 2024 lawsuit against Baldoni, which saw her accuse the actor of sexual harassment and coordinating a smear campaign to ruin her career.

Baldoni hired Nathan — a veteran crisis public relations manager — last August following allegations that he made the “Gossip Girl” alum “uncomfortable” while filming their 2024 drama, “It Ends With Us.”

Amongst the rumors were allegations that Baldoni “fat-shamed” Lively by allegedly asking a trainer how much his co-star weighs, so he could prepare to lift her in a scene.

Shortly after the reports surfaced, past interviews of Lively saying a transgender slur and insulting a news reporter went viral.

The “Age of Adaline” star was also bashed for poorly handling questions about the domestic violence film based on Colleen Hoover’s novel of the same name.

In her lawsuit, Lively alleged that Baldoni was behind the criticism she received, accusing him of “social manipulation” to “destroy” her status.

She included a text message thread from Baldoni’s rep to another studio rep that allegedly claimed he “want[ed] to feel like [Lively] can be buried.”

“You know we can bury anyone,” the other person allegedly responded.

At the time, Baldoni’s reps responded to the allegations, telling Page Six that Baldoni sought Nathan after Lively allegedly made “multiple demands and threats” not to show up to set or “promote the film” if her needs weren’t met.

Freedman also slammed Lively’s “shameful” and “categorically false accusations” about being sexually harassed by Baldoni.

Baldoni filed a counter lawsuit against the “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” star in January, though it was dismissed on Monday.

His lawyers plan to amend the lawsuit.

In Baldoni’s lawsuit, he dragged Lively’s BFF and Braun’s nemesis Taylor Swift into the drama, accusing the “Shallows” star of threatening him with the pop star’s influence to get her way.

Source : https://pagesix.com/2025/06/11/celebrity-news/blake-lively-drags-scooter-braun-into-justin-baldoni-legal-battle/

Kurilla particularly lauded the Pakistan Army for arresting Mohammed Sharifullah, a senior operational commander of the ISIS-K, who had allegedly played a key role in planning the suicide bombing at Abbey Gate near the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul on August 26, 2021, killing 13 US soldiers and 169 Afghan civilians.

Not only has a top United States military commander lauded “phenomenal partner” Pakistan for hunting the Islamic State (Khorasan) terrorists, but President Donald Trump’s administration is set to host the Pakistan Army chief, Asim Munir, whom India accused of provoking the April 22 carnage in Jammu and Kashmir with an incendiary speech.

Just days before both Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are set to attend the G7 summit in Canada, the US State Department also hinted that Washington, D.C., continued to be interested in mediating between India and Pakistan to help resolve the issue of Kashmir, despite New Delhi’s steadfast objection to the role of any third party in settling what it viewed as a bilateral issue between the two South Asian neighbours.

“They are in an active counterterrorism fight right now, and they have been a phenomenal partner in the counterterrorism world,” Commander of the United States Central Command (Centcom), General Michael Kurilla, said about Pakistan. He made the comment while presenting a statement before the US Senate Committee on Armed Services in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday. He lauded the Pakistan Army for hunting down the ISIS-K terrorists along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

He particularly lauded the Pakistan Army for arresting Mohammed Sharifullah, a senior operational commander of the ISIS-K, who had allegedly played a key role in planning the suicide bombing at Abbey Gate near the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul on August 26, 2021, killing 13 US soldiers and 169 Afghan civilians. He said that the arrest of the ISIS-K operative highlighted Pakistan’s value as a counterterrorism partner of the US.

“That’s why we need…to have a relationship with Pakistan and with India. I do not believe it is a binary switch that we can’t have one with Pakistan if we have a relationship with India,” Gen Kurilla said while answering questions from members of the panel. “We should look at the merits of the relationship for the positives that it has.”

“Opportunity also exists in CASA (Central and South Asia), where we can expand counterterrorism cooperation with Pakistan and other Central Asian partners,” the chief of the US Centcom said.

The Trump Administration has also invited Pakistan Army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, to attend the US Army Day celebrations on June 14.

Munir had called Kashmir “a jugular vein” of Pakistan on April 16. In a speech at the Overseas Convention of Pakistanis in Islamabad, he had not only defended the “two-nation theory”, which had led to the partition of India and creation of Pakistan in 1947, but had also said that the Muslims should make their children understand their difference from the Hindus.

New Delhi later alleged that his speech, full of communal rhetoric, had provoked a gang of Pakistani and Pakistan-trained terrorists to kill 26 people, mostly tourists, at Baisaran near Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir on April 22. Munir was promoted to the rank of Field Marshal by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government in Islamabad, soon after India’s military strikes on terrorist camps in Pakistan, as well as in areas under the illegal occupation of Pakistan, on May 7, and the retaliation by Pakistan triggered a four-day-long cross-border military flare-up, which came to a halt on May 10.

The Trump Administration’s invitation to the Pakistan Army chief came just days after India’s all-party delegations visited the US and several other countries, conveying the nation’s policy of ‘zero tolerance’ to cross-border terrorism sponsored by Pakistan. The all-party delegation, which visited Washington, D.C., also had a meeting with Trump’s Vice President J D Vance, who, incidentally, had been on a visit to New Delhi, Jaipur and Agra when the terrorists had carried out the attack in J&K on April 22.

Diplomatic setback for India: Congress

The opposition Congress hit out at the government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party, calling the US invitation to the Pakistan Army chief “a huge diplomatic setback for India”.

“This is the man who spoke in such incendiary and provocative language just before the Pahalgam terror attacks. What is the US really up to?” Congress’s general secretary, Jairam Ramesh, posted on X, reacting to the reports about the US invitation to the Pakistan Army chief. “This is another huge diplomatic setback for India,” he added, taking a dig at the BJP-led government, headed by Modi.

Notwithstanding New Delhi’s repeated rebuttals, Trump has been relentlessly claiming over the past few weeks that his administration had brokered the ceasefire between India and Pakistan to stop the conflict between the two South Asian neighbours from turning into a “bad nuclear war”.

He also offered to mediate between India and Pakistan to resolve the issue of Kashmir, prompting New Delhi to make it clear that it was a bilateral issue between the two neighbouring nations with no scope for mediation by any third party.

Source : https://www.deccanherald.com/world/us-invites-asim-munir-terms-pakistan-as-phenomenal-partner-while-lauding-its-counterterrorism-role-3581920

Disney and Universal are suing artificial intelligence (AI) firm Midjourney over its image generator, which the Hollywood giants allege is a “bottomless pit of plagiarism”.

The two studios claim Midjourney’s tool makes “innumerable” copies of characters including Darth Vader from Star Wars, Frozen’s Elsa, and the Minions from Despicable Me.

It is part of the entertainment industry’s ongoing love-hate relationship with AI. Many studios want to make use of the technology but are concerned that their creations could be stolen.

Midjourney’s image generator makes images from typed requests or prompts.

In the lawsuit filed in federal district court in Los Angeles, the studios gave examples of Midjourney-generated images that included Disney characters such as Star Wars’ Yoda and Marvel’s Spiderman, the Incredible Hulk and Iron Man.

Disney’s chief legal officer Horacio Gutierrez said the firm was “optimistic” about how AI “can be used responsibly as a tool to further human creativity”.

“But piracy is piracy, and the fact that it’s done by an AI company does not make it any less infringing,” he said.

In the complaint, Disney and Universal said Midjourney made $300m (£221m) last year alone and is planning a “soon-to-be-released video service”.

Syracuse University law professor Shubha Ghosh said: “A lot of the images that Midjourney produces just seem to be copies of copyright characters that might be in new locations or with a new background.”

“It doesn’t seem like they’re being transformed in a creative or imaginative way.”

He added that there is a recognition in copyright law that creativity can build on other works as long as it adds something new.

Randy McCarthy, head of the IP Law Group at US law firm Hall Estill said: “No litigation is ever a slam dunk, and that is true for Disney and Universal in this case.”

“There are several issues such as terms of service provisions by Midjourney, and basic fair use analysis, that will need to be sorted out by the court before we can determine the likely outcome,” he added.

Midjourney did not immediately respond to a BBC request for comment.

On its website, the San Francisco-based startup says it has a “small self-funded team” with less than a dozen full-time staffers.

It refers to itself as “an independent research lab.”

The firm is run by David Holz, who previously founded a hardware sensor firm called Leap Motion.

Midjourney lists former Github chief executive Nat Friedman and Philip Rosedale, founder of Second Life, among its advisors.

Hollywood sees both potential upsides and downsides to AI.

It was only two years ago that actors and writers shut down the entertainment industry hub with strikes demanding protections against new technology.

Source : https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cg5vjqdm1ypo

Scientists have discovered a new species of dinosaur – in the collection of a Mongolian museum – that they say “rewrites” the evolutionary history of tyrannosaurs.

Researchers concluded that two 86 million-year-old skeletons they studied belonged to a species that is now the closest known ancestor of all tyrannosaurs – the group of predators that includes the iconic T.rex.

The researchers named the species Khankhuuluu (pronounced khan-KOO-loo) mongoliensis, meaning Dragon Prince of Mongolia.

The discovery, published in Nature, is a window into how tyrannosaurs evolved to become powerful predators that terrorised North America and Asia until the end of the reign of the dinosaurs.

“‘Prince’ refers to this being an early, smaller tyrannosauroid,” explained Prof Darla Zelenitsky, a palaeontologist from the University of Calgary in Canada. Tyrannosauroids are the superfamily of carnivorous dinosaurs that walked on two legs.

The first tyrannosauroids though were tiny.

PhD student Jared Voris, who led the research with Prof Zelenitsky, explained: “They were these really small, fleet-footed predators that lived in the shadows of other apex predatory dinosaurs.”

Khankhuuluu represents an evolutionary shift – from those small hunters that scampered around during the Jurassic period – to the formidable giants, including T-rex.

It would have weighed about 750kg, while an adult T.rex could have weighed as much as eight times that, so “this is a transitional [fossil],” explained Prof Zelenitsky, “between earlier ancestors and the mighty tyrannosaurs”.

“It has helped us revise the tyrannosaur family tree and rewrite what we know about the evolution of tyrannosaurs,” she added.

The new species also shows early evolutionary stages of features that were key to the tyrannosaurs’ tyranny, including skull anatomy that gave it a strong jaw. Jared Voris explained: “We see features in its nasal bone that eventually gave tyrannosaurs those very powerful bite forces.”

The evolution of such powerful jaws allowed T-rex to pounce on larger prey, and even bite through bone.

The two partial skeletons that the team examined in this study were first discovered in Mongolia back in the early 1970s. They were initially assigned to an existing species, known as Alectrosaurus, but when Mr Voris examined them, he identified the Tyrannosaur-like features that set it apart.

“I remember getting a text from him – that he thought this was a new species,” recalled Prof Zelenitsky.

Source : https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy8dzv3vp5jo

Bangladesh’s interim Chief Adviser, Muhammad Yunus, criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for brushing aside Dhaka’s request to curb ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s online speeches, which Yunus claims are provoking anger across Bangladesh.

Speaking at the Chatham House in London during a recent discussion, Yunus recounted an exchange with PM Modi. “When I had the chance to talk to Prime Minister Modi, I simply said you want to host her, I cannot force you to abandon that policy… but please help us in making sure that she doesn’t speak to Bangladeshi people the way she’s doing,” Yunus said, referring to Hasina’s addresses from India.

“She announces that such and such day such and such hour she will speak, and the whole Bangladesh gets very angry. Why is she keeping this whole anger thing inside?”

Yunus said he asked PM Modi to intervene and prevent Hasina from making further statements, to which the Indian Prime Minister reportedly replied, “It’s social media, you cannot control it.” Reacting to the response, Yunus said, “What can you say? It’s an explosive situation, you can’t just walk away saying it’s social media.”

When asked whether India was doing what Bangladesh expected, Yunus responded without hesitation: “No.” He confirmed that Bangladesh had written to the Indian government requesting Hasina’s extradition, and that legal proceedings were already underway.

“The tribunal has started the trial process. They sent notices to Hasina for the crimes she had committed. There are so many other crimes coming up. So they have to respond to such notices. We’re following a legal process. We want it to be legal, very proper. We want to make sure that we don’t do something out of anger,” he added.

Yunus, who took over as interim chief in the wake of Hasina’s ouster in August 2024, emphasised that Bangladesh still seeks a strong bilateral relationship with India.

However, he expressed concern over what he alleged was misinformation being spread through Indian media with suspected links to top policymakers.

“We want to build the best relationship with India, they’re our neighbour. We don’t want to have a basic problem with them. “But somehow things go wrong every time because of all the fake news that is coming from the Indian press and some, many people say has connections with policymakers at the top,” he said.

“This is what makes Bangladesh very jittery, very, very angry. We try to get over this anger. But the whole barrage of things keeps happening in cyberspace we can’t just get away from that. Even if we try to remain peaceful suddenly they say something, do something and the anger comes back. So this is now a big task for us,” Yunus said.

Tensions between India and Bangladesh have continued to rise since Hasina’s removal from power in 2024. After being ousted during mass protests, the former prime minister took refuge in India. Her party, the Awami League, was officially banned in May 2025 by the interim government, which has accused New Delhi of meddling in Bangladesh’s domestic politics.

The situation further escalated when Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) indicted Sheikh Hasina and two others last week on charges including mass murder, linked to the 2024 student-led protest crackdown.

The indictments were followed by Yunus’ announcement that national elections would be held in April 2026, dismissing the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)’s calls for early polls.

“The government has held discussions with all parties to organise the most free, fair, competitive and acceptable elections in history. In addition, after reviewing the ongoing reform activities related to justice, reform and elections, I am announcing to the people of the country today that the next national elections will be held on a day in the first half of April 2026,” Yunus said. This came a week after he had stated in Japan that elections could take place anytime between December 2025 and June 2026.

Bangladesh has been without a permanent elected government since August 2024, following Sheikh Hasina’s exile and the collapse of her administration in the wake of widespread protests against a controversial welfare and tax-exemption scheme for families of soldiers from the country’s 1971 liberation war.

In the midst of these tensions, Yunus and PM Modi exchanged letters on the occasion of Eid-ul-Adha. In his June 6 letter, Yunus acknowledged Modi’s greetings and said the message “reflects the shared values” between the two nations. He also extended his best wishes to the Indian prime minister and the people of India.

Source : https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/asked-pm-modi-to-stop-hasina-from-reaching-out-to-bangladesh-he-said-muhammad-yunus-2739368-2025-06-11

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents chased after migrants working at California farms in the latest set of raids that triggered days of protests.

Footage uploaded to Instagram from a produce farm in the city of Oxnard, about 70 miles northwest from the riots in Los Angeles, shows the moment ICE agents target a man working in the misty fields Tuesday morning.

The farmworker attempts to flee from the two officers, who easily chase him down and handcuff him on the ground.

The arrest was just one of several that took place Tuesday in Ventura County with the help of the FBI, leading to protests and anxiety in Southern California.

Daniel Larios — of the United Farm Workers Foundation, a nonprofit that advocates for all farm workers in the US — said the wave of arrests is not targeting violent criminals, but workers who maintain the Golden State’s agriculture.

“They’re just taking innocent people who are trying to build their own American Dream,” Larios told ABC 7. “This is not law enforcement. It’s a campaign of fear against people whose only ‘crime’ is living and working in the US.”

Oxnard Mayor Luis McArthur condemned the raids as “unjustified and harmful,” claiming the arrests have done nothing to improve public safety, only “create chaos.”

It remains unclear how many people were detained during the joint operation with ICE and the FBI’s Los Angeles office, but the Farm Bureau of Ventura County — which represents local farmers, ranchers and agricultural businesses — said dozens of immigrant workers were arrested.

The farmworkers’ arrests triggered protests outside Oxnard City Hall, with hundreds calling for the migrants to be released and for ICE agents to exit the county.

Oxnard Police Department Chief Jason Benites has said his department does not take part in, or assist, ICE’s activity.

Southern California has become the hotbed for the Trump administration’s immigration raids, which kicked off five days of violent protests across Los Angeles that have pitted Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom against President Trump.

Source : https://nypost.com/2025/06/11/us-news/ice-agents-chase-farmworkers-during-latest-raid-in-california-video/

Israeli gunfire and airstrikes killed at least 60 Palestinians in Gaza on Wednesday (Jun 11), most of them near an aid site operated by the US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in the centre of the enclave, local health officials said.

Medical officials at Shifa and Al-Quds hospitals said at least 25 people were killed and dozens wounded as they approached a food distribution centre near the former Jewish settlement of Netzarim before dawn.

Israel’s military, which has been at war with Hamas militants since October 2023, said its forces fired warning shots overnight towards a group of suspects as they posed a threat to troops in the area of the Netzarim Corridor.

“This is despite warnings that the area is an active combat zone. The IDF is aware of reports regarding individuals injured; the details are under review,” it said.

Later on Wednesday, health officials at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip said at least 14 people had been killed by Israeli gunfire as they approached another GHF site in Rafah.

The GHF late on Wednesday accused Hamas of killing at least five people in an attack on a bus carrying two dozen Palestinians working with the aid organisation to one of its distribution sites.

“We will continue our mission to provide critical aid to the people of Gaza,” it said in a statement.

The foundation earlier said it was unaware of Wednesday’s incidents involving civilians but added that it was working closely with Israeli authorities to ensure safe passage routes are maintained, and that it was essential for Palestinians to closely follow instructions.

“Ultimately, the solution is more aid, which will create more certainty and less urgency among the population,” it said by email in response to Reuters questions.

“There is not yet enough food to feed everyone in need in Gaza. Our current focus is to feed as many people as is safely possible within the constraints of a highly volatile environment.”

GHF said it distributed 2.5 million meals on Wednesday, the largest single-day delivery since it began operations, bringing to more than 16 million the number of meals provided since its operations started in late May.

Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry says that since then, 163 Palestinians had been killed and over 1,000 wounded trying to obtain the food boxes.

Source : https://www.channelnewsasia.com/world/israeli-fire-kills-60-gaza-many-near-aid-site-medics-say-5176491

Nationwide protests erupted across the US following federal immigration raids in Los Angeles, prompting President Trump to deploy thousands of troops, triggering widespread clashes, curfews, mass arrests, and legal battles over military intervention.

Nationwide protests broke out in the US after federal immigration raids in Los Angeles led to dozens of arrests, sparking outrage over what many described as militarised enforcement and civil rights violations. President Donald Trump deployed thousands of troops and defended the move as necessary to restore order, while hinting at invoking the Insurrection Act. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass declared an emergency and imposed a curfew, criticizing the military’s limited role. California Governor Gavin Newsom challenged the deployment in court, escalating tensions with the White House. As demonstrations spread to over a dozen cities. Police clashes, mass arrests, and growing political opposition continue.

Here are 10 key developments from the nationwide unrest sparked by immigration raids and the federal crackdown that followed.

1. Trump deploys troops, defends action

US President Donald Trump deployed over 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to Los Angeles amid protests, saying on Truth Social: “If our troops didn’t go into Los Angeles, it would be burning to the ground right now.”

At Fort Bragg, he labeled protesters “animals” and “a foreign enemy,” vowing to “liberate Los Angeles.”

Demonstrations began Friday after federal immigration agents arrested dozens of workers in Los Angeles.

Protesters blocked a major freeway and set vehicles ablaze. Police responded with tear gas, rubber bullets, and flash-bang grenades.

2. Mayor declares emergency, sets curfew

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass declared a local emergency and imposed a nightly curfew: “We reached a tipping point” after 23 businesses were looted, she said.

The curfew covers a 1-square-mile downtown area and excludes residents, media, and emergency personnel.

3. Mayor questions military role

Bass criticised Trump’s claim that troops saved the city: “The National Guard didn’t even arrive until Sunday.”

“They are stationary at the federal building… not doing crowd control.”

She added: “What are the Marines going to do? That’s a good question.”

4. Trump mulls Insurrection Act

Trump left open the possibility of invoking the Insurrection Act: “If there’s an insurrection, I would certainly invoke it. We’ll see. But I can tell you last night was terrible, and the night before that was terrible,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.

This law allows the president to use military force within the US in extreme circumstances.

5. Gov. Newsom pushes back, goes to court

California Governor Gavin Newsom condemned Trump’s actions, calling them an “assault on democracy.”

He filed an emergency legal motion to halt military assistance in immigration enforcement: “California may be first, but it clearly will not end here. Other states are next. Democracy is next.”

6. ICE and Guard presence expands

Photos released by ICE showed National Guard troops protecting officers during raids.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted: “ICE will continue to enforce the law.”

7. Downtown LA: 197 arrests, 7 officers hurt

LAPD made 197 arrests on Tuesday (June 10), including 67 for blocking the 101 freeway.

Charges included vandalism, looting, assault with a deadly weapon, and attempted murder (Molotov cocktail).

Seven officers were injured, two hospitalised and released.

8. Protests spread nationwide

Rallies erupted in Seattle, Austin, Chicago, NYC, and D.C.

Arrests were made in New York, and Austin police used chemical irritants.

Saturday’s “No Kings Day” protests are planned to coincide with Trump’s military parade.

Earlier Tuesday, Trump warned that more immigration raids were coming and said any future protests—including those at the upcoming parade—would be met with an even stronger response.

If they do, Trump said, “they will be met with very big force.”

“I haven’t even heard about a protest but you know, this is people that hate our country. But they will be met with very heavy force.”

Source : https://www.livemint.com/news/us-news/los-angeles-protest-197-arrests-7-officers-hurt-trump-eyes-insurrection-act-newsom-sues-10-major-developments-11749647209346.html

US President Donald Trump stole the spotlight at Fort Bragg with his signature “Y.M.C.A.” dance, thrilling soldiers during a ceremony marking the US Army’s 250th anniversary.

US President Donald Trump’s signature dance moves stole the show at Fort Bragg on Tuesday (June 10), as he broke into his now-iconic “Y.M.C.A.” routine to raucous cheers from US soldiers. The light-hearted moment followed a speech commemorating the upcoming 250th anniversary of the US Army but quickly transformed the military tribute into a campaign-style spectacle.

Dance and cheers

As the Village People’s “Y.M.C.A.” played over the speakers, Trump exited the stage swaying, clapping, and flashing a grin to the troops. He made a hugging gesture toward soldiers behind the stage and raised his fist in thanks to those in front, saying, “Thank you very much, thank you.”

When he spotted two soldiers mimicking his moves in the crowd, Trump stopped and joined in again, prompting even louder applause and laughter from the audience.

From ceremony to campaign energy

The festive atmosphere at Fort Bragg, home to elite units like the 82nd Airborne and US Army Special Operations Command, resembled a political rally more than a traditional military commemoration. Trump’s speech paid tribute to the Army’s legacy but also carried his trademark political messaging, complete with patriotic overtones and pointed symbolism.

Preview to a parade

Tuesday’s event served as a lead-in to a massive military parade planned in Washington, D.C., this Saturday (June 14), coinciding with both the Army’s 250th birthday and Trump’s 79th.

The display of military might is expected to include tanks, aircraft, and thousands of troops, echoing the themes of strength and national pride that Trump has emphasised since returning to the White House.

Source  : https://www.livemint.com/news/world/my-dearest-comrade-putin-north-koreas-kim-jong-un-vows-to-support-russia-praises-genuine-bilateral-ties-11749692234482.html

Ahead of nuclear talks, US President Donald Trump says he is losing confidence about reaching a deal with Iran.

Washington and Tehran have held five rounds of talks since April as Trump seeks an agreement that would place constraints on Iran’s uranium enrichment. He has threatened to attack Iran if no deal can be agreed.

Defence Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh said on Wednesday that Iran would target US military bases in the region if the US attacked it first.

“Some officials on the other side threaten conflict if negotiations don’t come to fruition. If a conflict is imposed on us … all US bases are within our reach and we will boldly target them in host countries,” Nasirzadeh told reporters, the Reuters news agency reported.

Iraq, in the meantime, has not monitored any security concerns that call for evacuation of US personnel from the embassy in Baghdad, the Iraqi state news agency reported on Wednesday. US and Iraqi sources said earlier that Washington is preparing a partial evacuation of its Iraqi embassy and will allow military dependents to depart locations around the Middle East due to escalated security risks in the region.

Later in the day, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reiterated Tehran’s red lines: “We have announced and the supreme leader has a belief that we will not build nuclear weapons. Come and evaluate it however you want. We will not build a nuclear bomb.

“However, who gave you permission to say that we in this country do not have the right to conduct research on such and such topics? Who are they to tell us that we have no right to conduct research and must shut everything down? We are engaged in negotiations … We stand firm to ensure that no one imposes force upon us.”

The sixth round of talks is expected later this week, with Trump saying they will take place on Thursday, and Tehran saying they will be held on Sunday in Oman.

Trump ‘less confident’ of a deal

Trump said that he was growing less confident that a nuclear deal would be reached, in comments in a podcast released on Wednesday.

“I don’t know,” the US leader told the podcast Pod Force One on Monday, when asked whether he thought he could strike a deal with Iran.

“I’m less confident now than I would have been a couple of months ago. Something happened to them, but I am much less confident of a deal being made,” he said.

Trump repeated the US position that Iran would be stopped from developing a nuclear bomb, regardless of whether a deal was reached.

“But it would be nicer to do it without warfare, without people dying, it’s so much nicer to do it,” he told the podcast.

“But I don’t think I see the same level of enthusiasm for them to make a deal.”

Source : https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/6/11/iran-threatens-to-strike-us-bases-if-conflict-erupts-over-nuclear-programme

California Governor Gavin Newsom accused US President Donald Trump of treating National Guard troops with “disrespect” after viral images showed them sleeping on the floor in cramped conditions following their deployment to Los Angeles amid intensifying immigration protests. The dispute has escalated into a legal battle, with Newsom’s office filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration over what it calls an illegal and politically motivated deployment.

“You sent your troops here without fuel, food, water or a place to sleep,” Newsom posted on X, sharing photos of guardsmen lying shoulder-to-shoulder on the ground. “This isn’t about public safety. It’s about stroking a dangerous President’s ego. This is reckless. Pointless. And disrespectful to our troops.”

The governor claimed Trump’s administration dispatched over 2,000 National Guard troops without basic supplies, adding that only 300 had received active orders, while the rest were left idle in federal buildings. “This is how Donald Trump treats his troops. Disgraceful,” Newsom wrote in another post.

In response, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell accused Newsom of “using the troops as political props,” stating that soldiers “have ready access to food and water” and that due to the “fluid security situation,” they were temporarily housed in less-than-ideal facilities.

“Also, when you’re a soldier you’re prepared to sleep in worse places than this,” Parnell added on X.

Meanwhile, Trump authorised the deployment of an additional 2,000 troops, bringing the total number of Guard personnel under federal orders in Los Angeles to more than 4,100. The move follows the earlier deployment of 700 US Marines to support local authorities. The Pentagon has estimated the cost of the operation at $134 million.

Newsom’s lawsuit argues that the president’s use of emergency powers in this instance exceeds his constitutional authority, alleging that Trump exploited a manageable protest situation for political gain. “On Saturday, June 7, he used a protest that local authorities had under control to make another unprecedented power grab,” the suit states.

Source : https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/california-governor-slams-trump-over-disrespect-to-troops-photos-show-national-guard-sleeping-on-floors-sues-administration-over-la-deployment/articleshow/121762057.cms 

VLADIMIR Putin has killed at least two people in a terrifying drone blitz which tore through a Ukrainian maternity ward.

Russia directly attacked Kyiv with 315 drones and missiles and demolished large parts of the southern port of Odesa overnight.

At least four people have been hospitalised in Kyiv with seven out of the city’s 10 districts being impacted.

The devastating aerial attacks sparked intense recovery operations as emergency services battled against fires in residential neighbourhoods.

Air raid alerts in Kyiv lasted for around five hours as they first alerted residents at around 5am, according to military data.

Russia sent out a 315 drone blitz in the attack, including 250 Shaheds, and seven missiles, according to Volodymyr Zelensky.

A harrowing image of the capital’s skyline shows how it had been engulfed by a cloud of orange from the numerous blasts.

As the sun rose in the morning residents complained they “could not see the dawn” due to the thick black smoke still lingering in the air.

Timur Tkachenko, the head of Kyiv’s military district, said on Telegram: “A difficult night for all of us.

“Throughout the night, the enemy relentlessly terrorised Kyiv with attack drones.

“They targeted civilian infrastructure and peaceful residents of the city.”

Russia claimed they had only targeted the Ukrainian Artem plant which is where Kyiv produces air-to-air missiles, air-guided weapons, and anti-tank guided missiles.

But an emergency warning was sent round to all residents by Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko who said: “Stay in shelters! The massive attack on the capital continues.”

Zelensky also said large swaths of Odesa, Dnipro region, and Chernihiv were all hit overnight.

The heroic leader said the night from hell marked one of the “largest attacks” in the gruelling war to date.

In Odesa, a maternity hospital and residential buildings were all completely destroyed.

Two were killed, including a 59-year-old, at the hands of Putin across the city.

Speaking on X, Zelensky said: “In Odesa, even a maternity hospital became a Russian target.

“Thirteen people were injured. Tragically, there are fatalities. My condolences to the families.

“It is vital that the response to this and other similar Russian attacks is not silence from the world, but concrete action.”

Odesa’s mayor confirmed that the maternity hospital was evacuated in time with no casualties reported.

The strikes were seen as Putin’s continued revenge for his humiliating operation Spiderweb defeat at the hands of Ukraine.

Just nine days ago, Ukraine hit more than 40 Russian bomber aircraft in an audacious drone blitz on four military air bases.

Russia has since stepped up their assaults and now fire over 500 drone strikes every night on Ukraine.

Earlier this week, Russian drones and missiles were launched at Kyiv again as Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bombers were reportedly unleashed to rain hell on the infamous Snake Island in the Black Sea.

Moscow launched a massive strike on Rivne using its Tu-22M3 and Tu-95MS strategic bombers to hit Dubny airbase.

Another key Ukrainian military airport – Hostomel – was also attacked as Putin sought revenge for the humiliating attack.

Polish armed forces command said Nato fighter jets were patrolling due to “intensive air attack by the Russian Federation on Ukrainian territory”.

Just days ago, Kharkiv was rocked overnight as 48 kamikaze drones, along with missiles and guided bombs, slammed into residential areas, according to the city’s mayor.

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/news/14438448/putin-russia-ukraine-drone-kyiv/

CHILLING new details of Iran’s secret project to develop powerful nuclear warheads for missiles capable of firing over 2,000 miles have been revealed.

Satellite images and new information about the clandestine programme – codenamed the “Desert Plan” – have been uncovered by Iranian resistance networks.

They warned that the tyrannical regime’s dash to obtain deadly nukes had “intensified”.

Seven hidden sites in the Semnan province of northern Iran have been identified including an underground base used for nuclear explosion tests.

In a bid to keep the programme under wraps, regime leaders have even deleted roads leading to bases from official maps.

Low-flying aircraft and drones equipped with face recognition technology patrol the area around the sites – and any foreigners who venture near are arrested and interrogated.

The new details, which were gathered by networks inside Iran from the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), were released on Tuesday by the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI).

They uncovered how the regime initiated its “Kavir Plan” – which means Desert Plan – in 2009 to replaced the regime’s previous Amad plan, which was exposed and shut down in 2003.

The Kavir Plan is a series of projects set up under the direct orders of leader Ali Khamenei to develop boosted nuclear warheads for missiles with a range exceeding 2,000 miles or 3,000 kilometres.

“Make no mistake. Nuclear weapons are the regime’s life insurance policy.

That would mean the nuclear warheads could reach US bases in the Middle East as well as countries as far away as Italy, Ukraine, Sudan and parts of Russia.

To mask the Kavir Plan, the regime pretends it has a goal of “desert security” and nuclear weapons are being developed under the guise of manufacturing satellite-launching missiles, the NCRI say.

They have identified seven sites they believe to be related to the Kavir Plan including the Shahroud Site where nuclear warheads for the Ghaem-100 missile are being developed and the Semnan Site, focused on developing nuclear weapons for the Simorgh missile.

The Ivanaki Site is responsible for developing components for the weapons and the Sanjaran Site develops shock wave generators for simultaneous detonation in a nuclear weapon.

Underground explosive testing is conducted at the Sorkheh Hesar Site, while the “Parchin Site (Project 6)” has been identified as engaging in the production of explosives and carrying out testing.

Meanwhile the SPND, the organisation which commands the secret nuclear programme, is believed to be located in the Noor Building in Tehran.

“Tehran has done everything to hide its relentless effort to acquire nuclear weapons.

The nuclear sites are patrolled by a special unit called the Kavir Security Unit and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, who have set up an intelligence base in the area.

To conceal the sites’ activities, Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence removed the road between Semnan and the provinces of Yazd and Isfahan from the country’s official geographic maps to prevent foreign nationals from accessing it, the NCRI claim.

The areas around the sites are monitored by light reconnaissance aircraft and drones with facial recognition cameras mounted on them.

The regime also uses satellite surveillance technology to monitor the area.

‘THREAT TO GLOBAL PEACE’

According to NCRI, foreigners – particularly American and European tourists who travel to the region for scientific or wildlife research, are closely monitored by security and law enforcement in the area by direct order of Khamenei.

They claim the regime “has consistently arrested foreign nationals travelling in the region and subjected them to interrogation”.

In a statement, the NCRI said: “The regime’s approach to the international community regarding its nuclear activities over these decades can be described as concealment, deception, obfuscation, delaying, and destruction of evidence.

“Tehran has done everything to hide its relentless effort to acquire nuclear weapons. The regime’s policy remains one of stalling and delaying to prevent decisive action while
moving forward with its weapons program. The time has come to end this.

“This regime’s threat to global peace and stability is not limited to its nuclear program.

“The genocide inside Iran, as confirmed by the UN Special Rapporteur, and the export of terrorism and warmongering necessitate a decisive policy towards it.

“The mullahs’ regime is at its most fragile state, facing an explosive society. Since Masoud Pezeshkian was appointed as the regime’s president in August, more than 1,300 prisoners—
including women political prisoners—have been executed, and dozens are at imminent risk of execution.

“Regionally, the regime is at its weakest point in four decades, making it more desperate than ever to rely on the nuclear lever.

“Four press conferences by the Iranian Resistance exposing the regime’s secret nuclear projects in the past six months demonstrate that Tehran’s dash to obtain nuclear weapons has intensified.

“Make no mistake. Nuclear weapons are the regime’s life insurance policy.”

The NCRI has now called for all of the regime’s nuclear and missile sites to be shut down and dismantled.

They also want to see the snapback mechanism of the Iran nuclear deal triggered, which means sanctions will be reimposed on Iran.

Iran claims it is not trying to develop nuclear weapons and its nuclear programme is for civilian purposes only.

However, the UN nuclear watchdog – the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) – warned last month that Iran had secretly increased its stockpile of uranium enriched almost to weapons-grade levels.

It made Iran the only non-nuclear-weapon state to have produced such material, according to the IAEA’s report.

US intelligence agencies believe Iran has yet to begin a weapons program but say it is in a position to produce a nuclear weapon if it wanted to.

It comes as the US held several rounds of talks with Tehran over a possible nuclear deal, President Donald Trump believes could be completed soon.

However Iranian officials dismissed reports a deal was imminent and said they wouldn’t agree to anything unless all sanctions were lifted and their nuclear programme was allowed to continue.

Trump hit back, giving Tehran a chilling deadline to either sign a new nuclear agreement or face military action.

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/news/world-news/14444632/irans-codenamed-nuclear-programme-underground-bunker/

TEXAS is the latest state to deploy National Guard troops on the ground as the chaos in Los Angeles continues to spread across the US.

LA’s mayor announced a curfew overnight as the city braces for a sixth day of intense protests.

Anti-ICE and anti-Donald Trump demonstrations have hit New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Atlanta, Philadelphia, and other major cities since LA was taken over by rioters on Friday.

Some 197 people were arrested by the LAPD on Wednesday, with hundreds more being detained across America for similar protests.

The curfew on downtown LA was imposed at 8pm last night with most of the rioting chaos halted as troops patrolled the area and arrested anyone breaching the rules.

Mayor Karen Bass said the lockdown was based on a surging number of looting being reported.

Trump has now vowed to crack down on the growing demonstrations with more force than ever.

The president is believed to be readying up ICE tactical units to storm New York City, Seattle, Chicago, Philadelphia and northern Virginia, MSNBC reports.

Some 4,000 National Guard troops are already in LA – despite objections by Californian Democrats.

With 700 Marines expected to begin patrolling the city on Wednesday.

Most demonstrations against Trump’s deportation program have remained largely peaceful.

But speaking at the 250th anniversary of the US Army on Tuesday, Trump said: “The mob in Los Angeles will not deter us.”

His comments come as Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the military presence in LA will cost $134 million.

California lawmakers have criticized Trump’s deployment of the National Guard, insisting the troops’ presence has just stoked further tensions.

Newsom has slammed Trump saying: “This isn’t about public safety. It’s about stroking a dangerous President’s ego,” .

The governor has since sued the US president for what he called an unlawful deployment of federal troops with the hearing to take place on Thursday.

The growing demonstrations come as the feud between Trump and California Governor Gavin Newsom has deepened.

Trump blasted his west coast rival as “incompetent” and blamed him for “third world lawlessness”.

Newsom hit back by posting a Star Wars spoof video of Trump in the midst of their protest spat.

Protests spread across to at least 10 major US cities

Police in almost a dozen cities across the US are now reporting mass protests taking place on the streets.

Los Angeles has continued to see demonstrations, some of which have been violent, ever since Friday.

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/news/14424780/trump-troops-la-protests-ice-raids/

At least two people were killed on Tuesday after a string of bomb explosions targeted police posts in the southwestern Colombian city of Cali, officials said.

Spanish news agency EFE reported that at least 36 people were injured in the explosions.

While it remains unclear who carried out the apparently coordinated attacks, guerrilla groups that split from the once-powerful FARC militia are known to be active in the area.

What do we know about the attacks in Cali?

The blasts occurred in the neighborhoods of Meléndez, Manuela Beltran, and Los Mangos. One of the bombs is believed to have been planted on a motorcycle, according to officials.

Cali Mayor Alejandro Eder stated on social media platform X that emergency services were responding. “Our security forces are on the scene and health teams are on alert in case of further incidents,” he said.

Footage from the attacks showed several people lying injured in the streets while bystanders and police attempted to assist them.

The bombings came just days after the attempted assassination of a presidential candidate in Bogota, a brazen attack that has put the country on edge. Conservative senator Miguel, 39, was shot twice in the head at close range by a 15-year-old alleged hitman while campaigning Saturday in Bogota.

How far have the attacks spread?

Another explosion was also reported in Jamundi, a municipality near Cali.

Additional attacks took place in the neighboring department of Cauca, where two car bombs exploded in the towns of El Bordo and Corinto, causing material damage but no casualties. In the town of Caloto, a police officer was killed by a sniper, and another explosion struck the toll booth in Villa Rica, also in Cauca, about 20 kilometers (12.5 miles) from Cali.

The Colombian Army’s Third Division, which operates in the region, blamed the attacks on dissident FARC faction led by Nestor Gregorio Vera, alias Ivan Mordisco.

Source : https://www.dw.com/en/colombia-multiple-dead-after-string-explosions-in-cali/a-72861011

Pakistan has decided to substantially hike its military spending in the wake of recent clashes with its archrival and nuclear-armed neighbor, India.

Islamabad has raised next year’s defense budget to 2.55 trillion Pakistani rupees ($9 billion), compared to 2.12 trillion in the fiscal year ending this month, marking a jump of roughly 20% year over year.

The announcement came as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government unveiled its annual federal budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year on Tuesday.

The surge in military spending came despite Pakistan battling weak finances and tremendous economic challenges.

In fact, the overall spending planned in the budget is down 7% to 17.57 trillion rupees ($62 billion).

Pakistan’s army sees surge in popularity

Pakistan and India recently witnessed a major flare-up in violence, the worst since the rivals’ last open conflict in 1999, which sparked fears that it could spiral into a full-blown war.

It began after a deadly attack on Hindu tourists in Pahalgam town — in India-administered Kashmir — on April 22, in which 26 people, mostly Hindu men, were killed.

New Delhi blamed Islamabad for backing the attack, an allegation Pakistan has denied.

The crisis soon spiraled into a military confrontation between the two nations. After four days, however, both sides agreed to a ceasefire.

Against this backdrop, the higher defense expenditures “aren’t in the least surprising,” said Michael Kugelman, a South Asia expert at the Washington-based Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.

“There’s the fundamental issue of needing to ensure sufficient resources in the aftermath of a serious conflict with India. Furthermore, the military, which surely sought these increased expenditures, is emboldened following the conflict and will look to push its agenda more rigorously,” Kugelman told DW.

Pakistan’s military, the country’s most powerful institution, had been unpopular in recent years, with many people accusing it of meddling in politics and keeping the country’s most popular politician, Imran Khan, away from power.

But the military establishment has seen a surge in popularity after the recent fighting.

“Finally, with the nation fully behind Pakistan in its fight with India, the civilian and military leadership know that they have the political space to take these types of measures,” said Kugelman.

Struggling with economic crisis

Pakistan has been dealing with an economic crisis for years, marked by high inflation, a depreciating currency and International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailouts.

As recently as 2023, the country was staring at risk defaulting on its debts.

But a multibillion-dollar support package from the IMF has helped steady the economy and bring inflation under control.

In January, Pakistan agreed to an unprecedented 10-year plan with the World Bank which will see $20 billion (€19.4 billion) worth of loans for the cash-strapped economy.

Sharif’s government now projects 4.2% economic expansion in 2025-26.

Growth this fiscal year is likely to be 2.7%, against an initial target of 3.6% set in last year’s budget.

The reliance on the IMF means Islamabad will have to fulfill the institution’s requirements for budget management and economic reforms.

The IMF has urged Pakistan to widen the tax base through reforms which include taxing agriculture, retail and real estate.

Analysts say Sharif’s government plans to offset the increased defense budget with cuts to spending in other areas, including welfare.

“It’s a big hike and will have to be funded from somewhere. Of course, it will have implications for expenditure on the social sectors and on development schemes,” Safiya Aftab, an Islamabad-based economist, told DW.

“It’s unfortunate that Pakistan is once again implementing the economic policy of a security state, but to be honest, the situation on the borders makes this inevitable,” she added.

Source : https://www.dw.com/en/pakistan-boosts-military-spending-amid-india-tensions/a-72858283

Earth’s oceans are home to more than 250,000 species, among them tiny plankton, colorful coral reefs and the gigantic blue whale. Over a billion people rely on food from the sea as a significant source of nutrition.

The international community is now meeting in Nice, France, to hash out solutions to better protect the planet’s vulnerable and plundered ocean waters. But what are the areas of concern at the UN Ocean Conference?

Warmer oceans mean fewer underwater inhabitants

As the planet heats up, huge swathes of underwater life are at stake.

With rising temperatures, corals lose their color as a stress response and these crucial habitats can then die. Coral bleaching affects about 84% of all reefs.

If ocean temperatures were to rise by 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) compared to pre-industrial times, most reefs would die.

“With anything higher than 2 degrees Celsius, destruction would be inevitable,” says Katja Matthes, director of the GEOMAR Helmholtz Center for Ocean Research Kiel in Germany.

Warm water also absorbs less oxygen and that puts many more underwater creatures at risk.

New research shows that oceans are warming to a depth of 2,000 meters (about 6,600 feet).

“That means plankton, fish and marine mammals run out of oxygen. We see death zones here in Germany’s Baltic Sea where life is virtually unable to exist anymore,” Matthes said.

Overfishing puts stress on marine ecosystems

Excessive and unregulated fishing also puts a strain on marine ecosystems. Environmental organization WWF estimates the number of overfished stocks globally has tripled in the past 50 years. Fish populations have no chance to replenish if they’re overly exploited.

The problem is especially dire in the Mediterranean Sea, where over half of fish populations, such as herring, sardines and anchovies, are considered overexploited.

“That has an impact on the food chain of bigger marine mammals and in turn affects an entire ecosystem,” said Matthes.

Fish are the most important source of protein for over a billion people. Over 600 million people depend on oceans for their livelihoods — especially in China, Indonesia and India.

More plastic than fish in oceans by 2050

By 2050 the weight of all fish combined could be exceeded by something else: plastic waste. Every year, about 8 to 10 million tons of plastic ends up in the water. That’s according to estimates by the World Resources Institute, a non-profit organization based in Washington D.C.

It can take hundreds of years for plastic to break down. The persistent waste and microplastic particles are causing increasing problems for marine life.

Rising sea temperatures affect weather patterns

Global ocean currents have a major influence on monsoon periods in South America and Asia and Europe’s relatively mild climate.

The Gulf Stream, for example, as part of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), brings warm water from the tropics to the North Atlantic Ocean. This helps regulate Europe’s mild air temperatures and, thus, is central to the continent’s high agricultural yields.

According to researchers, rising temperatures could alter the AMOC. There are signs that the Gulf Stream is already slowing down. Without it, northern Europe would be 5 to 15 C colder, according to Germany’s environment agency UBA.

Oceans as an ‘ally in the fight against climate change’

Sea surface temperatures set new records in 2023 and 2024, according to the latest report from Copernicus, the European Union’s Earth observation program. Water expands as it warms. This is one of the main reasons for sea level rise, alongside melting land ice.

The sea is getting warmer, because it absorbs CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions. It’s sucked up about a third of human-made emissions.

“Without this storage function, the temperature in the atmosphere would already be unbearable,” said marine scientist Carlos Duarte, who’s based at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia.

“The ocean is our ally in the fight against climate change,” Matthes said, “but only as long as we maintain its function.” As water temperatures rise, oceans absorb less CO2.

And higher CO2 levels turn the sea acidic, killing off mussels and corals, Matthes added.

Adjusting to more acidic conditions is hard on many creatures, and means they can lack the energy needed to grow and reproduce.

How are oceans protected right now?

To counteract these threats, countries have established marine protected areas. The largest of these is located off the coast of Hawaii in the US.

The kind of protection provided in such zones varies from country to country. Wind farm construction and fishing are often prohibited. Currently, there are protected areas in less than 9% of the world’s oceans — but fishing is prohibited in just 3% of these.

The goal of cutting down on plastic in oceans

“We can’t solve all the problems with marine protected areas. These zones don’t matter to climate change or the plastic floating in the ocean,” Duarte said.

The UN has pushed for an international treaty for years to cut down on plastic pollution. Recent negotiations stalled thanks to oil and gas producing nations such as Saudi Arabia and Russia. The next round of talks is scheduled for later this year in August in Switzerland.

Research into alternatives to conventional plastic is another avenue scientists are pursuing. Japanese researchers have developed a substance that is supposed to dissolve in ocean salt water within hours.

However, such new alternatives offer no solution to the already huge amounts of plastic waste in oceans.

Who is allowed to exploit ocean resources?

About 40% of the oceans are governed by national law. These are the areas within a radius of approximately 370 kilometers (about 230 miles) around a state. Beyond this lie the high seas which don’t belong to any nation and are often referred to as the “common heritage of mankind.”

For the longest time, this area wasn’t regulated at all.

“As a result, many of the ocean’s resources were plundered without anyone being held accountable,” Duarte said.

So far, only 1% of the high seas is protected because the international community could not agree on any other region besides Antarctica.

Source : https://www.dw.com/en/high-seas-treaty-ocean-protection-biodiversity-global-warming-can-we-save-our-oceans/a-72855805

British finance minister Rachel Reeves will reveal her first multi-year spending review on Wednesday, dividing up more than 2 trillion pounds ($2.7 trillion) of public money between her ministerial colleagues and setting their budgets until 2029.
Below is what the government has already announced in the days preceding the announcement:

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Reeves will allocate 86 billion pounds to fund research and development.

The package, funding everything from new drug treatments and longer-lasting batteries to artificial intelligence breakthroughs, will be worth more than 22.5 billion pounds a year by 2029/30, driving new jobs and economic growth, the government said.

NUCLEAR POWER

The government will invest a further 14.2 billion pounds to build the Sizewell C nuclear plant in eastern England. The funding takes the total government commitment to 17.8 billion pounds, with 3.6 billion invested before the review.
It also pledged 2.5 billion pounds for a programme to develop a fleet of small modular nuclear plants over the next four years and named Rolls-Royce SMR as its preferred bidder.

Britain says new nuclear projects will replace ageing plants, boost energy security, help it reach climate targets and create new jobs.

TRANSPORT PROJECTS

Reeves has committed 15.6 billion pounds towards transport projects in cities outside London that have long suffered from underinvestment. Most of the investment was earmarked by the previous, Conservative government.

WINTER FUEL PAYMENTS U-TURN

Reeves has reversed her previously-announced cuts to winter fuel payments to pensioners, a move that would restore payments to 9 million pensioners and cost the government 1.25 billion pounds.

SUBMARINES

Britain will invest more than 6 billion pounds in its submarine building capacity, supporting firms such as defence group BAE Systems and engineering multinational Rolls-Royce.
The investment, which will cover the four-year spending review period, will help companies deliver the increase in submarine production rate announced by the government.

TAXES

POLICE AND PRISONS

The US and China say they have agreed in principle to a framework for de-escalating trade tensions between the world’s two biggest economies.

US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the deal should result in restrictions on rare earth minerals and magnets being resolved.

Both sides said they would now take the plan to their presidents – Donald Trump and Xi Jinping – for approval.

The announcement came after two days of negotiations in London between top officials from Beijing and Washington.

Chinese exports of rare earth minerals, which are crucial for modern technology, were high on the agenda of the meetings.

Last month, Washington and Beijing agreed a temporary truce over trade tariffs but each country has since accused the other of breaching the deal.

The US has said China has been slow to release exports of rare earth metals and magnets which are essential for manufacturing everything from smartphones to electric vehicles.

Meanwhile, Washington has restricted China’s access to US goods such as semiconductors and other related technologies linked to artificial intelligence (AI).

“We have reached a framework to implement the Geneva consensus,” Lutnick told reporters.

“Once the presidents approve it, we will then seek to implement it,” he added.

The new round of negotiations followed a phone call between Donald Trump and China’s leader Xi Jinping last week which the US President described as a “very good talk”.

“The two sides have, in principle, reached a framework for implementing the consensus reached by the two heads of state during the phone call on June 5th and the consensus reached at the Geneva meeting,” China’s Vice Commerce Minister Li Chenggang said.

When Trump announced sweeping tariffs on imports from a number of countries earlier this year, China was the hardest hit. Beijing responded with its own higher rates on US imports, and this triggered tit-for-tat increases that peaked at 145%.

In May, talks held in Switzerland led to a temporary truce that Trump called a “total reset”.

It brought US tariffs on Chinese products down to 30%, while Beijing slashed levies on US imports to 10% and promised to lift barriers on critical mineral exports. It gave both sides a 90-day deadline to try to reach a trade deal.

But the US and China have since claimed breaches on non-tariff pledges.

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said China had failed to rollback restrictions on exports of rare earth magnets.

Source : https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gkmy26e2po

Looters tore apart stores across Los Angeles as daytime protests against ICE-immigration raids descended into chaos overnight, yet again — and even a museum dedicated to Japanese-American immigrants was vandalized.

Windows were smashed and merchandise was stolen at LA’s Broadway Apple store Monday night, while down the block the Adidas store was broken into and robbed of sneakers by frenzied crowds.

The windows of a nearby jewelry store were also smashed open and the shop’s shelves were completely emptied by looters, while two marijuana dispensaries and a pharmacy were also raided, according to NBC 4.

Footage from the chaos showed mobs masked and hooded hooligans pouring into the stores and grabbing armloads of whatever was in sight and then pouring back out onto the street spilling goods as they fled.

Alarms blaring on multiple iPhones that were taken from the Apple store in downtown LA
Displays on the devices read
“Please return to Apple Tower Theatre
This device has been disabled and is being tracked. Local authorities will be alerted.” pic.twitter.com/rhMiaRXA9z

— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) June 10, 2025
Some ran right into the ranks of waiting cops, but many were able to muscle themselves free from the overwhelmed officers and escape.

“This is so ridiculous. This doesn’t look like they’re protesting for ICE or anything. Just looting the stores,” one fed up business owner who watched the overnight chaos unfold told News Nation.

Across town in Little Tokyo, a sushi restaurant — Otoro Sushi — even had its doors ripped open by mobs, with troublemakers appearing to make off with a computer monitor and other equipment while onlookers yelled that they were “Making us look bad.”

The Japanese American National Museum was even targeted, with “F**k ICE” and other graffiti spray-painted across windows, walls, and even over what appeared to be an outdoor exhibit about Japanese-American soldiers who fought in WWII as their families were locked away in internment camps.

Volunteers flocked to the museum Tuesday morning with brushes and soap to help scrub away what vandalism they could, photos showed.

And back on Broadway workers were seen laboring to sweep up and take stock of the damaged stores, while shattered windows and doors were boarded up.

At least 14 people were arrested for looting, according to police, while another 96 were arrested for failure to disperse.

The protests were expected to continue for a fifth day and night Tuesday, as President Trump dispatched another round of National Guard troops — as well as Marines forces — to quell the chaos.

Those deployments — which California’s and LA’s Democrat leaders say have done nothing but fuel the chaos in the city — is expected to cost at least $134 million, the Pentagon revealed Tuesday.

Source : https://nypost.com/2025/06/10/us-news/la-anti-ice-looters-shatter-apple-store-and-make-off-with-iphones-adidas-in-another-night-of-chaos/

Sean “Diddy” Combs is a “cuck” who is secretly bi-curious but “too ashamed” to have sex with other men, his ex-girlfriend said in bombshell testimony at his Manhattan trial Tuesday.

Combs’ former flame, who is testifying under the alias “Jane,” told jurors she had scoured the internet during their relationship in a desperate bid to understand the disgraced music mogul’s twisted sexual desires and their bizarre bedroom dynamic.

That’s when she landed on the “cuckhold” fetish, which she said was a “spot on” description for his warped sexual urges — and a possible explanation as to why he would allegedly force her into sick “freak-offs” with male escorts.

“I was just trying to deep-dive all the reasons why [cucks] derived so much pleasure watching their woman be with other men,” she said.

“I just wanted to know why my partner wanted so many of these nights and what was driving him. I was just trying to find an understanding.”

Jane told the jury she discovered that some cucks are secretly bi-curious but “too ashamed” to act on it themselves – so they live out that desire vicariously through their partner.

She explained that the “I’ll Be Missing You” rapper often used terms like “voyeurism” and “escapism” to describe his erotic preferences.

“I would use the word cuck for him, more so,” said Jane, who noted that she normally didn’t like having sex with anyone but Combs.

The shocking testimony came during Jane’s fourth day on the stand in Combs’ federal sex-trafficking and racketeering trial, as his defense attorneys grilled her over her allegations.

Jane, who dated the Bad Boys Records founder for three years until his September 2024 arrest, previously testified – often sobbing uncontrollably – in disturbing detail that the embattled producer savagely beat her and forced her to have unprotected sex with porn stars and escorts.

Jurors have heard testimony and seen text messages that back up Jane’s claim that she didn’t want to have sex with other men, but did so to please Combs, who’d repeatedly threatened to stop paying her $10,000 monthly rent if she refused.

Source : https://nypost.com/2025/06/10/us-news/sean-diddy-combs-is-a-cuck-who-may-be-bi-curious-and-ashamed-to-have-sex-with-men-ex-girlfriend-testifies/

Famed sportscaster Bob Costas slammed the mainstream media for cowing to President Trump during his second term while accepting a leadership award.

Costas, attending the Mirror Awards in New York City on Monday night, singled out ABC News and CBS News for rolling over after Trump sued both networks.

In a long-winded speech that covered his career in broadcasting and the state of the media business, Costas criticized ABC parent Disney for paying $15 million to settle a defamation lawsuit against the network over star anchor George Stephanopoulos saying Trump was found guilty of raping E. Jean Carroll.

A New York court had found Trump guilty of sexual assault — not rape, a key legal difference — in the civil case.

Trump has denied wrongdoing in that case.

In a surprising turn, former allies Donald Trump and Elon Musk appear to be stepping back from a highly publicised feud that has dominated headlines in recent week.

Asked if he planned to speak to Musk, Trump responded: “I haven’t really thought about it actually. I would imagine he wants to speak to me. If I were him, I would want to speak to me. Maybe he’s already called. You’d have to ask him.”

“We had a good relationship and I just wish him well, very well actually.”

Shortly after the remarks, Musk responded on X (formerly Twitter) with a simple heart emoji, suggesting a possible thawing of hostilities.

President Donald Trump on Elon Musk: “We had a great relationship and I wish him well — very well, actually.” pic.twitter.com/FhiZcP4xYw

— ALX 🇺🇸 (@alx) June 9, 2025

From allies to adversaries

The relationship between the tech billionaire and the President began to unravel after Musk openly opposed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” a sweeping Republican tax and spending proposal supported by Trump. Musk lambasted the bill as “outrageous, pork-filled” and a “disgusting abomination,” urging GOP lawmakers to “kill the bill.”

Musk’s public criticism intensified after he accused the President of hiding the Jeffrey Epstein files to protect himself—a claim he posted on X and later deleted.

The fallout escalates

In retaliation, Trump criticised Musk’s conduct and even suggested pulling federal contracts from his companies.

“He went crazy,” Trump told reporters. “He’s lost his mind.”

In response, Musk threatened to remove SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft from NASA missions—an extraordinary move that could have severely impacted the US space program.

Musk’s political clout on display

Musk, 53, has wielded significant influence over conservative circles and reportedly spent nearly $300 million supporting Trump’s 2024 campaign. But he recently declared he would scale back political donations.

In one of his most explosive claims, Musk asserted that “Trump would have lost the election without me,” and even floated the idea of impeachment, further stoking tensions.

Source : https://www.livemint.com/news/world/donald-trump-2-0-xi-jinping-washington-beijing-tariff-war-with-china-timeline-steel-geneva-london-11749613395463.html

Deep in the frozen forests of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, archaeologists have uncovered one of the most surprising discoveries in American history: a sophisticated farming operation spanning nearly 235 acres that reframes what we thought was possible in ancient Native American agriculture. Using drone technology, researchers found evidence of intensive farming in a place so hostile to growing crops that it seems almost impossible. Yet somehow, ancestral Menominee communities thrived here for 600 years without centralized government or large cities to support them.

For decades, experts assumed that massive farming systems needed big populations, powerful leaders, and favorable climates. As this study now shows, the Menominee people proved otherwise.

Hidden Agricultural System Revealed by Cutting-Edge Technology

The Sixty Islands archaeological site sits along the Menominee River on the Michigan-Wisconsin border. Thick forest cover had concealed what lay beneath for generations. Previous surveys in the 1990s identified some raised garden beds covering about 23 acres, an impressive figure, but by no means groundbreaking.

Everything changed in May 2023 when Dartmouth College archaeologist Madeleine McLeester’s team deployed drone-mounted LIDAR technology. LIDAR uses laser pulses to create detailed ground maps, revealing features invisible through dense tree cover.

The results were staggering. Dense clusters of raised agricultural beds covered 95 hectares (about 235 acres), an astonishing ten times larger than previously mapped. “The density of raised, ridged beds throughout our survey area reveals a level of agricultural intensification that was not previously documented this far north,” the researchers wrote in their study, published in Science.

Each raised bed measured between 4 and 6 feet wide and stretched 65 to 165 feet long. By no means were these simple dirt mounds. Excavations revealed sophisticated multi-layered construction that rivals modern soil science techniques.

Advanced Farming in a Challenging Climate

Ancestral Menominee farmers engineered custom soil by mixing nitrogen-rich wetland soils into existing topsoils. They composted household waste (charcoal, pottery fragments, and food scraps) to enrich their fields. Cross-sections show multiple rebuilding phases, proving farmers continuously improved their system over centuries.

The climate makes their success even more remarkable. Michigan’s Upper Peninsula sits near the northern limit where corn can grow. Temperatures plummet below freezing for months, with growing seasons lasting only about 120 days. Yet radiocarbon dating shows these fields operated from roughly 1000 to 1600 CE—spanning 600 years, including the period known as the Little Ice Age.

“The period during which the Sixty Islands agricultural ridges were constructed bridges the Little Ice Age (1350 to 1850 CE), indicating that Indigenous farmers were successful at mitigating any potential local adverse effects of the colder climate,” the study notes.

Wild rice grew abundantly in local lakes and rivers, providing a reliable food source that required no farming. So why invest enormous effort in risky corn cultivation? The answer goes beyond survival. Elaborate burial mounds and ceremonial features scattered throughout the agricultural landscape suggest farming served social and spiritual purposes as well as practical ones.

Small Communities, Monumental Coordination

Perhaps most surprising is who built this extensive farming system: small, semisedentary communities with no evidence of kings, nobles, or centralized authority. Traditional thinking held that intensive agriculture required hierarchical societies with powerful rulers organizing massive labor projects.

The nearest documented village was relatively small and likely occupied only seasonally. No sprawling cities or monumental architecture exist in the area. Yet these egalitarian communities coordinated construction and maintenance of a farming system larger than anything previously documented in the eastern United States.

“Although considerable scholarship has tied intensive agricultural production to emergent hierarchical state formation and inequality, efforts at Sixty Islands were undertaken by egalitarian, small-scale ancestral Menominee communities,” the researchers explain.

LIDAR surveys showed that farming wasn’t the only activity. Burial mounds, ceremonial dance rings, and other cultural features are woven throughout the agricultural landscape, showing how deeply farming connected to Menominee social and spiritual life.

Rethinking America’s Environmental Past

Creating these massive corn, bean, and squash fields required clearing large swaths of forest around 1000 CE, centuries before European arrival. The density and continuity of agricultural ridges across the study area suggest ancestral Menominee communities orchestrated one of the region’s most intensive precolonial landscape transformations.

Today’s heavily forested terrain isn’t pristine wilderness; it’s regrowth following this ancient environmental engineering.

The discovery invites archaeologists to reconsider where else intensive agriculture might be hidden. If small-scale communities could build massive farm systems in Michigan’s harsh conditions, similar operations may await discovery in other “unlikely” places across the Americas.

Source : https://studyfinds.org/archaeologists-unearth-ancient-native-american-farm-menominee-michigan/

NASA has upped the odds of a 200ft “city killer” asteroid smashing into the Moon in 2032.

Asteroid 2024 YR4 was once feared to be on a collision course with Earth, with the chance peaking at 20 percent by some estimations.

Further calculations showed it will sail past our planet without incident during a flyby in 2032.

However, the space rock is now back in the spotlight following a warning from Nasa.

YR4 now has an increased chance of hitting the Moon.

The asteroid is too far to observe from Earth, so scientists have used the $10billion James Webb Space Telescope (JSWT) as their eye in the sky.

Using data from JSWT, a team of scientists from the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory refined predictions of where YR4 will be on 22 December, 2032.

The new predictions prompted Nasa to increase the odds of a lunar impact from 3.8 per cent to 4.3 per cent, according to a recent update.

The odds of an impact have more than doubled since February – when Nasa gave it a 1-in-59 chance of hitting our only orbital satellite.

“As data comes in, it is normal for the impact probability to evolve,” Nasa noted in its most recent statement.

The US space agency will be able to make more observations about the asteroid’s predicted path when during its next flyby of the Sun in 2028.

Fortunately, in the event of an impact, there would be minimal consequences for Earth.

“In the small chance that the asteroid were to impact, it would not alter the Moon’s orbit,” Nasa wrote.

It would simply add another pockmark to the lunar landscape, which is plastered with impact craters.

Any debris kicked up by the impact would likely burn up in Earth’s atmosphere – if any of it nears our planet at all.

JWST observations suggest that the space rock measures between 174-220 feet in diameter.

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/tech/14440827/nasa-update-city-killer-asteroid-moon-2032/

At a charity event in Kingston, Jamaica, in 2012, Prince Harry challenged the legendary sprinter Usain Bolt to a race—and won!
The playful interaction took place during the Diamond Jubilee tour celebrating Queen Elizabeth II’s 60 years on the throne.
The setting was the University of the West Indies, where Prince Harry was passing on the monarch’s best wishes to Jamaican athletes ahead of the London Olympics.

In a moment of spontaneity, he initiated the race with a false start, then distracted Bolt and took off to the finish line.

The runner was in on the joke and laughed along with the crowd. He also said that he enjoyed the Duke of Sussex’ laidback style.
The race, though unopposed and clearly not competitive, became a huge moment on social media. Bolt, who would go on to have a record-breaking run at the 2012 Olympics—where he won gold medals in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay—had allowed Harry to “win”.

It was a characteristic display of humility and humour on part of the runner. As for Harry, though he did not break royal protocol in racing Bolt, it established his public persona of accessibility and ability to connect with people on a personal level.
The same was also true for his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, who, in 1991, partook in a Mother’s Day race at the school he and Prince William attended.
The apparent similarity was not lost on social media. Commenting on Harry’s clip, an X user said: “I’ve always loved Harry, he’s literally a reflection of Dianna and that’s why the royal family doesn’t like him.”

Source : https://www.timesnownews.com/viral/when-prince-harry-raced-usain-boltand-won-article-151828662

AN invasive species of carnivorous ants has been spreading in several states, leading to fears of attacks on humans.

Asian needle ants will reach their yearly peak numbers in July and August; however, spotting them is easier said than done.

HAUNTING details have emerged about the campground crime scene where three young girls were found murdered.

Travis Decker, 32, left his dog behind when he went on the run after allegedly killing his daughters on a planned custody visit.

The official cause of death for Paityn, 9, Evelyn, 8, and Olivia, 5, was confirmed to be suffocation in their autopsies, according to the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office.

They were found at a campground in Washington state on June 2. The girls had plastic bags over their heads and their wrists were zip-tied, cops said.

Decker still hasn’t been found as the manhunt for the suspect has now lasted for over a week.

Police released new details about the case to the public on Monday as they announced they’re handing the search over to the federal authorities.

A man’s blood was found at the crime scene, along with animal blood, cops said.

Officials also said they found Decker’s dog.

“The suspect’s dog was recovered and turned over to the humane society for safe care,” the CCSO said.

It’s unclear where the dog was located.

Police didn’t say whether the non-human blood found at the scene belonged to the pet.

Officials previously said in court documents that they found “two hand prints of blood” on the tailgate of Decker’s truck, which was also recovered at the campground.

It’s unclear if the handprints were Decker’s, or if the blood samples collected belonged to him.

“We have collected a large amount of evidence, many of the suspect’s personal items, from the truck recovered on scene,” cops said.

Authorities said they’re still testing DNA and fingerprints from the scene.

“Our investigators have begun to receive more analysis information back from evidence found at the crime scene,” CCSO said.

“While this does assist in the investigation and later prosecution, it also creates more questions and information for investigators to continue to pursue.”

DOG REFERENCED IN COURT DOCS

Decker’s dog has been mentioned in court documents before.

The veteran was homeless in the months before the alleged killings, living out of his truck and motel rooms.

His ex-wife, Whitney Decker, said his housing and financial instability led him to consider getting rid of the dog.

She told investigators how important his pet was to him in questioning after she reported her daughters missing.

Whitney called police on May 30 when Decker didn’t return them on time after what was supposed to be a three-hour custody visit. The girls were found dead three days later.

Before their bodies were found, Whitney told cops that Decker’s daughters and his dog “are the two big positives in his life,” she said, according to a police affidavit.

Whitney and Decker were married for seven years before divorcing in 2022, and she told cops he’s been mentally unstable since their divorce.

The girls’ mom told cops Decker has PTSD from his time in the military, as well as diagnosed borderline personality disorder.

In September 2024, Whitney submitted a filing so that the girls could no longer stay with their dad due to his homelessness and mental instability.

The dog came up in those court documents again as she mentioned the girls were often scared when he disciplined his pet on their visits to him.

It’s unclear how Decker disciplined his dog.

Authorities have searched hundreds of square miles around Washington state so far as the manhunt for Decker continues.

Federal authorities are now leading the search as cops previously warned he has extensive military skills due to his years in the Army and the Washington National Guard.

Decker has previously survived for two and a half months in the wilderness alone, leading cops to believe he can stay hidden outside for weeks.

He’s believed to be hiding near the Pacific Crest Trail, which passes through Canada.

It comes as cops revealed Decker searched “how to relocate to Canada” days before the alleged killing.

Police recently shared new pictures of Decker showing his tattoos and hair, which is kept in a ponytail.

Source : https://www.the-sun.com/news/14437169/travis-decker-dog-blood-crime-scene-search-daughters/

Both telecommunications and international trade rely on cables connecting continents across the ocean floor. In a changing world, Asian and European powers are looking for ways to protect these vital links from sabotage.

The world’s undersea cable network spans roughly 1.4 million kilometers (870,000 miles) and carries over 95% of intercontinental internet traffic, yet it remains vulnerable to accidental damage, such as ship anchors, and deliberate disruption.

Recent incidents in the Baltic and Red Sea have underscored the cables’ fragility. Policymakers are now staging international initiatives to safeguard the system.

“We need to work together to defend the entire network,” Singaporean Minister of Defense Chan Chun Sing said at the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s premier security forum, earlier this month.

“There’s no point trying to defend the integrity and security of a submarine cable by looking at a point. We need both ends to be secure,” he added.

NATO nations patrol Baltic Sea as cables fail

In February 2024, multiple cables in the Red Sea were severed when anchors from a cargo vessel sunk by Houthi militants dragged along the seabed. The damage caused a sharp reduction in internet capacity between Europe and Asia, disrupting everything from financial transactions to video conferencing.

Meanwhile, Europe has struggled with a series of similar faults in the Baltic Sea, with many Western officials hinting those cables were intentionally damaged by Russia-linked ships. Experts warn, however, that there is no proof of deliberate damage.

Since January, some NATO members have expanded deployments of frigates, maritime patrol aircraft and naval drones to conduct regular cable-surveillance missions across vital waterways.

Beijing using cable projects as leverage in naval disputes

In Southeast Asia, subsea infrastructure also faces similar geopolitical friction. In February, Taiwanese officials detained a Chinese-crewed ship after an undersea communications cable was damaged near the self-ruled island, which China sees as a breakaway province. China has also increasingly pressured cable consortia laying new links from Japan through the South China Sea to seek Beijing’s “permission,” effectively doubling down on its claims in internationally disputed waters.

“This is just another way that China is trying to assert its sovereignty over the South China Sea,” Zachary Abuza, professor at the National War College in Washington, told DW.

China is also reportedly developing “advanced cable-cutting devices capable of targeting armored cables at unprecedented depths,” according to a commentary published by Tokyo-based magazine Nikkei Asia this week.

Southeast Asian nations are also worried about the cables being threatened by natural disasters and possibly costing them access to new and expanded renewable energy projects, such as offshore wind farms.

According to Nikkei Asia, investment in the submarine power cable sector is projected to reach $1.95 billion (€1.70) by 2030.

Hanoi ‘cautious not to anger China’

Vietnam, a nation of 90 million people served by just five undersea cables, lost up to 75% of its data capacity in February 2023 when all five suffered partial or total damage. In June last year, three of the five submarine internet cables failed again.

The cause for those disruptions is still unclear, at least officially. Alexander Vuving, a professor at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in Honolulu, told DW that Hanoi is “cautious not to anger China and tend to dismiss the suspicion that the cables were intentionally damaged.”

“They argue that the cables are located in one of the world’s busiest shipping routes, hence the chance that fishing vessels unintentionally damage them is high,” Vuving added.

“However, this argument leaves unanswered the question of why the rate of incidents rose sharply in recent years.”

EU as a way out of US-China clinch

Vietnam wants to add up to four new cables in the coming years to significantly boost connectivity speeds and the power supply, as the country looks to progress into higher-end, tech manufacturing.

Hanoi has encouraged Vietnamese telecom companies to spearhead this move. However, laying cables across the ocean floor is costly, and Vietnamese firms are looking for outside investment, mainly from China and the US.

“Many in Vietnam see this as a no-win situation as they do not want to be dependent on either China or the US and certainly do not want to get entangled in the US-China competition,” Vuving told DW.

“European companies can help Vietnam escape this Catch-22 situation. The same can be said regarding other countries in Southeast Asia.”

Brussels working on ‘cable diplomacy’

France’s Alcatel Submarine Networks is often regarded as the global leader in subsea cable installation, and several European firms operate sizeable fleets of cable repair ships.

In February, the EU published its Action Plan on Cable Security, which called on Brussels to “develop and deploy an advanced cable diplomacy.”

“When it comes to addressing incidents,” the plan reads, “the [EU] should enhance the exchange of information with, for instance, Indo Pacific partners who are facing similar incidents in relation to critical submarine infrastructures.”

Soon thereafter, Henna Virkkunen, the European Commission’s executive vice president in charge of security, announced that almost €1 billion is being redirected in the EU’s budget to boost surveillance of undersea cables and establish a fleet of emergency repair vessels.

Does US want Europeans in Asia?

Whether Europe is actually capable of supporting Asia is another matter.

“While Europeans could help build more undersea cable architecture for Southeast Asia, China already dominates the undersea cable network in the region,” Joshua Kurlantzick, senior fellow for Southeast Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations, told DW.

“It would take a massive and very costly effort by Europe to come anywhere near supplanting China’s cable network, and I don’t think Europe can afford that,” he added.

Source : https://www.dw.com/en/eu-southeast-asia-look-for-ways-to-protect-undersea-cables/a-72841922