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Bill Harris Has Died. He Kidnapped Patty Hearst in 1974.

He was a disillusioned Vietnam veteran looking for purpose when he joined a revolutionary group known as the Symbionese Liberation Army.

© Raimondo Borea/Associated Press

Bill Harris, center, after being captured in 1975, the year after the S.L.A. kidnapped Patty Hearst. Her family, he later said, “was in control of a media empire that we viewed as an arm of propaganda for the United States government.”
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After Death of Bill Harris, a Look Back at the Symbionese Liberation Army

A small band of urban guerrillas, they hoped to topple the “ruling class” using guns and bombs. Instead, their efforts brought death and ruin.

© Associated Press

Six members of the S.L.A. died in a shootout with Los Angeles police in May 1974. Clockwise from top left, Camilla Hall, William Wolfe, Donald DeFreeze, Patricia Soltysik, Nancy Ling Perry and Angela Atwood.
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LA and San Diego residents ‘horrified’ by Trump suggesting Iran bomb them

As Angelenos bemoan ‘sad situation’, those in San Diego say remark a ‘disservice’ to town with multiple naval bases

Donald Trump’s extraordinary implication that Iran could “take out” Los Angeles and San Diego have sparked condemnation across the political spectrum. As residents of the two major west coast cities awoke on Tuesday to another sweltering day in a record-breaking heatwave, the president’s comments sent blood boiling even higher.

Jessica, a 28-year-old Los Angeles hair stylist, was scrolling through social media early on Tuesday morning and was shocked to see that Trump had just suggested Iran should decimate her home town.

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© Photograph: halbergman/Getty Images

© Photograph: halbergman/Getty Images

© Photograph: halbergman/Getty Images

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Record high temperatures as southern California swelters under heatwave

Several cities shatter temperatures for time of year as extreme heat warnings in place along California coast

An unprecedented heatwave has gripped southern California, boosting temperatures 15 to 20 degrees above normal for autumn.

Monday was a notably sweltering day for several cities.

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© Photograph: David Swanson/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: David Swanson/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: David Swanson/AFP/Getty Images

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F.B.I. Charges American in Plot Behind Canada’s Tumbler Ridge School Shooting

The U.S. police say a 30-year-old offered the killer advice and cash for supplies at least six months before the rampage in British Columbia that left eight dead.

© Alana Paterson for The New York Times

A memorial for the victims of the mass shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia, in February.
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Amid Midterm Crunch, Trump Advisers Took Time to Help Russia-Aligned Government

James Blair and Chris LaCivita, who are leading the president’s congressional campaign operation, traveled to Republika Srpska to provide election advice.

© Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Milorad Dodik, the leader of the nationalist party, which controls the government of Republika Srpska, votes in the general election on Sunday.
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Ex-CIA official pleads guilty to using position and government funds to enrich himself

David J Rush used his job at spy agency to acquire Florida real estate and gold bars worth tens of millions of dollars

A former senior CIA official pleaded guilty on Tuesday in Virginia to a charge that he abused his position and government funds to enrich himself by acquiring Florida real estate and hundreds of gold bars worth tens of millions of dollars, according to court records.

David J Rush fabricated a “highly classified” government program to justify the acquisition of luxury property in south Florida that he intended to resell for personal profit, according to a court filing. Rush separately concocted a bogus “sensitive government activity” to obtain the gold bars, the filing also says.

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© Photograph: Shannon Stapleton/Reuters

© Photograph: Shannon Stapleton/Reuters

© Photograph: Shannon Stapleton/Reuters

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Disney accuses Trump officials of ‘blatant violations’ of constitution amid FCC battle

Lawyers tell judge ABC being unfairly targeted as US regulator seeks review of network’s local TV station licenses

Lawyers for Disney accused the Trump administration of “blatant violations of the US constitution” and censorship on Tuesday in the first court hearing over the Federal Communications Commission’s early review of the media giant’s eight local television station licenses.

District judge Loren AliKhan seemed unswayed by government arguments that the order to force Disney’s ABC to apply years early to renew local television station licenses was tied to an investigation into parent company Disney’s hiring practices.

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© Photograph: Mario Anzuoni/Reuters

© Photograph: Mario Anzuoni/Reuters

© Photograph: Mario Anzuoni/Reuters

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California couple charged with child abuse in surrogacy scheme involving at least 21 children

Silvia Zhang and Guojun Xuan had 15 children, aged between two months to 13 years, removed from their home

A California couple has been arrested on child abuse charges following an investigation into a surrogacy scheme involving at least 21 kids, police said on Tuesday.

Silvia Zhang and her husband, Guojun Xuan are expected to face conspiracy to commit child abuse charges, according to the Los Angeles county sheriff’s department.

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© Photograph: Jae C Hong/AP

© Photograph: Jae C Hong/AP

© Photograph: Jae C Hong/AP

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Live From the Barracks: Three Juntas Launch TV Channel

Three African countries have started Tafouk TV, a Russia-partnered broadcast channel, after throwing out Western journalists and cracking down on local media.

© Reuters

At a news conference in Bamako, Mali, in May. Military juntas have taken over Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger in recent years, cracking down on journalists and struggling to stop extremist groups like Al Qaeda.
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Whistleblower suit alleges Trump ordered FBI investigation on LA anti-ICE protesters

White House denies the allegations as ‘false’ and says ‘first amendment does not protect violent rioting’

Donald Trump ordered the FBI to investigate protesters in Los Angeles who were demonstrating against the president’s immigration crackdown, according to a whistleblower complaint.

Alex Padilla, a Democratic senator who represents California and serves on the Senate judiciary committee, said his office had received a copy of the complaint, which makes sweeping allegations about the Trump administration’s response to protests in LA in early 2025.

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© Photograph: Spencer Platt/Getty Images

© Photograph: Spencer Platt/Getty Images

© Photograph: Spencer Platt/Getty Images

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California to ‘actively monitor’ for possible threats after Trump said Iran could ‘take out’ LA and San Diego

Gavin Newsom said state’s threat-assessment center would be on heightened alert after president’s remarks

California’s governor, Gavin Newsom, on Tuesday directed the state’s emergency preparedness center to “actively monitor” possible threats to the state after Donald Trump suggested Iran could “take out” the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego.

Trump has faced a chorus of condemnation from Democratic leaders in California after his comments at a rally in Nebraska on Monday night, which the White House has suggested were being taken out of context.

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© Photograph: Kent Nishimura/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Kent Nishimura/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Kent Nishimura/AFP/Getty Images

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Seoul backs Ukraine, but sanctioned tankers carried fuel from South Korea to Russia

Seven tankers made 14 trips from South Korea to Russia's Far East in July and August, carrying more than 176,000 metric tons of fuel, most of it diesel, the Guardian found in a 6 October analysis of port records and ship-tracking data. The UK and EU have sanctioned three of the ships, and one loaded its fuel from another tanker at sea off South Korea instead of at a terminal.

Ukrainian strikes have cut Russia's fuel output as Moscow scrambles for supplies, while fuel loaded at South Korean ports has flowed to Russia. Loadings began to surge in July, the same month South Korean President Lee Jae-myung pledged $100 million for Ukraine's reconstruction, the Guardian reported. That creates a tension in Seoul's policy toward the war: South Korea has provided Ukraine with humanitarian and non-lethal aid but ruled out sending weapons directly, while the fuel trade appears legal under South Korean law even though three of the tankers are under UK and EU sanctions.

Russia imported 368,000 metric tons of oil products by sea in August, 112,000 of them from South Korea, according to Kpler data analyzed by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) and cited by the Guardian. CREA's own August report gives 172,000 metric tons in total, including 18,000 from South Korea. Neither explains the gap.

Where the tankers said they were going

The Layla, a tanker under UK and EU sanctions, made two voyages from Ulsan to Vladivostok, carrying a total of 57,000 metric tons of diesel. It left South Korea on 19 July and 10 August. On the first trip, it told South Korean authorities it was bound for Vladivostok; on the second, it declared Niigata, Japan, but sailed to Vladivostok again.

The Astoria, a Russian-flagged tanker under UK, EU, and Australian sanctions, loaded nearly 11,000 metric tons of fuel at Ulsan on 1 August. It declared Japan as its destination but sailed to Vladivostok.

The Chongchon did not berth at a South Korean port. Instead, it took about 26,000 metric tons of fuel from the unsanctioned Celeste I at an anchorage off Yeosu in early August. It declared Singapore as its destination but headed to Vladivostok. The owners and managers of the four tankers did not respond to the Guardian's requests for comment.

Map of sanctioned tankers' voyages from South Korea to Vladivostok
Source: Guardian analysis of port records and ship-tracking data; sanctions listings: OpenSanctions. Map: Euromaidan Press

Why Russia needs the fuel

Ukrainian drone strikes have severely disrupted Russia's refining capacity, the Guardian reported. In July, Ukraine's General Staff said the strikes had knocked out 42% of Russia's refining capacity, costing the industry billions of dollars.

Russian refinery throughput fell in June to its lowest level in more than 20 years, and diesel output is down nearly 30% from a year earlier, the International Energy Agency said, according to the Guardian.

Russia has also restricted fuel exports to protect domestic supplies, extending its diesel export ban until the end of October; on 2 October, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said Moscow could consider partially lifting the ban if there was overproduction, according to the Moscow Times.

Responses to the shipments

Seoul's non-lethal aid has included helmets, body armor, and demining vehicles, and in 2023 it pledged $2.3 billion in support, mostly in loans.

Isaac Levi, an analyst at CREA, told the Guardian:

"It is shocking that EU-sanctioned tankers loaded fuel at South Korean ports and carried it to Russia. This undermines the sanctions regime and South Korea's support for Ukraine."

South Korea's Foreign Ministry did not address the shipments or the sanctioned tankers. In a statement, it said the government supports international efforts to help end the war in Ukraine and bring about a peaceful recovery. The ministry said it was strictly enforcing its export controls and had expanded them to cover 1,402 non-strategic items with high potential for diversion to military use. The UK Foreign Office did not answer the Guardian's questions about UK-sanctioned tankers using South Korean ports, saying only that it remains committed to monitoring its sanctions.

Ties between Kyiv and Seoul are also strained over Ukraine's disclosure of its transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea, which Seoul said should have remained private.

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Germany accuses Russia of a drone bomb attempt at Leipzig. Now its eight biggest airports get drone detection

The likely process of monitoring the airspace over airports connected to Germany’s new drone detection system. Photo: Deutsche Flugsicherung / Holger Matthies

Germany is expanding drone detection at its airports with a new system operated by German air traffic control provider Deutsche Flugsicherung (DFS), the German Federal Ministry for Transport (BMV) announced on 5 October.

Germany has accused Russia of attempting a hybrid attack at Germany’s Leipzig/Halle Airport near a Ukrainian An-124 aircraft using a drone carrying explosives. Earlier, Finnish President Alexander Stubb said Europe must be prepared for “continued hybrid and sabotage attacks” by Russia, adding that Russia seeks to sow panic through such actions.

On Monday, two more sites were added—Stuttgart and Hamburg. As of Monday, seven of Germany’s eight largest airports were equipped with the new drone detection system in their approach and departure areas.

Germany seeks responses to new hybrid threats

The Federal Ministry cited the reason for the new measure: drones near airports can affect air traffic very quickly.

Federal Transport Minister Steffen Bilger and Baden-Württemberg Transport Minister Nicole Razavi were briefed on the new system at Stuttgart Airport, where it is being put into operation, the ministry said. The system creates “an important technical basis for detecting potential threats at an early stage and quickly informing the competent authorities,” Bilger said.

“With today’s commissioning of the drone detection system at Stuttgart Airport, the federal government is fulfilling a key promise: it is not only talking about the dangers posed by unmanned aircraft, but is also following through with very concrete action. Protecting critical infrastructure and ensuring the safety of passengers at Stuttgart Airport require continuous adaptation to a changing security situation,” Razavi said, according to the ministry.

The new DFS system allows drones near airports to be detected at an early stage and information about possible threats to air traffic to be passed more quickly to the relevant authorities. This helps them assess risks and respond to them more quickly, the statement said.

DFS is responsible for detecting drones in approach and departure areas, while the Federal Police and other security services are responsible for preventing threats and defending against drones. The BMV, Federal Ministry of the Interior, DFS, Federal Police and airports coordinate their work to exchange information quickly and maintain a shared picture of the situation.

No further details about how the system operates have been disclosed.

The first stage of the expansion at Germany’s eight major commercial airports will be fully implemented this week, with the systems in Stuttgart and Hamburg being put into operation, the statement said.

Illustrative image of a Russian drone. Photo: RIA Novosti/Konstantin Mikhalchevsky
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A drone came down beside a Bundeswehr air base, weeks after Berlin blamed Moscow for the Leipzig airport attack

The system will also be installed at the airport where a bomb-laden drone was found

The system will also be put into operation at Leipzig/Halle Airport this week, meaning that the first stage will be fully implemented at all eight of Germany’s largest commercial airports, according to the press release.

A quadcopter drone carrying a Semtex explosive flew directly toward a parked Ukrainian An-124 Ruslan cargo aircraft and struck its wing at Leipzig/Halle Airport in Germany on the evening of 4 August, Die Zeit reported on 10 August. The drone hit the aircraft at around 19:30 local time, bounced off the wing, and fell to the ground without detonating, according to the media outlet.

Ukrainian An-124 at Leipzig/Halle Airport in Germany, 5 August 2026. Photo: screenshot from Bild video
Ukrainian An-124 at Leipzig/Halle Airport in Germany, 5 August 2026. Photo: screenshot from Bild video

Germany has accused Russia of attempting the drone attack and announced further sanctions against Russian citizens and institutions, Tagesschau reported on 1 September.

At the crime scene, investigators found the drone configuration, explosives and detonation technology that had already appeared in other Russian hybrid operations and in Russia’s war against Ukraine, Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said during a joint press conference with Federal Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, the media outlet reported.

The German government assumes that Germany has been and will be a target of further such Russian attacks. Germany is not at war with Russia but is a “target of war,” Foreign Minister Wadephul said, according to the outlet.

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Ukraine’s Defense Ministry says some suppliers cannot build weapons ordered, and drops contracts to free $346 million for front

The image shows Ukrainian marines. Source: The 34th Separate Marine Brigade of the Ukrainian Marine Corps

Ukraine is canceling part of its planned military purchases and moving the money to other priorities. Ukraine's Defense Ministry has announced that it, together with the General Staff and the Logistics Forces Command, will free about $346 million by terminating some weapons contracts and dropping some planned purchases.

What the army planned to buy in 2024 and 2025 may no longer be suitable for the front, the ministry noted, because technology and tactics change quickly. The review comes four days after the Ukrainian government drew about $1.1 billion from the defense reserve to pay soldiers in October amid a looming economic crisis.

The ministry gives five reasons for the review: some weapons no longer match combat tasks, certain suppliers cannot build the planned volume, certain models have not been codified, partners already cover some needs, and cheaper means can perform specific jobs in larger numbers.

"For us, there is one criterion: does the item work for results in combat today. Every hryvnia released from irrelevant contracts must reach the troops as the weapons needed right now and in the right place," Col. Yurii Pohribnyi, commander of the Logistics Forces, says.

The procurement agency calls each producer

The General Staff set the final list of purchases for review, and the ministry forwarded the documents to the Defense Procurement Agency to implement the decision. For specific items, delivery volumes were adjusted rather than canceled, which the contracts allow when needs change.

Affected producers have been informed, and the agency is discussing each item with suppliers based on the status and payments of each contract. Artem Romaniuk, acting director of the agency, has explained that further steps on each contract will depend on the army's current needs and the contract terms. The list of weapons stays secret for security reasons.

Funds freed up by terminating contracts and canceling planned purchases will be redirected to the urgent needs of Ukraine’s Defense Forces.

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Ukraine’s drone pilots hit 76.5% more Russian infantry than two months ago: 2,699 in first five days of October

The image shows Ukrainian soldiers. Source: The 80th Separate Air Assault Halytska Brigade

Ukraine's drone pilots are killing and wounding far more Russian infantry than they did a month ago. Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces confirmed that their pilots took out 2,699 Russian infantry from 1 to 5 October, 39.7% more than in the first five days of September, Commander Robert "Madiar" Brovdi wrote on Telegram on 6 October.

The Unmanned Systems Forces, the branch of Ukraine's military that fights with drones, count only losses verified by their own pilots in the military's Delta system, so the full picture of Russian losses is larger, Brovdi stressed. Compared with the first five days of August, the rise is 76.5%, from 1,529 losses, which he ties to denser and more frequent Russian assaults.

The sharpest growth occurred in the area of the 1st Azov Corps of Ukraine's National Guard on the Dobropillia-Pokrovsk axis in Donetsk Oblast, as fighting for fortress-belt cities continues. Drone pilots recorded 1,268 Russian losses there, 43% more than the 884 of early September and 91% more than the 664 of early August.

"Russia's hidden mobilization is in action. This is the beginning," Brovdi said ironically.

Russia doubles its monthly recruitment pace

Russian recruitment, mobilization, and contracts run at about 70,000 people a month, twice the 35,000 monthly average from January to August 2026, Brovdi noted on 16 September, when he forecast 12,500 losses for his pilots in September.

He expected the toll to keep climbing. Bigger records still lie ahead because of Russia's unannounced mobilization, Brovdi added on 24 September.

Drone pilots outpaced August by a quarter

September was completed above that forecast. The pilots logged 13,358 Russians killed or wounded, 25.35% more than the 11,010 of August, an average of 445 a day against 355, Brovdi reported. By his count, that equals the full assault infantry of one battalion every day, and his pilots hit a Russian target every 42 seconds.

Two sets of axes took the heaviest toll. In the first 24 days of September, the Dobropillia and Pokrovsk axes accounted for 4,018 losses, and the Oleksandrivka and Huliaipole axes for 3,021, according to Brovdi. The first of those groups covers the same Dobropillia-Pokrovsk axis where the Azov corps zone recorded the sharpest October rise.

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Drones Hit Ships Off Bulgaria’s Black Sea Coast, Prime Minister Says

A rescue effort was underway, Prime Minister Rumen Radev said, after one of the two ships sank. It was not immediately clear where the drones originated.

© Petko Momchilov/Reuters

Crew members of a ship that was damaged in a drone attack disembarking from a Bulgarian border police vessel on Tuesday.
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New York governor declares state of emergency after spike in measles cases

The deadly outbreak in Pennsylvania is its largest in more than three decades, and confirmed cases in New York are up

The New York governor, Kathy Hochul, declared a state of emergency on Monday in response to a dramatic spike in measles cases in the state.

Hochul’s administration said the emergency declaration was in response to a “growing number of measles cases across rural areas of New York and neighboring states”, including Pennsylvania, which has been grappling with a deadly outbreak that is its largest in more than three decades.

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© Photograph: Shannon Stapleton/Reuters

© Photograph: Shannon Stapleton/Reuters

© Photograph: Shannon Stapleton/Reuters

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India Cut 130 Million From Voter Roll, Fueling Protests Against Modi

Public anger is growing over an exercise that critics say undermines the world’s largest democracy, particularly disenfranchising Muslims under the Hindu nationalist government.

© Adnan Abidi/Reuters

A protest in New Delhi on Sunday, demanding the resignation of India’s chief election commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar. More protests are planned for this week.
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Russia is out to break Ukraine’s economy this winter, Jetten says—and the Netherlands will help keep Ukraine’s drone-hunting F-16s in the air

take off formation fly low navigate terrain—ukraine's f-16 trainees finished uk course russia helped design · post ukraine's air force carrying aim-120c aim-9 missiles fuel tanks terma pylons self-defense systems

The Netherlands will help Ukraine with maintenance, spare parts, and ammunition for F-16 fighter jets, Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten promised in a statement on 5 October. He made this and other statements following a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Russia attacks Ukrainian cities with drones every day, increasingly with jet-powered ones. F-16 fighter jets are one of the effective options for shooting down these UAVs, but Ukraine has far too few of them. The F-16s are used very frequently and therefore require maintenance. About half of the aircraft spend extended periods abroad undergoing repairs and maintenance, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the Financial Times this month. The process of returning the aircraft has taken too long, and Ukraine has lost time when the jets were most needed to protect Ukrainian airspace, he said.

“A further strengthening of Ukraine’s air defense is literally vital,” the prime minister said.

Russia’s aggression continues to escalate, and F-16 fighter jets can help stop it

Russia is deliberately attacking civilian facilities and energy infrastructure and wants to make Ukrainian cities uninhabitable, Jetten said, adding that “we must not allow this to happen.”

One effective solution is the use of F-16 fighter jets, while Ukraine faces shortages of both these aircraft and the missiles for them.

Ukrainian F-16 pilots lack air-to-air missiles and take off with only the aircraft’s cannon during some daytime missions, the War Zone reported on 2 September. The M61A1 Vulcan 20mm rotary cannon can pose a danger to civilians on the ground, the outlet noted.

A pilot in an F-16 fighter in Ukraine.
A pilot in an F-16 fighter in Ukraine. Screenshot from the video of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's speech on Ukraine's Air Force Day

Poland promised to provide Ukraine with F-16 missiles back in September, and several partners, including Poland, have already begun the process of transferring ammunition this month. Other partners include Spain and Belgium, which Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha mentioned during a meeting with journalists, Hromadske reported on 1 October.

Ukraine critically needs this ammunition, especially as Russia prepares new strikes, Sybiha said.

“Against the backdrop of the fact that we have not yet built up the capability to repel jet-powered drones, against the backdrop of preparations for new strikes, it was critically important to help our military shoot down these drones. The most effective right now—apart from air defense systems, which are very expensive to use constantly against drones—are F-16 fighter jets,” the minister said.

Zelenskyy held talks with the president of France and the prime ministers of Poland and the Netherlands about means of protecting against Russian strikes, he said in his address on 5 October. In particular, he thanked the Dutch prime minister for his prompt response.

Whether Belgian maintenance delays are the reason for the low number of operational F-16s in Ukraine remains disputed

Fewer than 50% of the F-16s delivered to Ukraine may be operational, Defense Express reports, citing a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) editorial published on 29 September.

The Belgian company that services F-16s for Ukraine takes as long as 40 weeks to complete the work, retired US Navy Rear Admiral Mark Montgomery told the WSJ.

Zelenskyy with Belgian leaders at the Melsbroek Air Base
Belgian Defense Minister Ludivine Dedonder, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo visiting the Melsbroek Air Base, where Ukrainian personnel have been undergoing F-16 training, 28 May 2024. Photo: president.gov.ua

That day, Zelenskyy had already announced that Belgium would send three of its fighter jets to Ukraine this year. Ukraine will receive them under an accelerated procedure, he said.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs refutes claims that Ukrainian fighter jets have a catastrophically low operational availability rate and excessively long maintenance times.

“Contrary to these claims, our industrial sustainment partners are not only continuing to deliver overhauled aircraft, but are doing so at an increasing pace. Turnaround times are decreasing, not increasing,” Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said on 2 October.

Reports about the condition of Ukraine’s F-16s should not undermine confidence in international funding supporting F-16 maintenance or cast doubt on the need for additional F-16s from the stockpiles of partner countries, Tykhyi warned.

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Two ships sunk and a third set ablaze off NATO coasts in two days, and neither Bucharest nor Sofia will say “Russia”

russia's drones sinking ships nato waters can't bring say so · post smoke rises over royad mammadov cargo ship carrying ukrainian grain after drone attack romania's exclusive economic zone black

Drones sank two merchant ships and set a third on fire in the Black Sea economic zones of NATO members Romania and Bulgaria on 5 and 6 October, killing at least two seafarers, Romanian and Bulgarian authorities reported. Ukraine blamed Russia for the first attack. Neither Bucharest nor Sofia has said who launched the drones.

Russia has spent months striking ships bound to and from Ukrainian ports while denying responsibility or staying silent. Now merchant vessels are sinking inside NATO members' economic zones without either government naming the attacker, so Moscow pays no political price for hitting allied waters.

Grain ship sinks off Romania

The Royad Mammadov, a Turkish-owned ship carrying grain from Ukraine's port of Izmail to Italy, sank on 5 October near Romania's Pescăruș offshore platform, 20 nautical miles from the Romanian coast, Digi24 reported. The Romanian Naval Authority described the incident as a fire on board. Romania's Interior Ministry said 11 crew members were rescued and two people died.

Three injured sailors aged 22 to 50 were taken to the Constanța county hospital, conscious and stable, with multiple injuries. Adrian Mihălcioiu, the leader of Romania's Free Seafarers' Union, said the ship was attacked by Russian sea and aerial drones in waters Romanians consider safe.

"It is a commercial ship, a ship that is not part of the war… people who have nothing to do with the war, it is not their war," he said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy blamed the attack on "two Russian drones" and said the ship was in neutral waters carrying corn. Citizens of Azerbaijan and India were on board, and the captain was killed, he said. Romanian authorities have not attributed the sinking to Russia.

The Togo-flagged cargo ship Alfa Watan
The Togo-flagged cargo ship Alfa Watan, which sank after a drone attack in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone on 6 October 2026. Illustrative photo: Capt. Mohammad Yassine/MarineTraffic via Militarnyi

Two more ships hit in Bulgaria's zone

A day later, drones struck two merchant ships in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone east of the town of Byala, the first known attack on ships there, Maritime.bg reported. The Togo-flagged Alfa Watan, sailing from Al-Arish, Egypt, to Sulina, Romania, suffered critical hull damage and sank, Militarnyi said. The Bulgarian ferry Dioscuria found only an overturned lifeboat and life jackets at the scene, and the search for the crew continues, Euronews reported.

The Palau-flagged Able, sailing from Galați, Romania, to Istanbul, caught fire, and the Dioscuria rescued its 18 crew members. Both ships are Turkish-owned, Türkiye Today reported. Two sailors with severe injuries were flown to a hospital in Varna, Prime Minister Rumen Radev said, according to AP. Sea and aerial drones hit the ships at about 3 a.m., he said, calling the attack "a blatant violation of international law and maritime law."

ten dead russia strikes turkish-owned bulk carrier off odesa · post civilian golden leo ablaze after russian missiles hit left cargo corn black sea 19 2026 ukraine's navy struck foreign-flagged
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Ten dead as Russia strikes a Turkish-owned bulk carrier off Odesa

Radev called an emergency meeting of four ministries, the presidency, and the security services. No one from the Alfa Watan has been found, he said, warning that if the war is not ended in time, it "will continue to expand its spatial scope." The origin of the drones is still being clarified, Maritime.bg said. Several Bulgarian media outlets cited sources as saying the drones were Russian, Sofia Globe reported.

Last reported position of the Alfa Watan on MarineTraffic
The last reported position of the Alfa Watan off Bulgaria's coast on its voyage from Al-Arish, Egypt, to Sulina, Romania, before it sank in a drone attack on 6 October 2026. Map: MarineTraffic via Militarnyi

Russia's war on Black Sea shipping

Russia had already killed the captain of a Tanzanian-flagged ship in September, and days later it struck another civilian vessel, killing its captain too. Ukraine says that route carries 90% of its farm exports.

Romania has destroyed a sea drone near its Neptun Deep gas project and found Russian drones floating in its economic zone. In September, ISW linked drone crashes in Romania and Moldova to a wider Russian pattern of pressure on NATO.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called for a moratorium on Black Sea attacks. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Ankara was stepping up diplomacy to restore grain exports. Türkiye and the UN are organizing new Black Sea truce talks between Russia and Ukraine, Bloomberg reported, citing a diplomat. Russia earlier dismissed Kyiv's offer of a Black Sea ceasefire.

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U.S. Sends Reaper Drones to Colombia and Ecuador to Hunt Cartels

MQ-9 Reaper drones — known for high-profile deadly strikes — have been shifted from Africa to Colombia and Ecuador, U.S. officials said.

© Heather Ainsworth for The New York Times

An MQ-9 Reaper drone at Hancock Field Air National Guard base near Syracuse, N.Y.
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Trump suggests he would let Iran ‘take out’ Los Angeles or San Diego

Gavin Newsom calls comments ‘deranged and dangerous’ after president tells Nebraska rally: ‘They can take out a city’

Leaders in California have denounced Donald Trump as “reckless” and “deranged” after the US president suggested Iran could “take out” Los Angeles and San Diego – two liberal cities in the blue state that has been a frequent target of his administration.

At a rally in ruby red Nebraska on Monday night, Trump told supporters that he hoped to see a “tremendous victory” in the fast-approaching November midterm elections. He then suggested high prices due to the war with Iran were a “small price to pay for keeping the world safe – keeping our country safe”.

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© Photograph: Kent Nishimura/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Kent Nishimura/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Kent Nishimura/AFP/Getty Images

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Trump Suggests Iran Could ‘Take Out’ L.A. or San Diego, Drawing Anger From California Leaders

Gov. Gavin Newsom called the president “dangerous and deranged” after his remarks at a political rally, where Mr. Trump said the Iran war was necessary to “keep the world safe.”

© Doug Mills/The New York Times

President Trump at a campaign rally in Grand Island, Neb., on Monday.
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OpenAI Says It Changed Systems After Australia Hacking

A top executive was questioned by lawmakers about the breach of a government health care data portal, as the company has faced public outrage and questions of liability.

© Hollie Adams/Reuters

The chief strategy officer for OpenAI, Jason Kwon, center, at the Parliament of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, on Tuesday.
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India Cut 130 Million From Voter Roll, Fueling Protests Against Modi

Public anger is growing over an exercise that critics say undermines the world’s largest democracy, particularly disenfranchising Muslims under the Hindu nationalist government.

© Adnan Abidi/Reuters

A protest in New Delhi on Sunday, demanding the resignation of India’s chief election commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar. More protests are planned for this week.
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FIFA Found Congo Player Ineligible but Let Him Play in World Cup

Officials determined that a goalkeeper from the Democratic Republic of Congo did not have the correct paperwork, documents show. But no action was taken, renewing questions about FIFA’s governance.

© Ulises Ruiz/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Members of the Democratic Republic of Congo squad warming up before their World Cup match against Colombia in June.
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Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Says, ‘If Abdul Can Win in Michigan, Anybody Can Win Anywhere’

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez made the remarks about Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic nominee for Senate in Michigan, as she considers whether to run for president in 2028.

© Kenny Holston/The New York Times

Democrats are watching closely for hints about whether Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York might run for president or for the Senate in 2028.
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White House Blocked Politico From Air Force One for Trump’s Trip to Nebraska

The move is the latest round in the fight over presidential access after Mr. Trump declared a ban on CNN, Politico and MS NOW.

© Doug Mills/The New York Times

President Trump walking off Air Force One at the Central Nebraska Regional Airport in Central, Neb., on Monday.
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U.S. Citizen Accused of Surveilling Taiwanese Family on China’s Behalf

The woman, Wanying Zhang, was arrested at the Los Angeles airport on Sunday. She was accused of watching the son of Taiwan’s president in Seattle.

© Federal Bureau of Investigation

A photo provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation shows Wanying Zhang being arrested on Sunday in Los Angeles.
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White House Blocked Politico From Air Force One for Trump’s Trip to Nebraska

The move is the latest round in the fight over presidential access after Mr. Trump declared a ban on CNN, Politico and MS NOW.

© Doug Mills/The New York Times

President Trump walking off Air Force One at the Central Nebraska Regional Airport in Central, Neb., on Monday.
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Pennsylvania faces largest measles outbreak in decades as case count rises to 1,000

Neighboring states are also reporting hundreds of cases, with over 3,800 recorded across the country

Pennsylvania has surpassed 1,000 measles cases this year, state health officials calculate, making it the largest state outbreak in more than three decades. The benchmark comes as neighboring New York declared a state of emergency about measles rates there.

Pennsylvania’s health department said Monday 1,004 cases of measles had been confirmed. Five Pennsylvania residents ⁠have died ⁠after ​contracting the disease, with 198 hospitalizations.

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© Photograph: efired/Getty Images

© Photograph: efired/Getty Images

© Photograph: efired/Getty Images

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Nigeria Military Helicopter Crashes With 32 Onboard

The crash was one of Nigeria’s worst military aviation accidents in years. The country has a history of fatal military aircraft crashes.

© Reuters

Wreckage of a military aircraft that crashed in Ondo State, Nigeria, on Monday.
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Republicans criticize Steve Hilton for ‘creepy’ innuendo-filled campaign ad

Hilton faces heavy backlash from within his own party for ‘Just Try It’ ad amid his longshot bid for California governor

Steve Hilton, the Republican candidate for California governor, is receiving heavy criticism from members of his own party over a controversial, sexual innuendo-filled campaign ad that has been described as “creepy”.

The video entitled “Just Try It, California” was released last week and depicts two young women with brightly colored hair, sitting on a bed in front of a pride flag in low lighting. One nervously says “I can’t believe I’m doing this”, while another strokes her hair and coaxes “don’t be nervous, it’s not that bad” before guiding her to fill out a ballot for Hilton and aggressively commanding “lick it”.

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© Photograph: Daniel Cole/Reuters

© Photograph: Daniel Cole/Reuters

© Photograph: Daniel Cole/Reuters

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Ukraine says its strikes have knocked out more than 51% of Russia’s oil refining capacity

ukraine says its strikes have knocked out 51% russia's oil refining capacity · post flames saratov refinery after reported ukrainian drone strike 2 2026 image_2026-08-02_14-32-39 news reports

Ukraine's Security and Defense Forces have "put out of action" more than 51% of Russia's oil refining capacity through recent long-range strikes, Defense Minister Yevhenii Khmara said in a statement published by the Defense Ministry on 4 October. These "carefully thought-out" actions were aimed at "bleeding the Russian war machine" and "destroying its military-economic potential," Khmara said.

Ukraine treats Russia's refineries as a priority target because their revenue helps fund the war. Even Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed on 1 October that the strikes had cost Russia 1% of its GDP and had "partially" achieved their goal, Interfax reported.

The ministry did not publish how it calculated the figure.

"The consequences of Ukrainian operations are not always visible immediately. But the effect accumulates and produces a tangible result," the ministry said.

Ukrainian deep strikes continue to bring the war to Russian territory

The ministry named eight recently struck facilities, among others. One of them is the Moscow Oil Refinery, which Ukraine targeted in a massive drone attack on the night of 20 September, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. The refinery, operated by Gazprom Neft in Moscow's Kapotnya district, supplies about 40% of Moscow's fuel market and 70% of the Moscow region's demand for gasoline and aviation fuel, according to Russian news Telegram channel Astra.

Another was KINEF, which Ukraine has attacked repeatedly. It is Russia's second-largest oil refinery by capacity, and the Ukrainian military struck it on the night of 30 August, setting off a fire at the facility.

Fire reported at Russia's Kirishi/KINEF oil refinery following an overnight Ukrainian drone attack, 29–30 August 2026. Photo: Exilenova+
Fire reported at Russia's Kirishi/KINEF oil refinery following an overnight Ukrainian drone attack, 29–30 August 2026. Photo: Exilenova+

The ministry also named the Yaroslavl, Perm, Ilsky, Saratov, and Syzran refineries and the Ust-Luga port complex.

Ukraine triples production and procurement of long-range drones—and this is not the end

This year, Ukraine has tripled the production and procurement of long-range attack drones, the ministry said.

"This is not the limit. We will continue to scale up deep-strike capabilities," the statement said.

International cooperation is part of that push. Berlin will fund the production of additional DeepStrike-class long-range drones in Ukraine, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said after a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group on 15 April. The sides also agreed to jointly develop and produce a medium- and long-range drone system.

Ukraine and Germany also signed an agreement on the joint production of Bars drones, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on 8 July. The Bars' modular design allows it to be used for deep strikes, among other missions.

Bars jet-powered drone. Photo: Museum of the Russian-Ukrainian War
Bars jet-powered drone. Photo: Museum of the Russian-Ukrainian War

Oil refinery output has fallen

Russian refineries cut crude oil processing by 14% in the first nine months of the year compared with the same period last year amid Ukrainian drone attacks, according to calculations by two industry sources.

Experts' estimates of the decline differ widely. In August, Serhii Vakulenko of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center put it at 25–28%, while Russian economic commentator Vyacheslav Shiryaev put it at 65–70%, according to Defense-Aerospace.

Fuel production data give a more concrete picture: in July, Russia's gasoline and diesel output was about a quarter to a third lower than in March 2026, the outlet reported.

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Rumors Are Swirling of a Plague Outbreak in Russia. Here’s What We Know.

The country’s consumer watchdog has said only that “an employee of an anti-plague institute in the Irkutsk Region” contracted pneumonia.

© Reuters

An infectious-diseases hospital in the town of Shelekhov, Russia, on Monday. The mayor has urged residents “not to spread rumors.”
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Snakes, bobcats, mountain lions: the secret animal world beneath the Hollywood sign

An international symbol for the city, the sign is also hallmark of the region’s environmental richness

Atop Mount Lee, in the heart of Los Angeles, the wind is quiet. Two red-tailed hawks sail above, barely flapping as they coast the thermal air like surfers on a wave. Standing beside the giant letters of the Hollywood sign, the city seems peaceful. On a clear day, blocks and blocks of homes unfold beneath and the skies reveal sights all the way to Catalina Island – 10 miles out, across the Pacific.

That’s the beauty seen from the Hollywood sign.

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© Photograph: Curioso.Photography/Alamy

© Photograph: Curioso.Photography/Alamy

© Photograph: Curioso.Photography/Alamy

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Trump’s former press secretary Karoline Leavitt to join Fox News

Youngest press secretary in White House history left earlier this year after the birth of her second child

Karoline Leavitt, who stepped down as White House press secretary in August, is joining her former boss’s favorite network, Fox News, as an on-air contributor, the channel announced on Monday.

Considering that two of her predecessors from Donald Trump’s first administration, Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Kayleigh McEnany, had also joined Fox after leaving office, Leavitt was seen as a logical fit for Fox, on which she will begin providing commentary on 1 November.

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© Photograph: Kylie Cooper/Reuters

© Photograph: Kylie Cooper/Reuters

© Photograph: Kylie Cooper/Reuters

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California Prepares to Ban Quartz Countertop Production

The state would be the first to block an industry that has been connected to a deadly lung disease in workers.

© Zack Wittman for The New York Times

A California rule would ban any manufactured stone that contains more than 1 percent of crystalline silica.
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Why Saudi Arabia’s Last War in Yemen Turned Into a Quagmire

A Saudi-led coalition launched a military campaign this week against the Iran-backed Houthi militia in the country, reviving memories of its previous effort.

© Reuters

Smoke billowing from the fuel storage area at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, last month after the Houthis claimed to have attacked the facility.
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The surprising, cut-throat race for Los Angeles mayor

Karen Bass is fighting for her political life as progressives battle to lead the US’s second-largest city

Karen Bass has never lost an election. But this fall, she faces the fight of her political life.

Bass has roughly a month to convince voters that she should be elected to a second term as the mayor of Los Angeles. Given Angelenos’ broad dissatisfaction with the direction of the city, approval ratings on par with Donald Trump’s and a wave of anti-establishment sentiment sweeping American politics, she has a formidable challenge in city council member Nithya Raman.

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© Illustration: Guardian Design/Photo by Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty Images

© Illustration: Guardian Design/Photo by Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty Images

© Illustration: Guardian Design/Photo by Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty Images

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Nobu chef killed by teen driver who crashed into his parked car in Malibu

Ryo Uchimiya was sleeping in his car waiting for his shift to begin when a 16-year-old crashed into him

A longtime chef for the famous Japanese restaurant chain Nobu was killed over the weekend in Malibu, California, when a teen driver crashed into his parked vehicle, where he was sleeping while waiting for his shift to start.

The 51-year-old chef, named by the Los Angeles medical examiner’s office as Ryo Uchimiya, had arrived at work at Nobu Malibu early on Saturday when his vehicle was hit by a 16-year-old boy driving a Range Rover at 6.50am.

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© Photograph: trekandshoot/Alamy

© Photograph: trekandshoot/Alamy

© Photograph: trekandshoot/Alamy

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Saudi and Yemeni Forces Attack Houthis to Retake Control of Red Sea Coast

The offensive is an effort to wrest control of the Bab al-Mandab Strait from the Houthis, a militia in Yemen backed by Iran.

© Mohammed Huwais/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Inspecting melted foam in a factory after a strike in Sanaa, Yemen, on Sunday. Houthi-affiliated media blamed Saudi Arabia for the attack.
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Trapped in a Kill Zone, a Ukrainian City Is Beginning to Starve

Evacuation is almost impossible and food is running out in Russian-occupied Oleshky, a city menaced by mines and drones.

© Sergei Supinsky/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

A protester in Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, last month calling for help for Oleshky, a city in southern Ukraine.
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Democrats Expect Record Number of Women in Party in House After Midterm Elections

Democrats are increasingly confident they will have a record number of women serving in the House next year, after backing women in competitive districts they are now positioned to win.

© Kenny Holston/The New York Times

“I’m incredibly confident that we will pass that 100 mark,” Representative Teresa Leger Fernández of New Mexico, third from right, chairwoman of the Democratic Women’s Caucus, said in an interview. “The real issue is how far above it do we go.”
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Extreme heat warnings issued for parts of southern California

Temperatures in US state forecast to hit high 30s celsius this week, while regions in Indonesia grapple with wildfires

The National Weather Service in the US has issued extreme heat warnings for parts of southern California, including Los Angeles, until Thursday, as temperatures are expected to hit the high 30s celsius. Burbank, a suburb north of Los Angeles, recorded 39C on Saturday, a few degrees shy of the October record for the region set in 1987. A persistent area of high pressure will remain in place this week, leading to further hazardous hot weather and increased fire risk.

Parts of Indonesia are in the midst of an extreme wildfire season, which has peaked over the past month. Western Kalimantan (Borneo) and southern Sumatra have been particularly badly affected. The lack of rainfall has dried the usually water-logged tropical soils, meaning that fires have been able to spread quickly, above and below the surface. Indonesia’s soils are also extremely rich in peat, meaning that the smoke produced from the fires contain higher levels of toxic gases such as sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide. Cities in surrounding areas and as far as Malaysia and Singapore have experienced reduced air quality in recent weeks as a result. Drought and wildfires are more common in this part of the world during El Niño events owing to suppressed thunderstorm activity.

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© Photograph: Caroline Brehman/Reuters

© Photograph: Caroline Brehman/Reuters

© Photograph: Caroline Brehman/Reuters

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Pay Phone, a Lifeline During 2019 Australia Wildfires, Gains Heritage Status

Hundreds lined up to call loved ones as the internet went down and the flames closed in on the Australian town of Narooma in 2019.

© Telstra

A public phone booth in Narooma on Australia’s east coast has been awarded heritage status for the role it played during and after wildfires in the region.
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White House defends new press aide who posed with rifle in ‘Fuck Joe Biden’ shirt

Beni Rae Harmony, 24, has been ‘a trusted voice for the Maga movement’ as a correspondent, White House says

The White House has defended a newly hired press aide who posed for a holiday photograph in 2021 wearing a “Fuck Joe Biden” T-shirt and holding a rifle.

Beni Rae Harmony, the new assistant White House press secretary, announced on Friday that she was going to work for Donald Trump just days after covering him as a correspondent for Real America’s Voice, a partisan rightwing outlet originally created as a video podcast platform for the US president’s former adviser Steve Bannon.

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© Photograph: Kylie Cooper/Reuters

© Photograph: Kylie Cooper/Reuters

© Photograph: Kylie Cooper/Reuters

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