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We now have our first look at the U.S. Air Force’s two flying B-21 Raider stealth bombers together at Edwards Air Force Base. The second pre-production B-21 arrived at Edwards yesterday after making its maiden flight from the Air Force’s Plant 42, which TWZ was first to report.

Both of the pre-production B-21s delivered to date are now assigned to the 420th Flight Test Squadron at Edwards, which forms the core element of the B-21 Combined Test Force. Edwards has long been a central hub for Air Force test and evaluation efforts, but saw significant expansion of its facilities starting in the late 2010s, in large part to prepare for the Raider’s arrival.

At least two non-flying Raider airframes are also being used to help with ongoing testing. Four more pre-production Raiders are in various stages of construction at Northrop Grumman’s facility at Plant 42. As of January, Northrop Grumman had received two contracts for low-rate initial production of additional B-21s, as well.

Unlike the first pre-production B-21, which took to the skies for the first time back in November 2023, the second example is still largely devoid of uniquely identifying markings, like serial number, two-letter base code, and unit crests. We can now see that there is a motif on the inside of the nose landing gear bay door featuring an ancient Greek-style helmet with wings spread behind, as well as what looks to be crossed spears below. We have reached out to the Air Force and Northrop Grumman for more information about these symbols and their significance.

The first B-21 has the nickname Cerberus and a silhouette of that three-headed dog from ancient Greek (and later Roman) mythology is painted on the outside of its nose landing gear door. The aircraft also has a bird silhouette painted underneath the nose, an homage to past Northrop corporate logos.

The picture of the two B-21s together at Edwards, as well as other new Raider imagery the Air Force has released in the past day or so, also further underscores the aircraft’s unusual cockpit window arrangement. TWZ has explored the design of the cockpit windows, including the visibility limitations they impose, in detail in the past.

We also now have our first look at the second pre-production B-21 in flight, which offers a new view of the bomber’s conformal inlets. The bomber’s inlets are one of the most exotic known features of the design, as you can read more about here. In general, low observable inlets are among the most critical aspects of a stealthy aircraft, and it has been publicly disclosed that the ones found on the Raider presented significant challenges during development.

The first flight of the second B-21 had already afforded the best look to date of the Raider’s broad underbelly, including its weapons bay configuration. As TWZ wrote yesterday:

“The high-resolution image of the underside of the second B-21 is particularly notable in that it shows a single main bay. The other two sets of outboard door apertures are seen sealed shut with fasteners lining their perimeters. They also appear to be at least configured for radiofrequency (RF) sensor apertures. Together, this all points to the Raider only having a single large central weapons bay, not a pair of smaller additional ones on the side, a possibility that had been raised in the past. You can read about speculation regarding these bays here. Regardless, this could possibly change in the future, but, at this time, these appear to be access doors to the engines and other systems, not auxiliary weapons bays.”

In a press release yesterday, the Air Force touted the testing benefits that will come from now having two B-21s at Edwards.

“The addition of the second aircraft expands the Air Force’s testing capabilities beyond initial flight performance checks, enabling progression into critical mission systems and weapon integration testing phases. This advancement marks a significant step toward operational readiness of the nation’s sixth-generation stealth bomber,” according to the release. “The presence of multiple test aircraft at Edwards AFB also provides Air Force maintainers invaluable hands-on experience in managing simultaneous aircraft sustainment operations, testing the effectiveness of maintenance tools, technical data and the logistical processes that will support future operational squadrons.”

A separate press release from Northrop Grumman also highlighted plans to demonstrate an “enhanced software package” that will allow it to “deliver seamless upgrades to the B-21 fleet, ensuring its mission capability and weapons evolve to outpace any threat.” Beyond opening up a more streamlined path to integrating new and improved functionality down the line, the Raider’s heavy use of open-architecture, software-defined mission systems has already been a boon to the aircraft’s initial development.

“We are capitalizing on the revolution in digital [processes] – models-based systems engineering, open mission systems architecture software,” Air Force Maj. Gen. Jason Armagost, then Director of Strategic Plans, Programs, and Requirements at Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC), offered as an example back in 2022. “As an example, the software for the fuel control system, which is a pretty complex thing, is completely done on an aircraft that hasn’t even flown yet as a test article, because of how we’re able to do models-based systems engineering. And they actually built a fuel systems model and tested the software, and the software is ready to go.”

Armagost is now commander of the Eighth Air Force, which oversees all of the Air Force’s operational bomber fleets.

The Air Force’s current stated goal is to begin fielding the B-21 operationally before the end of the decade. The service plans to buy at least 100 of the bombers, though there are growing signs that the final fleet size could be larger, as you can read more about here.

“Concurrent with the expanded flight-testing effort, fiscal year 2026 will see the launch of extensive military construction projects at all three designated B-21 main operating bases,” the Air Force noted in its press release yesterday. “Ellsworth AFB, S.D., the first base set to receive operational B-21 aircraft, is already progressing rapidly on numerous infrastructure projects to ensure readiness when the aircraft arrive.”

With the help now of a second B-21, the test force at Edwards will continue to expand its work helping to pave the way toward future Raider operations.

Contact the author: [email protected]

Sept. 12 (UPI) — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will visit Israel and the United Kingdom to address security matters in Gaza and globally from Saturday through Thursday.

Rubio first will travel to Israel, where he plans to discuss the Israel-Hamas war and security in the Middle East while affirming the United States’ “commitment to Israeli security,” according to a State Department news release.

“He will also emphasize our shared goals: ensuring Hamas never rules over Gaza again and bringing all the hostages home,” said Thomas Pigott, State Department principal deputy spokesperson.

Rubio and Israeli leaders will discuss Israeli military operational goals and the objectives of the Israel Defense Force’s Operation Gideon’s Chariots II, which targets Hamas leadership and members in Gaza City.

Rubio and Israeli leaders also will discuss “our commitment to fight anti-Israel actions, including unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state that rewards Hamas terrorism and lawfare at the [International Criminal Court] and [International Court of Justice],” Pigott said.

Rubio also is scheduled to meet with the families of hostages being held by Hamas to “underscore that their relative’s lives remains a top priority,” Pigott added.

After concluding the visit in Israel, Rubio is scheduled to travel to the United Kingdom to meet with U.K. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper to discuss “critical global challenges,” he said.

Those challenges include the war in Ukraine, stopping Iran from developing nuclear weapons, securing a cease-fire and the release of all hostages held by Hamas, and competing with China.

Rubio’s diplomatic trip is to occur after Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Adbulrahman al-Thani was to meet with President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Rubio and U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff on Friday.

The prime minister and president are expected to discuss the recent IDF strike against Hamas officials in Qatar’s capital, Doha, and a potential defense agreement between Qatar and the United States.

The Israeli offensive on Gaza City is displacing thousands of starving Palestinians.

Who: Manchester City vs Manchester United
What: English Premier League
Where: Etihad Stadium, Manchester, United Kingdom
When: Sunday, September 14 at 4:30pm (15:30 GMT)

How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 1:30pm (12:30 GMT) in advance of our live text commentary stream.

Manchester City and Manchester United have spent fortunes on some of the world’s best attacking players, and yet, Sunday’s derby will spotlight their goalkeepers.

City secured Gianluigi Donnarumma from Paris Saint-Germain, and United landed Belgium international Senne Lammens on transfer deadline day to solve problems in their lineups.

Even though United confirmed on Friday that Lammens would not be starting in goal, all the focus will be on those attempting to stop the goals rather than score them.

Al Jazeera Sport takes a look at the latest Manchester derby, and this time, one with a twist.

What have Man City said about Donnarumma?

City manager Pep Guardiola says he is willing to adapt the team’s approach following the signing of Donnarumma and will not expect the Italian to offer the same ball-playing abilities as the departed Ederson Moraes.

Ederson, who ended his trophy-laden eight-year spell at City by joining Fenerbahce last week, revolutionised the goalkeeper position in English football with his distribution and technical skills.

That made him a perfect fit for Guardiola’s style of play, but the same cannot be said of Donnarumma, a brilliant shot-stopper whose strength isn’t passing the ball out from the back.

Donnarumma is in contention to make his debut for City against United following his move from Paris Saint-Germain, although Guardiola wouldn’t confirm whether the Italy international will start.

“Always, I try to adapt to the quality of the players,” Guardiola said Friday. “I will not demand Gigi do something that is uncomfortable.

“We are talking about the best player I have ever seen in the distribution, short or long, with Ederson. We didn’t take Gigi to do what Ederson has done. Gigi has another quality.”

Guardiola said he wasn’t trying to “undermine” Donnarumma by pointing out Ederson’s qualities and spoke glowingly about his new signing’s strengths.

“He’s so tall. He’s so huge,” Guardiola said with a smile, adding: “He’s a big presence on the big stages.

“What he has done in the Champions League last season at Villa Park, Anfield, many games, proves how good he is.”

Guardiola said he met Donnarumma for the first time on Wednesday but didn’t see him train on Thursday.

“We’ll see,” Guardiola said when asked if Donnarumma will come in for James Trafford, who has started City’s first three games in the Premier League – a win at Wolverhampton before back-to-back losses to Tottenham and Brighton.

What have Man Utd said about Bayindir and Lammens?

Altay Bayindir will continue in goal for United in the derby match despite the signing of Belgium international Lammens.

The goalkeeper position has been problematic for United manager Ruben Amorim, who sent last year’s first-choice, Andre Onana, on loan to Turkish club Trabzonspor on Thursday.

Bayindir has made some high-profile errors, particularly from balls into the box, on the occasions he replaced Onana, but retains the faith of Amorim after Lammens – an unheralded 23-year-old from Belgium – was brought in from Royal Antwerp on September 1.

“Altay is going to continue,” Amorim said on Friday. “Because it’s a different league, it’s a different country, different trainings, different ball. So we will try to maintain that.

“They will fight for the position. For this game, it’s clear Altay will start.”

Lammens is largely unknown outside his native country, and Amorim said he is a goalkeeper with “great potential”.

“I know that we are in the moment that the goalkeeper has to be really strong and have a lot of experience,” he said, “but we are also in the moment that we have to look at the present and also with a focus on the future.”

Lammens, Amorim added, is a keeper who can “give us different things” and can be United’s first choice “for a lot of years.”

On the departure of Onana, Amorim added: “In this club, the pressure is sometimes so hard in every detail. Sometimes you need a change.”

What are Man City and Man Utd’s forms like ahead of the derby?

The Manchester derby at Etihad Stadium already feels like a must-win for both teams.

City, whose four-year title reign ended last season, is playing catch-up after only three games (1-2). Back-to-back defeats to Tottenham and Brighton have highlighted concerns that Guardiola’s squad is not equipped to mount a challenge at the top.

United lost their opening day encounter with Arsenal and drew their second match, away at Fulham. The entirety of the Gunners’ trip to Old Trafford and the first half in London appeared to be vast improvements from Amorim’s side, playing his much-debated 3-4-3 formation.

The second half against Fulham was underwhelming, however, as was the 3-2 win against Burnley, which needed a 97th-minute penalty from Bruno Fernandes to seal the points.

Prior to that match, United were dumped out of the League Cup on penalties at fourth-tier Grimsby Town.

What happened the last time Man City played Man Utd?

The teams last met at Old Trafford in a Premier League clash on April 6. With United destined for a bottom-half finish and City’s title defence long over, the game resulted in a drab 0-0 draw.

What happened in the same fixture between City and Utd last season?

The match at the Etihad Stadium last season ended in a remarkable 2-1 win for United. The match was played on December 15, less than a month after Eric ten Hag was sacked, and appeared to be heading to another defeat for United with City leading through Josko Gvardiol’s first-half strike. Fernandes scored an 88th-minute penalty to level the match, before Amad Diallo netted a 90th-minute winner.

Head-to-head

This is the 196th Manchester derby, of which United have won 79 matches compared with City’s 61 victories.

City have not won in the last four matches against United, although the Community Shield meeting at the start of last season saw City lift the trophy after coming out on top on penalties.

The FA Cup final the season before was won by United and ended a three-game losing streak against City.

Manchester City team news

Striker Omar Marmoush will miss Sunday’s game against United after he hurt his knee on international duty with Egypt.

Marmoush went off injured early in his country’s World Cup qualifying game against Burkina Faso on Tuesday.

“Initial results on a scan performed in Egypt indicate he will not be available for the Manchester derby on Sunday, and he will now return to Manchester for more assessment and to begin his rehabilitation,” Manchester City said Wednesday in a statement. “Everyone at City wishes Omar a speedy recovery.”

The 26-year-old forward joins a lengthy injury list at City, with John Stones and Phil Foden among several players who missed international games.

City didn’t specify how soon Marmoush might return. City starts its Champions League campaign against Napoli on September 18.

Egypt’s game was a 0-0 draw, which meant Egypt has to wait to confirm its place at next year’s World Cup.

Manchester Utd team news

Matheus Cunha, Diogo Dalot and Mason Mount are all out of Sunday’s match.

Amorim said he “doesn’t know” how long the trio will be unavailable.

Given Cunha’s absence in attack, Benjamin Sesko is in line for his first Premier League start following his big-money move from RB Leipzig.

Manchester City predicted starting lineup

Donnarumma; Matheus Nunes, Ruben Dias, Ake, O’Reilly; Bernardo, Rodri, Reijnders; Bobb, Haaland, Doku

Manchester United predicted starting lineup

Bayindir; Yoro, De Ligt, Shaw; Mazraoui, Casemiro, Fernandes, Dorgu; Mbeumo, Sesko, Amad

Man City last five matches

W-L-W-L-L (all competitions, last result on the right)

Man Utd last five matches

W-L-D-D-W

Sept. 12 (UPI) — Taylor Swift has agreed to sit for a deposition in the legal battle between actress Blake Lively and actor and producer Justin Baldoni, according to court documents.

Swift has agreed to the request from Baldoni’s legal team but is not available until Oct. 20, which falls beyond the Sept. 30 deadline imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Lewis J. Liman.

Lawyers for Baldoni have asked for an extension from Oct. 20 to Oct. 25 to depose Swift, who will be unavailable because of “pre-existing professional obligations.”

The 35-year-old pop icon is releasing her 12th album The Life of Showgirl on Oct. 3 and is “unable to do so [attend a deposition]” before the court-imposed deadline at the end of the month.

Liman has yet to rule on the extension request.

Lively, 38, is suing Baldoni, her co-star in the film adaptation of Colleen Hooover’s romantic novel It Ends With Us, for alleged sexual harassment on the movie set. Lively also contends the 41-year-old and his fellow Wayfarer Studios producers launched a smear campaign against her following the accusations.

Baldoni filed a countersuit but the judge dismissed those claims this past June.

Lively has already given a deposition in the case, while Baldoni has yet to be deposed.

Swift was not involved in the film, although one of her songs was used. She was, however, close friends with Lively and her husband, Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds.

At issue in Swift’s deposition will likely be anything the pair said or wrote about conditions on the film set.

Baldoni’s legal team at one point tried to subpoena Swift, a move that was not well received by the pop star’s team. The filing was later withdrawn.

In the most recent court filing, Lively’s legal team told the judge they expect Baldoni’s lawyers to ask for a 30-day extension to the court proceedings, beyond the Sept. 30 deadline.

“Ms. Lively misleadingly implies the Wayfarer Parties seek a blanket thirty-day extension of the discovery cut-off date,” Baldoni’s lawyer wrote in the filing.

“In fact, the Wayfarer Parties requested an agreement solely to take the deposition of Taylor Swift during the week of October 20-25.”

The trial is slated to begin next March.

Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS says it would not take part in next year’s competition given the ‘severe human suffering in Gaza’.

The Netherlands has announced it will boycott the 2026 Eurovision in Vienna if Israel participates, joining other European countries that have threatened to withdraw from the song contest over Israel’s war on Gaza.

Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS, one of dozens of public broadcasters that collectively fund and broadcast the contest, on Friday said it would not take part in next year’s competition in Vienna if Israel participates, “given the ongoing and severe human suffering in Gaza”.

“The broadcaster also expresses deep concern about the serious erosion of press freedom: the deliberate exclusion of independent international reporting and the many casualties among journalists,” it said in a statement.

Irish broadcaster RTE released a similar statement on Thursday, saying participating would be “unconscionable” as a result of Israel’s war on Gaza. Iceland said it may withdraw from the contest, and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has called for Israel to be booted from the competition.

AVROTROS said it had also taken into account the high number of journalists who have died in Gaza.

The European Broadcasting Union, which runs the contest, said it was consulting its members on how to “manage participation and geopolitical tensions” around the contest and would give them until mid-December to decide if they want to participate.

“We understand the concerns and deeply held views around the ongoing conflict in the Middle East,” said Martin Green, director of Eurovision. “It is up to each member to decide if they want to take part in the contest, and we would respect any decision broadcasters make.”

The organisation said in July it was launching a consultation with all members of the EEBU, which organises the song contest over the issue.

The Dutch broadcaster said it will continue preparing for the contest — which was watched by 166 million people on television this year — until it receives a decision from organisers about whether it will include Israel.

Calls to boycott Israel grow

The boycott threat is part of a campaign by arts organisations and figures to pressure Israel to end its war on Gaza.

Earlier this week, Hollywood stars including Emma Stone, Ayo Edebiri, Ava DuVernay and Olivia Colman joined 3,000 other industry figures in signing a pledge to boycott Israeli film institutions “implicated in genocide and apartheid against the Palestinian people,” according to the group Film Workers for Palestine.

Russia has been banned from Eurovision since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, but Israel has continued to compete in the past two years despite disputes over its participation.

Dozens of former participants, including 2024 winner Nemo of Switzerland, have called for Israel to be excluded over its conduct in Gaza. Pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel protests took place around this year’s contest in Basel, Switzerland, though on a much smaller scale than the 2024 event in Sweden.

Eurovision’s finale is scheduled for May 16 after semifinals on May 12 and 14, 2026.

Here is how things stand on Saturday, September 13:

Fighting

• An early morning Russian attack on Friday killed three people in northern Ukraine’s Sumy region, a regional official reported.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Moscow’s attempts to advance in the Sumy area had failed with heavy losses, and Russian operations in the region were being “completely foiled by our forces”.
• A Ukrainian drone attack on Russia’s northwestern port of Primorsk has, for the first time, forced the suspension of loading at the key western oil terminal, according to two industry sources and Ukraine’s military.
• An attempted Ukrainian attack at the Smolensk nuclear power station in western Russia was carried out overnight, but the drone was downed and no damage or casualties were reported, officials said.

Regional security

• The number of Polish airspace violations by Russian drones this week may be higher than previously reported, with further analysis revealing that there may have been 21 incursions over Poland, the country’s defence chief said.
• Polish Secretary of State Marcin Bosacki urged the United Nations Security Council to issue a strong response to Russia over drones violating Poland’s airspace.
• More than 40 nations, including the United States, participated in a joint statement at the UN for stronger international action over Russia’s drone incursion into Polish airspace.
• Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk contradicted US President Donald Trump’s assessment that the incursion of Russian drones into Polish airspace may have been a mistake.
• Writing on X, Tusk said: “We would also wish that the drone attack on Poland was a mistake. But it wasn’t. And we know it.”
• NATO is preparing a new operation, dubbed Eastern Sentry, to add military equipment from France, Denmark, Germany and the United Kingdom to its existing air and ground-based defences on its eastern European flank bordering Belarus, Russia and Ukraine, NATO Supreme Commander General Alexus Grynkewich said.
• Ukrainian Defence Minister Denys Shmyhal said he met with US presidential envoy Keith Kellogg in Kyiv. The pair discussed “the possibility of Ukraine’s Defence Forces receiving new Patriot systems and ammunition for them”, he wrote on X.
• Russian and Belarusian armed forces kicked off their large-scale, joint military exercises known as “Zapad 2025” on Friday, as German forces in neighbouring Lithuania led their own military drills.

Military aid

• President Zelenskyy said that many details on post-war security guarantees for Ukraine were already on paper as US special envoy Kellogg and national security advisers from Britain, Germany, France and Italy are in Kyiv, Ukraine.

Sanctions

• Group of Seven (G7) finance ministers discussed the possibility of imposing sanctions and trade measures, such as tariffs, on countries they consider to be “enabling” Russia’s war on Ukraine, while exploring other mechanisms to further increase financial support to Ukraine.
• Japan, the UK and New Zealand imposed new sanctions on Russia, including lowering the price cap on Russian oil and enforcing sanctions against companies linked to Russia’s weapons industry, including a producer of the Iskander missiles, as well as shadow naval fleet operators and suppliers.
• The European Union could phase out use of Russian gas within six to 12 months by replacing it with US liquefied natural gas, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright told the Reuters news agency on Friday.

Politics and diplomacy

• US President Donald Trump said his patience with Putin is “running out and running out fast”, but blamed the “tremendous hatred between [Putin] and Zelenskyy” for the prolonging of the war.
• President Zelenskyy said his country’s allies should encourage China to use its leverage with Russia to halt Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
• Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan emphasised that diplomacy is the only viable path to ending the Ukraine-Russia war and that the US must change its stance from neutrality, which had left a leadership gap.
• US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to join President Trump on a state visit to the UK, where he and British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper are due to discuss US-British cooperation on “ending the Russia-Ukraine war”, the US State Department said.
• Denmark is launching a 375-million-euro ($439m) programme to support Ukraine’s integration with the EU, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said.

Economy

• Russia’s central bank cut its benchmark interest rate on Friday to 17 percent as growth has slowed and spending on the war against Ukraine increases the budget deficit.

Peace talks

• Russia said peace talks with Ukraine were on “pause” as the NATO alliance said it would bolster its eastern front, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday.

Charity

• Britain’s Prince Harry arrived in Kyiv on Friday with a team from his Invictus Games Foundation to detail his charity’s plans to help rehabilitate wounded Ukrainian soldiers, his office said in a statement.

New York, USA – Next week, the United States Federal Reserve will hold a two-day policy meeting to decide whether to lower interest rates.

The meeting follows a months-long pause in rates and comes amid heightened pressure on the central bank.

US President Donald Trump recently dismissed Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook on allegations of mortgage fraud, which she is contesting in court, and has escalated his loud and repeated criticism of Fed Chair Jerome Powell.

The Fed, which emphasises its independence from political influence, will weigh new economic data as it considers its next move. The benchmark interest rate has remained at 4.25 percent – 4.50 percent since December.

So far, the Fed has held rates steady, saying the stance preserves flexibility to respond to economic shocks tied to shifting trade policy. But many economists now believe a rate cut is imminent.

They point to signs of a cooling labour market and tariff-related pressure on inflation as factors that could support lowering rates, not political pressure.

“I think that the Fed has made it pretty clear that they’re going to cut rates in September, and the market certainly expects that,” Daniel Hornung, policy fellow at Stanford Institute of Economic Policy Research and former deputy director of the National Economic Council, told Al Jazeera.

CME FedWatch, which tracks the probability of Fed policy moves, puts the likelihood of a quarter of one percentage point cut at 94.5 percent, echoing research from JPMorgan last month.

“For Fed Chair Jerome Powell, the risk management considerations may go beyond balancing employment and inflation risks, and we now see the path of least resistance is to pull forward the next cut of 25 basis points to the September meeting,” Michael Feroli, chief US economist at JP Morgan, said at the time.

Prices jump

Consumer prices rose 0.4 percent in August from the previous month, the sharpest increase in seven months, according to the Labor Department’s consumer price index (CPI) report released on Thursday.

The gain followed a 0.2 percent rise in July. Economists surveyed by Reuters had forecast a 0.3 percent monthly increase in core CPI.

Energy costs climbed 0.7 percent, fueled by a 1.9 percent jump in gasoline. Airfares climbed 5.9 percent, apparel prices rose 0.5 percent, shelter increased 0.4 percent, grocery prices were up 0.6 percent, and restaurant meals rose 0.3 percent.

Some goods saw particularly steep increases. Coffee prices jumped 3.6 percent on the month as Brazil, the world’s top coffee exporter, redirected shipments away from the US following new tariffs.

The Producer Price Index (PPI), which tracks prices businesses receive for goods and services, showed coffee up nearly 7 percent from July and more than 33 percent over the past year.

There is a comparable phenomenon with beef, for which the US relies heavily on Brazil.  CPI data showed a 2.7 percent increase, while the PPI measured a 6 percent monthly rise and a 21 percent yearly increase.

Overall, the PPI slipped 0.1 percent, suggesting some businesses are absorbing tariff costs rather than passing them to consumers. Service prices fell 1.7 percent, driven by a 3.9 percent decline in margins for machinery and vehicle wholesalers, which offset a 0.1 percent increase in goods prices. That came after wholesale inflation was revised higher to 0.7 percent in July, which was well above economists’ forecasts.

Even so, companies are beginning to warn that they cannot continue absorbing higher costs. In recent weeks, Campbell’s Co, which makes Campbell’s Soup and Goldfish crackers, and Procter & Gamble have both said they plan to raise prices on consumer goods in the months ahead as tariff pressures persist.

Labour market tumbles

The US labour market, a key factor in the Federal Reserve’s interest rate decisions, has cooled sharply.

Approximately 263,000 people submitted initial jobless claims last week, the most in four years, Department of Labor data released on Thursday showed.

On Tuesday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics also revised down job gains over the past few months, as well as between April 2024 and March 2025, when the US economy added 911,000 fewer jobs than had been previously reported.

All of that is echoed by poor jobs numbers last week. In August, the economy added only 22,000 jobs, with gains concentrated in healthcare (which added 31,000 jobs) and social assistance (which added 16,000). The unemployment rate climbed to 4.3 percent, the Labor Department reported.

Revisions showed July job growth slightly stronger at 79,000, up from 73,000, while June was cut from a modest gain to a loss of 13,000.

“The recent job numbers were really, especially the revision of the earlier numbers, were really kind of problematic for the economy,” Michael Klein, professor of International Economic Affairs at the Fletcher School at Tufts University, told Al Jazeera.

Job openings and turnover also declined, leaving more unemployed workers than available positions for the first time since April 2021.

A report from Challenger, Gray & Christmas highlighted the strain, noting a 39 percent jump in job cuts between July and August. Private payroll growth slowed as well, according to the ADP National Employment Report, which showed just 54,000 jobs added, down from 106,000 the prior month.

Competing forces

Typically, high inflation prompts higher interest rates, which discourage borrowing and spending and help rein in prices.

“The Fed is in a very difficult position right now because there is both a weakening labour market and evidence of higher inflation. Typically, if the Fed is facing a weaker labour market, it would want to lower interest rates. And if it’s facing higher inflation, it would want to raise interest rates. But we’re in a situation now where there are countervailing forces,” Klein said.

The labour market is already weighing on consumer spending. Rising layoffs and slower hiring have made shoppers cautious, and the latest consumer confidence index shows plans to buy big-ticket and discretionary items are slipping.

With Trump’s shifting tariffs and hardline immigration policies, businesses are stuck in a “wait-and-see” mode, increasing uncertainty.

“We are seeing immigration and tariff policies that have the simultaneous effect of raising prices and slowing growth in the labour market,” Hornung said.

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Coldplay

Who has played the most shows at Wembley Stadium?

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Coldplay

Coldplay setlist

Sept. 12 (UPI) — Republican Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe has the final say on a congressional redistricting map that would split an existing House district seat held by Democrat Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II.

The Missouri Senate voted 21-11 on Friday to approve the redistricting map that the state’s House of Representatives already approved, Roll Call reported.

Two GOP members of the Missouri Senate broke ranks and voted against the redistricting measure as several state legislatures scramble to revise their respective district maps ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

Six of Missouri’s eight congressional districts are held by Republicans, which narrows the state GOP’s redistricting options.

The revised map would affect Cleaver’s district in the greater Kansas City area.

Missouri Senate and House members drafted the proposed redistricting legislation during a special session that was convened several weeks after Texas lawmakers approved a redistricting map there, according to NBC News.

California lawmakers likewise have revised the state’s congressional district maps to offset potential GOP gains of up to five seats from the Texas redistricting effort, which California voters would have to approve.

Virtually all of the respective states’ redistricting efforts are expected to face legal challenges.

Welcome to Bunker Talk. This is a weekend open discussion post for the best commenting crew on the net, in which we can chat about all the stuff that went on this week that we didn’t cover. We can also talk about the stuff we did or whatever else grabs your interest. In other words, it’s an off-topic thread.

The caption to this week’s top shot reads:

2nd December 1950: One of the main tunnels at Clapham Deep Shelter used to accommodate visitors to the Festival of Britain. The shelter can take 4000 people, is served by limited lift facilities, with electric light and ventilation. (Photo by Norman Vigars/Fox Photos/Getty Images)

Also, a reminder:

Prime Directives!

• If you want to talk politics, do so respectfully and know that there’s always somebody that isn’t going to agree with you. 
• If you have political differences, hash it out respectfully, stick to the facts, and no childish name-calling or personal attacks of any kind. If you can’t handle yourself in that manner, then please, discuss virtually anything else.
• No drive-by garbage political memes. No conspiracy theory rants. Links to crackpot sites will be axed, too. Trolling and shitposting will not be tolerated. No obsessive behavior about other users. Just don’t interact with folks you don’t like. 
• Do not be a sucker and feed trolls! That’s as much on you as on them. Use the mute button if you don’t like what you see.  
• So unless you have something of quality to say, know how to treat people with respect, understand that everyone isn’t going to subscribe to your exact same worldview, and have come to terms with the reality that there is no perfect solution when it comes to moderation of a community like this, it’s probably best to just move on. 
• Finally, as always, report offenders, please. This doesn’t mean reporting people who don’t share your political views, but we really need your help in this regard.

The Bunker is open!

Contact the editor: Tyler@twz.com

Sept. 12 (UPI) — Former Rep. Yadira Caraveo of Colorado has halted her attempt to retake her former congressional seat that she lost to Republican Rep. Gabe Evans on Nov. 5.

Caraveo is a pediatrician who represented Colorado’s 8th Congressional District for one term but lost to Evans, who received 163,320 votes to Caraveo’s 160,871, according to Ballotpedia.

Despite the close election result, Caraveo on Friday said she was ending her candidacy for the seat that has several other challengers for the Democratic Party’s nomination, The Denver Post reported.

“This was not a decision I made lightly,” Caraveo said in a prepared statement.

“Unfortunately, I faced very strong resistance to my candidacy this cycle due almost entirely to the stigmatization of mental health in America,” she continued.

“I hope that one day we will see more acceptance and understanding of illnesses, like depression, and that leaders at all levels will be able to support those in need in actions and not just words.”

Caraveo last year said she had sought treatment for depression at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., according to The Hill.

Democratic Party leaders were concerned about her mental health, but they also were wary of allegations that she mistreated her campaign and congressional staff, The Colorado Sun reported.

The news outlet in May reported her staff and aides had created a safety plan that included removing sharp objects from her offices amid claims of Caraveo having suicidal thoughts.

Caraveo was the first Hispanic woman to be elected to represent Colorado in Congress and struggled to raise funds for her election bid and had not announced any “major endorsements,” according the The Colorado Sun.

Colorado’s 8th Congressional District is a swing district that encompasses the northern suburbs of Denver and into Greeley.

The seat is among the most-targeted U.S. House districts by the Republican and Democratic parties.

Rescue teams searched for the missing after deadly incidents in Equateur province this week.

Two separate boat accidents this week in northwestern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have killed at least 193 people and left dozens missing, authorities and state media said.

The accidents happened on Wednesday and Thursday, about 150km (93 miles) apart in the Equateur province.

One boat with nearly 500 passengers caught fire and capsized on Thursday evening along the Congo River in the province’s Lukolela territory, killing 107 people, DRC’s Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs said in a report.

The report said 209 survivors were rescued following the accident, involving a whaleboat near the village of Malange in Lukolela territory.

A memo from the Ministry of Social Affairs, seen by the Reuters news agency, said 146 people were missing.

A day earlier, in a separate accident, a motorised boat capsized in the Basankusu territory of the province, killing at least 86 people, most of them students, state media reported.

Several people were missing, but the reports did not give a figure for how many.

It was not immediately clear what caused either accident or whether rescue operations were continuing on Friday evening.

State media attributed Wednesday’s accident to “improper loading and night navigation”, citing reports from the scene. Images that appeared to be from the scene showed villagers gathered around bodies as they mourned.

A local civil society group blamed Wednesday’s accident on the government and claimed the toll was higher.

Search operations took place after the accidents, with naval personnel and community volunteers combing the banks while authorities pledged medical care for the injured, assistance to bereaved families and the repatriation of survivors to their places of origin and destination.

River transport is a lifeline in DRC’s vast rainforest regions, where old, wooden vessels are the main form of transport between villages. It is also often cheaper than travelling on the few available roads.

However, the vessels are poorly maintained and crumbling under the weight of passengers and their goods, and accidents are frequent.

On such trips, life jackets are rare, and the vessels are usually overloaded.

Many of the boats also travel at night, complicating rescue efforts during accidents and leaving many bodies often unaccounted for.

Rescue operations are also often hampered by limited resources and the remote locations of accidents.

Prior to talks with Trump, Sheikh Mohammed met US Secretary of State Rubio, who is heading to Israel to pledge continued support.

Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani is meeting United States President Donald Trump in New York in the wake of Israel’s deadly strike on Doha this week.

Sheikh Mohammed, who is also the country’s foreign minister, has been engaged in a flurry of diplomatic activity in the US since Israel’s attack on a Hamas meeting in Doha on Tuesday, which killed a Qatari security official and five Hamas members who were discussing a new deal proposed by Trump to end the Gaza war.

Ahead of Friday’s dinner meeting with the US president, Sheikh Mohammed met US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the White House, where they discussed Israel’s strikes and the US-Qatar security arrangement, according to Al Jazeera’s Kimberly Halkett.

Washington counts Qatar, which hosts its Al Udeid airbase in the desert outside Doha, as a strong Gulf ally.

Trump has already said he was “very unhappy” about Israel’s targeting of Qatar, which appeared designed to derail ongoing Israel-Hamas ceasefire talks.

“The concern is that the relationship between Qatar and the United States has become increasingly complicated as a result of those strikes, so they’re looking for a path forward on both of those issues,” said Al Jazeera’s Halkett, reporting from Washington, DC.

Halkett said Friday’s scheduled meeting with Trump would “continue the conversations regarding Israel’s attack on Doha earlier this week and the negotiations to end Israel’s war on Gaza”.

The location and time of the dinner remain unclear, but Trump is currently in New York and is staying at his eponymous Manhattan tower.

Balancing act

This week has also seen the Trump administration engaged in a balancing act between Middle East allies and Israel.

The issue was brought to the fore on Thursday, when the US – which traditionally shields Israel on the international stage – joined fellow members of the United Nations Security Council in condemning the country for its attack on Qatar.

But in what appears to be a show of continued support for Israel, Rubio will arrive in Israel this weekend for a two-day visit before attending an upcoming UN summit on September 22, where a number of Western countries plan to recognise a Palestinian state.

That meeting signals growing international momentum towards a viable post-conflict settlement for Israel and Palestine, which was manifest at Friday’s meeting of the UN General Assembly, which endorsed a resolution pushing for a revival of the two-state solution.

France and Saudi Arabia have been instrumental in pushing for “collective action to end the war in Gaza, to achieve a just, peaceful and lasting settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict”, which has so far killed at least 64,756 people.

During his visit to Israel, Rubio will speak to leaders about “our commitment to fight anti-Israel actions, including unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state that rewards Hamas terrorism”, State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said in a statement.

“He will also emphasise our shared goals: ensuring Hamas never rules over Gaza again and bringing all the hostages home,” Pigott added.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates – When cricketers from India and Pakistan step onto the field for their Asia Cup 2025 match on Sunday, a lot more than two points will be on the line, according to cricket fans and experts.

The match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium will be played under the cloud of lingering hostility after their intense four-day conflict in May.

While an all-out war between the two cross-border nations was prevented after an internationally brokered ceasefire, a sense of bitterness remains.

“People in India have been very angry about the match ever since this fixture was confirmed,” Kudip Lal, an Indian cricket writer, told Al Jazeera.

“They feel that it’s not right to play this match while the overall relationship between both countries is so strained,” he explained.

“It’s the worst time for an India-Pakistan match.”

‘Why play cricket in the aftermath of war?’

Lal said that fans in India see the fixture as a money-making avenue for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), whom they blame for trying to cash in on the profit generated by these high-profile clashes.

Lal believes the BCCI, widely regarded as the most wealthy and powerful cricket board in the world, could have “easily skipped” the match.

“If the Indian government has stopped issuing visas to Pakistanis, if the diplomatic ties are suspended and Pakistanis visiting India have been sent back, then why have the cricketers been asked to play this match in the aftermath of a war?” Lal questioned.

He expressed fears of a backlash in case India lose the Group A fixture.

Whenever India and Pakistan play, emotions run high and a loss is not taken well by fans on either side of the border.

In the past decades, players’ homes have been torched, their family members have been threatened, and effigy-burning protests have been carried out on the streets.

The current political climate between India and Pakistan is worse than it has been in several decades.

Shared laughs and ‘bromance’ of the past

Despite the political deadlock between the nuclear-armed neighbours, the recent on-and-off-field exchanges between players have been fairly cheerful.

When India last played Pakistan in the Asia Cup in September 2023, the two key talking points were Virat Kohli’s utter dominance of Pakistani bowlers and the countless feel-good moments shared between both teams.

The match was played in the middle of the monsoon season in Sri Lanka, where fans cheered for both teams regardless of their allegiances and danced away their worries during the countless rain delays.

Pakistani fans were seen declaring their nation’s love for Kohli, and the festive atmosphere spilled over onto the pitch.

There were memorable player-to-player exchanges that were plucked right out of a social media manager’s dream.

Pakistan’s Shaheen Shah Afridi swapped his on-field aggression for off-field warmth as he handed India’s Jasprit Bumrah a gift hamper for his newborn son. Cue millions of retweets and shares on X and Instagram.

Social media was also flooded with reels highlighting the “bromance” between Kohli and Pakistan allrounder Shadab Khan.

This time, however, experts do not foresee similar public displays of goodwill and friendliness.

“The friendship and warmth seen in the past will not be on display because anything can be blown out of proportion by impassioned fans, and the smallest move can agitate the public,” Sami Ul Hasan, former head of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) media and communications department, said ahead of the match.

When Pakistan beat India by 10 wickets at the ICC T20 World Cup 2021, Pakistan’s captain Babar Azam and wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan were warmly embraced by Kohli, and all three shared a hearty laugh while walking off the pitch.

“We can’t expect similar scenes to unfold on Sunday,” Hasan said.

“The interpretation and optics of an overtly friendly encounter could go very wrong, and things could blow up on either side of the border.”

Mixing cricket with politics

Hasan, who has worked with cricketers and cricket officials, said the players will attempt to bat away political questions by saying they are not meant to deal with political matters.

“Sports and politics can never be separated, but athletes aren’t politicians, so they can’t be expected to act like diplomats.”

Despite the heated atmosphere and tense build-up to the fixture, some fans believe the match can still be seen as just another India-Pakistan match.

“Politics shouldn’t be mixed with cricket, which has always helped ease the tensions, so why should it be used as an avenue to propagate politics?” Asad Khan, a Pakistani fan, said.

“When you bring political agendas into cricket, it ruins the game and causes unnecessary stress for the players.”

Khan urged fans to put aside the politically and religiously motivated chants at cricket stadiums and instead enjoy a now-rare India-Pakistan match.

Given the years-long halt in bilateral cricket series between India and Pakistan, their fixtures are limited to multination tournaments.

Cricket fans are hopeful that both teams will not give in to the politically-charged atmosphere and help lighten the mood.

“The players should do their jobs as cricketers and the fans should treat it as just another game,” Ali, a Pakistan fan, said, told Al Jazeera in Dubai.

“Why must the cricketers worry about what happened on the border four months ago,” Ali

But cricket expert Lal believes otherwise.

“When the two teams enter the field on Sunday, they can’t be expected to be completely detached from the conflict. It will play on their minds.”

A hot and humid September evening in Dubai cannot be blamed solely for turning the “Ring of Fire” stadium into a cauldron.

Come Sunday, the latest chapter in a decades-long bitter rivalry will have the players and fans on the edge.

Sept. 12 (UPI) — More than 3,000 Boeing Co. machinists in St. Louis remain on strike after rejecting the latest contract offer from the aerospace company that seeks to end the strike that began on Aug. 4.

The defense contractor’s machinists rejected Boeing’s third contract offer on Friday and instead will continue the first walkout in nearly 30 years at the Missouri facility, CNBC reported.

“Boeing’s modified offer did not include a sufficient signing bonus relative to what other Boeing workers have received, or a raise in 401(k) benefits,” officials for the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers said in a statement, as reported by CNBC.

“The democratic vote underscores the determination of approximately 3,200 IAM Union members to continue their stand together until their voices are heard,” union officials said.

Friday’s vote nixed a proposed five-year contract that would have raised wages by 45% and paid each worker a $4,000 signing bonus, St. Louis Public Radio reported.

If approved, the St. Louis Boeing machinists would have had their average annual pay rise from $75,000 to $109,000, according to CNBC.

The contract offer would not have changed available vacation time or other benefits offered in two prior contract proposals.

The union said 57% of workers voted to reject the contract offer, which improved upon a prior offer that would have raised their wages by 20% and paid a $5,000 signing bonus.

Boeing Air Dominance Vice President Dan Gillian told CNBC that no additional contract talks are scheduled.

“We’ve made it clear the overall economic framework of our offer will not be changed,” Gillian said. “We have consistently adjusted the offer based on employer and union feedback to better address their concerns.”

Boeing is hiring workers to replace those who are on strike to help the firm meet rising demand for its products, which Gillian called its “contingency plan.”

The Boeing facility produces F-15 fighter jets and missile systems.

Boeing workers in Illinois also walked out on Aug. 4 after rejecting the company’s initial contract offer.