World News

Nearly 90,000 Urged to Flee Fast-Moving Reno Wildfire

Fire

Nearly 90,000 Urged to Flee Fast-Moving Reno Wildfire

Tens of thousands of people near Reno, Nevada, have been ordered to leave their homes as the wildfire pushed to the edge of the city.

About 42,000 residents were told to evacuate immediately, while a further 45,000 people were advised to prepare to leave, according to local officials.
The fire was first reported on Saturday morning and has damaged properties and prompted emergency measures across Washoe County.
Evacuation Orders Cover Parts Of Reno Area
The Washoe emergency information centre said around 15,000 acres have burned. As of Sunday evening, no part of the fire’s perimeter had been contained.
Local emergency services said 13,700 homes were within the evacuation area. Two shelters have been set up for displaced residents.
The “go now” evacuation zone and the wider “get set” area, where residents are being warned to prepare to leave, do not extend into the centre of Reno. However, they affect large urban areas and part of a highway.
Roughly six people have been injured so far, officials said. Three of those hurt were emergency responders working on the fire.


Picture courtesy of BBC
State Emergency And National Guard Deployment
Nevada’s Governor Joe Lombardo declared a state of emergency in Washoe County and ordered the National Guard to support firefighting and law enforcement efforts.
Lombardo said the situation was active and changing quickly, and urged people in affected areas to stay alert and follow guidance from local authorities.
The fire was caused by humans, local officials said. It was first reported at 11:15 local time (18:15 GMT) on Saturday.
Schools Closed, Roads Shut, Air Support Deployed
Washoe County schools will close on Monday, except for one. Mass road closures are in place, emergency services said.
Authorities have been using large air tankers and helicopters to drop water and fire retardants over the area.
The fire has been named the Hawk Fire because it was first reported near the Hawk Meadow Trail, to the west of Reno. Officials have said it began on Saturday and has grown under windy and unpredictable weather conditions, which have contributed to its spread.
Reno, in western Nevada, sits close to the California state line and has a population of about 280,000.
The University of Nevada in Reno said regular campus operations would continue, although the university is monitoring the situation. Its main campus is in the city, just outside but near the “get set” warning area.
Wildfires are common in south-western US states, including Nevada, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The agency said there are currently three large fires in Nevada, out of 79 nationwide.

Join the discussion?


24 August 2026

• USA

• 0 comments
• 14 views

webfact

53 minutes ago53 min

US Strikes Alleged Drug Boat In Eastern Pacific

Report

US Strikes Alleged Drug Boat In Eastern Pacific

The US military said it carried out a deadly strike against an alleged drug trafficking vessel in the eastern Pacific, the first known attack in more than two months.

The US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) said on X that its Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a low-profile vessel operating along established narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific. SOUTHCOM said two people were killed in the strike on Sunday.
First Known strike Since June 21
The strikes are believed to be the first since June 21. It was not clear why operations against suspected drug routes in the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific paused, CNN reported.
Before the pause, US forces had destroyed at least 67 vessels and killed at least 221 people since the “Operation Southern Spear” campaign began in September 2025, based on official announcements and CNN’s analysis of search and rescue efforts.
Administration Says It Is In Armed Conflict
The administration has told Congress that the United States is in an “armed conflict” with drug cartels. It has described those killed as “unlawful combatants” and said it can carry out lethal strikes without judicial review because of a classified finding by the US Department of Justice.
Some members of Congress and human rights groups have questioned the basis for that approach and argued that suspected drug traffickers should instead be prosecuted. They said that was the policy for interdiction carried out by the US before President Donald Trump took office.
Other law enforcement officials and experts have also expressed doubt about the strategy and whether it has led to meaningful changes in the region’s drug trade.
SOUTHCOM Commander Reaffirms Commitment
In its statement on Monday, SOUTHCOM Commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan reiterated the military’s commitment to tackling the drug trade. He said the operation aims to disrupt cartel operations, dismantle leadership structures and eliminate what he described as cartel violence across the region.
Donovan also said the mission showed “lethal precision” and determination to protect the US homeland, according to the post.
The Pentagon’s inspector general reported on May 20 that the official mission for Operation Southern Spear is classified.
Earlier in the month, Senator Tim Kaine told the White House that, following “a careful review” of classified information he had seen, the strikes have likely illegally killed “individuals who are not involved in narcotrafficking”. The Virginia Democrat, who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee, urged Trump to “examine the circumstances of these strikes” and to stop what he called an “illegal, costly and ineffective” operation.

Join the discussion?


24 August 2026

• 1 comment
• 25 views

webfact

3 hours ago3 hr

Pence Says US and Israel Must ‘Finish the Job’ in Iran

Iranian Conflict

Pence Says US and Israel Must ‘Finish the Job’ in Iran

Former Vice President Mike Pence said on Sunday that the United States should be ready for additional military action against Iran, describing such steps as “inevitable”.

Speaking to Dana Bash on CNN’s State of the Union, Pence argued that Washington must maintain pressure and keep forces in the region able to carry out further operations.
Pressure And Military Readiness
Pence said it was “absolutely imperative” for the US to continue applying pressure and to retain military assets in the region so the administration can take the action he expects will have to happen. He framed the prospect of further strikes as the next logical stage of the US approach.
His comments came as fighting between US and Iranian-linked forces has continued despite earlier efforts to reduce hostilities.
Ceasefire Agreement Expired
A 60-day memorandum of understanding signed by the two sides in mid-June aimed to pause fighting. However, US and Iranian militaries have traded strikes since early July.
The ceasefire period set out in the memorandum also ended this week. Pence said there was no indication, in public, of a renewed agreement between officials in Washington and Tehran.
With no visible settlement announced, the exchange of force has continued to shape the political debate in the United States around how to respond to Iran.
Trump Ramps Up Economic Warfare
President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that his administration was increasing what he described as economic pressure on Iran.
On Truth Social, Trump wrote that any country allowing its financial institutions, businesses, airports or government entities to provide support that could help Iran would face economic consequences from the US.
Trump’s message was framed as part of a broader strategy to isolate Iran economically rather than rely solely on military action.
Pence Links Sanctions to “D-Day” Rhetoric
Pence, speaking on Sunday, compared the administration’s measures to “D-Day style economic sanctions”, echoing Trump’s Wednesday language. Trump had argued that the sanctions would be an “economic D-Day” for Iran.
Pence also suggested Iran did not yet believe it had been defeated, pointing to remarks made by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian this weekend about ending the war.
Pezeshkian said the country would not submit to the enemy or accept humiliation, and he said Iran could stand with “power” while pursuing solutions “with logic”.
Based on that rhetoric, Pence said the “time’s going to come” for the US and Israel to “finish the job” in Iran. He added that peace should be made with a defeated adversary, telling Bash: “You don’t make peace with your enemy.” He continued: “You make peace with your defeated enemy.”

Join the discussion?


24 August 2026

• 0 comments
• 19 views

webfact

3 hours ago3 hr

Berlin Pool Day For Black Children Scrapped Over Backlash

Germany

Berlin Pool Day For Black Children Scrapped Over Backlash

Plans for an exclusive afternoon at a Berlin outdoor swimming pool for Black children and their families have been abandoned after right-wing and conservative figures drew attention to the event and fuelled public outrage, organisers said.

The outing, scheduled for earlier this month, was organised by the Volksbühne theatre in the German capital. The theatre had extended an invitation in an effort to lower barriers that often prevent Black children from using public pools, organisers said.
Volksbühne said it hoped the arrangement would help dismantle some of the barriers that typically keep those children away from the water. The plan was based on the idea that other groups had used pools privately in the past without incident, but the concept of Black children having a reserved time at a public facility provoked backlash.
Criticism Sparks Emails And Threats
Berlin’s Volksbühne said the programme was called off after it became a target for hostile posts online and accompanying harassment. It said organisers were left dealing with racist emails and threats.
A Christian Democrat politician, Aileen Weibeler, criticised the event on social media, asking why “safe spaces” were needed in what she described as a diverse and free city. Far-right Alternative für Deutschland co-leader Alice Weidel also condemned the plan, saying it amounted to “an apartheid”, arguing that white people were temporarily denied access.
Organisers said the response was out of step with their intentions to reduce exclusion rather than widen it.
Pool Rows Echo Across Europe And North America
The Berlin incident follows a pattern in which swimming facilities have repeatedly become flashpoints for wider debates about race and access.
In the eastern German city of Halle, an open-air swimming lake faced criticism after it reportedly refused entry to bathers who did not speak German. In the Netherlands, the Institute for Human Rights ruled against a pool after it found a Black child had been singled out for an identity check.
Similar disputes have been recorded for decades. In 2013, the Swiss town of Bremgarten moved to restrict asylum seekers’ access to swimming pools. In Bulgaria, Roma groups have raised concerns about discrimination at public pools, while in 2022 a swimming pool in Romania was fined just over €2,000 (£1,716) for barring Romani children.
In the United States, the racial history of public pools dates back to widespread segregation. “Throughout much of the 20th century, swimming pools were homogenous spaces,” said Wiltse, describing “explicit racial segregation of public pools”. As public pools began to desegregate in the late 1940s, private pools increasingly appeared, often in suburbs that were overwhelmingly white.
Wiltse, who campaigns to tackle the issue by boosting public investment in community pools that can bring together people from different backgrounds, said the continuing legacy of those patterns has shaped access and participation.
Unequal Access Tied To Swimming Risk
Campaigners say the exclusion affects not only attendance but also swimming ability, with consequences for safety. In the US, the fatal-drowning rate for Black and African American children is three times higher than for white children.
England faces similar disparities: recent figures found children from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities are 3.5 times more likely to drown than white children. Sport England data also suggests that 95% of Black adults and 80% of Black children do not swim at all.
In 2022, Katrice Rodrigues launched Unity Swimming, a community organisation running weekly classes aimed at Black and Asian communities. Rodrigues said some critics questioned the approach, asking how it could be inclusive if it was limited to specific groups. She argued that “safe little spaces” can help make swimming overall more inclusive by bringing more people into the sport.
She said the programme’s impact depended on tackling a range of cultural concerns that keep minority families away, including parents’ fears of water and worries about feeling out of place, dressing modestly or protecting Black hair. Rodrigues added that some barriers persist, including a stereotype that Black people cannot float or swim, which she said she has had to correct with experienced swim teachers.
As summers bring more people into lakes, rivers and pools, Rodrigues said improving water safety knowledge matters for saving lives. She argued that learning to swim can have wider benefits for families and communities across generations.

Join the discussion?


24 August 2026

• 1 comment
• 34 views

webfact

4 hours ago4 hr

Pacific US Territories Oppose Trump Deep-Sea Mining Plan

Environment

Pacific US Territories Oppose Trump Deep-Sea Mining Plan

US territories in the Pacific have criticised a Trump administration proposal to explore and potentially extract deep-sea minerals near the Mariana Trench, as Washington pursues control of supplies it views as critical for technology and defence.

On Tuesday, the Marine Mineral Administration (MMA), a unit of the US Department of the Interior, published a plan to auction deep-sea mining leases covering 28m hectares (69m acres) of seafloor off the coasts of the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam. The administration has framed the effort as part of a wider contest with China for key ocean resources.
MMA Sets Out Lease Auction
The leases would allow companies to conduct seabed exploration and, if deposits prove viable, extract polymetallic nodules. The nodules contain minerals that can be used in batteries, electronics and defence-related technologies.
The proposal is likely to heighten concern among environmental groups, which have argued that deep-sea mining should not proceed before its impacts on marine ecosystems are better understood.
The Northern Mariana Islands is a self-governing US commonwealth, while Guam is an unincorporated territory.
Northern Marianas Warns Against Proceeding
David Apatang, governor of the Northern Marianas, said his administration would respond “with extreme caution” to the MMA proposal.
While acknowledging the strategic importance of critical minerals, Apatang said activities should not take place without what he described as rigorous scientific baseline studies, full transparency, and explicit protections for marine resources. He said the Northern Marianas government would “thoroughly examine the proposed terms over the next 60 days” to ensure ecological integrity and long-term wellbeing are protected.
The Guardian asked the MMA for comment.
Earlier, the MMA said it had completed an environmental review relating to proposed commercial leases for critical minerals in the Marianas area, and that it would consider comments submitted by the governor of the Northern Marianas.


Courtesy of The Guardian
Guam Rejects Risk Despite Security Rationale
Guam’s government also opposed the plan. In a statement, the office of the governor said the Trump administration had emphasised national security and strategic needs, but added that “national security cannot mean asking the people of the Pacific to accept environmental risks before those risks are fully understood”.
Joshua Tenorio, Guam’s lieutenant governor, said the territory was “unequivocally opposed” to deep-sea mining in the region. He told the Guardian that although the Department of the Interior had offered assurances that mining would not begin when licences are awarded, he said confidence was difficult because the process had been “rapidly evolving”.
Wider Pacific Push Spurs Further Objections
The MMA’s Marianas notice follows a separate leasing process for American Samoa. In recent weeks, the administration began moving towards leases covering 12.4m hectares (31m acres) of seafloor off American Samoa, with contracts expected to be awarded in November.
Nikolau Pula, governor of American Samoa, said his government remained opposed, arguing that extraction processes were not yet tested and could harm the territory’s tuna industry, which underpins its economy.
On 19 August, environmental groups in American Samoa and Hawaii launched legal proceedings aimed at blocking the US government’s proposed auction of seabed permits around the islands. They said federal agencies had failed to assess adequately the potentially destructive impact of mineral extraction on marine ecosystems.
In the Hawaii case, Fa’asao Ameika Samoa and the Conservation Council for Hawaii warned that the mining machinery “can destroy nearly all life in its path”. They also alleged that equipment would stir up sediments containing toxic substances that could enter marine food chains and smother seafloor ecosystems. The complaint further said that even exploration would introduce extremely loud noise into the marine environment, which could harm marine mammals and other wildlife.
The MMA was approached about concerns raised during the American Samoa leasing process.

Join the discussion?


24 August 2026

• 3 comments
• 28 views

webfact

4 hours ago4 hr

Burnham to Announce New UK Missile Support for Ukraine

UK-Politics

Burnham to Announce New UK Missile Support for Ukraine

Andy Burnham will announce on Monday that Britain will help Ukraine increase its ability to produce long-range missiles, as the prime minister makes his first foreign trip to Kyiv since taking office.

Burnham is due to arrive in the Ukrainian capital on Monday morning at a critical point in the war. Kyiv has braced for another round of Russian missile strikes, while President Volodymyr Zelenskyy faces what Ukrainian officials describe as the most sustained internal political challenge of his presidency.
Storm Shadow Information to Be Shared
During the visit, Burnham plans to say the UK will allow the European defence firm MBDA to declassify information about UK-made components of the Anglo-French Storm Shadow and Scalp missiles. The move is intended to help Ukraine develop its own version of the weapon.
Burnham said the announcement will be made on Ukraine’s Independence Day, which marks 35 years since the country gained independence. In a statement on Sunday night, he said the UK would not waver in its support, adding that Ukraine’s security is tied to Britain’s own.
Assembly Lines In Ukraine Planned
The prime minister will also tell Ukrainian officials that the UK will support France in setting up assembly lines in Ukraine for long-range missiles that French President Emmanuel Macron promised last month.
Macron spoke to Zelenskyy on Saturday, according to the text, to promise separate interceptor missiles that could help counter recent Russian barrages of high-speed strikes on Kyiv.
A British decision to share declassified component information would likely take years to affect the battlefield, but it is expected to raise pressure on London’s already tense relationship with Moscow.
Attack Kills 16; Patriots Uncertainty
European leaders have condemned a drone attack on Friday on a busy shopping centre in central Ukraine. The strike killed 16 people in Zelenskyy’s home town of Kryvyi Rih.
Ukraine’s military has run out of US-made Patriot interceptors, after a shift in US deliveries. Donald Trump, the US president, recently backtracked on an earlier commitment to allow Ukraine to build its own systems, complicating future supply.
Zelenskyy said over the weekend that he still wanted to buy additional Patriot missiles. He said Ukraine was willing to pay rather than receive them as military aid, adding that he had aimed to secure 300 interceptors for a winter package, with the air force asking for 360.
Zelenskyy also said he had reached agreements with France on at least one air-defence system this year and with Germany on the supply of about 600 interceptors in 2027-28.
Macron posted on X that Ukraine needed “all the necessary means” to defend its skies and that countries with relevant capabilities should join the effort.
Coalition Call And Zelenskyy Election Risk
Burnham’s trip will include Independence Day events in Kyiv and an award recognising UK support for Ukraine, with details being kept secret amid concerns about a possible major Russian attack.
The prime minister will also use a meeting of the “coalition of the willing”, a group of 34 countries that have pledged support for Ukraine in the event of a peace deal. The call will be co-chaired by Burnham and Macron, with Macron joining remotely by video link, and Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor, also taking part.
Russia has accused Britain of deliberately escalating the conflict by allowing Ukraine to launch attacks using British-made drones, warning that deeper involvement would increase the “price” Moscow would pay. This weekend, Russia withdrew its ambassador in London without appointing a replacement, prompting speculation it was reducing its diplomatic footprint in the UK.
Meanwhile, Zelenskyy is dealing with a major political risk after a call for elections by his former defence minister, Mykhailo Fedorov. Zelenskyy told reporters on Saturday that holding elections, which were suspended when the war began, could split the country, warning that elections during wartime were a major danger.

Join the discussion?


24 August 2026

• Ukraine Conflict

• 0 comments
• 22 views

webfact

4 hours ago4 hr

USS Lincoln Sailor’s Father Taken Into ICE Detention

Report

USS Lincoln Sailor’s Father Taken Into ICE Detention

The father of a US sailor serving aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln has been taken into federal immigration detention, the sailor said, while the ship is deployed in the Middle East during the Iran war.

US Border Patrol arrested Luis Manuel Aviles Roa, a Nicaraguan-born man, following a vehicle stop in Key West, Florida, a spokesperson for the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said on Sunday.
Father Detained After Key West Stop
Joshua Aviles, the sailor and his son, posted that he learned of his father’s detention while he was at sea. Aviles said he has been deployed for more than nine months aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, serving in the Middle East.
Green Card Approval Still Pending
Aviles said he received a call informing him that his father had been taken by ICE, referring to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
He said that his father held documents including a driver’s licence, a social security card and a work permit. Aviles also said the family had completed immigration steps to secure his father’s green card and was waiting for approval.
“This is heartbreaking for me,” Aviles wrote. He added that he did not know how he could continue working long shifts while his father was detained.
DHS Says Detention Will Continue
DHS said Luis Manuel Aviles Roa entered the United States illegally and would remain in ICE detention pending removal proceedings.
The department said that having a family member in the military does not exempt someone from complying with US laws. “Having a family member in the military is not a free pass to violate our nation’s laws,” DHS said.



Rights groups have argued that immigration enforcement during Donald Trump’s presidency has undermined free speech and due process rights and has created an unsafe environment, particularly for ethnic minorities. They have also raised concerns about racial profiling.
Lincoln Leaves After Record Days At Sea
The USS Abraham Lincoln left the Middle East on Saturday, according to the sailor’s account and reporting included in the original claim. Democratic lawmakers previously said the ship had not made a port call in more than 200 days, which they described as a modern record for consecutive days at sea. They called for answers after sailors’ families raised concerns about living conditions and morale onboard.
The USS George Washington aircraft carrier arrived in the Middle East last week and is expected to relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln.

Join the discussion?


24 August 2026

• 1 comment
• 25 views

webfact

4 hours ago4 hr

Trump Faces White House Staff Exits Ahead of Midterms

USA

Trump Faces White House Staff Exits Ahead of Midterms

President Donald Trump is entering the second half of his term with vacancies among several top White House aides, as James Braid, the administration’s main liaison to Congress, and press secretary Karoline Leavitt prepare to leave.

Braid announced this week that he will depart the White House. Leavitt said she planned to step down the week before. No replacements have been named for either role.
Staff changes around midterm elections are not unusual. However, allies and current and former officials said the timing is more consequential for this administration because Trump has often relied on a small group of close, loyal aides to drive his agenda and keep operations tightly aligned.
With elections potentially shaping the balance of power on Capitol Hill, the exits come as Trump faces a difficult outlook for the next two years. Democrats could gain control of Congress, setting up the likelihood of increased oversight, subpoenas and further legal and political battles. At the same time, the administration continues to contend with the longer-running war in the Middle East and preparations for an open Republican presidential primary.
An official who served in Trump’s first term said some staff were concluding that legislative progress could stall if Republicans lose one or both chambers. The person, granted anonymity to speak candidly, also described concerns about how taking on disputes before the end of the administration might affect post-White House career prospects in the private sector.
Legal Positions Also Set To Change
The president is also losing senior legal staff as he anticipates heightened congressional scrutiny and potential litigation if Democrats take control on the Hill. Trump announced on Friday that Ed Martin, his pardon attorney and a longtime ally, would leave for the private sector. The announcement followed a similar departure earlier this month involving White House counsel Dave Warrington.
Before the recent rounds of exits, Trump’s second term had been marked by most aides staying in post and carrying out his priorities with limited internal disruption, according to supporters inside the White House.
White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers said in a statement that Trump had built a political movement staffed by “talented” and “dedicated” people committed to executing the president’s agenda, adding that the effort would continue regardless of individual staff members’ departures.
Midterms Timing Raises Questions
Allies acknowledged that leaving ahead of a contentious midterms campaign is not ideal. Some said waiting could reduce political leverage, particularly if Republicans lose one or both chambers of Congress and relationships built during the term are affected.
One person close to the White House framed the decision around the ability to preserve business connections and future opportunities, arguing that exiting before the election could be more practical than staying through a period of peak uncertainty.
Braid has not publicly detailed his next steps, but a person familiar with his plans, speaking anonymously, said his last day in the role will be Sept. 30.
Leavitt said on X that she decided to leave after returning to work following the birth of her second child. She said she could not be the “best mom” while taking on the constant demands associated with the White House press secretary job.
Her announcement immediately raised questions about who would take over for one of the administration’s most visible and closely aligned figures. A White House official, granted anonymity to describe internal thinking, said the press secretary role requires being available around the clock and that Leavitt’s departure was connected specifically to her becoming a mother of two. The official added that people who have been in place since the campaign and early in the administration’s term would rotate out, with qualified insiders and outside candidates considered.
Tevi Troy, a presidential historian and former Bush White House aide, said that even when new staff are brought in, replacing a long-term collaborator can be difficult because of the learning and confidence that develop over time, including trust around leaks and ideological alignment.
Some analysts said the personnel changes would not determine whether the administration’s period ahead is smooth or difficult. Chris Whipple, a political analyst and contributor to Vanity Fair, said the outlook is likely to remain “choppy” regardless, describing the departures as affecting matters by degree rather than changing the overall risk of an unproductive two-year period.

Join the discussion?


24 August 2026

• 7 comments
• 300 views

webfact

13 hours ago13 hr

Trump Lays Groundwork to Impose National Emergency

USA

Trump Lays Groundwork to Impose National Emergency

Donald Trump’s administration has increased efforts this summer aimed at undermining confidence in US elections, prompting voting experts to warn that the White House could seek to declare a national emergency to tighten federal control over election administration ahead of November’s midterms.

The White House and several federal agencies have published a series of documents, including disputed analyses alleging noncitizen voting and older intelligence material, as well as declassified memoranda tied to election security concerns. The releases have amplified hopes among election deniers that Trump may move to change the framework for how elections are run.
In a prime-time address in July, Trump again claimed that US elections were vulnerable to foreign manipulation and repeated his false assertion that the 2020 election— which he lost to Joe Biden—was stolen. His speech also triggered speculation from allies that a national emergency could be used to delegitimise any results in November.
Grounds For an Emergency
Steve Bannon, Trump’s former adviser, said in a podcast appearance on 29 July that the president would declare an emergency on national security grounds “to protect” elections. Bannon urged supporters to “block the last week of August” as a possible lead-up to such a move.
Trump’s response to a question about declaring a national security emergency for elections was notably non-committal. Asked earlier this month by Wayne Allyn Root whether he would do so, Trump did not rule it out, saying: “Stranger things have happened.”
Experts said any attempt to use an emergency declaration to override election rules would still face constitutional limits. No president has previously tried to invoke an emergency to take control of voting.
Ty Cobb, a former White House attorney and a critic of Trump, told PBS after the July speech that it appeared designed to establish a basis for declaring an emergency around the time of the elections. Cobb also argued that moves such as deploying Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents at polling stations could be intended to intimidate minority and immigrant voters and to set up attempts to seize voting equipment—an approach Trump sought in 2020 before then-attorney general Bill Barr said there was no legal basis.
Documents And Noncitizen Voting Claims
Following Trump’s July address, a White House “Government Transparency Task Force” began releasing declassified “election integrity” documents on the White House website. The group includes officials from the office of the director of national intelligence, the National Security Agency, the Central Intelligence Agency and the Department of Homeland Security.
The first set of materials included intelligence memos describing alleged vulnerabilities in electronic voting machines, foreign access to state voter registration data and foreign digital manipulation strategies. Much of it has been publicly known before, and the material also reflected a US intelligence assessment that found no evidence Beijing altered the 2020 vote.
A week later, Trump and his allies seized on an announcement by Mikie Sherrill, the New Jersey governor, that 6,600 noncitizens had registered due to a software error. Less than 400 of those individuals voted, but the disclosure was used to bolster claims that large numbers of noncitizens appear on voter rolls.
On 31 July, the Department of Homeland Security issued a notice arguing that New Jersey’s administrative errors supported the need for standardised federal oversight. The taskforce also released documents related to a Michigan case in which the FBI investigated suspected fraudulent voter registrations by a get-out-the-vote organisation, with no criminal charges filed, and investigative material connected to a data scrape of voter information in Maricopa County, Arizona.
The pace of releases has accelerated. The taskforce published files tied to a Chinese intelligence investigation, including details about former Democratic congressman Eric Swalwell and Christine Fang. Separately, the US Census Bureau released a brief claiming it had identified 24,000 noncitizens voting in 2020 through a preliminary match of 128m records, without disclosing its methodology. David Becker of the Center for Election Innovation and Research said the analysis did not provide enough information and was criticised by democracy advocates.
Aria Branch, a partner at the Elias Law Group who previously led litigation blocking Trump’s election-related executive orders, said the administration was “searching for” a legal basis for an order. She argued that noncitizen voting is not a widespread problem and that the associated fear-driven narrative was unfounded. She also pointed to a July DHS analysis claiming 278,000 noncitizens are registered in federal elections, saying the agency did not explain its method, report confidence levels, or disclose that the identification tool is known to be inaccurate.
Trump Ally Networks And Legislative Pressure
Democratic members of Congress have also been preparing for possible executive actions, gaming scenarios that include AI-generated disinformation and ICE agents being sent to polling places. Progressive democracy organisations have similarly prepared for potential disruptions.
Earlier this year, questions were raised after Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s former director of national intelligence, appeared at an FBI raid in Fulton County, Georgia. Gabbard later told Congress she had been leading an investigation into foreign interference claims. She subsequently resigned on 30 June, after which Trump appointed Bill Pulte as acting replacement, a move criticised by both parties for his lack of intelligence experience. Jay Clayton later took the role permanently.
In parallel, Trump allies have pushed the Save America Act, which a White House spokesperson said would help ensure “Americans, and Americans only” decide elections. The proposal would require states to submit voter rolls for federal inspection, allow DHS to de-register people deemed ineligible, reduce mail-in voting and require documentary proof of citizenship to register, along with a narrow set of photo IDs to vote.
Asked about an executive order declaring an emergency to shape elections, the White House did not rule it out and declined to comment on hypotheticals.

Join the discussion?


24 August 2026

• 41 comments
• 839 views

webfact

14 hours ago14 hr

London Unsolved Murders Hit Black Communities Most

UK

London Unsolved Murders Hit Black Communities Most

A new analysis of homicide cases in London has found that most unsolved murders involved victims from minority ethnic backgrounds, with black people accounting for a large share of killings that remain unresolved.

The study, carried out by Action on Armed Violence, reviewed unsolved homicides in the capital between 2019 and 2023. It found that minority ethnic British people made up 61% of victims in that period. When researchers focused specifically on murders that were still unsolved, they reported that 92.9% of cases were linked to a victim who was a person of colour.
Disparities In Unsolved Victims
Across the full set of homicides recorded between 2019 and 2023, black people were victims in 40% of cases. The study also found black victims represented 73% of all unsolved murder cases during the same timeframe.
It broke this down further by weapon type. Black victims accounted for 83.7% of unsolved shootings, with 36 victims, and 73.5% of unsolved stabbings, with 39 victims.
Campaigners said the findings should be viewed alongside the wider challenge of trust between communities and police. Iain Overton, of Action on Armed Violence, said the data indicated London’s unsolved murders were not evenly distributed, with cases concentrated among young black men and those involving firearm violence. He added that this could reinforce mistrust if families see that communities most affected by deadly violence are less likely to see those responsible brought to justice.


Chart created with AI
Shootings More Likely To Remain Unsolved
The research also found that deaths involving shootings were more likely to remain unsolved than killings involving stabbings.
Between 2019 and 2023, London averaged 124.6 homicides per year. Stabbings accounted for 65.3% of all killings, while shootings made up 8.7%. However, among 41 murders from that period that remained unsolved, shootings accounted for 38%, far higher than their share of the overall total.
The study said the average age of homicide victims in London is about 36. For unsolved cases, the average dropped to 28, indicating that unresolved killings skew towards younger victims.
Police Say Investigation And Trust Issues Matter
The Metropolitan police said the disparity is linked, in part, to levels of trust in policing among black communities. Commander Paul Brogden, head of homicide, said serious violence disproportionately affects certain groups, particularly young black men, who he said have the lowest trust in the police. He added that this can mean victims or witnesses are less likely to come forward and place trust in investigations.
Brogden also highlighted the complexity of solving firearm-related offences compared with domestic murders. He said officers use tools such as CCTV and forensics, but that witness evidence can be crucial to securing convictions.
A senior homicide detective at Scotland Yard, DCI Alex Gammampila, said shootings often involve more planning than stabbings, which he described as more likely to be spontaneous. He said this makes firearms offences harder to solve.
The Met said it has a high clear-up rate for homicides, with nine out of 10 killings resulting in justice. Last year the force recorded 97 homicides in London, down from 153 in 2019 and the lowest figure in a decade.
The Action on Armed Violence study also examined a wider period, saying that between 2015 and 2024 there were 110 unsolved homicides, representing 9% of 1,222 killings.

Join the discussion?


23 August 2026

• Crime

• 9 comments
• 171 views

webfact

Yesterday at 08:05 AM1 day

Trump Says Canada Wants US State Benefits, Carney Hits Back

USA

Trump Says Canada Wants US State Benefits, Carney Hits Back

US President Donald Trump said Canada wanted “the benefits of being a State, without being one” after trade negotiations between the United States and Canada collapsed late on Friday.

In his first comments since the talks ended, Trump said the breakdown triggered new 50% US tariffs on a range of Canadian goods. He also claimed American farmers had been charged “massive amounts of Tariffs” for years.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney responded by calling the latest levies a “miscalculation” intended to “hurt and divide us”. Carney said Canada would match Trump’s tariffs “dollar-for-dollar” from 8 September, including duties on steel, dairy, appliances and electronics, and described the two sides as entering a trade “war”.
Tariffs, Scope And Retaliation
The new 50% tariffs apply to selected Canadian imports, on top of existing US tariffs covering Canadian steel, aluminium, automobiles and lumber.
They are limited in scope, affecting about $20bn (£15bn; C$28bn) of Canadian imports, equivalent to roughly 5% of Canada’s total exports to the US. The covered goods include wine, dairy, cement, clothing and hockey equipment.
Carney said Canada was retaliating “reluctantly” to protect its interests. He said details of counter-measures would be released in the coming days.
Both sides had earlier expressed optimism about reaching an agreement, but talks fell apart after each accused the other of making last-minute changes.
“We cannot accept what they've offered, and we will not give what they've asked,” Carney said.
RELATED
Trump 50% Tariffs On Canada Start After Talks Collapse
Dispute Over Deal Terms
Trump’s latest remarks echoed his past statements about making Canada the “51st state” of the US, a position that has drawn anger from Canadian leaders and residents.
Carney said the US wanted too much and offered too little. “They asked too much and they offered too little,” he said on Saturday. He argued that the situation should be understood as an attack: “You’re at war when you get attacked. We got attacked.”
The US trade representative Jamieson Greer told Fox News on Saturday that there were no plans to resume negotiations. He said the US had been prepared to reduce some tariffs as part of the deal that failed to materialise.
Carney said the US presented “unacceptable” terms that were too restrictive, including limits on Canada’s ability to sign new trade deals with other countries. He also rejected the claim that Canada made last-minute requests, saying: “We clarified what was on offer and were continually disappointed by the answers.”
Support From Canadian Leaders
Carney’s Saturday remarks were his first address to Canadians after he announced on Friday night that no deal would be reached. He accused the Americans of making “last-minute changes” that were “unfair” and “uneconomic”.
Leaders across Canada backed Carney. Doug Ford, head of the Ontario government, said Trump “can’t be trusted”. British Columbia Premier David Eby argued that US demands to restrict Canada’s ability to pursue other trade deals would “reduce us to the economic equivalent of the 51st state”.
The Conservative opposition leader Pierre Poilievre backed Carney and said the new US levies were “unjustified”. Quebec’s premier, Christine Fréchette, warned that jobs would likely be lost and said measures would be introduced to support affected sectors. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, whose province has sought closer ties with the Trump administration, urged both sides to resume talks.
Broader Trade Talks And USMCA
The collapse follows more than a year of trade negotiations that had repeatedly paused and resumed, intensifying in recent weeks after a US-imposed deadline to agree or face further tariffs.
The US and Canada are also part of a mandatory review of the existing North American free trade agreement known as USMCA, alongside Mexico. The pact was signed by Trump in his first term to replace the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement and underpins $1.6tn (£1.2tn) in annual trilateral trade across the three countries.
Earlier this summer, Canada and Mexico asked for USMCA to be renewed for another 16 years, but the US declined to renew it in its current form. Asked how Friday’s failure would affect the wider agreement, Carney said it was “certainly not good news”.


Join the discussion?


23 August 2026

• Canada

• 22 comments
• 303 views

webfact

Yesterday at 07:43 AM1 day

Iran Claims World Has Accepted Its Victory Over US

Iranian Conflict

Iran Claims World Has Accepted Its Victory Over US

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Friday that the war between the United States and Iran should end, adding that the international community had accepted Tehran’s “victory” in the conflict.

Speaking ahead of new US economic sanctions expected next week, Pezeshkian made the remarks in comments reported by Iranian state media. The Iranian President said the world had “approved our victory”, while stating that the United States was “hated”, according to the state-run IRNA news agency.
Pezeshkian Calls for War to End
Pezeshkian argued that the dispute should conclude because, in his view, Iran’s position had been endorsed internationally. The comments were framed as pressure for an end to hostilities between Tehran and Washington.
Trump Signals More Economic Pressure
The remarks come after US President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that his administration would launch what he called the “most crushing economic operation ever” against Iran.
The announcement was made while negotiations continue over reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic shipping passage that carries around a fifth of the world’s oil consumption during peacetime. Trump said the operation would involve stopping a range of financial and shipping-related activities linked to Iran.
In a post on Truth Social, he wrote that “oil smuggling, swap lines, cash transfers, exchange houses, ship registries, front companies” should stop, addressing unspecified recipients of the message. He also described the effort as an “ECONOMIC D-DAY” and said he needed allies to stand with the United States to isolate and defeat what he described as the “Iran threat”.
Strait Of Hormuz Under Strain
The strait has been effectively closed as a result of Iranian counterstrikes and a US naval blockade, according to the article. Iran and Oman share joint jurisdiction over the waterway, but Trump has threatened to change its status and make it US territory during the ongoing talks.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is expected to set out details of the new economic sanctions on Monday. Speaking to CNBC on Thursday, Bessent said the strategy would combine the existing blockade with sanctions, describing it as a “one-two punch”.
He said the administration would impose what he characterised as the toughest sanctions in history and that the approach would “work” in Iran.
Iran Rejects Sanctions Plans
Iranian officials rejected the US measures and criticised the timing and stated rationale. Foreign Affairs Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Thursday that the anticipated penalties were intended to distract from domestic US concerns about the cost of living.
On social media, he referred to the US plan as a “so-called ‘Economic D-Day’” and said it was a diversion from what he described as America’s own crisis, including unprecedented debt and rising interest costs. Araghchi said continuing with “failed policies” would lead to further defeat and to “enmity of Iranians”.
He also said the US approach amounted to “economic terrorism” that threatened the global economy and sovereignty worldwide.

Join the discussion?


23 August 2026

• 33 comments
• 301 views

webfact

Yesterday at 02:34 AM1 day

Judge Strikes Down Trump Visa Policy for 75 Countries

USA

Judge Strikes Down Trump Visa Policy for 75 Countries

A federal judge on Friday struck down a Trump administration policy that paused immigrant visa processing for nationals of 75 countries, ruling that refusals based solely on the directive must be reconsidered under the normal immigration law.

U.S. District Judge Jeannette A. Vargas said the policy, announced by the State Department in January, was unlawful and went beyond the statutory powers of the secretary. Her order requires consular officers to review affected cases without relying on the nationality-based suspension.
Policy Set Out In January
The State Department’s January directive instructed U.S. embassies and consulates to halt immigrant visa adjudications for applicants from 75 countries while the department reassessed its vetting procedures under existing immigration rules.
In announcing the pause, the department said it was intended to prevent the entry of foreign nationals whom it described as likely to take welfare and public benefits.
The policy effectively barred immigrant visa issuance based on the applicant’s nationality, rather than on the individual facts of a case or eligibility determinations made through the usual legal framework.
Judge Finds It Exceeds Authority
Vargas said the policy conflicts with federal immigration law, which gives consular officers “exclusive authority and discretion” to decide whether an applicant is eligible for an immigrant visa.
“The Policy, which categorically prohibits the issuance of immigrant visas based upon the nationality of the applicant, represents a direct abrogation of this statutory scheme,” Vargas wrote.
The judge said the directive was issued in excess of the statutory authority available to Secretary Rubio and that it contradicted the law governing immigrant visa adjudications.
In addition to invalidating the suspension, the ruling vacates visa denials that were issued solely because the policy was in place, meaning applicants in those categories must receive new decisions based on the standard legal process rather than the blanket nationality-based pause.
Impact on Families and Next Steps
The lawsuit was filed by the Catholic Legal Immigration Network Inc., according to the report. Anna Gallagher, the group’s executive director, said the suspension separated spouses, parents and children who were only seeking to follow the regular immigration procedures. She said the decision affirms family reunification and the rule of law.
The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment from ABC News. The report also said the department has not indicated whether it will appeal the ruling.
When the policy was first announced, a State Department spokesman said the department was ending what he described as abuse of the U.S. immigration system by those seeking to extract wealth from Americans. He also said the department would rely on its longstanding authority to determine whether potential immigrants would become a “public charge” and “exploit” American public generosity.
Vargas’s order reinstates a case-by-case approach by directing that affected applications be reconsidered by consular officers under the existing immigration law, rather than being denied based on the nationality-based suspension.

Join the discussion?


23 August 2026

• 3 comments
• 245 views

webfact

Yesterday at 02:10 AM1 day

Meghan Markle Casting in Guy Ritchie’s The Gentlemen Dropped

Report

Meghan Markle Casting in Guy Ritchie’s The Gentlemen Dropped

The Duchess of Sussex’s reported casting in Guy Ritchie’s Netflix series The Gentlemen has been withdrawn, multiple reports said.

Tina Brown, the former editor-in-chief of Vanity Fair and The New Yorker, wrote on Saturday that she had learned the casting of Meghan Markle for season three had been pulled. Brown said the backlash in the UK had become so intense that continuing the plan was no longer feasible, according to her post.
The move follows reports from the previous day that Markle was in talks about returning to acting in the series. Variety said she had been in discussions to join the third season, which has not yet received an official green light.
Netflix Series Casting Decision
The Gentlemen is a spin-off of the 2019 crime comedy film of the same name. That film starred Matthew McConaughey and Charlie Hunnam, with Ritchie serving as creator of the project as well.
The Netflix series has been connected to discussion of Markle’s involvement as part of its next season, although no confirmation about the casting had been published beyond the reported talks and subsequent withdrawal.
Her Acting Credits
Markle first became well known for playing Rachel Zane in the legal drama Suits, which ran for seven seasons. Her television work after Suits has included appearances in series such as CSI: NY and 90210.
In film, she has had small roles, including in the comedy Horrible Bosses and the 2015 crime thriller Anti-Social. She also starred in two Hallmark movies, When Sparks Fly and Dater’s Handbook.
More recently, Markle filmed a cameo appearance playing herself in the Amazon comedy Close Personal Friends alongside Brie Larson and Jack Quaid, according to previously reported details.
Sussex Return To Britain And Netflix Deals
The reported casting developments come as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex plan to return to live in Britain this month, understood to be six years after they left for the United States. The couple and their two children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, are expected to move to a property believed to be outside London.
King Charles was reportedly told last Sunday that his son and daughter-in-law intended to return to Britain.
Last year, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex signed a fresh multi-year film and television deal with Netflix. Their original five-year agreement, struck in 2020 and reportedly worth $100m (£78m), produced multiple projects. One of Markle’s main releases with the streaming service was the lifestyle series With Love, Meghan, which received negative reviews from some critics. The Guardian’s Chitra Ramaswamy, in a one-star review, said the show was “toe-curling stuff”, according to the report.

Join the discussion?


23 August 2026

• 2 comments
• 67 views

webfact

Yesterday at 01:26 AM1 day

Father Leaves 7-Year-Old Son Alone to Continue Fuji Hike

Japan

Father Leaves 7-Year-Old Son Alone to Continue Fuji Hike

A father has been reprimanded by police after leaving his seven-year-old son on Mount Fuji for several hours while he continued a hike, local media reported.

The boy was reported to have been spotted sitting on a bench near the mountain in fog and rain, at an elevation of more than 2,000m (6,500ft), according to reports. Officers later found him alone after staff from a mountain hut alerted police.
Boy Found After Police Were Alerted
Hikers from a mountain hut near the route to the summit found the child close to the sixth station of the climbing path, police said, and contacted authorities. Officers then traced the father at the route’s eighth station, which was described in reports as a roughly three-hour walk higher up from where the boy was located.
The child was found by police at 07:30 local time on Thursday, which corresponds to 22:30 GMT, the reports added.
Police Criticised The Decision
When the father returned from the higher point and reunited with his son, officers reprimanded him, local coverage said. One officer told him that even if it meant abandoning the attempt to climb together, leaving a child behind was unacceptable, according to Japan Today.
The father later apologised for the decision, which was described as “rash” in the report.
Route Timing And Access Points
The family was reported to have been climbing on the Fujinomiya route. That path begins at the fifth station, a starting point that is accessible by public transport.
Reports and climbing guidance cited in the coverage said the journey from the fifth station to the summit typically takes around five hours, with a further three hours needed to descend.
Mount Fuji’s Ongoing Climbing Risks
Mount Fuji rises to 3,776m (12,389ft) and has seen multiple incidents in recent years. In July, a 99-year-old woman required rescue after falling while attempting the route and injuring her hip and back. Last year, a 27-year-old university student who climbed outside the official season was rescued twice within four days after returning to look for a lost mobile phone.
The active volcano, located south-west of Tokyo, was added to the World Heritage list in 2013. It is also one of Japan’s three traditional “Holy Mountains”, along with Mount Tate and Mount Haku.
Around 200,000 people climb Mount Fuji each year. Some routes also operate daily caps to help prevent overcrowding.

Join the discussion?


22 August 2026

• 8 comments
• 266 views

webfact

Saturday at 11:10 AM2 days

Ukraine Mall Hit Again As Double-Tap Drone Kills 16

Ukraine Conflict

Ukraine Mall Hit Again As Double-Tap Drone Kills 16

Ukrainian rescue workers worked through the night to search for survivors in the wreckage of a shopping centre in Kryvyi Rih after a Russian double-tap drone strike killed 16 people, local officials said.

On Friday, officials reported that the busy mall had been hit during daylight hours, leaving 16 dead and 130 injured. Regional military head Oleksandr Hanzha said another body was retrieved from the rubble overnight, bringing the death toll to 16.
Search for Missing Survivors
Hanzha said nine people were still missing, including two children. He added that 23 children were among those injured in the attack in the Dnipropetrovsk region. By Saturday morning, 14 injured survivors remained in hospital.
Oleksandr Vilkul, head of the city’s defence council, said 23 people were in serious or extremely serious condition, including three children: two boys aged 10 and 16 and an 11-year-old girl. Vilkul said all had undergone surgery and doctors were providing further treatment.
Second Strike Targets Responders
Zelensky said the attack was carried out in two waves, with the second strike aimed at emergency workers responding to the initial hit.
He described it as a “cynical and despicable” attack. Dramatic video footage verified by the BBC showed the second drone striking the already burning mall in Zelensky’s hometown. Russia’s military did not comment.
Vilkul said the drones flew at “extremely low altitudes”. He described the attackers as “animals”. Rescue teams from seven other Ukrainian regions were deployed to help search for survivors.
Rescuers continued operations into early Saturday while Zelensky said there had been missile and drone strikes across Ukraine during the evening and night, damaging residential buildings and civilian infrastructure.
Other Overnight Attacks
Officials said at least two people were killed in further Russian strikes overnight. Moscow’s defence ministry said it targeted transport infrastructure and warehouses in the Kyiv region.
In Kyiv, Zelensky said ballistic missile strikes damaged railway infrastructure. He said one person was killed and another injured. In Zaporizhzhia, he said three people were hurt after what he called a “brutal” drone strike on a city minibus.
On Friday, local officials said four people, including three children, were killed in separate attacks in the southern Mykolaiv region, and another two were killed in the north-eastern Kharkiv region.
Zelensky also referred to the broader pattern of strikes, saying that on Thursday 17 people were killed and more than 40 were injured in a major missile and drone attack on Kyiv.
Ukraine Strikes Inside Russia
Earlier on Friday, Ukraine’s military said it carried out strikes on an oil refinery and a military airfield deep inside Russia. In recent months, Kyiv has increased attacks on Russian energy facilities and on warehouses of Wildberries, Russia’s largest online retailer, which Kyiv says help finance the war.
Ukraine’s military also said it struck an oil refinery in Russia’s Samara region overnight, causing a fire.
Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and currently controls about a fifth of Ukrainian territory in the south-east.


Join the discussion?


22 August 2026

• 17 comments
• 141 views

webfact

Saturday at 09:37 AM2 days

Texas Appeal Cuts Alex Jones Verdict To $6m

USA

Texas Appeal Cuts Alex Jones Verdict To $6m

A Texas appeals court has reduced a $50 million damages award against conspiracy theorist Alex Jones stemming from his false claims that the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School killings were a hoax.

In a unanimous decision on Friday, the Texas Third Court of Appeals said the Infowars founder can be made to pay about $6 million under state law limits on damages. The ruling affects only the Texas case brought by Sandy Hook parents Neil Heslin and Scarlett Lewis.
Texas Ruling Keeps Defamation Finding
The appeals court did not overturn the trial judge’s determination that Jones defamed Heslin and Lewis. However, it trimmed a large portion of the damages to comply with caps set under Texas statute.
Jurors had awarded more than $4.1 million in compensatory damages for defamation and emotional distress, which the appellate court left in place. The court, though, reduced punitive damages of more than $45 million down to $1.5 million, noting a $750,000 limit for each plaintiff.
The panel said Heslin and Lewis had not produced evidence showing the harassment that followed Jones’ claims reached a level that would justify exceeding the cap. It also found the trial court had allowed the parents to seek higher damages after the trial.
Jones said the outcome was a significant win for free speech and indicated he would continue appealing to the Texas Supreme Court to seek the remaining damages thrown out.
Connecticut Judgment Not Affected
The Texas decision does not change a separate $1.25 billion judgment against Jones in Connecticut. That case found Jones liable for defaming relatives of 20 first-graders and six educators killed in Newtown and for causing emotional distress.
Heslin and Lewis’ Texas lawsuit arose from Jones’ portrayal of the massacre as staged in order to advance gun control measures. At trial in both states, relatives testified that people who believed Jones’ claims harassed them, including threats and in-person abuse, as well as abusive comments online. Jones argued there was no proof linking him to those acts.
Despite his years of appeals, Jones conceded during the Texas trial that the shootings were real and that he was wrong to have lied about them.
Bankruptcy And Moves Away From Infowars
The financial verdicts against Jones and his company, Free Speech Systems, have contributed to bankruptcy proceedings. Court actions have resulted in some of his personal property being scheduled for auction, and he has left the Infowars platform.
Jones had taken Infowars off the air in April and shifted to shows hosted on new websites, along with posts on his personal X account. Sandy Hook families have said they have not yet collected any money from Jones.
The Onion Targets Infowars Branding
The satire site The Onion has also tried to take over parts of Jones’ media operation by turning Infowars into parody pages. A proposed licensing deal that would have given The Onion temporary authority to use Infowars’ trademarks, copyrights and intellectual property has been paused because the liquidation process has been stayed during Jones’ appeals.
In November 2024, The Onion was named the winner of a bankruptcy court auction for Free Speech Systems assets intended to help pay defamation awards. A federal judge later overturned that auction outcome, citing issues with the process and The Onion’s bid.

Join the discussion?


22 August 2026

• 15 comments
• 216 views

webfact

Saturday at 07:16 AM2 days

Japan Executes Man for Deadly 2009 Pachinko Fire

Crime

Japan Executes Man for Deadly 2009 Pachinko Fire

Japan has executed a man convicted of killing five people in a fire at a pachinko gaming parlour near his home in Osaka in 2009, the first execution in more than a year in the country.

Sunao Takami, 58, was put to death after the case was upheld by courts that rejected arguments from his defence that he was mentally ill at the time of the attack. He was sentenced to be hanged in 2011.
Pachinko Fire Case
Prosecutors said Takami poured gasoline over the pachinko parlour and set it alight. The fire killed four customers and one employee.
The execution was carried out on Friday, according to Justice Minister Hiroshi Hiraguchi, who said the decision had been reached following careful and thorough consideration.
It was also the first execution carried out under the Takaichi administration.
Court Decision and Sentence
A six-member jury and a panel of three judges rejected the defence’s request for leniency based on Takami’s mental state during the crime. The court decision led to a death sentence, which was handed down in 2011.
The process of sentencing and appeals in Japan allows for juries in some criminal trials. In this case, the jury and judges agreed on the outcome after hearing the defence arguments.
Death Penalty Rules and International Context
Japan and the United States are the only Group of Seven (G7) countries that still impose capital punishment. In Japan, people on death row are typically informed of the date of their execution only a few hours in advance.
Rights groups have repeatedly criticised aspects of the system. They have pointed to long periods of solitary confinement for death-row inmates and to limited transparency around when executions are carried out.
Surveys have suggested there is broad public support for the death penalty in Japan, although the practice remains controversial internationally.
Recent Executions Under Review
In June last year, Japan executed Takahiro Shiraishi, widely dubbed the “Twitter killer”, after he murdered and dismembered nine people in 2017. Shiraishi’s killings came to light in October 2017, when police in the city of Zama, near Tokyo, found body parts while searching for one of the victims.
Friday’s execution of Takami was the first carried out in more than a year, following the earlier case involving Shiraishi.

Join the discussion?


22 August 2026

• 0 comments
• 72 views

webfact

Saturday at 07:11 AM2 days

Trump 50% Tariffs On Canada Start After Talks Collapse

Economy

Trump 50% Tariffs On Canada Start After Talks Collapse

Trump’s 50% tariffs on some Canadian goods are taking effect early on Saturday after the United States and Canada failed to agree a trade deal, according to senior officials in the Trump administration.

The new measures, which cover dozens of products ranging from hockey sticks to wine, began at 12:01 a.m. ET on Saturday. The tariffs were set in motion following the breakdown of negotiations over the terms of access to the US market.
US Says Canada Walked Away From The Terms
Both sides blamed the other for the talks collapsing.
Jamieson Greer, the US Trade Representative, said Canada declined to finalise an agreement “under the terms agreed earlier this week”. She cited “new demands” and what the US described as walk-backs of prior commitments.
Greer also pointed to Canada’s continued retaliation against the United States, including restrictions she said amount to prohibitions on certain American goods and services.
Canada Suspends Talks, Pledges Matching Tariffs
Late on Friday night, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada would suspend the trade negotiations with the United States. He said the decision followed “last-minute changes” to the US proposals that he described as “unfair” and “uneconomic”.
Carney said the 50% tariff would apply to roughly $28 billion of Canadian exports to the United States. Canada plans to match the US levies “dollar for dollar”.
The tariff action comes days after Trump delayed an earlier deadline while talks continued between the two governments.
Expected Impact And Affected Product List
Administration officials said exemptions on key goods are expected to limit the impact, with the tariffs forecast to affect only a fraction of US imports from Canada despite the size of the overall package.
The list of covered products includes items in the food and drink sector, such as dairy products, honey, whey protein and molasses. It also includes alcoholic beverages including whiskey and vodka.
The measures follow weeks of tariff actions by Trump targeting 60 trading partners, including the European Union. Those broader steps were part of efforts to rebuild duties after earlier levies were struck down by the US Supreme Court.
US Offers, Steel And Pipeline Mentioned
Earlier this week, Trump said he had a “very good conversation” with Carney and suggested a preliminary understanding had been reached. He said Canadian tariffs on American agricultural goods would become “non-existent”, claiming the changes would reduce those charges down to zero.
When asked later whether any deal would cut tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminium, Trump said the administration was “looking at that”.
On Tuesday, the US Trade Representative’s office posted on X after Trump’s comments, describing elements it said would be included in a final agreement. It said the package would cover comprehensive market access for US goods, commitments on economic security, alignment on digital trade, and provisions aimed at protecting the US market and workers, alongside steps involving Canada.
Trump also suggested earlier negotiations could include renewed efforts to pursue the Keystone XL Pipeline, despite its cancellation in 2021.
Tariffs Under USMCA, Section 338 Basis
Unlike some previous US tariff actions, the new levies on Canada are described as applying to products that comply with the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA. Officials said exemptions remain significant, leaving out some major imports such as oil, gas and potash.
Trump said the tariffs would be imposed under legal authority in section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930. That provision allows the president to apply tariffs up to 50% for countries found to have discriminated against the US relative to how they treat other nations. The authority has not been used before, according to Abigail Watt, an economist at UBS, who said in a memo shared with ABC News that the move lacks judicial precedent.

Join the discussion?


22 August 2026

• 3 comments
• 90 views

webfact

Saturday at 06:42 AM2 days

Teenager Jailed For Raping Woman In Bournemouth Toilet

Sex Crime

Teenager Jailed For Raping Woman In Bournemouth Toilet

A teenager has been jailed for raping and sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman in a portable toilet on a seafront.

Mohammed Abdullah, 19, from the West Drayton area of Middlesex, was found guilty of raping and committing sexual assault by penetration following a trial at Bournemouth Crown Court over an incident on Bournemouth seafront in the early hours of 6 July 2025.
Abdullah was sentenced to six years and nine months in prison. He will also be placed on the sex offenders register for life.
Conviction And Sentence
Detective Inspector Shaun Inkpen, of Dorset Police’s Major Crime Investigation Team, said the woman had shown “immense strength, courage and resilience” throughout the investigation and criminal justice process.
Speaking after Abdullah’s sentencing, Inkpen praised the woman’s decision to report the attack and said her evidence was “crucial” to securing the conviction and custodial sentence.
Senior prosecutor Samantha Wright, from the Crown Prosecution Service, told the court that Abdullah “exploited” a vulnerable young woman who was trying to get home safely.
She said he gained her trust by offering her a lift, before subjecting her to a sexual attack.
Wright added that violence against women and girls has no place in communities.
Account Given During The Trial
Prosecutor Mark Eldridge said the woman had been out with a friend on the night of the attack, starting in Charminster before moving on to Bar So in Bournemouth.
Eldridge said the pair later went in different directions after the woman had “a fair amount to drink”. The complainant then began walking home along the seafront.
She came across Abdullah, who was with friends, and he offered to give her a lift home on an e-bike. Eldridge said the pair stopped at a portable toilet, where Abdullah sexually assaulted her before raping her.
The prosecutor said the woman was trying to fight back and, at a point, believed that if she let the attack happen it would be quicker.
He said Abdullah kissed her aggressively, and although she pulled away she suffered a burst lip.
Eldridge added that after the assault Abdullah rode off while the complainant removed her shoes so she could run.
Aftermath And Police Response
The court heard that the woman asked passers-by to use their phones to call her mother. She told her family what had happened before contacting police.
Insp Inkpen described the investigation as challenging and said reporting sexual violence is “incredibly difficult”.
He added that the force hopes the case shows its commitment to support victims of rape and other sexual offences, while ensuring those responsible for serious crimes are held to account.
Abdullah will remain subject to monitoring restrictions as a result of his placement on the sex offenders register for life.

Join the discussion?


22 August 2026

• UK

• 19 comments
• 422 views

webfact

Saturday at 06:30 AM2 days

Navy May Strip Black War Hero's Name for Trump, Sources Say

Report

Navy May Strip Black War Hero's Name for Trump, Sources Say

The US Navy is considering removing the name of one of World War II’s best known Black service members from a new aircraft carrier under construction in Virginia and, instead, potentially naming the ship after President Donald Trump, according to three people familiar with the discussions.

The proposal would mark the first time a Navy vessel has been named for a sitting president, the sources said. They added that the internal talks about changing the carrier’s designation have been under way for much of the summer.
Carrier Currently Named for Doris Miller
The carrier, a Ford-class ship, was named during Trump’s first term. In 2020, the Navy announced that it would be designated the USS Doris Miller, honouring Doris Miller’s actions during the attack on Pearl Harbor, during a ceremony on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Miller, who served as a cook aboard the USS West Virginia, helped move the ship’s mortally wounded captain to safety. He then took control of an anti-aircraft gun despite having no formal training on the weapon. He was later credited with shooting down at least one Japanese aircraft during the assault, when only 29 of roughly 350 planes were brought down.
Miller was awarded the Navy Cross, the service’s second-highest award for combat heroism, behind only the Medal of Honor. The Navy Cross was granted in a period when the armed forces remained racially segregated and Black personnel were not always recognised for their service.
His citation described how he assisted in moving the wounded captain “in the face of a serious fire” and later operated a machine gun against attacking Japanese aircraft until ordered to leave the bridge.
Medal Of Honor Recommendation and Other Honours
Miller died in November 1943 when a Japanese submarine torpedoed the USS Liscome Bay during the Battle of Makin, killing 700 sailors. The USS Doris Miller would have been the first US aircraft carrier named for a Black American and the first to honour an enlisted service member, according to the Navy announcements made at the time of naming.
It would also have been the second Navy ship to carry Miller’s name. A destroyer named for him entered the fleet in 1972 and was decommissioned in 1991.
Separately, the sources said Miller is under strong consideration to have his Navy Cross upgraded to the Medal of Honor, the country’s highest recognition for combat valor. One of the people familiar with the discussions said Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth recently sent a memo to Congress recommending Miller receive the Medal of Honor.
Aircraft carriers are generally named for presidents, while Medal of Honor recipients are more often commemorated with destroyers or other smaller warships designed for direct combat roles. One source said the Navy is seeking to name a different ship after Miller if the current naming decision changes.
Prior Cases and Family Reaction
CNN first reported that the Navy was considering altering the carrier’s name. The White House referred questions from ABC News to the Pentagon, which did not respond to a request for comment. A Navy spokesperson said in a statement that the service “has no announcement to share at this time.”
Renaming a commissioned or planned vessel is relatively uncommon. One notable recent example involved the removal of Confederate names from ships after a congressionally mandated effort across the Department of Defense. Hegseth also ordered the Navy last year to rename a ship honouring Harvey Milk, a Navy veteran and gay rights activist.


Picture courtesy of ABC News

Miller’s great-nephew, Thomas Bledsoe, is the official spokesperson for the family. In comments reported by ABC News, he said the discussion about stripping Miller’s name came as a shock and that the family hoped it would not happen, while also noting they had heard the possibility of naming another carrier for Miller.
In February 2020, Trump referenced the Navy’s choice to name the carrier for Miller at a White House event. He said no aircraft carrier had been named for him and suggested one might be one day.
Since taking office in his second term, Trump’s name has appeared on other projects, including a bill signed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to rename the Palm Beach International Airport as the Donald J. Trump International Airport and a State Department change naming the US Institute of Peace after him. There is also an ongoing legal dispute about Trump’s name appearing on the Kennedy Center.

Join the discussion?


22 August 2026

• 2 comments
• 91 views

webfact

Saturday at 05:27 AM2 days

Supreme Court Lets Trump Ballroom Work Continue

USA

Supreme Court Lets Trump Ballroom Work Continue

Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts has allowed work on the White House East Wing ballroom project to continue, issuing an administrative stay of a lower court order.

Roberts announced on Friday that the stay would pause the effect of the ruling later in the day, when it was due to halt most above-ground construction. The order is intended to be brief and temporary, and it does not address the substance of President Donald Trump’s appeal or provide reasons for granting additional time before the Supreme Court reaches a final decision.
With the stay in place, construction can proceed without interruption on the ballroom project, which the administration says is part of a “military complex” and is about 65% complete. Officials have estimated the project will cost $400 million.
Roberts’ Limited Stay
The Supreme Court chief justice’s order consists of two sentences and is designed to hold the lower court’s injunction in abeyance. It does not comment on whether Trump’s appeal should succeed, nor does it explain why the Supreme Court needs more time before issuing a formal ruling.
Law On Federal Property Versus Executive Residence Works
The case turns on federal authority over government property. Under federal law, Congress has a role in overseeing federal property, including land and buildings under the White House. The law, however, has also long recognised presidents’ ability to carry out “care, maintenance, repair, alteration, refurbishment, and improvement” works relating to the Executive Residence.
Trump began demolition of the East Wing in late 2025 to make way for the planned ballroom. A lower court later concluded that Trump had overstepped his authority by demolishing the East Wing and starting construction on the 90,000-square-foot structure without congressional approval. An appeals court, in a divided decision earlier this month, upheld that finding.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation, which brought the lawsuit, argues that the president must be held to federal requirements governing changes to federal property. It maintains that the work cannot proceed without the authorisation required by law.
The administration, in contrast, has said the planned upgrades are within the president’s prerogative and should not be subject to judicial review when tied to national security.
National Security And The Emergency Operations Centre
Trump has also argued that the ballroom is not simply an addition to the building but is instead a critical military site. He pointed to the Presidential Emergency Operations Center (PEOC), which has been based under the East Wing of the White House since the 1940s.
Earlier this week, Trump was asked by a reporter what he would do if the Supreme Court ultimately ruled against him in the ballroom case. He said: “Well, we hope that doesn’t happen. I can’t imagine it happening.”
Trump later reiterated the administration’s position that the project is connected to military needs. He described how the “military came” to see him before work began, saying they told him they had been trying for years to make use of an opportunity, adding that the concept “started off as a ballroom”.
Appeals Court Decision Stands While Supreme Court Considers
As the Supreme Court considers the appeal, Roberts’ administrative stay keeps the lower court’s stop order from taking effect. The case remains pending, with the Supreme Court yet to issue a decision on whether Trump’s actions were authorised under the federal framework governing the White House and the Executive Residence.

Join the discussion?


22 August 2026

• 34 comments
• 284 views

webfact

Friday at 10:03 PM2 days

Mamdani's 'Hit List' of Rich Homeowners Sparks Fury

USA

Mamdani's 'Hit List' of Rich Homeowners Sparks Fury

New York City’s plans to charge a pied-à-terre tax on some second homes were met with sharp criticism at a council oversight hearing, after the administration published a list of nearly one million properties and owners’ personal details.

The tax plan, backed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani, would impose an annual charge on second homes in the city worth more than $5m (£3.7m), or on condos and co-ops worth more than $1m. The names and addresses were released at the end of July as part of the process to identify potential payers, with the city later issuing tax notices to 17,000 people.
Officials faced questions at City Hall on Tuesday about how the rollout was carried out, and whether publishing the information created security and fairness concerns.
Published List Sparks Questions
City council member Gale Brewer said she and other members supported the pied-à-terre tax but said there were “challenges” in implementing it. Brewer pointed to issues raised by how the list was compiled and communicated.
Kamillah Hanks argued the approach unfairly singled out homeowners and could put them at risk. Speaking during the meeting, Hanks described the published information as “a hit list of the haves and the have-nots” and said it amounted to a “scarlet letter”.
Hanks also said the administration was implying that owning a home was something people should be ashamed of.
New York City’s Department of Finance said the addresses and personal information it posted were already available to the public, as data the administration is legally required to provide each year.
Celebrities Included, Notices Sent to 17,000
The list included nearly one million properties, featuring addresses for celebrities and some of the city’s wealthiest residents, including hedge fund manager Ken Griffin and his $239m penthouse, director Woody Allen, former Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, and actress Cynthia Nixon.
While the list covered a broad set of properties, the city sent tax notices to 17,000 people.
In testimony at the hearing, some speakers who supported the tax accused wealthy residents of using the oversight meeting to complain about rising taxes.
Dave Backer, a professor of school finance, said, “I think the wealthy homeowners here doth protest too much.”
Beverly Solo, a New York City resident for 44 years who wore a “Tax The Rich” shirt, argued the measure could raise money for city services. She said it seemed “reasonable and fair” to ask people who use luxury homes for pleasure and do not pay full-time income taxes in New York to contribute to city wellbeing, but added that the rollout had been “a mess”.
Lawsuit Filed Over Unpublished Information
A group of New York City homeowners has sued over the rollout, seeking an order forcing the administration to remove the list of nearly one million properties and owners’ names.
Mamdani’s administration has defended the tax as a fair way to generate $500m in annual revenue in a city marked by wide socioeconomic inequality. The surcharge has also received backing from Governor Kathy Hochul, who had previously been hesitant to increase taxes.
Representatives for Mamdani’s administration did not attend the hearing, which angered some attendees. A spokesperson for Mamdani said the administration asked for the session to be delayed while the legal challenge was addressed, but the council declined, and officials could not testify while the case was before the courts.
Safety and Investment Concerns
Jason Haber, who runs the American Real Estate Association, told the BBC that publishing names and addresses could endanger residents by enabling scams and fraud. He said a foreign actor could download the list and send emails posing as the city to request tax payments.
Haber also said he had seen some buyers pause searches for expensive properties in New York since the tax announcement. He argued that any drop in tax revenue from fewer purchases would likely cancel out the benefits of the pied-à-terre tax.
Morris Pearl, a former managing director at BlackRock and a chair of Patriotic Millionaires, said the suggestion that the tax would deter investment was “absurd”. He said people with wealth can choose where to live and that someone owning a residence worth more than $5m that is not their primary home has the means to pay more than most New Yorkers.
Pearl also said launching the tax alongside a public list may not have been the most diplomatic approach, adding that the mayor sometimes “unnecessarily antagonises people”, while stating he supported the policy itself.
Across the world, some cities and countries have tried similar charges on secondary homes, including France, Vancouver and San Francisco, where measures have faced varying levels of opposition and legal challenges.

Join the discussion?


22 August 2026

• 16 comments
• 459 views

webfact

Friday at 09:05 PM2 days

Prince Harry, Elton John, Others to Pay £9.5m Daily Mail Bill

UK

Prince Harry, Elton John, Others to Pay £9.5m Daily Mail Bill

Prince Harry has been ordered, along with six other claimants, to pay an initial £9.54m in legal costs to the publisher of the Daily Mail after they lost their High Court privacy case.

The seven claimants were ordered to make the payment by 28 August. The court also left open the possibility of further costs, which could increase the total bill by up to £25m more, in a decision for Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL).
High Court Privacy Claim Dismissed
The group brought the case against ANL over allegations of unlawful information-gathering, allegations the publisher denied.
On 7 July, Mr Justice Nicklin dismissed the claims. He said the public figures had failed to prove the allegations made against the newspaper group.
The judge said the costs order was exceptional, explaining that he was seeking to address the way the proceedings had been brought. He referenced what he described as unsupportable claims that senior figures associated with the newspaper group had lied to the Leveson inquiry.
Initial Payment and Potential Total Costs
The claimants must attempt to appeal by 2 October.
The group includes Sir Elton John and Liz Hurley, as well as Sir Simon Hughes, Sadie Frost, and Baroness Doreen Lawrence. Sir Elton John’s husband, David Furnish, is also listed as a claimant.
ANL had sought an interim payment of more than £9.9m ahead of further hearings to assess its costs in detail. The claimants’ lawyers argued the interim payment should be just over £7.9m.
Mr Justice Nicklin had previously indicated the claimants would need to pay the interim figure by 28 August.
The judge ruled that ANL’s costs should be assessed on an indemnity basis, which can be more favourable to the publisher in terms of recoverable amounts, unless costs had already been dealt with by earlier orders.
A separate insurance arrangement is also relevant. The claimants had insurance cover for up to £16.2m of ANL’s costs if they lost the case. With Friday’s ruling, the newspaper group may seek to recover up to £34.5m, meaning the claimants could face a combined bill of about £18m.
Costs Basis and Judge’s Criticism
Mr Justice Nicklin described ANL’s potential £34m costs figure as “excessive”, adding that he did not think the group’s recoverable costs would necessarily rise to that level.
He said he was not imposing a ceiling on ANL’s recoverable costs, arguing that a cap would be too broad and could be seen as arbitrary.
The judge said it was “striking” that no allegations of serious wrongdoing had been withdrawn by the claimants. He added that allegations of criminality or grave impropriety should not remain hanging over individuals if a party no longer advances them or no longer has a proper evidential basis to do so.
He concluded that the claimants’ failure to withdraw the allegations was “unreasonable to a high degree”.
In a statement on Friday, ANL said the ruling was “a devastating critique” of what it described as an attempt to destroy a newspaper and the reputations of its journalists, editors and executives.
Evidence and Responses From Claimants
During the trial, dozens of people gave evidence, including Prince Harry and the other claimants. The Duke of Sussex flew from the United States to attend court in person. Several current and former Associated Newspapers journalists and executives testified, denying illegal activity.
Sir Simon Hughes, one of the claimants, said on Friday he was “disappointed” by the judgement, adding he was considering whether to pursue appeals after reviewing both the substantive decision and the costs judgement.
In a joint statement after the judge’s ruling in the privacy case last month, Prince Harry and Baroness Doreen Lawrence said they had sought “justice and accountability” but had received neither, describing the outcome as a “complete and obvious whitewash”.
The decision comes days after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced their plan to return to the UK, with their children Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, scheduled to begin school in September.


Join the discussion?


21 August 2026

• 31 comments
• 525 views

webfact

Friday at 02:31 PM2 days

Sword-Wielding Attacker Injures Several at Swedish School

Crime

Sword-Wielding Attacker Injures Several at Swedish School

Several people were injured after a sword attack at a secondary school in central Sweden, local authorities said, with police taking one person into custody.

The assault happened at Brinellskolan in Fagersta, a town in Västmanland County. The municipality said on Friday that an attacker armed with a sword entered the school and wounded several people before being detained by police.
Police said they received a call about “ongoing deadly violence at a school in Fagersta”. They confirmed that one person had been taken into custody and said officers were still working at the scene using multiple resources.
Police And Emergency Response
A police spokesman, Pelle Vamstad, told the TT news agency that an alarm was received early on Friday afternoon and that officers were sent to the school immediately.
The police said the public should follow instructions and respect roadblocks while the situation was being handled. They added that staff were still present at the scene as they continued to carry out their response.
Swedish public broadcaster SVT reported that ambulances, police vehicles and a police helicopter were stationed outside the school in the town of about 12,000 inhabitants.
School Searches And Area Lockdowns
The municipality did not state how many people were hurt. It said police were searching the school and that other schools in the area had been locked down.
Police said work continued on site and that the investigation was at an early stage, with authorities trying to establish what happened during the attack.
Possible Use Of Footage
Vamstad said prosecutors and investigators would look into whether there was relevant camera footage that could be used in the preliminary investigation.
He did not provide any further details about the attacker or the circumstances leading up to the incident.
Aftonbladet reported that a person armed with a machete had been shot in the leg by police. Police and the municipality did not confirm the report in the statements they issued.
Government Monitors Situation
Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer said the government was following developments closely. He said he had been informed of a serious incident in Fagersta, that police were working on site, and that officials were in contact with the police and monitoring the situation.
Police have not said when students and staff would be allowed to return to normal routines.


Join the discussion?


21 August 2026

• Report

• 7 comments
• 431 views

webfact

Friday at 02:13 PM2 days