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Sept. 11 (UPI) — Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has been sentenced to more than 27 years in prison for his role in planning a 2023 coup that prosecutors claim may have included assassinating President Lula da Silva.

The nation’s Supreme Court voted to convict former Bolsonaro earlier on Thursday.

Three members of the court’s five-judge panel on Thursday voted to convict Bolsonaro, 70, on all five counts related to the coup attempt, CNN reported.

Justice Carmen Lucia Antunes Rocha delivered the deciding vote on Thursday and accused Bolsonaro of trying to “sow the malignant seed of anti-democracy,” according to The Guardian.

Justices Alexandre de Moraes and Flavio Dino on Tuesday also voted to convict the former president.

Justice Luiz Fux on Wednesday voted against the conviction and said there is “absolutely no proof” of Bolsonaro’s guilt.

Prosecutors charged Bolsonaro with plotting a coup, participating in an armed criminal organization, trying to end Brazil’s democracy by force, violent acts against the state and damaging public property.

Prosecutors also accused Bolsonaro of plotting the potential use of explosives, poison or weapons of war to assassinate Lula da Silva.

The charges arose from Bolsonaro’s supporters storming government buildings on Jan. 8, 2023, and carry a potential sentence of up to 43 years in prison.

The court is scheduled to sentence Bolsonaro on Friday after receiving the case’s final vote from Justice Cristiano Zanin.

The Brazilian Congress might approve an amnesty bill that would negate the conviction and enable Bolsonaro to run for president in 2026.

Bolsonaro is a former Brazilian military paratrooper and won election as the nation’s president in 2018.

Prosecutors said he began plotting against the Brazilian government in July 2021, which culminated in his supporters overrunning the nation’s Supreme Court, Congress and presidential palace on Jan.8, 2023.

Israeli action in Tulkarem city comes as Palestinians have been subjected to ‘collective punishment’ in the occupied West Bank.

Israeli forces have detained more than 100 Palestinians in raids on the occupied West Bank city of Tulkarem and have imposed a curfew, Al Jazeera Arabic reports, as the Israeli offensive in Gaza City has forced more than 200,000 Palestinians to flee the largest urban center in the enclave.

As reported earlier, Israel’s military has been conducting raids in Tulkarem after it said two Israeli soldiers were wounded when their vehicle was “hit by an explosive device“.

Soldiers stormed shops and cafes, detaining patrons, as well as residents in their vehicles, forcing them to march in line towards an Israeli military checkpoint, a WAFA correspondent reported.

Israeli forces launched a campaign of violence in the occupied West Bank after six people were killed in a shooting attack in occupied East Jerusalem earlier this week. Hamas’s armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, claimed responsibility for the shooting, in which both suspects were killed.

In response, Israel ordered the demolition of the homes of the two suspects, as well as sanctions on their family members and residents of their towns, Qatanna and al-Qubeiba, northwest of Jerusalem in the West Bank.

“There has been a complete siege and lockdown of these areas,” Al Jazeera’s Hamdah Salhut said on Tuesday following the shooting. “Collective punishment is in full swing in the occupied West Bank.”

Israel’s growing crackdown in the West Bank

Israel has launched a crackdown on the occupied West Bank since it launched its devastating war on Gaza, killing more than 1,000 Palestinians, arresting thousands, and demolishing hundreds of homes and civic infrastructure. Even before the October 7, 2023, attack inside Israel by the Hamas-led Palestinian groups, Israeli military and settler violence was at its highest in years.

Israel’s military operation has fuelled the forced displacement of more than 40,000 Palestinians.

“Israel’s deadly military operation in the occupied West Bank, unfolding in the horrific shadow of its ongoing genocide in the occupied Gaza Strip, has had catastrophic consequences for tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians who are facing a rapidly escalating crisis with no foreseeable prospects of return. Unlawful transfer of protected persons is a grave breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention and a war crime,” Erika Guevara Rosas, Amnesty International’s senior director for Research, Advocacy, Policy and Campaigns, said in a statement on June 5.

As well as the Israeli military actions against Palestinians, violence by Israeli settlers spiked during the war on Gaza. At least 1,860 incidents of settler violence in the occupied West Bank were recorded between October 7, 2023, and December 31, 2024, according to data from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

The rise of far-right leaders to power has pushed Israel further towards right, with politicians at the highest levels, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, openly indulging in anti-Palestinian rhetoric.

“We are going to fulfil our promise that there will be no Palestinian state. This place belongs to us,” Netanyahu reiterated at an event in Maale Adumim, an illegal Israeli settlement just east of Jerusalem, on Thursday.

“We are going to double the city’s population.”

All the settlements are considered illegal under international law and are considered the biggest hurdle in the resolution of the Israel-Palestinian conflict.

Last September, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) overwhelmingly adopted a resolution calling on Israel to end its illegal occupation of the Palestinian territories within a year. Still, Israel has since expanded its settlements in complete disregard of international laws and norms.

The request comes after a federal court earlier this week blocked Lisa Cook’s firing while her lawsuit challenging her dismissal moves forward.

The administration of United States President Donald Trump has asked an appeals court to remove Lisa Cook from the Federal Reserve’s board of governors by Monday, before the central bank’s next vote on interest rates.

The request on Thursday represents an extraordinary effort by the White House to shape the board before the Fed’s interest rate-setting committee meets next week on Tuesday and Wednesday.

At the same time, Senate Republicans are pushing to confirm Stephen Miran, Trump’s nominee to an open spot on the Fed’s board, which could happen as soon as Monday.

In a court filing on Thursday, the Department of Justice asked the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit to pause US District Judge Jia Cobb’s Tuesday ruling temporarily blocking Cook’s removal, pending the administration’s appeal.

Trump moved to fire Cook in late August. Cook, who denies any wrongdoing, filed a lawsuit saying Trump’s claim that she engaged in mortgage fraud before she joined the central bank did not give him legal authority to remove her, and was a pretext to fire her for her monetary policy stance.

Cobb’s ruling prevents the Fed from following through on Cook’s firing while her lawsuit moves forward.

In their emergency appeal, Trump’s lawyers argued that even if the conduct occurred before her time as governor, her alleged action “indisputably calls into question Cook’s trustworthiness and whether she can be a responsible steward of the interest rates and economy”.

The administration asked an appeals court to issue an emergency decision reversing the lower court by Monday. If their appeal is successful, Cook would be removed from the Fed’s board until her case is ultimately resolved in the courts, and she would miss next week’s meeting.

If the appeals court rules in Cook’s favour, the administration could seek an emergency ruling from the Supreme Court.

The case, which will likely end up before the US Supreme Court, has ramifications for the Fed’s ability to set interest rates without regard to politicians’ wishes, widely seen as critical to any central bank’s ability to keep inflation under control.

The Supreme Court and lower appeals courts, including the DC Circuit, have temporarily lifted several other rulings that briefly blocked Trump from firing officials at agencies that have historically been independent from the White House.

On Wednesday, however, the DC Circuit blocked Trump from firing US Copyright Office director Shira Perlmutter while she appeals a lower court’s refusal to reinstate her to the post.

Trump has demanded that the Fed cut rates immediately and aggressively, repeatedly berating Fed Chair Jerome Powell for his stewardship over monetary policy. Cook has voted with the Fed’s majority on every rate decision since she started in 2022, including on both rate hikes and rate cuts.

Fed’s independence

The law that created the Fed says governors may be removed only “for cause”, but does not define the term nor establish procedures for removal. No president has ever removed a Fed governor, and the law has never been tested in court.

Cobb on Tuesday said the public’s interest in the Fed’s independence from political coercion weighed in favour of keeping Cook at the Fed while the case continues.

She said that the best reading of the law is that a Fed governor may only be removed for misconduct while in office. The mortgage fraud claims against Cook all relate to actions she took prior to her US Senate confirmation in 2022.

Trump and William Pulte, the Federal Housing Finance Agency director appointed by the president, say Cook inaccurately described three separate properties on mortgage applications, which could have allowed her to obtain lower interest rates and tax credits.

The Justice Department has also launched a criminal mortgage fraud probe into Cook and has issued grand jury subpoenas out of both Georgia and Michigan, according to documents seen by Reuters and a source familiar with the matter.

In sport, sometimes there is no better way to prepare for a fierce rivalry than watching reruns or reading summaries of previous heart-stopping encounters.

And in cricket, there is no bigger rivalry than India vs Pakistan.

The sport’s history is embellished with historic India-Pakistan clashes at every tournament and in every decade.

With the teams set to meet again in the T20 Asia Cup 2025, Al Jazeera Sport picks the three India-Pakistan Asia Cup classics you must revisit before Sunday’s encounter:

2010: Harbhajan is a last-over hero with the bat

The 2010 edition of the Asia Cup was a four-team tournament played entirely in Dambulla, Sri Lanka, where all teams played a round-robin group stage, with the top two progressing to the final.

India beat Bangladesh while Pakistan lost to Sri Lanka, making their June 19 encounter a must-win for the Shahid Afridi-led side.

Pakistan opened with a 71-run partnership between Salman Butt and Imran Farhat. A par total of 267 followed the regular fall of wickets thereafter. India’s fast-medium seamer Praveen Kumar picked up three wickets, but it was Ravindra Jadeja’s left-arm spin that kept Pakistan in check.

Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag opened the batting for India’s chase, and while Sehwag fell after an uncharacteristically slow innings, Gambhir kept going as captain MS Dhoni chipped in with a half-century.

India seemed well set before Pakistan’s spinners struck in the last third of their innings. Gambhir, Rohit Sharma, Dhoni and Jadeja fell in quick succession, leaving India reeling at 219-6 with 49 runs required off 29 balls.

Lower-order batter Suresh Raina had the responsibility to take India home alongside off-spinner Harbhajan Singh. Raina hit Ajmal for 12 off 4 before three economical overs from Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Amir.

With eight runs to defend in the final over, Amir made a near-perfect start as Raina ran a single. In a desperate attempt to get back on strike, Raina had a mix-up with Harbhajan and was run out, giving Pakistan the upper hand. India needed seven off four, with Kumar facing Amir. A double and a single brought Harbhajan back on strike for the final two balls.

Harbhajan, who had an altercation with Akhtar a few balls earlier, swung at a length delivery, clearing midwicket for a huge six. The Turbanator then turned towards Akhtar and let out a loud roar as the Indian dressing room celebrated wildly.

India were in the final and Pakistan were nearly out.

Brief scorecard

Pakistan: 267 in 49.3 overs – Salman Butt 74 (85), Kamran Akmal 51 (41); Praveen Kumar 3-53 in 10 overs.
India: 271 in 49.5 overs – Gautam Gambhir 83 (97), MS Dhoni 56 (71); Saeed Ajmal 3-56 in 10 overs.

2014: Afridi seals it with two sixes and a kiss

The round-robin format continued for the 2010 tournament in Bangladesh.

By the time India faced Pakistan, both teams had one win and one loss and needed a win to bolster their chances for a spot in the final.

Runs flowed off Rohit Sharma’s bat on a quick Mirpur outfield, and India seemed on their way to a big total despite losing Shikhar Dhawan early. Virat Kohli joined Rohit in smashing the Pakistani pacers.

While Rohit went his merry way, India were dealt a blow when Umar Gul dismissed Kohli for five. Regular wickets slowed India’s scoring rate, but they still posted 245, thanks to a late flourish by Ambati Rayudu and Jadeja.

Pakistan’s top-order, particularly Mohammad Hafeez, gave them a good start to the chase. However, it wasn’t long before India’s spin twins Ravichandran Ashwin and Amit Mishra forced a collapse worthy of Pakistani renown. Four batters were dismissed in the space of 42 runs.

Hafeez began the rebuild with Sohaib Maqsood in an 87-run partnership, but both were dismissed in consecutive overs, leaving Pakistan reeling at 203-6 off 45. Maqsood’s run out, in particular, was a gift for India after a huge mid-pitch mix-up with Shahid Afridi, just after Pakistan took the upper hand.

Afridi, the last recognised batter, was joined by Gul as Pakistan required 43 off 30 with four wickets standing. Every Afridi swing of his bat was met with trepidation as the all-rounder was known for attempting big shots irrespective of the match situation.

At first, he targeted Jadeja, hitting him for a four and a six in the 46th. The following over, from Bhuvneshwar Kumar, also brought two boundaries before Mohammad Shami kept Pakistan quiet in the 48th.

Kumar’s next over, with two wickets and just three runs, all but ended Pakistan’s hopes as Afridi watched on from the non-striker’s end.

The final over was handed to Ashwin, who had taken 2-31 in his nine overs thus far. The wily spinner gave India the perfect start by bowling Ajmal first up. Pakistani fans held their heads in disbelief while India’s celebrated wildly.

Junaid Khan was last in, and he played a perfect dab to pinch a single, bringing Afridi back on strike.

With nine needed off four, the stadium held its breath knowing Afridi could sway the match either way.

As Ashwin began his delivery stride, Afridi stepped back and swung hard at a short ball. The connection between was by no means ideal, but Afridi’s power cleared the ropes.

Afridi again gave himself room with the ball pitched closer to his body, but when has that ever stopped Afridi from playing a risky shot? Another wild swing skied the ball, but it again cleared the boundary.

Ashwin was all hands-on-head as the Indian team stood in disbelief.

Afridi was all arms lifted wide in his trademark star-man celebration as Junaid embraced him. A delighted Afridi gave Junaid a quick kiss on the cheek before the star all-rounder was mobbed by his teammates.

Brief scorecard

India: 245-8 in 50 overs – Rohit Sharma 56 (58), Ravindra Jadeja 52 (49); Saeed Ajmal 3-40 in 10 overs.
Pakistan: 249-9 in 49.4 overs – Mohammad Hafeez 75 (117), Shahid Afridi 34 (18); Ravichandran Ashwin 3-44 in 9.4 overs.

2016: Kohli trumps Amir in low-scoring thriller

The Asia Cup 2016 was the first played as a T20 and produced one-sided group games until India met Pakistan in the fourth match of the round-robin stage.

Pakistan lost Hafeez to the fourth ball of the match.

A poor umpiring decision, with Khurram Manzoor surviving a caught-behind, left India furious. However, Dhoni’s team didn’t have to wait too long for Manzoor’s departure as Afridi’s men continued to struggle on a low-scoring pitch, losing wickets in every other over.

In a total of 83, Sarfaraz Ahmed’s 25 was Pakistan’s only saving grace. Hardik Pandya led the attack with three wickets, but each of India’s bowlers chipped in, including a then-fresh-faced Jasprit Bumrah.

The chase was seemingly simple, given India’s power-packed batting. Mohammad Amir, playing his first Asia Cup since returning to the team following his cricket corruption-linked ban, had other plans.

The left-arm pacer made a near-perfect start, striking Rohit’s toes with a swinging yorker, only for it to be adjudged not out. There was no surviving the following inswinger, which struck the pads.

Kohli was next in to face the pumped-up Amir, swinging the ball to his will. A single switched strike with Ajinkya Rahane’s first ball ending up being his last, Amir swinging the ball back into the right-hander viciously to strike his pads plumb in front.

Amir’s second over, and India’s third, brought more lbw appeals as Kohli was struck on the pads by another skilful delivery that straightened, but failed to impress the umpire. Amir had his reward next ball, as Raina was the man to go, chipping an easy catch to short mid-on.

Kohli and Yuvraj Singh saw out Amir’s spell, nudging towards the target. Kohli, in particular, showed nerves of steel to see off Amir’s scintillating swing.

The Indian batting star soon reaped his reward, however, settling in to take boundaries off all the bowlers, including Amir’s last.

India’s charge was halted in the 15th when Kohli fell on 49, followed by Pandya, but the team total was 76-3. New batter Dhoni and Yuvraj took six more deliveries to finish the job.

India won by five wickets, but the match could have had a nervy finish were it not for Kohli’s brilliance.

Brief scorecard

Pakistan: 83 runs in 17.3 overs – Sarfaraz Ahmed 25 (24); Hardik Pandya 3-8 in 3.3 overs.
India: 85-5 runs in 15.3 overs – Virat Kohli 49 (51); Mohammad Amir 3-18 in 4 overs.

Sept. 11 (UPI) — Six historically black colleges and universities in the South locked down on Thursday morning amid potential threats that various law enforcement agencies are investigating.

Alabama State University, Virginia State University, Hampton University in Virginia, Clark Atlanta University in Georgia and Southern University in Louisiana locked down after receiving possible threats of an unknown nature, ABC News reported.

Spelman College in Atlanta did not receive any threats but locked down out of caution.

Officials at Alabama State said they received “terroristic threats” and locked down the campus.

“We are working in close coordination with the appropriate law enforcement agencies to assess the situation and to ensure the safety and security of our students, faculty, staff and the broader ASU community,” ASU officials told USA Today in a prepared statement.

Officials at Virginia State and Hampton temporarily ceased operations and notified students, faculty and staff to stay at home after receiving possible threats, according to HBCU Buzz.

Virginia State officials shared an email with ABC News that they sent to students, faculty and staff.

The message told them to remain locked down while campus police worked with local, state and federal law enforcement to determine if the threat there is credible.

Other colleges and universities have announced that classes and school-related activities are canceled through the weekend.

No incidents or injuries have been reported after the HBCUs received threats, which has plagued many colleges and universities amid hoaxes and swatting incidents so far this school year.

Several HBCUs in 2022 were among at least 57 colleges and universities that received bomb threats made through phone calls, e-mails, messages and anonymous online posts, according to the FBI.

Thursday’s threats came a day after conservative activistCharlie Kirk was shot and killed during a Wednesday afternoon event at Utah Valley University in Orem.

Such determination has been a constant throughout Wissa’s career.

He was playing in front of crowds of fewer than 3,000 supporters away at Chambly in the French second division back in 2019.

Now he in line to feature against Barcelona in the Champions League next week after completing a protracted £55m move from Brentford to Newcastle United.

His rise has not necessarily come as a shock to Pierre-Yves Hamel, who played alongside Wissa at Lorient.

“After the attack, he never complained,” he said. “He immediately wanted to move forward and to blossom today is a just reward for his efforts.

“Once Yoane has an idea in mind, he will do his utmost to make it happen – no matter how long it takes.”

Those words now carry added meaning.

Wissa was so set on joining Newcastle that he removed all association with Brentford from his Instagram account a few weeks ago.

In a statement last month, Wissa urged Brentford to “keep their word” to let him leave and accused the club of “unduly standing in my way”.

Parallels were drawn with another striker looking to leave their club – Wissa, like Alexander Isak, did not feature in any of his team’s opening three games of the season.

And just as Newcastle fans were upset with the manner in which Isak pushed to join Liverpool, following his own explosive social media post, Brentford supporters were dismayed with Wissa’s conduct as he looked to force a move through to St James’ Park.

Ian Westbrook, who is the Brentford fan writer with BBC Sport, stressed supporters are “not vindictive” towards those who “leave in the right way” because they know that their side “sell players to bigger clubs at the right time”.

The season-ticket holder suggested former players Bryan Mbeumo and Christian Norgaard and ex-manager Thomas Frank will all receive good receptions as a result when they return to Gtech Community Stadium following their summer moves.

But it will be different for Wissa.

“His legacy has been soured,” he said. “There’s not many players who have done this to Brentford.”

Israel’s latest forced displacement order for Gaza City is one too many for Nahd al-Rafati. He is refusing to leave, weary of what seems like a never-ending cycle of expulsion.

A video has emerged that shows the maiden flight of a second pre-production B-21 Raider stealth bomber. Since July, U.S. Air Force officials have been openly talking about their hope to have two B-21s flying ‘soon.’

Jarod Hamilton, who also specializes in low-level aircraft photography, shared the footage of the B-21 taking off from the Air Force’s Plant 42 in Palmdale, California, at around 8:00 AM local time. The video, seen below, shows the bomber continuing to fly with its landing gear down, which is indicative of initial flight testing. The Raider does lack the air data probe and trailing cone that were seen when the very first B-21 flew back in 2023. An F-16 chase plane is also seen flying alongside.

“We [a group of plane spotters outside Plant 42] saw the B-21 roll out and then it sat there and we waited for it,” Hamilton told TWZ. “We heard the engine noise and thought maybe they were doing taxi tests. But when the F-16 showed up, I knew.”

“It was incredible,” he said of seeing the Raider take off. “The sound, the power, I’ll never forget.”

Hamilton said he did not know how long the flight may have lasted, but tracked it for a few minutes until it was out of sight. The bomber may have flown to Edwards Air Force Base, which is also in California and currently hosts the B-21 Combined Test Force.

TWZ has also reached out to the Air Force for confirmation and further details.

The first of six pre-production B-21s also made its maiden flight in November 2023 from Plant 42 and subsequently moved to Edwards. The Raider’s prime contractor, Northrop Grumman, is building the bombers at Plant 42, which is a major hub for advanced and often classified aerospace development work.

“So this is an event-based process, based on the test team, the contractor, [and] the program office. I believe it [the first flight of the second B-21] will happen by the end of the year, but we’re not going to ever give them an artificial date that they have to make if it doesn’t bring the test program along to where they need to be,” Air Force Lt. Gen. Andrew Gebara said during a virtual talk hosted by the Air & Space Forces Association’s Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies in August. “We’re going to proceed as we can, efficiently, effectively, and with a sense of urgency, but we’re also going to be event-based.”

“That’s really been the secret sauce to the B-21 right now, is no undue pressures. Let them do what they’re doing, and they’ll get us the world’s best aircraft here,” Gebara, who is currently Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration, added at that time.

A second B-21 could make its first flight “shortly,” Air Force Gen. Thomas Bussiere, head of Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC), had told Air & Space Forces Magazine in July. The service had previously told that outlet that its goal was for a pair of B-21s to be in flight testing in 2026. Northrop Grumman has also delivered at least two non-flying airframes to help with the test campaign.

Getting another B-21 into the air is an important new step forward for the Raider program that will allow for the further expansion of testing efforts. As of September 2024, the first flying B-21 was said to be making around two sorties every week from Edwards Air Force Base.

“The B-21 [program] is producing, its results-oriented in flight tests, basically on time, [and] basically on budget,” Gen. Gebara also said last month.

As it stands, the Air Force’s goal is to begin fielding the B-21 operationally before the end of the decade. The service also plans to buy at least 100 of the bombers, though that figure is increasingly expected to grow, as you can read more about here.

In the meantime, the Air Force’s current fleet of flying B-21s has now grown to two.

Update: 1:55 PM Eastern –

Jarod Hamilton has kindly shared additional still images from today’s B-21 flight from Palmdale with us.

Update: 3:35 PM Eastern –

The U.S. Air Force has now confirmed the first flight of the second B-21 and that the bomber has arrived at Edwards Air Force Base.

“With the arrival of the second B-21 Raider, our flight test campaign gains substantial momentum,” Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink said in a statement. “We can now expedite critical evaluations of mission systems and weapons capabilities, directly supporting the strategic deterrence and combat effectiveness envisioned for this aircraft.”

The second B-21 Raider has taken flight! With two B-21s now flying, our test campaign accelerates.

We’re advancing mission system & weapons evaluations to ensure this aircraft delivers unmatched strategic deterrence and combat power for the @usairforce. #B21Raider #AirPower

— Office of the Secretary of the Air Force (@SecAFOfficial) September 11, 2025

“The addition of a second B-21 to the flight test program accelerates the path to fielding,” Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin also said in a statement. “By having more assets in the test environment, we bring this capability to our warfighters faster, demonstrating the urgency with which we’re tackling modernization.”

“The B-21 Raider program represents a cornerstone of our strategic nuclear modernization,” Allvin continued. “The concurrent efforts in testing, sustainment preparation and infrastructure investments clearly illustrate our commitment to providing unmatched capabilities to deter and defeat threats well into the future.”

An Air Force press release highlights the value of adding a second flying bomber to the B-21 Combined Test Force, as TWZ already noted.

“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 weapons 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.”

“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 release adds. “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.”

Northrop Grumman has also put out its own press release following today’s first flight of the second B-21, which it described as “robust.”

“The next phase of flight test moves beyond flight performance and into the weapons and mission systems that make B-21 an unrivaled stealth bomber. An enhanced software package will demonstrate how Northrop Grumman will deliver seamless upgrades to the B-21 fleet, ensuring its mission capability and weapons evolve to outpace any threat,” the company’s release explains. “The flight test expansion complements a robust ground test campaign that includes multiple B-21 aircraft. Engineers have rigorously tested the B-21 to certify it can fly in the most extreme mission conditions and are demonstrating the B-21’s durability by simulating lifetimes of flight conditions. These test results continue to consistently outperform digital modeling predictions, reinforcing confidence in the B-21’s performance and progress.”

“Northrop Grumman is preparing the Air Force to operate and maintain the B-21 through its advanced training and sixth-gen fleet management tools. The company is developing comprehensive training capabilities – to include high-fidelity, full-motion simulators, immersive labs and virtual spaces – as part of the Air Force’s Formal Training Unit at Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota. Northrop Grumman is creating training content and devices for future pilots, weapons loaders, maintainers and support personnel to operate the world’s most advanced aircraft,” it continues. “Future Air Force maintainers will use the B-21 Fleet Management Tool Northrop Grumman is developing today for the aircraft’s sustainment and maintenance activities. Already equipped with flight test and performance data and informed by decades of sustainment experience across a variety of systems, the Fleet Management Tool will keep the B-21 mission ready for the American warfighter.”

Special thanks again to Jarod Hamilton for sharing the new imagery of the B-21 flying from Palmdale today with us.

Contact the author: [email protected]

Sept. 11 (UPI) — A bomb threat has been reported at the Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington, D.C., police said.

The threat was reported around 1 p.m. Thursday. Metropolitan Police Department’s Explosive Ordinance Disposal squad were requested by the U.S. Capitol Police.

Capitol Police are checking the building, and so far nothing has been found, said Fox 5.

The DNC building is in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Southeast D.C.

The threat comes one day after political activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed in Utah at a speaking event.

Multiple historically Black colleges and universities, including two in Virginia, are also on lockdown Thursday in response to various threats, WUSA9 reported.

The assassination of right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk is seen as a significant event amidst rising political violence in the U. S. Experts believe this may lead to further unrest in a country already divided. Mike Jensen, a researcher, noted that in the first half of the year, there were about 150 politically motivated attacks, nearly double from the previous year. He warned that the situation could escalate into wider civil unrest if not controlled, viewing the assassination as a potential trigger for more violence.

Experts attribute the rise in violence to several factors, including economic insecurity, racial and ethnic tensions, and aggressive political rhetoric. The divide in politics has grown from policy disagreements to personal animosity, driven by social media and conspiracy theories. A report by Reuters indicated that there had been over 300 cases of political violence in the U. S. since the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack, reflecting the highest level of such violence in decades. Jon Lewis from George Washington University commented that extreme political violence is becoming more common, regardless of clear motives.

Lilliana Mason, a political science professor, emphasized the tendency for people to retaliate rather than initiate violence. Kirk, a prominent figure in the conservative movement and ally of former President Trump, was shot while speaking at an event, resulting in a panic among the crowd of 3,000. As of Thursday, authorities had not arrested a suspect, and the FBI was investigating. Following Kirk’s death, there has been a call for increased security from many lawmakers.

“Vicious Spiral”

Trump was involved in two assassination attempts last year. In one attempt, the shooter was killed by authorities, and in the other, a man with a rifle was arrested near a golf club where Trump was playing. His trial has started this week. This year, two significant attacks by right-wing conspiracy theorists also occurred. In June, a Christian nationalist killed a Minnesota lawmaker and her husband. In August, a gunman targeting the CDC in Atlanta killed a police officer.

There have been at least 21 deaths from political violence since January, including 14 from an attack in New Orleans by a jihadist linked to the Islamic State. In May, a pro-Palestinian activist killed two Israeli embassy employees, stating it was for Gaza. Additionally, in July, a group of militants attacked an immigration detention center in Texas, injuring a police officer.

Since taking office, Trump has reduced efforts to combat domestic extremism, focusing on immigration instead. A researcher from the University of Maryland warns that the political climate is dangerous, with increasing violence from those who oppose recent government changes.

with information from Reuters

The FBI has released photos of a person of interest in the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Investigators say they also have video footage but are withholding it while they work on identifying the person.

Sidi Bou Said, Tunisia – Pro-Palestinian participants in the Global Sumud Flotilla, seeking to end the Israeli blockade of Gaza, are adamant that they will continue their mission, despite two attacks on their vessels this week.

Attacks on the vessels docked at Sidi Bou Said port in Tunisia from projectiles on Monday night and Tuesday night led to no casualties, but have shaken flotilla participants.

Organisers have blamed Israel for the attacks and said the boats were hit by drones. Tunisian authorities acknowledged the attacks but said no drones were detected, promising an investigation.

“We are definitely sailing to Gaza, there is nothing that will prevent us sailing to Gaza whatsoever,” said Tara Reynor O’Grady, a 55-year-old Irish human rights activist. “Don’t be distracted by the strikes, they are made to confuse people, then a lot of panic happens, a lot of false information goes around, but we are determined, we are clear and focused in the way we have to achieve our goal, which is to reach Gaza, break the siege and open a humanitarian sea corridor.”

Hundreds of volunteers had assembled on Wednesday at Sidi Bou Said, preparing to set sail. Boats had arrived from Spain on Sunday, with more vessels joining from Tunisia.

However, the flotilla, named after the Arabic word for perseverance, is yet to depart from Tunisia, with preparations continuing.

According to organisers, the plan is for a first wave of vessels – the ones in the best condition – to set sail together to a point in the Mediterranean Sea, where they will rendezvous with other boats departing from ports in Italy and Greece.

Meanwhile, several vessels are still expected to arrive in Tunisia from the first leg, which departed from Barcelona last week. Once repaired and stocked, these ships will form a second wave, departing after the first, meeting up with the rest of the flotilla, and setting course towards the Palestinian shores of the Gaza Strip.

Determined to continue

The attacks earlier this week hit two of the flotilla’s ships – the Family boat, which has had several members of the flotilla’s steering committee, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, on board; and the Alma.

Tadhg Hickey, an Irish comedian, writer and filmmaker who has been on board the Alma, told Al Jazeera that the attacks were “mere distractions”.

“As a team, we remain relaxed and focused on putting our comprehensive training into action, and first and foremost our primary goal of breaking the immoral, illegal siege of Gaza,” Hickey said.

The flotilla’s steering committee has insisted that the vessels will continue on their way to Gaza despite the attacks.

“Israel continues to breach international law and terrorise us. We will sail to break the blockade on Gaza no matter what they do,” one steering committee member, Saif Abukeshek, said.

Some flotilla participants have had to field anguished calls from family members worried about their safety.

“My mother found out about the attack while I was asleep, and she is really struggling,” said one volunteer, who insisted she would carry on to Gaza.

Meanwhile, other activists are worried that they may not be able to get a place on a vessel – with the number of people hoping to join the flotilla now exceeding the available places on participating ships – the exact number of which has been guarded for security reasons.

“I hope I can get a spot in one of the ships, but I think it’s going to be difficult,” said Andrea, a Mexican activist living in Austria.

Sept. 11 (UPI) — Shopify’s COO is taking over the top role at Opendoor Technologies, while the company’s co-founders are back in the fold.

The online residential real estate company announced Wednesday that Shopify’s Chief Operating Officer Kaz Nejatian has been appointed its CEO and a board member.

“It’s a privilege to become Opendoor’s leader,” said Nejatian in a press release. “Few life events are as important as buying or selling a home.”

“Opendoor returns to FounderMode,” Opendoor co-founder Keith Rabois posted to X Wednesday. “And we just hired the absolute best executive who has a founder brain as CEO: [Kaz Nejatian].”

As for Rabois, he’s now back with the company as the Opendoor board chairperson, while company co-founder Eric Wu is back as a member of the board.

Rabois and Wu co-founded Opendoor in 2013.

“Opendoor’s mission is more relevant than ever,” Wu said in the release. “Homeowners deserve a better system, and with Kaz’s vision, mentality and creativity, I’m confident he can lead Opendoor’s next chapter and build a category-defining company.”

The move has generated a massive stock swing in the right direction, as Opendoor stock soared 60% Thursday following the announcement.

“Welcome back home,” Opendoor posted to its social media Wednesday. “Keith Rabois and Eric Wu are back on the Opendoor board.”

“Their founding leadership is written in the DNA of the company, and we look forward to the future ahead,” it concluded.

Funeral services have been held for the six people killed in an Israeli strike targeting Hamas leaders in the Qatari capital Doha, as Arab leaders continue to visit the Gulf nation to express solidarity.

One coffin bearing a Qatari flag and five others bearing Palestinian flags were brought to Doha’s Imam Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab Mosque, live footage from Qatar television showed on Thursday.

“The mood has been sombre since the death toll from Israel’s failed assassination attempt against the leadership of Hamas in Doha was announced earlier this week,” Al Jazeera’s Osama Bin Javed reported.

“We heard the Qatari prime minister giving special prayers for him at the funeral ceremony,” he added.

The Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani was also present, standing in the front row, “signalling that Qatar stands by its people, especially with those who gave their lives in this unprecedented attack on a Gulf Cooperation Council country”, Bin Javed said, reporting from the Qatari capital.

The Israeli military targeted Hamas leaders in Doha on Tuesday as they were meeting to discuss the latest Gaza ceasefire proposal put forth by US President Donald Trump.

At least six people were killed in the attack, including five low-ranking Hamas members. However, the group said its leadership survived the assassination bid.

Qatari Lance Corporal Badr Saad Mohammed al-Humaidi al-Dosari was also among the killed.

In the aftermath of the Doha attack, US President Donald Trump said he felt “very badly” about the location of the attacks and later told reporters he was “not thrilled” by Israel’s actions.

Former Israeli government adviser Daniel Levy says Israel’s attack against a Hamas delegation in Qatar sends a message not just to the Palestinian group, but to the region.

“Either get on board with our project of regional hegemony, which includes the displacement and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians, or we dare you because we have America on our side and we are unassailable militarily,” Levy said.

Arab states express solidarity

A slew of Arab and Muslim leaders descended on Doha since Israel’s unprecedented attack, including United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who met the emir on Wednesday.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also arrived in the Qatari capital to express his country’s show of support for the tiny Gulf nation. Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was expected in Doha on Thursday.

The Qatari Emir also received a verbal message of solidarity from Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on Thursday, conveyed by his Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty during a meeting in Doha.

Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Abdelatty’s visit was aimed at expressing the country’s “full solidarity” with Qatar and “to discuss ways to deal with the dangerous Israeli escalation and coordinate positions” with senior Qatari officials.

Qatar will convene an emergency Arab-Islamic summit to discuss Israel’s attack, according to the state news agency QNA, a possible hint of what shape a collective regional response would take.

The summit will take place in Doha on Sunday and Monday.

The announcement came as the United Nations Security Council opened an emergency session on Thursday to discuss the attack, which was delayed a day to allow the Qatari prime minister to attend the meeting.

Hamas condemns the attack

Hamas spokesperson Fawzi Barhoum, in a televised statement on Thursday, said the Israeli attempt to assassinate Hamas’s negotiating delegation in Doha and continued threats to target the movement’s leadership abroad showed Israel’s “failure to achieve its goals” after 23 months of genocidal war on Gaza that has killed more than 64,000 Palestinians.

In the Palestinian group’s first address since Tuesday’s attack, Barhoum said that the group will keep fighting despite the assassination attempt.

“The Israeli attack cannot dent our resolve by targeting our leaders,” the Hamas spokesperson said. “The crime did not target the negotiating delegation, but rather the entire negotiation process.”

The attack on Tuesday was the first such attack by Israel on Qatar, which has been a key mediator in ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas. Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani has dubbed Israel’s targeting of Hamas leaders “state terrorism”.

“There is a response that will happen from the region. This response is currently under consultation and discussion with other partners in the region,” he told US media outlet CNN on Wednesday, adding that “the entire Gulf region is at risk”.

However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seemed undeterred, threatening further attacks on Qatar.

“I say to Qatar and all nations who harbour terrorists, you either expel them or you bring them to justice. Because if you don’t, we will,” Netanyahu said on Wednesday.

Israel has assassinated many of Hamas’s top military and political leaders in the last two years, such as top political leader Yahya Sinwar; military commander Mohammed Deif, one of the founders of the Qassam Brigades in the 1990s; and political chief Ismail Haniyeh, who was assassinated in Iran’s capital, Tehran.

Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the Israeli prime minister’s comments, calling them a “shameful attempt … to justify the cowardly attack that targeted Qatari territory, as well as the explicit threats of future violations of state sovereignty”.

On Thursday, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs “condemned and denounced” Netanyahu’s comments, calling them “hostile”.

“Any aggression against a GCC member state constitutes an attack on the collective Gulf security framework,” the ministry said, stressing that “the continuation of such provocative and hostile rhetoric undermines prospects for stability and pushes the region towards extremely dangerous trajectories”.

Al Jazeera’s Rob McBride shows us what’s left of one police station after deadly protests in Nepal’s capital. The protests led to the resignation of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli this week.

Mourners gathered in Qatar’s capital Doha to pray for six victims of Israel’s attack, including a 22-year-old policeman. The strike has been described as unprecedented for the Gulf.

Sept. 11 (UPI) — President Donald Trump spoke at the Pentagon Thursday giving his condolences and telling the stories of those who died in the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

In his speech, Trump mentioned that the Pentagon was built 84 years ago, and “On Sept. 11, 2001, those same walls built with the sweat and muscle blood of our parents and grandparents were scarred by flame and shaken by terror as our country came face to face with pure evil on that fateful day, savage monsters attacked the very symbols of our civilization.”

“That terrible morning, 24 years ago, time itself stood still,” he went on. “The laughter of school children fell silent. The rush of our traffic came to an absolute halt, and for 2,977 innocent souls and their families, the entire world came crashing down so suddenly. … To every member that still feels a void every day of your lives, the first lady and I unite with you in sorrow and today, as one nation, we renew our sacred vow that we will never forget Sept. 11, 2001.”

Trump also mentioned the “Department of War,” what he’s renamed the Department of Defense, though it hasn’t yet been approved by Congress.

“In the years that followed, America’s warriors, avenged the fallen and sent an unmistakable message to every enemy around the world, ‘If you attack the United States of America, we will hunt you down, and we will find you, go all over the sometimes-magnificent Earth. We will crush you without mercy, and we will triumph without question.’

“That’s why we named the former Department of Defense the Department of War. It will be different. We won the first World War. We won the Second World War. We won everything before that and in between. And then we decided to change the name. Well, now we have it back to where we all want it. Everybody wanted it. Everybody is so happy to have it back. You will fail, and America will win, win, win. The enemy will always fail.”

He then went back to telling stories of those killed in the 9/11 attacks and the families of those killed.

At the beginning of his speech, Trump mentioned the “heinous assassination” of political commentator Charlie Kirk who was shot and killed while hosting an event in Utah on Wednesday.

“Charlie was a giant of his generation, a champion of liberty. Our prayers are with his wonderful wife Erika [Frantzve] and his beautiful children. Fantastic people, they are,” Trump said.

He then announced that he will posthumously award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Before Trump spoke, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth — introduced as Secretary of War — spoke, mentioning that “Islamist terrorists” attacked the United States.

“War is an enduring aspect of the human condition, a tool that, when wielded wisely, punishes enemies intent on terrorizing or subjugating our nation,” he said. “War must not become a mere tool for global social work eager to risk American blood and treasure for utopian fever dreams. We should hit hard, reap vengeance and return home.”

According to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, 2,977 people died during the attacks, including 2,753 in New York City, 184 at the Pentagon and 40 on Flight 93 that crashed in Pennsylvania.

The president is expected to travel to New York later Thursday to attend a Yankees game. The Yankees are expected to have a pregame ceremony to recognize the victims and heroes of 9/11.

Vice President JD Vance was scheduled to attend a ceremony in New York, but changed his schedule to head to Utah to offer condolences to the family of Charlie Kirk.

Towards the end of his spell at Tottenham, Ange Postecoglou was embattled, despite guiding Spurs to the Europa League final.

After beating Bodo/Glimt in Norway in May, he was combative in response to questions about whether winning the competition would save Spurs’ season.

Those who have worked with him feel that was down to the pressure. He dealt with it by firing back to his critics and doubters.

Fast forward to now, and the 60-year-old was relaxed in the City Ground press room, joking about how his birthday celebrations at the weekend were interrupted by negotiations with Forest and how the school run was the best motivator to return to work.

But there was the importance of winning – and winning trophies. It will not have escaped anyone’s attention owner Evangelos Marinakis referenced winning trophies in his statement announcing Postecoglou’s arrival.

So the pressure at Forest will be there – maybe not to the extent it was at Spurs – but he has been brought to the City Ground to progress the team and club.

Forest have not spent £180m this summer and installed Postecoglou in order to go backwards after last season’s seventh-place finish.

While winning the Premier League is out of reach, the Europa League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup will all be seen as legitimate targets.

Forest have not won a major trophy since lifting the League Cup in 1990.

Postecoglou has pedigree. He has won trophies throughout his career, including two Scottish titles with Celtic and the Asian Cup with Australia, and there will be an immediate expectation for Forest to challenge for silverware again.

Satellite images show how Israel is obliterating large areas of Gaza City as its offensive intensifies, forcibly displacing one million Palestinians in its campaign of destruction.

With the current growing tensions between Venezuela and the United States, it’s worth recalling a little-known aerial mission that the U.S. military launched to interdict narcotics coming out of Central and South America back in the 1990s. Most notably, the announcement earlier this week that 10 F-35s will deploy to Puerto Rico startled some, but it is actually far from unprecedented. In fact, something similar was happening for years, decades ago. This was Coronet Nighthawk, which employed U.S. Air Force fighters to patrol against suspected drug traffickers.

Starting with the current situation, the deployment of F-35s has been taken by some as evidence that the United States is planning to go to war directly with Venezuela. However, as we have previously pointed out, these stealth jets could also be used for a range of other relevant tasks. In particular, their advanced sensors make them ideal intelligence-gathering platforms. You can read more about that here.

We are still waiting to hear more about the F-35 deployment. Currently, it remains unclear where they will come from, when they arrive, and what they will do once they get there.

However, the deployment does have some parallels with Coronet Nighthawk, a counterdrug operation that began in the early 1990s and employed fighter aircraft to patrol the skies of Central America and the Caribbean and detect suspected drug-running aircraft. This was at a time of huge concern around drug trafficking and smuggling into the United States, which had begun to peak during the era of the Reagan administration in the mid-1980s.

The main facility for Coronet Nighthawk was Howard Air Force Base in Panama, although assets would eventually also be rotated into other airfields in the Caribbean and Central America.

This mission was initially undertaken by Air Combat Command before transitioning from the active-duty component to the Air National Guard. Fighters were on 24/7 alert to intercept possible drug-trafficking aircraft and to provide overwatch to dissuade such flights. On receiving coordinates of a suspect flight, fighters were expected to scramble within 15 minutes and would then go and investigate them.

F-15s and F-16s were involved, with an example of the former pictured at the top of this story. Dated 1993, the original caption describes it as an F-15 sent to identify an aircraft that was possibly hauling drugs as detected by the Southern Regional Operations Center.

A Washington Post article from 2000, detailing the 113th Wing’s activities in Curaçao provides an idea of how the mission worked:

“The fast, agile F-16s would quickly intercept the suspect planes in international airspace as they flew over open water. The aircraft would be identified and tracked along their route and then followed again after making suspected deliveries. Information on the planes’ actions and location would be passed on to law enforcement agencies and local civil authorities for possible arrests and seizures.”

It appears the U.S. Air Force fighters flew their missions unarmed, serving as the ‘eyes in the sky’ to locate suspect aircraft as well as to dissuade them from being in the airspace in the first instance.

However, intercepting ‘slow-movers’ was and remains a challenge for a jet fighter.

“The drug runners aren’t running at high noon,” Col. Mike Redman, the 113th Wing vice commander, told the Washington Post. “They’re doing it very early in the morning, and they’re flying low over the water.” Typically, the drug-runners would try and fly at low speed, just below the clouds.

The Coronet Nighthawk mission was wound up in 2001, due to the implementation of the Panama Canal Treaty, which handed the canal back to the Panamanian government at the end of December 1999, together with U.S. military bases in the country. (In 2002, the Coronet Nighthawk name would be resurrected for the deployment to Europe of Air Force F-117 stealth fighters).

Clearly, however, the mission had been successful in terms of its original remit.

As of the early 1990s, 75 percent of the drugs in the region were assessed to be transported by air, according to an official history from the 142nd Wing, one of the units that provided fighter jets. By the time the mission ended, the percentage of drugs transported in the region by air had been reduced to 25 percent, as the drug traffickers changed their approach accordingly.

According to one publicly available account, between September 1994 and the end of the decade, Coronet Nighthawk fighters were credited with ensuring the disruption or seizure of over 33,000 metric tons of cocaine.

“We didn’t go over there expecting to completely stop the flow of cocaine coming into the country,” Maj. Conal J. Brady III, a 199th Fighter Squadron F-15 pilot, said in one contemporary account. “But we did make a dent in it and made it a lot harder for the drug runners.”

As far as the 142nd Wing and its F-15s were concerned, they made six deployments to Panama for Coronet Nighthawk, first in 1992, twice in 1993, again in 1994, over the New Year 1995–96, and lastly in 1999. A typical deployment involved five F-15s and around 50 airmen, with personnel rotating every two weeks.

“It’s a real-world mission, but at least the weather’s nice and you’re working under the palm trees near white sand beaches,” Redman explained to the Washington Post.

It should be recalled that, during the same timeframe, an overseas F-16 assignment might otherwise take airmen to a desert base in the Middle East, to fly long-duration ‘no-fly’ zone missions over Iraq.

The current F-35 deployment is a fairly clear indication that the situation in the region is currently heating up.

Back in the 1990s, most of the narcotics traffic was underway in the air. The pulse-Doppler lookdown radars on the F-15s and F-16s were key to finding aerial targets, which were mainly active at night.

Now, most of the drugs in the region are moved on the surface of the water. Modern fighters have even more powerful radars paired with electro-optical systems that can detect and investigate targets on the surface and do so very quickly. With the U.S. military now also engaging suspected drug traffickers at sea, fighters would also be able to attack those targets themselves. The air threat from Venezuela is also not nonexistent. While the token fleet of aging F-16s is not a huge concern, Venezuela does have 21 more potent Su-30MK2V Flanker multirole fighters.

For the time being, at least, it seems that the favored option for counter-narcotics missions involves the MQ-9 Reaper drone, at least two of which have recently been noted in Puerto Rico. Although these are among a number of different aircraft now involved, MQ-9s can carry a variety of missiles as well as sensors for surveillance and can loiter for more than 24 hours over a target, making them an ideal platform for these missions. What they cannot do is respond anywhere near as rapidly as a fighter.

Meanwhile, although Coronet Nighthawk was just one of many military efforts by the U.S. government to try to stop the flow of drugs into the country from Central and South America, it appears to have been one of the more successful ones.

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