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Sept. 11 (UPI) — At least three people are dead and 90 are injured following the explosion of a gas tanker in Mexico City, officials said.

Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada Molina announced the casualty toll online, listing all 90 people who were injured and the hospitals where they were being treated. Ages of the victims ranged from 6 months to 60 years old.

At least 10 people have been discharged from the hospital, she said.

Earlier, before any fatalities had been reported and when only 57 people were known to be injured, she said 19 were listed in serious condition.

The tanker exploded under Concordia Bridge, resulting in a fire.

“The roadways remain closed to traffic and there are disruptions in public transportation of the area,” she said on X, while posting pictures showing victims being loaded onto police helicopters and the smoking wreckage of the tanker.

President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo of Mexico expressed her “solidarity and support” to the families of the three deceased victims and to those of the injured.

“Likewise, I express my recognition to the emergency services that are supporting in this unfortunate incident,” she said in a statement, adding federal agencies were responding to the explosion.

Here are the key events on day 1,295 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Here is how things stand on Thursday, September 11:

Fighting

• Russian forces launched a “massive” attack across Ukraine, with 415 drones and 40 cruise and ballistic missiles, Ukrainian President Volodmyr Zelenskyy said in a post on X on Wednesday.
• Ukrainian forces destroyed more than 380 Russian drones, including at least 250 Shahed drones, Zelenskyy added in a later post.
• Russia’s TASS state news agency said that a man who was injured by a Ukrainian drone while driving a truck has died in hospital, according to Ruslan Khomenko, the head of the Kherson region’s Aleshkinsky district.
• The Russian Ministry of Defence said that its forces shot down 225 Ukrainian drones and a guided missile in a 24-hour period, TASS reported.

Regional security

• Poland’s state news agency PAP reported that the remains of a third drone were found in the country’s Swietokrzyskie province after Polish and NATO forces shot down suspected Russian drones that entered Poland’s airspace on Wednesday.
• United States President Donald Trump offered his first reaction to Russia’s drone incursion into Poland, posing the question: “What’s with Russia violating Poland’s airspace with drones?” and exclaiming: “Here we go!” on his Truth Social platform.
• Trump also spoke with Polish President Karol Nawrocki on Wednesday afternoon, “regarding the repeated violation of Polish airspace by Russian drones, which occurred last night”, according to a post on X by the Polish leader.
• US ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker went on X to write: “We stand by our NATO Allies in the face of these airspace violations and will defend every inch of NATO territory.”
• Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs dismissed the Polish allegations as “myths” while Moscow’s Defence Ministry stressed that “there were no plans to hit any targets in Poland”, and expressed readiness to hold consultations with Polish counterparts.
• Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said he has received “proposals for concrete support for the air defence of our country”, after speaking with the leaders of France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, the Netherlands, Ukraine and NATO.
• French President Emmanuel Macron said that the intrusion of “numerous” Russian drones into Polish airspace was “unacceptable” and showed “further evidence of Russia’s escalatory stance”.
• Macron also said he had an “excellent phone call” with President Trump, about the “troubling developments in Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, particularly following Russian drone incursions into Poland”.

Military aid

• David McGuinty, Canada’s minister of national defence, said his country delivered eight Armoured Combat Support Vehicles (ACSVs) to Poland, which “are on their way to Ukraine”.
• The UK said it would mass-produce Ukrainian-designed interceptor drones to help Ukraine counter Russian missiles and one-way attack drones.

Sanctions

• President Zelenskyy said that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had informed him about work with the US on strengthening sanctions against Russia.
• US Republican Congressman Joe Wilson introduced a bill to reimpose Soviet-era trade restrictions on Russia, “after the attack on Poland”.
• The European Commission is considering listing some independent Chinese oil refineries in its 19th package of sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, with the possibility of the proposal coming as soon as Friday.

Israeli forces killed more than 70 people in Gaza on Wednesday and launched deadly attacks on Yemen after earlier strikes on Hamas delegation in Doha, Qatar.

Charlie Kirk, a right-wing activist and commentator who became a household name in the United States as an outspoken ally of President Donald Trump, has been shot and killed at a Utah college event.

As the CEO and cofounder of the conservative youth organisation Turning Point USA, the 31-year-old Kirk attracted millions of viewers online for his outdoor debates on US college campuses.

Video of the shooting circulating on social media showed Kirk speaking to a large outdoor crowd and, moments later, falling off his chair with his hands on his neck after a loud crack that sounded like a gunshot.

He was pronounced dead after being brought to hospital in critical condition.

Utah authorities said Kirk was killed with a single shot that likely came from the rooftop of a nearby building in what is believed to be a targeted killing.

FBI director Kash Patel said a suspect in the shooting had been taken into custody but then released after interrogation.

The subject in custody has been released after an interrogation by law enforcement. Our investigation continues and we will continue to release information in interest of transparency https://t.co/YXsG6YpFR5

— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) September 10, 2025

Kirk was known for his polarising debates on hot-button topics, including transgender identity and abortion.

An online petition calling on university administrators to prevent him from speaking on Wednesday had received nearly 1,000 signatures.

With the rise of political violence across the US in recent years, Kirk’s killing has brought condemnation from both sides of the political spectrum.

Here are reactions to the news of Kirk’s death:

US President Donald Trump

President Trump, who survived two assassination attempts last year, wrote on his Truth Social platform that “The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead”.

Playing the role of adviser and supporter in previous Trump election campaigns, Kirk developed a close relationship with Trump’s campaign team and his family.

“No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie. He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me,” Trump wrote.

“In honour of Charlie Kirk, a truly Great American Patriot, I am ordering all American Flags throughout the United States lowered to Half Mast until Sunday evening at 6 PM,” he said.

Former US President Joe Biden

Joe Biden, who was running for president in 2020 when Kirk was a vocal ally of the Trump campaign, condemned the shooting on the X platform.

“There is no place in our country for this kind of violence. It must end now. Jill and I are praying for Charlie Kirk’s family and loved ones,” he wrote.

There is no place in our country for this kind of violence. It must end now. Jill and I are praying for Charlie Kirk’s family and loved ones.

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) September 10, 2025

Former US President Barack Obama

“We don’t yet know what motivated the person who shot and killed Charlie Kirk, but this kind of despicable violence has no place in our democracy. Michelle and I will be praying for Charlie’s family tonight, especially his wife Erika and their two young children.”

We don’t yet know what motivated the person who shot and killed Charlie Kirk, but this kind of despicable violence has no place in our democracy. Michelle and I will be praying for Charlie’s family tonight, especially his wife Erika and their two young children.

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) September 10, 2025

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

Kirk repeatedly professed his Christian Evangelical faith and was a staunch supporter of Israel during his on-air debates at college campuses. In a post on X, Israel’s Netanyahu regretted that the activist could not visit Israel as planned.

“Charlie Kirk was murdered for speaking truth and defending freedom. A lion-hearted friend of Israel, he fought the lies and stood tall for Judeo-Christian civilization. I spoke to him only two weeks ago and invited him to Israel. Sadly, that visit will not take place. We lost an incredible human being. His boundless pride in America and his valiant belief in free speech will leave a lasting impact.”

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer

“My thoughts this evening are with the loved ones of Charlie Kirk. It is heartbreaking that a young family has been robbed of a father and a husband.

“We must all be free to debate openly and freely without fear – there can be no justification for political violence,” he wrote.

My thoughts this evening are with the loved ones of Charlie Kirk.

It is heartbreaking that a young family has been robbed of a father and a husband.

We must all be free to debate openly and freely without fear – there can be no justification for political violence.

— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) September 10, 2025

Robert F Kennedy Jr, US Secretary of Health and Human Services

“Once again, a bullet has silenced the most eloquent truth teller of an era. My dear friend Charlie Kirk was our country’s relentless and courageous crusader for free speech. We pray for Erika and the children,” Kennedy wrote on X.

“Charlie is already in paradise with the angels. We ask his prayers for our country.”

Hollywood actor Mel Gibson

“The brutal murder of Charlie Kirk is nothing short of evil a cowardly attack on America’s very soul. Faith, family, freedom, the right to speak truth trampled by violence. My blood boils. Justice must be relentless and unforgiving,” he wrote.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth

“If you knew him, you’d love him,” Hegseth told US troops, speaking of his admiration for and friendship with Kirk.

“Taken by an assassin’s bullet – unfathomable,” Hegseth said.

A prayer for Charlie Kirk and those who serve. pic.twitter.com/wWkEEvheRm

— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) September 11, 2025

Dean Withers, American livestreamer and liberal political commentator

Withers, who was often seen on the opposite end of Kirk during debates on political YouTube channels, posted a video on TikTok, which now has more than 10 million views, saying: “I’m sad, distraught. In fact, I just cried in front of my livestream in front of 250,000 people.”

He continued, “[Gun violence] is always disgusting, always vile and always abhorrent.”

“My thoughts and prayers go out to Charlie Kirk’s friends, family, children, loved ones, as well as every single person in attendance at his event today in Utah.”

Eduardo Bolsonaro – son of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro

Bolsonaro said in a post on the X platform that he was “shocked” by Kirk’s killing, whom he described as a “young man with a good heart … who dedicated his life to mobilising conservative youth in the US”.

“I had the honour of accompanying him in his work and know the greatness of his mission. Another conservative victim of hate and intolerance,” Bolsonaro wrote.

Sept. 10 (UPI) — Three students were injured Wednesday after a gunman opened fire at a Denver-area high school, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said, later adding that the suspect had died.

The shooting happened at around 12:34 p.m. MDT at Evergreen High School, JCSO spokeswoman Jacki Kelley said in a news briefing.

The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office announced Wednesday night that the suspect, a male student, had died from “self-inflicted injuries.”

Authorities initially said the suspect had been injured, but it wasn’t revealed who was responsible. The JCSO said it didn’t believe law enforcement fired any bullets and Kelley declined to provide any details such as a name, age or gender about the shooter due to his age.

“I don’t know if our suspect is even old enough to drive,” she said during the briefing.

Three of the students, including the suspected shooter, were transported to CommonSpirit St. Anthony Hospital in Lakewood, Colo., in critical condition. A fourth student was also taken to the hospital, but the cause of their injuries was unclear.

Police evacuated the high school, transporting the student body of about 900 to a reunification point at Bergen Meadow Elementary School. The JCSO said officials cleared Evergreen High School and there was no further threat to the community.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis issued a statement saying his “heart” goes out to the victims and their families.

“I, the Evergreen community and the entire State of Colorado are devastated by this and will keep the victims, as well as their friends and family, in our thoughts,” he said.

“This kind of violence has no place in Colorado, especially our schools where kids should feel safe to lear and grow.”

Downing Street later stressed that ‘the UK and Israel are longstanding allies’ despite their differences.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has criticised Israel’s “man-made famine” in Gaza following a controversial meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog in London.

“They must stop the man-made famine from worsening further by letting aid in and halting their offensive operations,” a Downing Street spokesperson said following the meeting on Wednesday.

Starmer “implored Israel to change course” in Gaza, the spokesperson said.

The rare rebuke marks one of Starmer’s strongest criticisms of Israel since taking office in July 2024. It also comes as aid groups warn that hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza face catastrophic hunger after nearly two years of bombardment and blockade.

Herzog’s visit to London drew widespread criticism in the United Kingdom, with thousands demonstrating outside Downing Street for a second consecutive day, according to the Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

Protesters also gathered at the London-based think tank Chatham House, banging pots and pans as Herzog delivered a speech.

“There’s a genocide happening and the president of that country is in our country and being welcomed here, when nobody is happy about it,” a protester told Al Jazeera.

“This is not diplomacy,” said another protester.

“You are aiding and abetting a genocide – and this man is not welcome in our country.”

The meeting between Herzog and Starmer came a day after Israel launched an air strike on Qatar, a close ally of the United States and the UK, that targeted a Hamas leadership delegation.

The Downing Street spokesperson said Starmer told Herzog the strike on Doha was “unacceptable” and condemned it as “a flagrant violation of a key partner’s sovereignty”.

Despite the sharp words, the spokesperson added that “the UK and Israel are longstanding allies”.

Speaking after his meeting with Starmer, Herzog confirmed the two leaders had “argued out of respect”.

“Things were said that were tough and strong,” Herzog said, adding, “Clearly, we can argue, because when allies meet, they can argue. We are both democracies.”

Herzog also said that he had invited the UK to send “a fact-finding mission” to Israel “to study the situation in Gaza on the humanitarian level”.

Herzog previously said publicly that the “entire [Palestinian] nation” was responsible for the October 7 attacks on Israel, and two months later, he was witnessed personally signing artillery shells due to be fired into Gaza.

In parliament earlier on Wednesday, Scottish National Party leader Stephen Flynn asked: “What does it say of this prime minister that he will harbour this man whilst children starve?”

Starmer defended his decision to meet Herzog, rejecting calls to cut diplomatic ties. “I will not give up on diplomacy,” he said.

“That is the politics of students.”

One of the fiercest and most widely followed rivalries in sport will be in the spotlight once again when India clashes with Pakistan in cricket’s T20 Asia Cup 2025.

Both teams will be riding a wave of confidence, given their recent form in T20 internationals.

Defending champions India made a winning start to their campaign with a nine-wicket thrashing of hosts United Arab Emirates (UAE) in their Group A game in Dubai.

Meanwhile, Pakistan enters the Asia Cup on the back of a tri-nation T20 series win against Afghanistan and the UAE in Sharjah.

Here’s everything you need to know about the match:

When and where is India vs Pakistan?

The Group A fixture is scheduled for Sunday and will begin at 6:30pm (14:30 GMT) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Why is Dubai hosting India vs Pakistan?

India was slated to host the tournament as per the hosting rights schedule, and while the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) remains the official host of the tournament, it is being played in the UAE due to the recent conflict between India and Pakistan.

Why doesn’t India play bilateral cricket series against Pakistan?

The Indian government has barred its athletes and teams from competing against their Pakistani counterparts in bilateral tournaments in all sports. Indian athletes are also barred from travelling to Pakistan, forcing all India-Pakistan encounters in multination sports tournaments to be hosted at a neutral venue.

Prior to the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, both countries agreed to host each other at a neutral venue during ICC events.

What’s the weather forecast for India vs Pakistan in Dubai?

September is typically a hot month in the UAE, and this year is no different.

The weather forecast for Sunday is hot and humid, with highs of 41 degrees Celsius (105 degrees Fahrenheit) and partial cloud cover.

It will get slightly cooler in the evening as the match will start just after sunset and the temperature will drop to 33 degrees Celsius (91 degrees Fahrenheit).

What happened in the last India vs Pakistan match?

The last meeting between India and Pakistan was at the same venue, Dubai, on February 23, in the group stage of the ICC Champions Trophy.

A Virat Kohli batting masterclass helped India win by six wickets on a slow Dubai pitch, where Pakistan posted 241 in 49.4 overs. It was India’s 58th win over Pakistan in one-day internationals (ODI). Pakistan have beaten India 73 times in the ODI format.

How many times has Pakistan won the Asia Cup?

Pakistan have lifted the trophy on two occasions – in 2000 and 2012 – and qualified for the final five times.

India are seven-time Asia Cup champions, with 11 appearances in the final.

How many times has India beaten Pakistan in the Asia Cup?

In their 19 clashes in the Asia Cup, India have beaten Pakistan 10 times and lost to their neighbours on six occasions. Three matches, including the group-stage match in 2023, were abandoned due to poor weather.

When was the last time Pakistan beat India?

Pakistan’s last Asia Cup win over India came in the 2022 edition in the UAE. Mohammad Rizwan top-scored with 71 runs in the Super Four clash, but it was Mohammad Nawaz’s 20-ball-41 that took Pakistan over the line in the run chase.

How many times will India play Pakistan at the Asia Cup?

While Sunday’s match is, so far, the only confirmed India vs Pakistan match at the Asia Cup, they could meet again on September 21 in a Super Fours clash, should they qualify for the second stage.

The September 28 final offers cricket fans the chance of a third India vs Pakistan match in two weeks – if both teams qualify.

India vs Pakistan: Head-to-head in T20Is

Since the inaugural ICC T20 World Cup in 2007, the countries have met in 13 T20Is. India has won 10 times, including the first match in 2007, which was tied and then decided in a Super Over.

Two of Pakistan’s three wins came in Dubai.

Players to watch: India

• Abhishek Sharma: The fact that the young top-order batter has managed to carve a spot in a highly competitive T20 Indian batting lineup is enough to mark Sharma as one to watch in the Asia Cup. The 24-year-old boasts the highest career strike rate of 193 among all batters in T20s and backs it up with two centuries and half-centuries in the format.
• Varun Chakaravarthy: The 34-year-old leg-spin bowler’s second foray into the Indian side has reaped him big rewards as he has taken 27 wickets in his last 12 T20I matches.

Players to watch: Pakistan

• Hasan Nawaz: Pakistan have often been criticised for their batters’ inability to match modern-day T20 batting strike rates, but in Nawaz, they seem to have found a solution to this problem. The 23-year-old has a strike rate of 174, with a T20 hundred and two fifties in his 16 matches.
• Sufiyan Muqeem: The left-arm wrist spinner has taken 25 wickets in his 17 T20Is since making his debut less than two years ago and has become a mainstay of the bowling lineup in limited-overs cricket.

Form guide: India

Prior to the Asia Cup, India hadn’t played a T20 match since hosting England in a five-match series in January and February.

The T20 world champions won the series 4-1 to maintain their dominance at the top of the ICC T20 men’s teams rankings.

In fact, India have only lost three of the 20 T20s they have played since winning the World Cup in June 2024.

Last five results (most recent first): W-W-W-L-W

Form guide: Pakistan

Pakistan’s form in T20s has been mixed of late, and they have won three of their five T20 series this year.

They head into the marquee clash with a series win in the bag.

Last five results (most recent first): W-W-L-W-W

Team news: India

India have been bolstered by Jasprit Bumrah’s return to the T20 side after a long injury and workload management forced layoff.

They are likely to keep the same XI that beat the UAE in the opening match.

Predicted XI: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav.

Squad: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Shubman Gill, Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wicketkeeper), Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper).

Team news: Pakistan

As is the norm in Pakistan cricket, the team has gone through a number of changes since the T20 World Cup 2024, including squad shuffling, a change of captaincy and the introduction of new coaching staff.

Since May, though, the team and captain have remained largely unchanged. Pakistan are likely to field a mix of youth and experience in their XI for Sunday’s match.

Predicted XI: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Salman Agha (captain), Hasan Nawaz, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed, Sufiyan Muqeem.

Squad: Salman Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem.

Where can I buy tickets for India vs Pakistan?

A selection of seats, starting at $135 apiece for the general stand and going up to $4,550 for a two-person hospitality box, are still available on the tournament’s official ticketing website, Platinumlist, and at the stadium’s ticketing office.

How to watch, follow and stream India vs Pakistan?

Al Jazeera Sport will have a live photo and text commentary stream from 09:00 GMT on Sunday.

A number of digital streaming platforms and regional broadcasters will have live coverage of the match.

South Korean companies will be “very hesitant” about investing in the US following a massive immigration raid at a Hyundai plant in the state of Georgia last week, President Lee Jae-myung said.

More than 300 South Koreans who were arrested in the raid are due to return home on Friday, after their departure was delayed “due to circumstances on the US side”, officials said.

“The situation is extremely bewildering,” said Lee, noting that it is common practice for Korean firms to send workers to help set up overseas factories.

“If that’s no longer allowed, establishing manufacturing facilities in the US will only become more difficult… making companies question whether it’s worth doing at all.”

Last week, US officials detained 475 people – more than 300 of them South Korean nationals – who they said were working illegally at the battery facility, one of the largest foreign investment projects in the state.

A worker at the plant spoke to the BBC about the panic and confusion during the raid. The employee said the vast majority of the workers detained were mechanics installing production lines at the site, and were employed by a contractor.

South Korea, a close US ally in Asia, has pledged to invest tens of billions of dollars in America, partly to offset tariffs.

The timing of the raid, as the two governments engage in sensitive trade talks, has raised concern in Seoul.

The White House has defended the operation at the Hyundai plant, dismissing concerns that the raid could deter foreign investment.

On Sunday, US President Donald Trump referenced the raid in a social media post and called for foreign companies to hire Americans.

The US government would make it “quickly and legally possible” for foreign firms to bring workers into the country if they respected its immigration laws, Trump said.

Fox News doesn’t want to talk about the crude doodle of a naked woman, with its creepy message printed across her breasts and torso, and a signature — “Donald” — in her pubic area.

And it certainly doesn’t want to draw attention to a newly released photo of the convicted child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein holding an oversized check signed “DJTRUMP,” with a caption that reads, “Jeffrey showing early talents with money + women! Sells ‘fully depreciated’ [female’s name redacted] to Donald Trump for $22,500.”

While just about everyone has had something to say about the most damning documents yet to come out of the so-called Epstein files, America’s No. 1 cable news network has opted to sit this one out.

Questions about President Trump’s shared history with the nation’s most notorious sex offender shot to the top of news feeds Tuesday after the Republican-led House Oversight Committee released documents to the public that it had subpoenaed from the Epstein estate. The material included notes, drawings and photos from friends and associates to Epstein on his 50th birthday in 2003.

Donald Trump, his future wife Melania, Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell at Mar-a-Lago in 2000.

(Davidoff Studios Photography / Getty Images)

The “body art” letter that appears to be written by Trump features this bizarre, imaginary conversation:

Voice Over: There must be more to life than having everything.
Donald: Yes, there is, but I won’t tell you what it is.
Jeffrey: Nor will I, since I already know what it is.
Donald: We have certain things in common, Jeffrey.
Jeffrey: Yes, we do come to think of it.
Donald: Enigmas never age, have you noticed that?
Jeffrey: As a matter of fact, it was clear to me the last time I saw you.
Donald: A pal is a wonderful thing. Happy birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret.

Fox News on Tuesday suppressed the skeezy birthday note like a dark family secret and instead focused on safer, more comfortable subject matter, like Bill Clinton. But there wasn’t much to say since the birthday greeting that appeared to have been signed by the former president lacked drawings of naked females or implications about buying girls and/or women for sex. The short passage praised Epstein’s “childlike curiosity.” Thankfully, Fox had other breaking stories to chase.

Host Sean Hannity focused on a deadly North Carolina train stabbing and how it implicated Democrats’ “woke” criminal policies. Earlier in the day, Fox News was busy plumbing the depths of the Biden “autopen” scandal after a “bombshell report.”

Fox News’ website was equally as busy avoiding the nation’s top story. It led with “Charlotte mayor scores primary reelection victory amid national backlash over gruesome train murder” and another breaking story: “Hellfire missile bounces off mysterious orb in stunning UAP footage shown to Congress.”

Its story on the scandalous documents? “Inside Epstein’s infamous ‘birthday book’: Clinton’s note, poolside candids and bizarre animal pics.” The piece was toward the bottom of the page, tucked away like dirty laundry. It never once mentioned Trump.

Ghislaine Maxwell compiled the birthday book, collecting sentiments from Epstein’s friends and then gifting the album to her high-rolling financier bestie. Less than two decades later, she would be convicted of sex trafficking, among other charges. Epstein died in jail of a reported suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on similar charges. Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison term.

Trump said Tuesday when asked to respond to the birthday letter, “I don’t comment on something that’s a dead issue. I gave all comments to the staff. It’s a dead issue.” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Tuesday during a briefing that “the president did not write this letter. He didn’t sign this letter.” She said the administration would be open to a handwriting expert reviewing the signature on the letter.

But several news organizations have beaten them to it and compared the signature on the Epstein letter against Trump’s signature on other documents, and found them to be similar.

The alleged Trump letter was first reported by the Wall Street Journal in July, when the president denied writing it and said it was “a fake thing.” He filed a lawsuit against the paper’s publisher, reporters and executives, including News Corp. owner Rupert Murdoch.

The album also contains messages that appear to be from other notable personalities, including the current U.K. ambassador to the U.S., Peter Mandelson; Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz, who was part of a legal team representing Trump during his first impeachment trial; and billionaire retail magnate Les Wexner.

The caption under the novelty-check photo appears to be written by Joel Pashcow, a Mar-a-Lago club member and former chairman of a New York real estate company. The woman’s name and photo are redacted in the caption and the image. Lawyers for Epstein’s estate removed the names and photos of women and minors who appeared in the book so possible victims of Epstein could not be identified.

Other drawings in the book make Trump’s alleged contribution look docile. They include a queasy illustration of Epstein handing out balloons to young girls. Fox did mention the drawings of Epstein being massaged by several topless women around a pool, and the one of a zebra having sex with a lion. How much time until it’s suggested that it could be the work of Biden’s autopen? 5,4,3…

Sept. 10 (UPI) — Four students were injured Wednesday after one of them opened fire at a Denver-area high school, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said.

The shooting happened around 12:34 p.m. at Evergreen High School, JCSO spokeswoman Jacki Kelley said in a news briefing.

It wasn’t revealed who injured the suspect, but the JCSO said it didn’t believe law enforcement fired any bullets. Kelley declined to provide any details such as a name, age or gender about the shooter due to his age.

“I don’t know if our suspect is even old enough to drive,” she said during the briefing.

Three of the students, including the suspected shooter, were transported to CommonSpirit St. Anthony Hospital in Lakewood, Colo., in critical condition. A fourth student was also taken to the hospital, but the cause of their injuries was unclear.

Police evacuated the high school, transporting the student body of about 900 to a reunification point at Burgen Meadow Elementary School. The JCSO said officials cleared Evergreen High School and there was no further threat to the community.

On the fringes of Okpanam in Delta State, South South Nigeria, there was once a place known simply as “Fulani Camp.” For decades, it was a quiet settlement where nomadic herders grazed cattle, built homes from bamboo and mud, and lived peacefully in proximity with indigenous neighbours. Tensions were not uncommon, but life carried on. People traded, children played, and Saturdays meant weddings, football, and farming.

Today, the same community is unrecognisable. In its place stands a fortified enclave, now dominated by the Eastern Security Network (ESN)—the militant wing of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). Residents call it “liberated territory.” But liberation from what? According to several residents of Okpanam, homegrown terrorism replaced a relatively peaceful herding community whose only documented ‘crime’ in the community was being subjected to ethnic profiling. 

“This is not the camp we knew,” said Chinedu Okonkwo, a 42-year-old teacher and lifelong resident of Okpanam. “It used to be tense, yes, but now it’s terrifying. The former occupants are gone. In their place are fighters with guns and stringent rules.”

Warnings of separatist presence have grown into a daily reality. In July 2025, the Nigerian Army’s 63 Brigade and Joint Task Force, South South, conducted a series of intelligence-led raids on the area. Thirteen individuals were arrested between July 26 and Aug. 1, including four identified as IPOB/ESN operatives. Yet, residents say the group remains entrenched in the area.

“They vanish during operations,” Chinedu added. “And reappear just days later. Stronger, even.”

In many towns across the South East, Monday has become synonymous with fear due to the infamous sit-at-home orders enforced by IPOB. In Okpanam, however, it is Saturday that has become the day of dread.

The streets empty predictably every Saturday at 6 a.m.. Markets stay shuttered. Churches hold no vigils. The local variant of the sit-at-home rule—originally a protest strategy—has morphed here into a mandatory ritual, enforced by the threat of violence.

“This is our day for the cause,” said a young man who introduced himself only as Emeka, acting as a spokesperson for the group. “We honour our fallen. We show our loyalty. Without obedience, there is no freedom.”

Despite the IPOB leadership’s 2023 announcement to cancel sit-at-home orders, the ground reality presents a different perspective. Enforcement of this blatant abuse of freedom of movement has become the job of local cells.

For traders like Mama Nkechi, a provisions seller, the toll is unbearable. “I lose two days every week—Monday and Saturday,” she said. “That’s over 100 days in a year. How do I feed my children?”

A 2025 economic report estimated losses from the sit-at-home policy at over ₦7.6 trillion in two years across the South East. In micro-economies like Okpanam, those figures translate to hunger, school dropouts, and displaced families.

Every Friday at dusk, a different ritual begins, one not found in any scripture or traditional custom.

“We bring them food—yams, garri, sometimes cash,” said an elderly woman, her voice barely above a whisper. “We don’t hand it over directly. We leave it at the edge of the forest and walk away. They’ll collect it later.”

This system of enforced offerings has become a strange mix of coerced tax and reluctant gratitude. The militants are called “Umu Oma”—the good ones—though often with irony thick enough to taste. Many residents, caught between fear and a sliver of protection, comply to maintain peace.

“They say they protect us from outsiders,” she added. “But who protects us from them?”

The donations buy relative calm from the very people that terrorise the community, a twisted sense of insurance in a place where traditional state security is either absent or arrives only with boots and bullets. For many, it is a deeply psychological surrender.

Lessons behind curtains

Education has also fallen victim to this new order. Schools that once rang with the chatter of children now sit silent on weekends, their gates chained shut. But learning continues—quietly, covertly.

Chinedu, the local teacher, hosts lessons for a handful of students in his sitting room on Saturdays. “We close the curtains and whisper,” he said. “The children want to learn. Their parents want them to learn. But we can’t be too visible.”

SBM Intelligence has reported severe disruptions in the region, including national exam cancellations and repeated school closures.

Occupation, ethnicity, and the echoes of Sambisa

The irony of the camp in Okpanam is not lost on residents. The ethnic landscape of the camp, once home to nomadic herders, has undergone a radical transformation. Following rising tensions over grazing rights, farmer-herder clashes, and growing anti-outsider sentiment, the herding community fled. In their absence, the ESN found fertile ground, thick bush, sparse oversight, and lingering resentment made the forest there an ideal base. 

Military attempts to reclaim the area have so far proved temporary. After every operation, the group returns, sometimes with recruits, often with renewed confidence. The community, meanwhile, has grown more cautious, quieter, and more afraid.

A conflicted hope

Despite the suffocating grip of the new order, some residents still express conflicted sympathy.

“Before they came, herders destroyed our crops. Our daughters were afraid to walk alone,” said Sunday, a local mechanic. “Now, that threat is gone. But look at what we have instead.”

This sentiment, however controversial, highlights the complexity of life under militant control across southeast Nigeria. For many, the choice isn’t between peace and violence but between two different brands of violence—one masked as protection, the other dressed in a state uniform.

As security operations resume in fits and starts, and as IPOB continues its fragmented messaging from abroad, one question echoes louder than any generator or gunshot: Where is peace and security?

Saturdays, once reserved for weddings, church gatherings, farming, and rest, the seventh day now brings only silence. And in that silence lies a warning that, for many communities across South East and South-South Nigeria, the line between protest and predation has all but vanished.

Across the South East, no one speaks too loudly. Children no longer run freely. Traders count not profits, but losses. And as each week ends with offerings. “Someday, Saturdays will come back to us,” said Chinedu. “I just hope we’ll still be here to see it.”

Charlie Kirk, a well-known conservative activist in the United States and staunch ally of President Donald Trump, was shot dead at an event at Utah Valley University.

Video of the incident circulating on social media showed Kirk speaking to a large outdoor crowd when a loud crack, a gunshot, rings out.

Kirk briefly clutches his neck before collapsing from his chair, sending attendees fleeing. He was 31 years old.

Here is what we know:

What happened?

Kirk was on a speaking tour, and his stop at Utah Valley University was the first of at least 15 scheduled events at universities around the country as part of his “American Comeback Tour”.

Before the shooting, he was seated at his “Prove Me Wrong” debating table, taking questions from an audience outdoors.

Videos show that Kirk was going back and forth with a student about mass shootings and transgender people when he was shot.

“Do you know how many transgender Americans have been mass shooters over the last 10 years?” Kirk was asked.

“Too many,” Kirk responded as the crowd clapped.

“Do you know how many mass shooters there have been in America over the last 10 years?” To which Kirk replied, “Counting or not counting gang violence?”

Seconds later, Kirk could be seen struck in the neck as he falls from his chair.

According to reports, Kirk was shot about 20 minutes after he began speaking at approximately 12:10pm local time (18:10 GMT).

In video footage from the event, it can be seen how Kirk moved his hand towards his neck as he fell off his chair, sending the attendees running. In another clip, blood can be seen gushing from his neck immediately after the shot.

No one else was shot during the event.

Kirk’s wife and children were present during the incident.

Where did the shooting happen?

The shooting took place in the courtyard at Utah Valley University, located about 64km (40 miles) south of Salt Lake City.

A spokeswoman for the university said Kirk was hit by a shot fired from the roof of the school’s Losee Center, a campus building about 180 metres (200 yards) from the event area.

It was not clear whether the shot was fired from a rooftop or an open window.

Who was Charlie Kirk?

Charlie Kirk was one of the most prominent conservative activists and media personalities in the US, and a trusted ally of President Trump.

He co-founded Turning Point USA, a nonprofit conservative advocacy group, when he was just 18.

Kirk’s group grew into the country’s largest conservative youth movement, and over the years, he became a central player in a network of pro-Trump influencers, often described as the face of the “Make America Great Again” movement.

Trump often credited Kirk with bringing many young voters and voters of colour over to his side during the 2024 presidential campaign.

He was also a sharp critic of mainstream media and threw himself into culture-war battles over race, gender and immigration.

His provocative style won him a loyal support base but also fierce opposition.

Kirk also became a close friend of the president’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr, with whom Kirk travelled to Greenland in January. He was also an early champion of Vice President JD Vance as Trump was deciding whether the senator would be his running mate.

Kirk had 5.2 million followers on the platform X and hosted The Charlie Kirk Show, a podcast and radio programme that reached more than 500,000 listeners each month. He made regular appearances on Fox News, including a recent guest co-hosting slot on Fox & Friends.

According to a report by The New York Times, Kirk never pursued a role within the administration. His aim was to reshape the Republican Party and, more broadly, American politics.

“We want to transform the culture,” he told The New York Times Magazine in February.

Kirk also built a fortune through his popular podcast, frequent speaking engagements and books, including his 2020 bestseller, The MAGA Doctrine.

On social media, he posted constantly, offering a right-wing perspective on a plethora of issues.

In response to the fatal, unprovoked stabbing of a white woman by a Black man, Kirk posted this on X on Tuesday:

Will Cain is 100% right.

We have been propagandized by liars and fakers in the media to believe that America is a vicious, racist country and indiscriminate attacks on black people by whites happen all the time.

But the numbers tell the truth. Black attacks on white people… pic.twitter.com/SHmlxAIhds

— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) September 9, 2025

What do we know about the shooter?

There was confusion about whether a suspect was in custody.

A “person of interest” was in custody on Wednesday evening, Utah Governor Spencer Cox said, though no charges were immediately announced.

FBI director, Kash Patel, said on X: “The subject in custody has been released after an interrogation by law enforcement. Our investigation continues and we will continue to release information in the interest of transparency.”

Beau Mason, the head of the Utah Department of Public Safety, said a suspect was described as being dressed in all-dark clothing.

He said one shot was fired in the fatal attack.

Six officers were working the event, and there were more than 3,000 people in attendance, according to Jeff Long, chief of the Utah Valley University police department.

Kirk also had a private security team with him.

“This is a dark day for our state. It’s a tragic day for our nation,” Utah Governor Cox said.

“I want to be very clear that this is a political assassination.”

What’s the latest on the ground?

Currently, the campus is closed, according to the university.

At 12:37 pm (18:37 GMT), the university shut down the campus, cancelled classes, and told everyone to leave.

At 2:01 pm (20:01 GMT), students were told to “stay where you are until police can escort you off campus safely”.

Classes have been cancelled until further notice.

UVU campus is closed. Classes cancelled. Those on campus, secure in place until police officers can escort you safely off campus. Police are currently going building to building escorting people off campus. Roads to campus are currently closed.

— UVU (@UVU) September 10, 2025

What have been the reactions?

Democrats and Republicans quickly denounced the shooting on social media and in Congress.

Trump has ordered all American flags to be lowered to half-staff until Sunday evening, in honour of Kirk.

“There is no place” for this violence, former US President Joe Biden said on X.

There is no place in our country for this kind of violence. It must end now. Jill and I are praying for Charlie Kirk’s family and loved ones.

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) September 10, 2025

Vice President JD Vance also reacted:

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord. pic.twitter.com/lYLEjv40bN

— JD Vance (@JDVance) September 10, 2025

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had invited Kirk to Israel:

Charlie Kirk was murdered for speaking truth and defending freedom. A lion-hearted friend of Israel, he fought the lies and stood tall for Judeo-Christian civilization. I spoke to him only two weeks ago and invited him to Israel. Sadly, that visit will not take place.
We lost an…

— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) September 10, 2025

Kirill Dmitriev, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s investment envoy, posted on Telegram: “There was an attack on Charlie Kirk, one of the most ardent conservative leaders known for his positive statements about Russia and his calls for dialogue.”

Barack Obama, former US president, said this: “Despicable violence has no place in our democracy.”

We don’t yet know what motivated the person who shot and killed Charlie Kirk, but this kind of despicable violence has no place in our democracy. Michelle and I will be praying for Charlie’s family tonight, especially his wife Erika and their two young children.

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) September 10, 2025

Turning Point also posted on X:

pic.twitter.com/JbWK9BNnbR

— Turning Point USA (@TPUSA) September 10, 2025

We now have our first full look at a modified 2,000-pound-class GBU-31 Joint Direct Attack Munition, or JDAM, optimized for use as an anti-ship munition as part of the U.S. Air Force’s Quicksink program. The Air Force has been pursuing Quicksink as a lower-cost means of bolstering its capacity to launch strikes on enemy ships.

The Air Force released pictures of Quicksink GBU-31s yesterday. The image set also shows smaller 500-pound-class GBU-38 JDAMs, but it is not entirely clear if they are in the Quicksink configuration. All of the pictures were taken ahead of a recent test that saw a B-2 bomber “sink” an unspecified “maritime target” in the Norwegian Sea with at least one of the modified JDAMs.

TWZ had previously reached out to the Air Force for more information after a B-2 bomber was tracked online flying from Whiteman Air Force Base toward northern Europe last week.

B-2 stealth bomber reportedly on its way to Europe, potentially part of exercise that has been underway off northern Norway. https://t.co/8hYSDgPens

— Hans Kristensen (also on Bluesky) (@nukestrat) September 3, 2025

Royal Norwegian Air Force F-35A Joint Strike Fighters participated in the event, as well. A picture also shows a Norwegian P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol plane flying alongside the B-2 and the F-35s at one point, but it is unclear whether it directly took part in the test.

In addition to the 2,000 and 500-pound-class types, there are also 1,000-pound-class GBU-32 JDAMs. All JDAM kits consist of a tail section containing a GPS-assisted inertial navigation system (INS) guidance package and clamp-on aerodynamic strakes. It turns unguided bombs into ‘warheads’ for the resulting precision-guided munitions.

The pictures released yesterday show tail units marked “Quick Sink Only,” suggesting there might be a specialized configuration for use on these bombs. This could be in part due to a need to interface differently with the new imaging infrared seeker attached to the nose. The seeker gives the Quicksink bombs the ability to engage moving targets. Standard JDAMs can only be employed against a fixed set of target coordinates, though versions with add-on laser guidance capability (called Laser JDAMs or LJDAMs) that can be used against targets on the move exist, as well. Unlike the Quicksink configuration, LJDAMs are not fire-and-forget and require the target to be lased from a platform in relatively close proximity.

As shown in the video below, the Air Force has described Quicksink’s mode of operation as using GPS-assisted INS guidance to get to a designated target area before the seeker in the nose takes over. Though unpowered, standard JDAMs can glide out to targets around 15 miles away, depending on the weapon’s exact configuration and release envelope. Quicksink bombs then find and categorize their targets by checking their length against a detailed internal reference database. The seeker then feeds additional course correction data to the tail kit to put the weapon on a path to try to detonate right next to the target ship’s hull, just below the waterline. Initial cueing to the target, which could be provided to the launch platform from offboard sources, is necessary.

In addition, the image set released yesterday shows a Quicksink GBU-31 with a ‘warhead’ painted with large black-and-yellow bands. Large sections of the front and the back of the warhead on another one of the bombs are seen painted a red/pink color. That munition also has what looks to be a yellow band at the front.

In addition, as seen at the top of this story and below, the black-and-yellow-banded Quicksink bomb also has a cartoon bumblebee and the logo of the Autobots from the popular Transformers media franchise painted on the side. One of the more well-known Autobots is named Bumblebee.

What any of these markings might reflect is unknown. For munitions employed during tests, bright color choices could help make them more visible to assist with observing their performance. The markings might also just reflect nicknames or have other unofficial significance for the individuals working on the project.

The U.S. military does have standardized markings for ordnance to indicate their purpose and configuration, with yellow bands signifying live high-explosive contents. Black bands are often used to signify some type of purpose-designed armor-penetrating effect. Red markings on U.S. ordnance are often associated with incendiary effects, and to a more limited extent with tear gas and other so-called riot control agents. Globally, there have been instances of red markings on thermobaric munitions, as well. Thermobaric munitions are designed to create long-duration high-pressure blast waves, which then create vacuums resulting in reverse waves, leading to intense overpressure. In addition to the blast effect, this also produces very high heat.

However, there are no clear indications that anything besides standard ‘iron bombs’ were used to build the Quicksink munitions for the recent test.

TWZ has reached out to the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), which has been managing the Quicksink effort, for more details. When reached separately for comment, the 96th Test Wing at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, which has been involved in past Quicksink testing, told us that they could not provide any additional information about Quicksink at this time.

The recent test also highlights other aspects of the Quicksink effort that underscore its potential value, including pairing the bombs with the stealthy B-2 and the potential to employ them as part of future coalition operations with allies and partners.

“The B-2 played a central role, employing precision-guided QUICKSINK munitions to engage and sink the maritime target,” according to an Air Force press release on the test. “In addition to testing the munition’s capabilities, the mission also validated the aircraft’s enduring advantages, including its stealth, range, and payload flexibility, while reinforcing its evolving role in maritime strike.”

Not mentioned here are the magazine depth benefits that the B-2 offers. As TWZ has noted in the past, this could be especially valuable when with Quicksink munitions. Each one of the bombers has a maximum payload capacity of around 60,000 pounds and two especially cavernous bomb bays. The B-2 has a demonstrated ability to carry up to 80 500-pound-class JDAMs at once. This is so many bombs that during a separate test in the past, personnel at the sprawling Utah Test and Training Range (UTTR) ran out of shipping containers to turn into targets for one of the bombers to hit during a single mock attack run. The crew of that aircraft had enough munitions to leave a smiley face made out of bomb craters, as you can read more about here. With all this in mind, a B-2 could also carry a substantial load of 500 and/or 2,000-pound class Quicksink-configured JDAMs in addition to other munitions.

Stealthy aircraft, in general, make good sense as launch platforms for Quicksink, given the need for the bombs to be released relatively close to potentially defended targeted ships, at least in their current form. Non-stealthy aircraft could still use Quicksink munitions, especially to help finish off damaged small surface combatants with already degraded defenses. They could also engage targets that are less-well-defended, or even essentially defenseless, to begin with, including vital, but typically more vulnerable sealift assets and civilian cargo vessels pressed into military service.

In general, Quicksink offers a valuable additional anti-ship tool for various aircraft, especially tactical jets, which may otherwise have limited, if any, options for munitions dedicated to this target set. Smaller aircraft could also carry more of the GBU-38-based versions per sortie compared to traditional anti-ship cruise missiles. Any Quicksink-armed aircraft could also be tasked with targeting ships at anchor, especially if their congested closely together, as well as engaging ones on the move.

The Air Force has been developing with low cost in mind, too. JDAM kits have historically cost between $20,000 and $30,000 apiece, with the unguided bombs that they are paired with adding a minimal increase to the total price point. AFRL has told TWZ in the past that the Quicksink seeker unit cost around $200,000, but that the goal was to get the unit price down to around $50,000 once production ramped up.

Quicksink reflects a broader trend within the Air Force, as well as other branches of the U.S. military, in the development of new, lower-cost precision bombs and missiles that can also be readily produced at scale. American officials see this as particularly important for bolstering munitions stocks ahead of any potential high-end fight with China in the Pacific, as well as being able to sustain inventories in any such campaign. More advanced anti-ship cruise missiles would be in particular high demand in a Pacific conflict.

It’s also worth pointing out that wing kits capable of extending the maximum range of standard JDAMs from 15 miles up to 45 miles exist now, and could be paired with the Quicksink configuration. The JDAM-Extended Range (JDAM-ER), which can help reduce the vulnerability of the launch platform, as well as offer greater reach, is now a combat-proven capability thanks to their employment by Ukraine’s Air Force in recent years. JDAM’s prime contractor Boeing has also been working on a cruise missile derivative of the munition, or Powered JDAM (PJDAM), which you can learn more about here. The Air Force is itself known to be at least exploring pairing the Quicksink seeker with Extended Range Attack Munition (ERAM) low-cost cruise missiles now in development for Ukraine and potentially other customers.

Extended range could also put additional emphasis on the importance of offboard cueing for Quicksink munitions, which could come from assets belonging to various branches of the U.S. military, as well as allies and partners – like Norwegian F-35s and/or P-8s. So far, there is no indication that the Quicksink bombs have a datalink to allow them to receive additional targeting information after release.

“In addition to Norwegian F-35s and personnel who participated in the strike, support from Norway enabled U.S. forces to gain access to critical infrastructure and airspace, allowing the test to be conducted in a strategically relevant and operationally challenging environment,” the Air Force’s press release on the recent test notes. “The event advanced tactics, techniques, and procedures for long-range sensor-to-shooter operations. These included integrating beyond-line-of-sight communications and multi-domain targeting, both crucial capabilities in highly contested environments.”

U.S. allies and partners, not to mention the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps, could just acquire Quicksink munitions for their own use, as well.

With the Air Force continuing to expand the scale and scope of Quicksink testing, more specific details about the bombs and their capabilities, as well as how they could be employed, look set to emerge.

Contact the author: [email protected]

Sept. 10 (UPI) — The Trump administration approved an assistance package worth $14.2 million to assist Lebanon with its efforts to disarm Hezbollah, the U.S. Defense Department announced Wednesday.

The Lebanese military will use funds from the Presidential Drawdown Authority package to dismantle arms held by non-state groups, including Hezbollah.

On Friday, the Lebanese government welcomed a plan by its army to disarm the Iran-backed Hezbollah. This came after Lebanon’s Cabinet approved of a U.S. proposal to direct the Lebanese military to enforce a state monopoly on weapons by the end of the year.

A release from the Pentagon said the package will provide the Lebanese military with the ability to carry out patrols and dispose of unexploded ordnance.

Through the package, the U.S. Defense Department is “empowering” the Lebanese military “in degrading Hezbollah in alignment with the administration’s priority to counter Iranian-backed terrorist groups in the region,” the release said.

During last week’s meeting between the Lebanese Cabinet and military, all five Shiite ministers, four of who represent Hezbollah and its main ally, the Amal Movement, left in protest of the disarmament plan. They said any plan to disarm Hezbollah must start with discussing a defense strategy to protect the country.

As part of the Nov. 27 cease-fire deal to end the 14-month war between Lebanon and Hezbollah, all parties agreed to discuss a national defense strategy. Hezbollah, however resisted government plans to set a deadline for disarmament.

Dalal Saoud contributed to this report.

From the Cuban Missile Crisis to the war in Ukraine, relations between the United States and the Soviet Union—and later post-Soviet Russia—have followed a dangerous pattern: miscalculation and misadventure followed by blowback. Both sides have pursued strategies and have plunged into involvements that backfired, damaged their own national interests, and destabilized international security. Unless this history is faced honestly, there is a risk that the two nuclear superpowers will continue repeating mistakes with unintended catastrophic consequences.

Early in the Cold War, American policy often failed to adjust to important shifts in Moscow. After Joseph Stalin’s death in 1953, seasoned diplomats and analysts urged Washington to test whether the new Soviet leadership might pursue a less confrontational line. The father of U.S. containment policy, George F. Kennan, though no longer in government, warned against treating the Soviet Union as immutable and pointed to “evidence of flexibility, of experimentation, of responses to circumstance.” Charles E. Bohlen, who succeeded Kennan as U.S. ambassador to the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1957, reported that the Kremlin’s new collective leadership appeared intent on consolidating power at home and sought a breathing spell from confrontation.

Scholars such as the influential Sovietologist Philip Edward Mosely argued that Khrushchev’s language of “peaceful coexistence” reflected more than mere propaganda. Within the administration of President Dwight D. Eisenhower, Harold Stassen, who served as the president’s special assistant for disarmament from 1955 to 1958, pressed for serious consideration of Soviet arms-control proposals. All of these voices were basically brushed aside by an increasingly hawkish and rigid national security establishment. The costs of that rigidity became clear in the confrontation that brought the world to the brink of nuclear war.

The Cuban Missile Crisis

The 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis was the most dangerous moment of the Cold War, demonstrating the dangers of poor judgment and misperception and the terrifying reality of deterrence through Mutual Assured Destruction. Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev misjudged U.S. President John F. Kennedy’s resolve, believing he could install nuclear missiles in Cuba without provoking confrontation. In Washington, officials failed to appreciate how threatening their deployment of 15 intermediate-range Jupiter ballistic missiles in Turkey and 30 more in Italy as part of NATO strategy appeared to Moscow. Khrushchev’s move was in part a direct response to this strategic imbalance.

The crisis ended when Moscow agreed to withdraw its missiles from Cuba in return for a public pledge by the U.S. not to invade Cuba and a secret agreement to remove the Jupiter missiles from Turkey and Italy. What one side saw as deterrence, the other viewed as provocation—and the result was near catastrophe. Although Khrushchev won concessions, the perception of a humiliating retreat fatally weakened him, contributing to his removal from power in 1964.

In the U.S. the outcome was remembered mainly as a triumph. Kennedy’s public image as a tough leader capable of standing up to Soviet aggression was markedly enhanced following the earlier failed U.S. invasion of Cuba—the 1961 Bay of Pigs debacle—which had raised doubts about his leadership capabilities. But the deeper lesson—that both sides had stumbled into a confrontation that could have destroyed humanity—was only partly appreciated. The crisis led to the establishment of a teletype “hotline” between the White House and the Kremlin to prevent future miscommunications and to a series of arms control agreements. But Moscow embarked on a massive nuclear buildup over the next quarter-century. Moreover, Cuba’s security was strengthened, solidifying its position as a Soviet client state—just 90 miles from the U.S.—emboldened to eventually intervene militarily, overtly and covertly, in conflicts in Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East.

Afghanistan, 9/11, and NATO’s Enlargement

Afghanistan was another defining episode. Zbigniew Brzezinski, President Jimmy Carter’s National Security Advisor from 1977 to 1981, later acknowledged that U.S. aid to Afghan rebels secretly began months before the Soviet invasion in 1979, with the deliberate aim of luring Moscow into a costly conflict. When Soviet troops entered Afghanistan in December of that year, the effort escalated dramatically. Billions in U.S. and Saudi funds flowed through Pakistan’s intelligence services to arm the mujahideen, and the introduction of Stinger missiles shifted the balance of the war. President Ronald Reagan expanded it into the largest-ever U.S. covert operation.

The conflict became what Mikhail Gorbachev called a “bleeding wound,” hastening the Soviet Union’s collapse. But the blowback was horrific. Afghanistan became a crucible of jihadist radicalization, producing the Taliban and Al-Qaeda and ultimately drawing the U.S. into two decades of war following the terrorist group’s September 11, 2001, attacks on the U.S. homeland.

The Cold War’s end was expected to usher in a new era of peace and stability. Instead, decisions taken in the 1990s and 2000s deepened mistrust. As former Warsaw Pact states sought NATO membership, Washington viewed enlargement as stabilizing. Russian leaders, however, saw it as betrayal, claiming they had been given assurances during German reunification that NATO would not move eastward.

Boris Yeltsin protested, Vladimir Putin internalized the grievance, and resentment hardened. Washington assumed Russia was too weak to resist. But enlargement, intended to consolidate peace, became a seed of future confrontation.

Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 was the most consequential blunder of the post–Cold War era. Putin underestimated Ukraine’s resilience and misjudged the resolve of the Western alliance. Far from fracturing, NATO was revitalized. Ukraine’s identity was strengthened, and severe Western sanctions isolated Russia from the West, making it heavily reliant on China for trade, technology, and diplomatic support.

The invasion also ended Europe’s longest tradition of neutrality. Finland joined NATO in 2023. Sweden, neutral since the Napoleonic era, followed in 2024–25. Instead of curbing NATO, Russia’s war of aggression produced NATO’s largest expansion in decades and transformed the Baltic Sea into what has frequently been called a “NATO lake” owing to control by the alliance of almost the entire Baltic coastline and key strategic islands.

Nearly eight years to the day before Russia’s invasion, Henry Kissinger had warned in a March 2014 op-ed article in the Washington Post that “Ukraine should not join NATO” and should instead become a neutral East-West bridge, while U.S. and European policy should avoid feeding Russia’s fears that its security or existence was under threat. That advice was ignored. Encouraged to believe it could partner with NATO and eventually be accepted as a member of the alliance, Ukraine became a flashpoint of confrontation and the stage for the largest and most devastating war in Europe since World War II.

In short, from the brinkmanship of the Cuban Missile Crisis to the proxy war in Afghanistan, from NATO expansion to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, actions born of misjudgment have resulted in outcomes neither side intended—with each insisting the other is solely to blame.

Russia’s authoritarian rule suppresses serious discussion and debate. But in the U.S. and allied nations, the aversion to meaningful discourse is harder to excuse. Democracies owe their citizens an honest accounting of past errors to learn from them, not to justify or excuse Moscow’s behavior.

If policymakers keep turning from history, the dangerous dynamic of blunder and blowback will continue—with risks no generation should be asked to bear.

Israeli missiles hit Qatar’s capital, Doha, on Tuesday, with Israel saying it was targeting Hamas leaders, as they met to discuss ceasefire efforts in Gaza. Qatar called it a breach of sovereignty. With global condemnation mounting, what does this unprecedented attack mean for the negotiations and the people in Gaza?

Qatar’s Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani has said that there must be a “collective response” to Israel’s attack on the Qatari capital Doha, as Arab leaders rushed to the tiny Gulf nation to express solidarity.

“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”.

“We are hoping for something meaningful that deters Israel from continuing this bullying,” Sheikh Mohammed added, accusing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of leading the region into “chaos”.

“We understand some sort of regional meeting will be held here in Qatar. We know that the countries have pulled together their own legal team. They are looking at all legal avenues to have Netanyahu tried for breaking international law,” Al Jazeera’s Charles Stratford said.

“So yeah, the pressure is definitely mounting on Israel, not only from Qatar, but obviously on a regional and a wider international level. And that’s what I think he’s obviously trying to do in giving these very forceful statements to the US network, CNN.”

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 seven people were killed in the attack, but Hamas said its leadership survived the assassination bid. Qatar says two of its security officers were killed in the attack that has drawn global condemnation.

On Wednesday, French President Emmanuel Macron condemned Israel’s attack in a phone call with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. “These strikes are unacceptable. I condemn them. I reaffirmed France’s commitment to the sovereignty and security of Qatar,” he posted on X.

The attack was part of a wider wave of Israeli strikes extending beyond its immediate borders, and marked the sixth country attacked in just 72 hours and the seventh since the start of this year. On Wednesday, Israel killed 35 people in an attack on Yemen.

The leader of Lebanon’s Hezbollah group said on Wednesday that Israel’s strike on Qatar is a warning to oil-rich Gulf countries that they would not be spared in the future if armed groups in the region are defeated.

“We are on the side of Qatar that was subjected to an aggression and we also stand with the Palestinian resistance,” Naim Kassem said. He added that the Israeli strike is part of its attempts to create a “Greater Israel” in large parts of the Middle East.

The “Greater Israel” concept supported by ultranationalist Israelis is understood to refer to an expansionist vision that lays claim to the occupied West Bank, Gaza, parts of Lebanon, Syria, Egypt and Jordan.

Israel has been accused of committing genocide in Gaza by numerous rights groups, but that has not stopped it from its brutal campaign of bombardment. On Wednesday, Israeli attacks across Gaza killed at least 72 people, taking the total number of Palestinians killed since October 2023 to more than 64,656. Israel has intensified its assault to capture Gaza City – home to more than one million Palestinians.

Sheikh Mohammed, the Qatari prime minister, also said that the Israeli strike was aimed at undermining “any chance of peace” in Gaza.

“Everything about the meeting is very well known to the Israelis and the Americans. It’s not something that we are hiding,” he said of the presence of Hamas officials in Qatar.

“I think that what [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu did yesterday – he just killed any hope for those [Israeli] hostages,” Sheikh Mohammed said about the 20 captives believed to be still alive in Gaza.

Netanyahu appears unfazed

However, Netanyahu appears unfazed by the criticism from global leaders, including the UN secretary-general.

On Wednesday, the Israeli prime minister threatened 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.

Qatar has condemned Netanyahu’s “reckless” comments regarding Qatar’s hosting of the Hamas office. “Netanyahu is fully aware that the hosting of the Hamas office took place within the framework of Qatar’s mediation efforts requested by the United States and Israel,” the foreign ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

It also called out “the shameful attempt therein to justify the cowardly attack that targeted Qatari territory, as well as the explicit threats of future violations of state sovereignty”.

Netanyahu’s threats came despite the US President Donald Trump on Tuesday saying no further attacks would happen on Qatari soil.

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 and hosts the region’s largest United States military base, Al Udeid airbase, which hosts US troops.

The Qatari prime minister, who is also the foreign minister of the Gulf nation, has dubbed Israel’s targeting of Hamas leaders in Doha on Tuesday “state terrorism”.

“I have no words to express how enraged we are from such an action … we are betrayed,” he said in the interview with the cable network.

Netanyahu “needs to be brought to justice. He’s the one who’s wanted at the International Criminal Court. He broke every international law,” Sheikh Mohammed said, referring to the arrest warrant against the Israeli prime minister for war crimes.

Arab states express solidarity with Qatar

Meanwhile, Gulf leaders have visited Doha to rally around Qatar, with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan calling the Israeli action “criminal” and a threat to regional stability.

In a meeting on Wednesday with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Doha, Sheikh Al Nahyan reaffirmed his country’s “resolute solidarity with Qatar and its steadfast support for all measures taken to safeguard its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the safety of its people”, according to the UAE state media outlet WAM.

“He [Sheikh Al Nahyan] stressed that the criminal attack constituted a violation of Qatar’s sovereignty and of all international laws and norms, warning that such actions threaten the region’s security, stability, and prospects for peace,” WAM added.

The crown princes of Kuwait and Jordan also travelled to Doha on Wednesday.

Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, also known as MBS, will arrive in Doha on Thursday.

“We will stand with the State of Qatar in all measures it takes, without limits, and we will harness all our capabilities for that,” Prince Mohammed said in an address to the Shura Council on Wednesday.

“We reject and condemn the attacks of the Israeli occupation in the region, the latest of which was the brutal aggression against the State of Qatar,” the crown prince added.

“This requires Arab, Islamic, and international action to confront this aggression and to take international measures to stop the occupation authority and deter it from its criminal practices aimed at destabilising the region’s security and stability.”

In a brief interview with reporters on Tuesday, US President Donald Trump said he was “not thrilled” about Israel’s strike.

“This was a decision made by [Israeli] Prime Minister Netanyahu, it was not a decision made by me,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

Still, it remains unclear whether the Trump administration had been caught off guard, whether the US had indicated even tacit approval for such a strike, or if the attack could represent a rupture in Washington’s “ironclad” support for Israel.

Independent Middle East Analyst Adam Shapiro said if the US was not made aware of the attack, it was not “something new”.

“I think this is just simply the way Israel continually acts as the tail wagging the US dog, doing what it wishes, when it wishes, and getting what it wants, according to a double standard,” he told Al Jazeera.

Sept. 10 (UPI) — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order Wednesday banning sales of hemp-based THC products to people under the age of 21 amid an ongoing push for state lawmakers to establish THC regulations.

Abbott called the order “safety for kids, freedom for adults,” in a post on X.

The order directs the Department of State Health Services and the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission to ban sales of hemp-based THC products to those under 21 years old and requires retailers to verify age with a government-issued ID. Retailers that don’t follow this law will lose their retailer’s license.

Additionally, the DSHS must review existing regulations on hemp-based THC products, including labeling requirements. The DSHS, TABC and the Department of Public Safety must also partner with local law enforcement to increase enforcement of the new law.

Though the Texas Senate — backed by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick — approved of a more sweeping ban on the sale of THC products in any form, lawmakers failed to agree on a final law to regulate the products. Abbott vetoed the full ban, seeking a less restrictive law.

“Texas will not wait when it comes to protecting children and families,” Abbott said in a statement announcing his executive order. “While these products would still benefit from the kind of comprehensive regulation set by the Texas Legislature for substances like alcohol and tobacco, my executive order makes sure that kids are kept safe and parents have peace of mind now, and that consumers know the products they purchase are tested and labeled responsibly.”

Abbott also directed the DSHS, TABC and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service to study a framework for wider THC regulations based on Texas House Bill 309 filed in August. The legislation, submitted by Texas Rep. Briscoe Cain, a Republican, seeks to create a Texas Hemp Council to regulate products derived from hemp, including food items and beverages.

Poland has intercepted Russian drones that were flying over its airspace after completing a mission in western Ukraine. It’s the first time a NATO member nation has fired shots in Russia’s war on Ukraine.

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration and the conservative movement were stunned Wednesday by the shooting of Charlie Kirk, a disruptive leader in GOP politics who accomplished what was once thought a pipe dream, expanding Republican ranks among America’s youth.

Inside the White House, senior officials that had worked closely alongside Kirk throughout much of their careers reacted with shock. It was a moment of political violence reminiscent of the repeated attempts on Donald Trump’s life during the 2024 presidential campaign, one official told The Times.

“We must all pray for Charlie Kirk, who has been shot,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social. “A great guy from top to bottom. GOD BLESS HIM!”

Kirk, a founder of Turning Point USA, was instrumental in recruiting young Americans on college campuses to GOP voter rolls, making himself an indispensable part of Republican campaigns down ballot across the country. That mission made his shooting on a college campus in Utah all the more poignant to his friends and allies, who reacted with dismay at videos of the shooting circulating online.

His impact, helping to increase support among 18- to 24-year-old voters for Republican candidates by double-digit margins in just four years, has been credited by Republican operatives as driving the party’s victories last year, allowing the GOP to retake the House, Senate and the presidency.

Democrats have recognized his prowess, with California Gov. Gavin Newsom hosting him on his podcast earlier this year in an appeal to young, predominantly male voters lost by the Democrats in recent years.

“The attack on Charlie Kirk is disgusting, vile, and reprehensible. In the United States of America, we must reject political violence in EVERY form,” Newsom said on X in response to the news.

As videos of the shooting circulated online, a number of prominent Republicans, including senior members of the Trump administration, reacted to the news by asking the public to pray for the young activist.

“Say a prayer for Charlie Kirk, a genuinely good guy and a young father,” Vice President JD Vance said in a post on X.

Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi said federal agents were at the scene of the shooting in Utah. FBI Director Kash Patel added the FBI will be helping with the investigation.

Wilner reported from Washington, Ceballos from Tallahassee, Fla.