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State officials on the front lines of preparing for natural disasters and responding to emergencies say severe cuts to federal security grants, restrictions on money intended for readiness and funding delays tied to litigation are posing a growing risk to their ability to respond to crises.

It’s all causing confusion, frustration and concern. The federal government shutdown isn’t helping.

“Every day we remain in this grant purgatory reduces the time available to responsibly and effectively spend these critical funds,” said Kiele Amundson, communications director at the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency.

The uncertainty has led some emergency management agencies to hold off on filling vacant positions and make rushed decisions on important training and purchases.

Experts say the developments complicate state-led emergency efforts, undermining the Republican administration’s stated goals of shifting more responsibility to states and local governments for disaster response.

In an emailed statement, the Department of Homeland Security said the new requirements were necessary because of “recent population shifts” and that changes to security grants were made “to be responsive to new and urgent threats facing our nation.”

A new wrinkle tied to immigration raids

Several DHS and FEMA grants help states, tribes and territories prepare for climate disasters and deter a variety of threats. The money pays for salaries and training, and such things as vehicles, communications equipment and software.

State emergency managers say that money has become increasingly important because the range of threats they must prepare for is expanding, including pandemics and cyberattacks.

FEMA, a part of DHS, divided a $320 million Emergency Management Performance Grant among states on Sept. 29. But the next day, it told states the money was on hold until they submitted new population counts. The directive demanded that they omit people “removed from the State pursuant to the immigration laws of the United States” and to explain their methodology.

The amount of money distributed to the states is based on U.S. census population data. The new requirement forcing states to submit revised counts “is something we have never seen before,” said Trina Sheets, executive director of the National Emergency Management Association, a group representing emergency managers. “It’s certainly not the responsibility of emergency management to certify population.”

With no guidance on how to calculate the numbers, Hawaii’s Amundson said staff scrambled to gather data from the 2020 census and other sources, then subtracted he number of “noncitizens” based on estimates from an advocacy group.

They are not sure the methodology will be accepted. But with their FEMA contacts furloughed and the grant portal down during the federal shutdown, they cannot find out. Other states said they were assessing the request or awaiting further guidance.

In its statement, DHS said FEMA needs to be certain of its funding levels before awarding grant money, and that includes updates to a state’s population due to deportations.

Experts said delays caused by the request could most affect local governments and agencies that receive grant money passed down by states because their budgets and staffs are smaller. At the same time, FEMA also reduced the time frame that recipients have to spend the money, from three years to one. That could prevent agencies from taking on longer-term projects.

Bryan Koon, president and CEO of the consulting firm IEM and a former Florida emergency management chief, said state governments and local agencies need time to adjust their budgets to any kind of changes.

“An interruption in those services could place American lives in jeopardy,” he said.

Grant programs tied up by litigation

In another move that has caused uncertainty, FEMA in September drastically cut some states’ allocations from another source of funding. The $1 billion Homeland Security Grant Program is supposed to be based on assessed risks, and states pass most of the money to police and fire departments.

New York received $100 million less than it expected, a 79% reduction, while Illinois saw a 69% reduction. Both states are politically controlled by Democrats. Meanwhile, some territories received unexpected windfalls, including the U.S. Virgin Islands, which got more than twice its expected allocation.

The National Emergency Management Association said the grants are meant to be distributed based on risk and that it “remains unclear what risk methodology was used” to determine the new funding allocation.

After a group of Democratic states challenged the cuts in court, a federal judge in Rhode Island issued a temporary restraining order on Sept. 30. That forced FEMA to rescind award notifications and refrain from making payments until a further court order.

The freeze “underscores the uncertainty and political volatility surrounding these awards,” said Frank Pace, administrator of the Hawaii Office of Homeland Security. The Democratic-controlled state received more money than expected, but anticipates the bonus being taken away with the lawsuit.

In Hawaii, where a 2023 wildfire devastated the Maui town of Lahaina and killed more than 100 people, the state, counties and nonprofits “face the real possibility” of delays in paying contractors, completing projects and “even staff furloughs or layoffs” if the grant freeze and government shutdown continue, he said.

The myriad setbacks prompted Washington state’s Emergency Management Division to pause filling some positions “out of an abundance of caution,” communications director Karina Shagren said.

A series of delays and cuts disrupts state-federal partnership

Emergency management experts said the moves have created uncertainty for those in charge of preparedness.

The Trump administration has suspended a $3.6 billion FEMA disaster resilience program, cut the FEMA workforce and disrupted routine training.

Other lawsuits also are complicating decision-making. A Manhattan federal judge last week ordered DHS and FEMA to restore $34 million in transit security grants it had withheld from New York City because of its immigration policies.

Another judge in Rhode Island ordered DHS to permanently stop imposing grant conditions tied to immigration enforcement, after ruling in September that the conditions were unlawful — only to have DHS again try to impose them.

Taken together, the turbulence surrounding what was once a reliable partner is prompting some states to prepare for a different relationship with FEMA.

“Given all of the uncertainties,” said Sheets, of the National Emergency Management Association, states are trying to find ways to be “less reliant on federal funding.”

Angueira writes for the Associated Press.

Blackpool Sands in South Devon has been named one of the UK’s best beaches for autumn visits, but many people are left disappointed by one particular feature

Blackpool Sands in South Devon is hailed as one of the UK’s most picturesque coastal jewels.

Unlike many of your typical British beaches, this sheltered bay in the southwest of England boasts lush greenery and rolling hills. Its crystal-clear waters and secluded location draw locals and tourists alike, particularly during the summer months.

It was recently crowned one of the UK’s top beaches for autumn visits by outdoor specialists at Millets. The study, which rated beaches based on factors such as average autumn temperatures, rainfall, daily sunshine, and Google review scores, ranked Blackpool Sands fifth in a top 10 list.

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With an impressive overall score of 8.06 out of 10, it’s evident that the beach’s numerous facilities and breathtaking location resonate with visitors.

Natalie Wolfenden, a hiking enthusiast at Millets, emphasised that autumn is the “perfect time to enjoy long walks along the coast away from the summer crowds”. However, despite its beauty and high ratings, there’s one thing about the beach that leaves many visitors feeling let down.

For a beach named “Sands,” a significant number of visitors are caught off guard to find out that it is, in fact, made up of shingle, reports the Express.

This “misnomer,” as one reviewer put it, has led to a slew of complaints from unprepared beachgoers. On TripAdvisor, many have voiced their frustration, with one person writing: “Don’t be fooled by the name it’s not sandy just shingles. We drove a long way to visit here and was so disappointed, the shingles were so sharp you couldn’t walk barefoot.”

Another visitor remarked: “Nice beach but the name lies! This is NOT a sandy beach. Parking is easy, if not a little expensive (£9 for the day). Shingle is painful on bare feet and the sea goes deep quickly so not good for small children. But if you are prepared for this, it is a good day out.”

This view is shared by other beachgoers who described the pebbles as “unforgiving” or “harsh” underfoot. Yet the shingle becomes far less problematic during an autumn trip, when visitors are typically wearing robust walking boots.

The beach’s golden shingle and lush evergreen setting acquire an especially striking and wild character during the colder seasons, with the shoreline appearing “really stunning” in the words of one visitor.

It also serves as a perfect launching point for a ramble. The South West Coast Path lies alongside the beach, presenting a magnificent 3.2-mile circular route to the village of Strete.

The trail takes walkers high above the bay, delivering spectacular vistas of the coastline stretching towards Start Point with its lighthouse. For anyone willing to take the plunge, there is an unusual wooden beach sauna on offer for hire throughout the year.

Whilst the chilly water remains unavoidable, the sauna provides a delightful reward after swimming. A wooden boardwalk extends directly to the sea for sauna guests, reducing the barefoot shingle walk to a minor inconvenience for what proves to be a genuinely revitalising adventure.

Apart from the shingle, Blackpool Sands boasts a variety of amenities that explain its glowing reviews. Unlike many of Devon’s other renowned beaches, such as Hope Cove and Sunny Cove, Blackpool Sands offers ample parking and top-notch facilities.

The on-site cafe-restaurant and takeaway kiosk usually operate from 9am to 5pm daily, although their hours may be reduced during the chillier months.

For those in search of a tranquil and picturesque autumn getaway, Blackpool Sands guarantees a stunning experience – just remember to keep your expectations about the shore underfoot in check.

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If Wednesday’s game proves to be the last one in a Dodgers uniform for Clayton Kershaw, it will do little to tarnish his legacy, said teammate Mookie Betts.

“He’s gonna have a statue, so we have to kind of keep that in mind,” Betts said. “In the grand scheme of things, Kershaw is a first-ballot Hall of Famer, one of the best pitchers to ever do it.

“So if you let two innings kind of ruin that, then you don’t know baseball.”

But, Betts confessed, Kershaw’s relief appearance in Game 3 of the National League Division Series was hard to watch. In those two innings he gave up six hits, five runs, walked three and did not strike out a hitter, turning a tight game into an 8-2 rout for the Philadelphia Phillies, who staved off elimination and extended the best-of-five series to a fourth game Thursday.

“He just didn’t have a great slider tonight,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “Clayton pitches off his slider. He was working behind, too. The command wasn’t there tonight.”

Clayton Kershaw bends over during a tough eighth inning.

(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

Kershaw, who went 11-2 as a starter during the regular season, was left off the roster for the wild-card series and hadn’t pitched in nine days when he started warming up in the sixth inning Wednesday. He hadn’t gone that long between appearances all year.

“I did everything I could in between,” he said. “It’s been a while but, you know, I threw [off] flat ground as best I could. It wasn’t there tonight.”

That was obvious from the first batter he faced. Kershaw, who walked a batter every 3.2 innings during the regular season, threw three straight balls to Trea Turner before giving up a single. He would give up two more walks, one intentional, in the inning but escaped harm thanks to a poor baserunning decision by the Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber and a nice catch by right fielder Teoscar Hernández.

But with Tanner Scott unavailable for personal reasons and Alex Vesia having already pitched twice in the series, Roberts had few other good options against the left-handed-heavy Phillies. So he sent Kershaw out for the eighth and that’s when things really got out of hand.

J.T. Realmuto led off the inning and drove Kershaw’s second pitch — a slider — over the wall in left-center. The Phillies would send eight more men to the plate in the inning, scoring four more times, with two of those runs coming on Schwarber’s second homer of the night.

Kershaw threw first-pitch strikes to just four of the 14 batters he faced and missed the zone with 26 of the 48 pitches he threw overall. That won’t stop the Dodgers from building a statue of him when he retires this fall but it didn’t move him any closer to a second straight World Series ring either.

“I wasn’t throwing strikes, and it’s hard to pitch behind in the count,” he said.

Kershaw said he felt fine physically but added, “I just wasn’t finding it.”

That wasn’t a problem for the top of the Philadelphia lineup, which found little success in the first two games of the series. The Phillies’ first four hitters — Turner, Schwarber, Bryce Harper and Alex Bohm combined for just three hits, all singles — in 27 at-bats, striking out 12 times. They matched that hit total against Dodger starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the span of 11 fourth-inning pitches Wednesday, with Schwarber homering off the roof of the right-field pavilion and Harper and Bohm following with singles.

They finished the night nine for 16 with five runs scored and five RBIs, with Schwarber’s two homers traveling a combined 863 feet.

“We just had a little quick meeting. Nothing crazy, but just focus on the game, win today,” Turner said. “We all know we were kind of pressing as a group in the first two games and wanting to win so bad.”

If Turner and the Phillies win again Thursday, the series returns to Philadelphia and raucous Citizens Bank Park — where the Phillies had the best home record in baseball — for a decisive Game 5 on Saturday. If the Dodgers win, they move on to the NL Championship Series, where Kershaw could get a chance to end his career on a more sonorous note than the clunker he played Wednesday.

“That’s the great thing about baseball,” he said. “You get a new game every day.”

NEW YORK — When a black teen-ager was killed in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn last summer after a run-in with a gang of whites, mayoral candidate David N. Dinkins made it clear what New York should expect from its top leader: “The tone and climate of the city does get set at City Hall.”

The perception that Dinkins could soothe racial tensions was probably the single biggest force behind his election as New York’s first black mayor. The last few weeks have brought a series of racial problems that have put the mayor under intense pressure to deliver on the expectations that he built.

“Though we cannot eliminate racial and ethnic friction overnight, we must take the first steps. Our beginning will, of course, be marked by small–sometimes indirect–steps. But even a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,” Dinkins said Monday.

But the mayor who exults in his city as a multi-ethnic “gorgeous mosaic” is feeling the cut of its sharp edges.

Each day seems to bring worse turmoil. Dinkins appears besieged, encircled by his detractors and undercut by the expectations that he himself raised. Some black leaders have gone so far as to publicly call him a traitor.

Dinkins faces two potentially explosive controversies in Brooklyn: As two juries have deliberated almost a week in the Bensonhurst slaying of Yusuf Hawkins, angry demonstrators have rallied each day outside the Brooklyn courthouse, and some of their leaders warn that violence is inevitable if the panels return anything less than a guilty verdict.

Meanwhile, blacks in Flatbush continue a four-month boycott of two Korean grocers that started with a dispute between one of the grocers and a black woman customer. While it is far from clear who was at fault in the original incident–the woman claims to have been beaten and the grocer contends that he merely pushed her to prevent her from shoplifting–it unmistakably tapped long-festering bitterness. Demonstrators have chanted such epithets as “Korean bloodsuckers” outside the stores, and have spat at customers who try to shop there.

A few blocks from the store, a group of more than a dozen blacks on Sunday beat three Vietnamese whom they apparently mistook for Korean.

Elsewhere in the city, smaller disputes add to the tension. A black City University professor is preaching black supremacy, while a white faculty member at the same school is saying that blacks are less intelligent and more prone to commit crime than whites. A group of white students at St. John’s University in Queens stands accused of raping a black woman. And Jimmy Breslin, one of the city’s most prominent columnists, has been suspended by New York Newsday after making racial comments about another staff member.

Dinkins’ low-key and cautious approach, which had initially seemed a soothing balm to the abrasion of former Mayor Edward I. Koch, now is being criticized as weakness and indecisiveness.

Roy Innis, national chairman of the Congress of Racial Equality, said in an interview Monday: “We’ve got to have a commitment to telling the hard truth. David Dinkins is not strong enough to do it.”

Innis accused Dinkins of “reverse racism” for failing to denounce the grocery store boycott that is “reeking with raw and naked, palpable racism.” He attributed Dinkins’ reluctance to the mayor’s association with Sonny Carson, the self-proclaimed “anti-white” leader of the boycott, who worked for the Dinkins campaign before being dismissed for anti-Semitic remarks.

Other blacks, however, have accused Dinkins of pandering to whites, particularly after the mayor made a rare foray onto prime-time live television last Friday to appeal for tolerance. “We must repress our rage,” the mayor said.

“He is a lover of white people and the system. And last night, he bashed black people,” said C. Vernon Mason, a lawyer who has been involved in a number of racial cases. “He ain’t got no African left in him. He’s got too many yarmulkes on his head.”

Mason made his comments at a rally Saturday, where he called the mayor “a traitor,” and some people in a crowd of hundreds chanted, “Judas, Judas.”

Many of Dinkins’ critics seem to suggest that as a black, he should automatically hold sway over New York’s black community–a view that does not recognize the diversity of opinion and outlook among blacks in the city.

One source in Dinkins’ Administration noted that the mayor has alienated some factions, who say they are disappointed in the number of blacks he has appointed to key posts at City Hall. Others have not forgiven Dinkins’ denunciation of the Rev. Louis Farrakhan, the black Muslim leader who once described Judaism as a “gutter” religion.

Dinkins’ Friday night address won high marks from many quarters, however. Former Mayor John V. Lindsay described it as “superb.”

Nonetheless, any hopes that it might have turned the tide were dashed less than 36 hours later, when the three Vietnamese were beaten by the group of blacks who thought they were Korean. Police on Monday arrested two people in connection with the assault, which Police Commissioner Lee Brown said was not related to the boycott.

Dinkins and several state legislators Monday held a news conference to announce state legislation aimed at crimes committed by groups, and to make a new push for a bill to stiffen penalties for crimes that are motivated by bias.

The Canary Islands are a popular holiday destination for Brits, but one thing has stopped me from returning in recent years.

I’ve holidayed on every Canary Island you can think of – Lanzarote, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, La Palma. These islands are a hit with travellers globally for their agreeable weather and stunning landscapes.

They’re often referred to as the “Islands of Eternal Spring” due to their consistently mild temperatures throughout the year, rarely dipping below 18°C.

These islands emerged from ancient volcanic eruptions, and their volcanoes remain active to this day. Mount Teide in Tenerife is not only Spain’s tallest peak but also ranks as the third-highest volcanic structure globally.

I’ve relished numerous ascents to Teide’s summit, yet despite the archipelago’s allure, one aspect has deterred me from returning lately.

That would be the black sandy shores. Tenerife boasts an array of black sand beaches, particularly in its northern regions, reports the Express.

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Although there are white sand and pebble beaches too, they’re less prevalent.

The black sand originates from volcanic lava, which, over time and under the relentless motion of the ocean, gets pulverised into fine grains.

Lanzarote is home to several black sand beaches as well, including Playa de Janubio and Playa de El Golfo. While these beaches are undoubtedly picturesque and steeped in natural history, they just don’t cut it for me when it comes to beach holidays.

During the intense heat of Canary summers, I’ve always found the black sand to be unbearably hot underfoot, absorbing more sunlight than its white or golden counterparts.

I found the beaches to be less appealing than the idyllic images on postcards had led me to believe.

Take Sardinia, for instance, which I recently visited during my holiday. It was adorned with pristine white beaches and crystal clear water everywhere, offering a more luxurious and tropical feel compared to my time in the Canaries.

However, it’s worth noting that many people are drawn to black sand beaches for their dramatic beauty, rarity, and association with volcanic landscapes, so it really boils down to personal preference.

There are also some golden beaches on the islands. Las Teresitas, situated near Tenerife’s capital, is a golden sand beach renowned for its tranquil, shallow, and safe waters.

This man-made beach was constructed in the 1960s using over 5,000 tonnes of sand from the Sahara Desert. Despite being a stunning beach, it’s always bustling as tourists and locals alike vie for a spot.

MOST of the Beckhams put on a united front at Victoria’s Paris Fashion Week show but eldest son Brooklyn snubbed his family again.

The designer and former Spice Girl, 51, was joined by husband David, 50, sons Romeo, 23, and Cruz, 20, as well as 14-year-old daughter Harper in the French capital last night.

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They fought bad weather to get to the Val-de-Grace venue but Brooklyn, 26, and actress wife Nicola Peltz, 30, remained in LA even though Victoria’s collection was inspired by being a mother.

Describing the show, Posh’s website said: “For Spring- Summer 2026 collection, Victoria Beckham revisits the instinctive experimentation of girlhood dressing, inspired by the designer’s own adolescence and her perspective as a mother.”

Ex-Vogue editor Anna Wintour, 75, was seen chatting to David before it started.

She joined the family on the front row alongside Cruz’s model girlfriend Jackie Apostel, 29.

The Beckhams’ close friend Eva Longoria, 50, was seen leaving her hotel in a black wrap dress with her producer husband, Jose Baston, 57, as they travelled to the show.

The event comes ahead of Victoria’s self-titled docuseries which will be released on Netflix on Thursday.

Earlier, Cruz was seen in a white T-shirt with the date 24.10.25 — with some suggesting it could be a release date for his music.

He has been working on tracks for several years and recently spent time in the studio with The Kooks frontman Luke Pritchard.

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Sibiu, Romania’s medieval treasure

Sibiu, the former capital of Transylvania, proved a wonderful place to visit. The city’s old town is on a hill, with every other building in the three main squares and the sidestreets seemingly a historic monument, dominated by the medieval Lutheran cathedral of Saint Mary. The characteristic design of attic windows makes it clear why Sibiu is called “the town of a thousand eyes”, and the Teutsch Haus provides a brilliant history of the region and the Transylvanian Saxons. The old town is crammed full of restaurants and cafes, and down by the river there is a local market with giant aubergines, tomatoes and peppers. For an evening glass, Wine Not has a vast selection of Romanian (and Moldovan) wines, and a black cat to talk to.
Barbara Forbes

Wrocław, Poland’s buzzy student city

Wrocław has the perfect mix of quirkiness and beauty to make for a cracking affordable city break. The hefty student population gives the city a real buzz, from the boat and beach bars along the River Oder (try Forma Płynna beach bar), to the delicious Georgian bakeries (stop at Piekarnia Gruzińska PURI – on Facebook – for pastries on the way to checking out the painted backyards of the Nadodrze neighbourhood). While tourists concentrate around the huge central square, exploring the edge of the old town reaps rewards, like Pub Drukarnia (delicious Litovel Czech beer) or Stacja Breslau bistro under the rail arches on Wojciecha Bogusławskiego street.
Matt Lunt

Helsinki’s world-class architecture

Our knowledge of Helsinki stemmed mainly from the films of director Aki Kaurismäki (Drifting Clouds, The Man Without a Past etc), so discovering it’s not all dockyards and cold war-era bars came as a welcome surprise. Instead, Helsinki features green spaces, coastal views, accessible islands and world-class architecture. It’s the latter we came for: from a church built into rock to state-of-the-art community space Oodi library; from the mid-century Didrichsen museum to architect Alvar Aalto’s organic modernism. But don’t forget to eat – whether it’s brunch at Levain, Michelin-starred invention at Grön or simply an exceptional korvapuusti (cinnamon roll to you and me).
David M

Marseille is fun for all the family

Marseille fitted the diverse requirements for our family city break. Warm weather, beaches, extraordinary street art, sea kayaking and amazing walking in the Calanques satisfied teenagers and parents alike. My favourites were the Mucem (Musée des Civilisations de l’Europe et de la Méditerranée), the winding streets of Le Panier and the sense of the place being a melting pot of cultures. We found the locals to be friendly as they encouraged our attempts to speak French, and there\s a good transport system of trams, metro and buses. We got there easily on Eurostar and TGV train and stayed at the Aparthotel Adagio.
Evie

Berlin’s hidden design gems

Although I’ve been travelling to Berlin for nearly 20 years, I’m still making new discoveries. The headlines, like the Brandenburg Gate and the glass dome on the Reichstag, are definitely worth seeing, but there are also hidden treasures, such as the futuristic Ludwig Erhard Haus, designed by Nicolas Grimshaw, whose steel-clad exterior is just the aperitif for some jaw-dropping architecture inside. Or the ruins of St Michael’s church, which was separated from its parishioners by the Berlin Wall. And try to bag a place on the tour of the ESMT business school that once housed East Germany’s elite. The socialist stained glass and GDR coat of arms mosaic are real showstoppers.
James Carson

A dumpling and a beer in Vilnius, Lithuania

We’ve just spent three nights in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius whose old town is easily walkable with plenty of churches, museums and other sights. We indulged in local specialities like kvass, a drink made from fermented rye bread, and cepelinai, which are potato dumplings shaped like airships and filled with minced pork. A half litre of beer (about €5) was ideal with moreish kepta duona, fingers of deep-fried black bread served with a garlic dip. A walk up hundreds of steps to the Three Crosses for views over the city burned excess calories. We stayed at Domus Maria, a former monastery, near the Gate of Dawn.
Helen Jackson

Why Maastricht is a must

A three-hour drive from Calais, or two-hour train journey from Brussels changing at Liège-Guillemins, is the Dutch city of Maastricht. Compact, largely flat (handy for an arthritic retiree) and utterly delightful. As a university town, we enjoyed the friendly, lively vibe but this did not distract from its charm and its history. The cloth market on Wednesdays and the bric-a-brac market at the weekend in the main square are amazing (we bought a milk churn!), the frites at the surrounding cafes were great and the beer was varied and delicious. Boekhandel Dominicanen (a bookshop in a converted middle-ages abbey) was certainly a highlight.
Bruce Horton

Beer spa in Olomouc, Czech Republic

Olomouc in the Czech Republic is an utter delight. Gleaming spires and domes, two old town squares, enchanting cobbled lanes, trams and its own astronomical clock. It also has a Unesco-recognised holy trinity column, which was built to mark the end of a plague in the early 18th century. A two-hour train ride from Prague, Olomouc is markedly less touristy than the Czech capital. Two great places to enjoy a beer were Saint Venceslav’s brewery, where there is a beer spa with a sauna scented with hops; and Twinburg, next to the Moravian cycle path, which serves delicious craft ales. This is a city I felt had been put on Earth specially for me.
Jack Anderton

Polar nights in Tromsø, Norway’s ‘Arctic capital’

As a Scot who once sought drawn-out summer nights, I now lean into the opposite with fervour. Winter in Tromsø, Norway – the “Arctic capital” – is for travellers who embrace the long, dark nights and are keen to meddle with their circadian rhythms. The polar night, when the sun doesn’t rise above the horizon, starts at the end of November and finishes in mid-January. Experience this unworldly extended twilight – the blue hour – from about 9am to 2pm. The Fjellheisen cable car and silent whale-watching with Brim Explorer are two recommended activities.
Aimee Lawrence

Winning tip: blessed are the cheese markets in Alkmaar, the Netherlands

I recently visited Alkmaar, 35 minutes north of Amsterdam by train, which has waterways, picturesque pedestrian-friendly cobbled streets, chiming churches, excellent food (De Heeren Van Sonoy, Stadskaffee Laurens and Patisserie Elhorst include gluten-free options), and markets (don’t miss the cheese market for a true Dutch spectacle). We hired bicycles from Pesie for an easy trip on well-marked paths through beautiful pine forest and the Schoorlse Duinen (Dunes) nature reserve before heading back to town via a well-deserved ice-cream on the beach at Bergen aan Zee.
Nicola

Reality TV queen Kim Kardashian has emotionally revealed that someone close to her allegedly put a ‘hit’ on her life in a shocking trailer for the new Kardashian series

Kim Kardashian has claimed someone close to her put a “hit” on her life in a dramatic admission. The reality TV star, 44, was seen crying as she shared the situation for the first time.

She revealed she learned of the alleged plot through her investigators as the scenes are expected to play out on her family’s reality show. The Kardashian clan have let cameras into their lives once again, but this time things have appeared to take a harrowing turn.

In a trailer for the upcoming series, Kim was left in tears as she opened up on someone wanting her dead. “I got a call from investigators,” she said.

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“Someone extremely close to me put a hit out on my life.” Short clips of Kim pacing a room and then being left in tears were show as she made the shocking revelation.

Her younger sister Kendall Jenner appeared as she said: “Everybody’s kind of on edge.” The trailer cut to Kylie Jenner, who was sat speaking to her mum Kris, as she recounted: “I heard footsteps walking into my room.”

It ended with a shot of Kim speaking directly to the camera as she admitted: “I am happy it’s over.” The series is set to feature Kim’s Paris jewel robbery trial as well as brother Rob, who has taken a step away from the spotlight in recent years.

Caitlyn Jenner is also poised to make an appearance as the 75-year-old is seen in the explosive trailer. There are also big changes for the family as they bid farewell to their Hidden Hills mansion, where they filmed Keeping Up with the Kardashians.

They revisited the home for one last time as they prepared for an emotional goodbye. It also left many of the sisters spilling their confessions from life at the property.

The youngest sisters, Kendall and Kylie, admitted to sneaking boys into the home, while Khloe left her family stunned by confessing to having sex in many of the home’s rooms.

The Kardashians teases in their official synopsis: “The Kardashian-Jenners are back, and it feels like old times! Kris, Kourtney, Kim, Khloé, Kendall, and Kylie are diving head-first into the drama, the hustle, and the heart.

“They must revisit their past as they chase passions that push them further than ever before. Through unforgettable moments and deeply personal challenges, the family continues to evolve and redefine their legacy.”

The upcoming series has been branded a “whole different beast” as viewers are warned: “You better watch out.”

It marks the seventh season of The Kardashians and begins on streaming site Hulu on October 23, with new episodes are shown on Thursdays.

READ MORE: ‘I tested this £28 foundation – it’s a dream and made my face glow all day’

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A California woman is suing Dignity Health, alleging two hospitals denied her emergency abortion services due to their Catholic directives, violating state law and putting her life in danger.

During two separate pregnancies, Rachel Harrison’s water broke at just 17 weeks — a condition that can cause deadly complications. An abortion is typically the course of action recommended by doctors, but on both occasions staff members at Dignity Health hospitals refused to act because they detected a fetal heartbeat, the lawsuit alleges.

The second time it happened, Harrison experienced life-threatening sepsis and had to travel to a hospital outside her insurance network to receive a blood transfusion, the complaint states.

Harrison, 30, and her partner Marcell Johnson filed a lawsuit against Dignity Health in San Francisco Superior Court on Friday. The claim, first reported by Courthouse News Service, alleges that subsidiaries Mercy San Juan Medical Center and Mercy General Hospital refused to provide her emergency abortion care for religious reasons.

The 24 Catholic hospitals within the Dignity Health network follow a set of “Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Services,” which caused Harrison to be turned away from an emergency room during the loss of a high-risk pregnancy, the complaint alleges.

“While publicly touting their hospitals’ qualifications as reliable emergency services centers, Dignity Health prioritized its own religious directives over the best interests of Rachel’s health and well-being,” the lawsuit alleges.

Last September the state filed a similar lawsuit against a Catholic hospital in Eureka after a woman whose water broke at 15 weeks was denied an emergency abortion. That hospital then agreed to provide emergency abortions in cases where a woman’s health is at risk.

A spokesperson for Dignity Health did not comment on the specific allegations contained in Harrison’s lawsuit.

“When a pregnant woman’s health is at risk, appropriate emergency care is provided,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “The well-being of our patients is the central mission for our dedicated caregivers.”

On Sept. 13, 2024, according to Harrison‘s lawsuit, she experienced a condition called previable preterm premature rupture of the membranes, or previable PPROM, when her water broke at just 17 weeks of pregnancy.

This condition is fatal for the fetus and dangerous for the mother.

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the standard of care is to inform the patient that the pregnancy is not viable and recommend termination as the safest option to reduce maternal risk. Miscarrying the fetus naturally comes with higher risk of infection and blood loss, both of which can lead to permanent loss of reproductive function or even death.

Last September, Harrison traveled to Mercy San Juan Medical Center in Carmichael for emergency care, but doctors did not recommend an abortion, the complaint alleges.

“Instead, Rachel was told that because of the hospital’s Catholic affiliation, there was nothing more the hospital could do for her,” the complaint states. “Confused and distressed, Rachel was discharged and left to complete a high-risk miscarriage of a fetus ‘the size of an avocado’ — as she was told by the physician’s assistant — at home, on her own, and without medical supervision.”

She went to a Kaiser hospital the following morning and received emergency care, the lawsuit says.

Last December, Harrison was thrilled to learn that she was pregnant again, but then “her worst nightmare” repeated itself. At 17 weeks pregnant, she once again experienced previable PPROM, the complaint states.

Her insurance only covers OB/GYN care within the Dignity Health network, so she went to Mercy General Hospital in Sacramento.

In a repeat of her past experience, her lawsuit alleges, staff members told her they could not provide the care she sought due to the fetal heartbeat. She was able to access care at another hospital, her complaint says, but experienced sepsis and heavy blood loss in the process.

The lawsuit alleges that the denials violated California’s Emergency Services Law, which requires hospitals operating a licensed emergency room to treat patients suffering from emergency medical conditions, including previable PPROM.

Harrison also alleges that Dignity Health violated the Unruh Civil Rights Act, California Unlawful Competition Law and her right to privacy under the California Constitution.

Harrison and her partner are seeking an order requiring Dignity Health hospitals to provide emergency abortions in a manner compliant with state law, as well as compensatory and punitive damages.

Maybe you can call Canada and Tesla (TSLA 3.94%) frenemies. The tension between the two entities has existed since Tesla allegedly manipulated Canada’s electric vehicle (EV) subsidy program. While Tesla believes it to be a misunderstanding and was later cleared of wrongdoing, it added to the political tension between the two nations, and added to the Canadian resentment toward Tesla CEO Elon Musk for then supporting the Trump administration.

It was a little messy, so it’s even more entertaining now that Canada might actually put more dollars in the pockets of Tesla. Here’s the situation.

What’s going on

Canadian automakers have been raising red flags and could be in for a bumpy ride if Canada’s electric vehicle (EV) mandate is enforced as currently described and EV sales don’t accelerate. Essentially, Canada’s EV sales mandate requires an automaker to ensure a certain percentage of new cars, SUVs, and light-duty trucks sold are zero-emission vehicles including hybrids.

Originally the mandate was supposed to start at 20% in 2026, but now it will begin in 2027 with the caveat that the initial target will be a challenging 27%. The percentage will rise steadily every year until 2035 when all new vehicle sales are intended to be EVs. For context, EV sales in Canada nearly reached 15% of total sales in 2024, but that was when the government was offering consumer rebates up to $5,000.

Once funding ran dry for the rebate in January, sales took a mighty plunge. The most recent data from Statistics Canada shows EV sales generated 7.7% of all new vehicle sales in July — a far cry from what’s going to be required to meet standards on average.

Image source: Tesla.

What are Canadian autos to do?

As most investors following the industry know, there’s a way to comply with these mandates by purchasing zero-emission credits from companies that have a surplus. Companies such as Tesla that only sell EVs and have no gasoline vehicle sales to offset, can simply sell their credits to needy gasoline-heavy automakers and pocket the money — it’s great business for pure EV makers. Zero-emission credit sales were instrumental during Tesla’s early years and still have been a major contributor to its financials.

The good news for Tesla is that Canadian automakers may not have an option other than to begrudgingly purchase from Tesla despite the ruffled feathers between the two entities. According to Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association president Brian Kingston, with 2026 models already being purchased, Tesla would be one — if not the only — automaker with a surplus of credits on hand to sell to other companies.

It also gets a little more complicated because as the targets become more challenging there will be more demand and less supply of these credits available, forcing some automakers to buy them ahead of time to be utilized when necessary. According to Kingston, estimates show over $1 billion has already been committed to this and could cost the Canadian industry more than $3 billion by 2030.

What it all means

Zero-emission credits have been a huge business for Tesla, and the company has generated billions and billions of dollars over the years selling them to needy automakers. Unfortunately for Tesla and other EV makers, changing policy in the U.S. has erased the need for these credits in the states.

In fact, Tesla was estimated to generate $3 billion from credit revenue in 2025 alone before the policy change knocked that estimate down by 40%. Tesla’s credit revenue is expected to plunge even further next year to $595 million before becoming irrelevant in 2027.

For investors, an extremely valuable Tesla revenue stream is about to dry up, unless Canada’s mandate stays as written. While it wouldn’t generate near the revenue the U.S. credit situation has, it would still be a welcome development as credit revenue in the U.S. fades rapidly — and Tesla could sure use a small win right now.

FIRST it was Mondeo. Then Fiesta. Now Focus. 

Another much-loved Ford heading for the great scrapyard in the sky. 

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No matter. 

Kia is here to fill the gap by giving us two sensibly-priced, Focus-sized family hatchbacks called “4”. 

One petrol. 

One electric. 

Plus, an electric saloon thingy. 

The same thing happened with small cars. 

Ford axed the cheery Ka runabout six years ago. Yet Kia is still shifting the dinky Picanto by the boatload. 

I dunno. Them crazy Koreans giving people what they actually want. 

Right, let’s discuss the cars you see on these pages today. 

The yellow car is called K4. That’s a five-door petrol hatch from £25k. Well-equipped. Fizzy 1-litre or 1.6 turbo petrols. Seven-year warranty. As with any Kia. Undercuts a Volkswagen Golf by £3k. 

The blue car is called EV4. That’s a five-door electric hatch from £35k, before any electric car grant. Looks great. Drives sweetly.

The chassis could easily handle more power. Iron Man and Mickey Mouse integrated in the onboard computer. 

I’m serious. 

You can personalise the central screen and satnav with your favourite movie characters. The kids will love that. 

Then watch Netflix or play arcade games, if you ever need to stop to recharge. 

I say IF because the biggest 81kWh battery will do 390 miles by the official WLTP test. Closer to 320 miles in the real world.

Still more than most people do in a week. And way more than a Vauxhall Astra Electric can manage. 

Everything is super easy 

The regular EV4 has a 273-mile ­battery and recharges in a 30-minute tea-and-pee break. 

Driving impressions. You sit nice and low in this car. We like that. It rides nicely (multi-link rear axle). 

We designed this car thinking about the European customer because they love to drive

Kia engineer

Handles nicely (also multi-link rear axle). Accelerates smoothly. Everything is super easy.

If you want to feel more involved, use the braking regen paddles on the steering wheel to mimic changing down gears for a bend. 

I reckon the four-wheel-drive GT due next year is going to be a lot of fun. 

A Kia engineer told me: “We designed this car thinking about the European customer because they love to drive.” 

Too right. 

The cabin is copy-and-paste Kia’s other award-winning EVs. Which means a nice mix of screens and hard controls, cup holders and chargers for everyone, lots of recycled materials, and lots of S P A C and E. 

Like 10cm more legroom in the back than a Tesla Model 3. Like a wide-opening boot that swallows loads more stuff than a Focus, Golf or Astra. 

That’s the benefit of a ground-up ­electric car. It’s no bigger on the outside. But you get a next-size-up cabin. 

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Put simply, EV4 is a peach. 

Now for the car I’m less bothered about. The fugly EV4 Fastback. I reckon the designers were rushing to get to the pub. Either that or they finished it after they’d been to the pub. 

I’m sure someone will like it. 

It does have a bigger boot and the biggest battery as standard. 

But it costs £41k. 

At least Kia is doing Ford’s old job by giving everyone lots of choice. 

There’s desperate, and there’s desperate to where you’re looking for Roki Sasaki to be the answer to your team’s late-inning problems.

The same Roki Sasaki who hasn’t pitched in a major league game in more than four months because of shoulder problems.

The same Roki Sasaki who posted a 4.72 earned-run average in eight starts.

The same Roki Sasaki who last week in the minors pitched as a reliever for the first time.

The Dodgers’ exploration of Sasaki as a late-inning option is a reflection of the 23-year-old rookie’s upside, but this isn’t a commentary of Sasaki as much as it is of the roster.

The team’s bullpen problems have persisted into the final week of the regular season, and the potential solutions sound like miracles, starting with Sasaki’s audition for a postseason role as a reliever.

Sasaki pitched twice in relief for triple-A Oklahoma City, touching 100 mph in a scoreless inning on Thursday and retiring the side on Sunday.

Manager Dave Roberts said Sasaki would rejoin the Dodgers for their upcoming road series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The earliest Sasaki would be available to pitch would be on Wednesday.

With only six games remaining in the regular season, Sasaki figures to pitch no more than twice for the Dodgers before the playoffs. That being the case, do the Dodgers plan to use him in high-leverage situations to learn how he performs in late-inning situations?

“We’re still trying to win games, and this would be his third outing in the ‘pen, first in the big leagues, so not sure,” Roberts said.

Then again, what’s the alternative? Continue to run out Blake Treinen?

The most dependable reliever on the Dodgers’ World Series run last season, the 37-year-old Treinen was re-signed to a two-year, $22-million contract over the winter. He missed more than three months of this season with a forearm strain and hasn’t rediscovered the form that made him a postseason hero. Treinen is 1-7 with a 5.55 earned-run average for the season and has taken a loss in five of his last seven games.

Treinen cost the Dodgers another game on Sunday when he inherited a 1-0 lead, only to give up three runs in the eighth inning of an eventual 3-1 defeat.

Roberts was booed when he emerged from the dugout to remove Treinen, but whom did the fans want the manager to call on to pitch that inning instead?

Tanner Scott?

Kirby Yates?

Alex Vesia is the most trustworthy bullpen arm, but if he pitched the eighth inning, who would have pitched the ninth?

Dodgers pitcher Blake Treinen, right, reacts after giving up a bases-loaded walk in a 3-1 loss to the San Francisco Giants on Sunday.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Roberts acknowledged he was basically reduced to holding out hope that when the postseason starts Treinen would magically revert to being the pitcher he was last year.

Wouldn’t it be unsettling to have to count on Treinen without seeing him pitch better in the regular season?

“Certainly, I’d like to see some more consistent performance,” Roberts said. “But at the end of the day, there’s going to be certain guys that I feel that we’re going to go to in leverage [situations] and certain guys we’re not going to.”

Evidently, Treinen is still viewed as a leverage-situation pitcher.

Roberts said: “My trust in him is unwavering.”

There aren’t many other choices.

Maybe Will Klein, who was called up from the minors for the third time last week. Klein struck out the side on Saturday and gave up a leadoff double in a scoreless inning on Sunday.

Maybe Brock Stewart, who has been sidelined with shoulder problems for the majority of the time since he was acquired at the trade deadline. Stewart will rejoin the Dodgers in Arizona.

Or maybe Emmet Sheehan or Clayton Kershaw, who are expected to be pushed out of the postseason rotation by Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Shohei Ohtani and Tyler Glasnow. Sheehan started on Sunday and pitched seven scoreless innings.

The playoff picture is unlikely to change for the Dodgers between now and the end of the regular season, as they are four games behind the Philadelphia Phillies for the No. 2 seed in the National League and three games ahead of the second-place San Diego Padres in the NL West. Nonetheless, Roberts said he was unsure of how high-leverage innings over the next week would be allocated, which spoke to the degree of uncertainty about the bullpen. Should these innings be used to straighten out previously-successful relievers such as Treinen and Scott? Or to experiment with unknown commodities such as Sasaki and Klein?

Just a couple of weeks ago, the door for Sasaki pitching in the playoffs was locked and bolted. The Dodgers have been rocked by the dreadful performance of their bullpen, so much so that a door that was once slammed shut is now wide open.

THE saying goes, ‘less is more’, but celebrities are taking that a little too literally as flashing thongs return.

The trend was big in the noughties with the ‘it’ girls of the day, Britney Spears and Paris Hilton, showing the tops of their G-Strings.

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And TV royalty, Gillian Anderson flashed hers on the red-carpet at the Oscars in 2001 but later was killed off by fashion notoriety – along with tramp stamps.

Flashing your thongs had a resurgence in 2020 with the likes of Jennifer Lopez and Kim Kardashian flashing their underwear, but now the trend is more than just peeking above your jeans.

It’s about basically doing a moony, but getting away with it because you’re in couture.

Last week Margot Robbie paid tribute to the late, and great, Mr Giorigio Armani who sadly passed away earlier this month by wearing one of his spring designs, a completely sheer and bejewelled dress.

At the premier of her new film, A Big Bold Beautiful Journey, the 35-year-old undoubtedly looked incredible in the see-through gown with plunging back that showed she was only wearing a thong.

Just a couple of days later fellow actress Dakota Johnson, 35, wore a similar look.

A high neck, long sleeved, floor length dress made from lace that also flashed her bum in a black thong.

Her Gucci gown for a charity dinner in New York, again, looked incredible on her.

But we need to think about their consequences.

Thongs, a piece of fabric that connects from the front to the back and no more than a few centimetres thick. And that connection of fabric goes via your, erm, bum.

When it’s in black and white it sounds vulgar, and not to mention uncomfortable.

And I don’t want to see that when I’m in a bar sipping my glass of Sauvignon, because let’s face it where celebs lead – we all follow.

When you’re a Hollywood A-lister with the pristine figure good enough to better the world’s best supermodels, sure flash away – you look sensational.

But let’s not make this trend grip the nation or we’ll be faced with fleshy, droopy, white bottoms on the loose up and down the country.

Pants for a charity fundraiser? No thank you.

Clemmie Fieldsend

And if you shudder at the sight of a ‘builders bum’ then don’t, please don’t, let this trend catch on – because your Friday night in your local ‘Spoons will be overrun with bums.

And it’s not just Margot and Dakota that could lead us into the cringe fashion flop.

Actress Helen Flannagan celebrated her 35th birthday by wearing a gold dress with a thong-bodysuit underneath.

Whilst on holiday the Corrie star went for a more toned down version of the trend wearing something similar to a thong cossie under a beach dress.

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Singer Dua Lipa, 30, hit the streets of New York for the Charlie Chaplin Gala this April in a beautiful black knitted dress with a fine weave that revealed her underwear.

Another modest style of the trend but nevertheless, pants for a charity fundraiser? No thank you.

Model Cara Delevingne has been at it too.

In May at the premier for the Ocean With David Attenborough documentary in London she flashed her thong, and the rest of her body all within spitting distance of our national treasure, Sir David.

There’s no escaping the fact that if we copy you we’ll become the butt of every joke

Clemmie Fieldsend

Complete with plunging neckline, the 33-year-olds chainmail grown might have been a bit too risque for such an occasion and a bit too chilly.

In the same month, Britney Spears did her one of her usual dancing around on Instagram videos, but this time just in thread-bare underwear.

The 43-year-old chose to wear just her bra and knickers for the video and black leather knee high boots.

Now, I’m all for doing what you like in your own home, but maybe the rest of us don’t need to see it.

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Love Island host Maya Jama was reviving the noughties trend way back in January.

For the All Stars series she headed back to the villa wearing a Norma Kamali see-though, ruched gown with off-the-shoulder straps with nothing but black underwear underneath.

With the warm temperatures of South Africa, she may have felt hot and wanted something cool to wear, and if anyone is going to look amazing in this trend it’s Maya, but let’s save it for private holidays.

For high days and holidays maybe, but come on ladies.

There’s no escaping the fact that if we copy you we’ll become the butt of every joke.

So let’s leave this trend, and cracks, in the past.

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In April last year, I wrote that, given the genocide it is committing in Gaza, its violent occupation of the West Bank, numerous attacks on its neighbours, and apparent disregard for international and human rights law, it was time for the international community to declare Israel a rogue state. As if we hadn’t received enough confirmation of its rogue status since then, on September 9, Israel went ahead and carried out a strike on Qatar, a key mediator in negotiations between Hamas and Israel. This, while Gaza’s devastation deepens by the day.

The last remaining high rises in Gaza City are now being flattened, and hundreds of thousands of people who had already been displaced multiple times are being pushed towards the south of the enclave. Israel claims the south is a “humanitarian zone”, but we know well that there is nowhere in Gaza where Palestinians are safe.

So, in the midst of all this, it feels futile to celebrate the United Nations General Assembly vote where 142 member states backed “tangible, timebound, and irreversible steps” towards a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict. The same resolution, rejected by just 12 states including Israel and the United States, also called on Hamas to free all hostages, end its rule in Gaza, and hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority, in line with the objective of establishing a sovereign and independent Palestinian state.

Gaza is still smouldering, and Palestinian communities are being systematically erased in the occupied West Bank. So how does it make sense to talk about a Palestinian state? Who, or what, would such a state serve?

Before this vote, the vast majority of countries in the world had already recognised the State of Palestine. Those missing from this map of recognition were primarily states in the Global North.

Through the UN General Assembly vote, France, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Malta, Belgium, Canada, and Australia have now signalled their support for Palestinian statehood, aligning themselves with the global majority. But let us be clear: these countries have no claim to the moral high ground.

We should remember that they waited through two years of Israeli genocide, which has killed at least 65,000 Palestinians, before voting in favour of a Palestinian state. They were similarly oblivious to the Palestinian right to self-determination during the years of Israeli and Egyptian-imposed military siege in Gaza before October 7, 2023. They did nothing to quell the ever-expanding illegal settlement movement in the occupied West Bank or the sharp increase in settler violence. In fact, they have done nothing to support the Palestinian right to self-determination since 1948.

So, why should this time be any different?

In fact, it is not different at all. As a scholar of international law, Noura Erakat recently told Al Jazeera, “It is way too little, far too late.” And these declarations are only meant to distract from the fact that many of these countries have financially and militarily enabled Israel to carry out its genocide.

The proof is in the pudding: the Palestinian state that is on offer. And what is clear is that Palestinian rights are not a priority.

A few weeks before, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that the United Kingdom would recognise a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September 2025 unless Israel took “substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza, agree to a ceasefire and commit to a long-term sustainable peace, reviving the prospect of a two-state solution.” There was no mention of Palestinians’ inalienable right to self-determination or of the legitimacy of the Palestinian national struggle. Rather, it was framed as a punishment for Israel. Does this mean that if Israel had stopped the genocide and paid lip service to the (already dead) two-state solution, Britain would have voted differently?

Canada’s promise of recognition came with a long list of caveats. Notably, on the Government of Canada’s website, in the items that make up its “policy on key issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict”, the first commitment is “support for Israel and its security”.

It adds that Israel has the “right under international law to take the necessary measures, in accordance with human rights and international humanitarian law, to protect the security of its citizens from attacks by terrorist groups.” But what if Israel is already in violation of international law – as it is right now? Will Canada still stand by Israel and its security?

After reaffirming its support for Israel, Canada then declares support for the Palestinians’ “right to self-determination” and “a sovereign, independent, viable, democratic, and territorially contiguous Palestinian state”. But this comes with strings attached, including demands for governance reforms in the Palestinian Authority, the demilitarisation of the Palestinian state, and elections in 2026, “in which Hamas can play no part”.

Australia’s promise of recognition was similarly predicated on the Palestinian Authority pursuing certain reforms, including the termination of prisoner payments, schooling reform, and demilitarisation. It also demanded that Hamas “end its rule in Gaza and hand over its weapons”.

The joint statement by Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese added: “There is much more work to do in building the Palestinian state. We will work with partners on a credible peace plan that establishes governance and security arrangements for Palestine and ensures the security of Israel.” But what of the security of Palestinians? Will Australia take any measures to protect them from Israel’s mass extermination? Or are Palestinians simply meant to work on building a state that Western powers can tolerate, while hoping that the Israeli government will eventually grow tired of its genocidal campaign?

The unbearable tragedy of it all is that we have already seen what happens when a peace process prioritises Israel’s right to security over Palestinians’ right to self-determination. It was called the Oslo Accords, where a genuine guarantee of a Palestinian state was never on the table.

In his essay The Morning After, Edward Said wrote of the vulgarity of the ceremonial way the Accords were signed at the White House and the diminutive manner in which Yasser Arafat offered thanks. Said rued that the Oslo Accords were not a path to statehood. Rather, they symbolised the “astonishing proportions of the Palestinian capitulation”.

It resulted in a Palestinian Authority — yes, the same Palestinian Authority that Western leaders have hedged their bets on — that had all the bells and whistles of a state. But the real state never arrived. With complete impunity, Israel continued its efforts to erase Palestinians. And the Palestinian Authority became an extension of the settler-colonial project, collaborating with Israeli forces to actively undermine the Palestinian national movement, all in the name of Israel’s security.

So, if Western leaders are sincere about “solving” the crisis, the only good solution is the one that places Palestinian rights on centre stage and involves some mechanism of political leverage and censure that is able to curb Israel’s rogue-like conduct. Without it, any recognition of Palestinian statehood is an empty performance, and the Israeli campaign of genocide and erasure is bound to continue with complete impunity.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial stance.

Roki Sasaki topped 100 mph a half-dozen times in four shutout innings of a rehab start for triple-A Oklahoma City on Tuesday, pushing himself back into the conversation for a spot on the Dodgers’ postseason pitching staff.

“We’ve all got to huddle up and figure out what’s the next plan,” manager Dave Roberts said. “I personally don’t know Roki’s plan after tonight.”

Sasaki struggled through four rehab appearances and seemed to have dropped off the Dodgers’ radar. But he gave up just a hit through the first four innings Tuesday before tiring in the fifth, when he gave up three runs, two walks, two hits and a hit batter.

He threw 90 pitches, 52 for strikes, striking out eight and walking four.

It’s unlikely Sasaki, 23, will be considered for a spot in the rotation but he could pitch out of the bullpen.

“Anything’s possible,” Roberts said. “I know he wants to contribute. So we’ve just got to see where he fits in. And we’ll have that conversation as an organization.”

Sasaki went 1-1 with a 4.72 ERA in eight starts before going on the injured list with a shoulder impingement in mid-May. In his first four rehab starts for Oklahoma City, he gave up 17 hits and 11 earned runs in 14 innings.

The Dodgers’ bullpen is starting to get crowded, however, with left-hander Alex Vesia returning from the injured list Tuesday. Vesia was 3-2 with a 2.75 ERA in 59 games before going to the sidelines on Aug. 23 with a right oblique strain. Right-hander Ben Casparius was optioned to Oklahoma City to create a roster spot for Vesia. Casparius was 7-5 with a 4.64 ERA in 46 games.

Roberts said as the postseason roster begins to come together the decisions on who stays and who goes with 2 ½ weeks left in the regular season become harder.

“The conversation with Ben yesterday wasn’t fun for anyone,” he said. “It starts to get tougher.”

He’ll have to have another one of those talks Wednesday before activating utility player Tommy Edman from the injury list. Outfielder Justin Dean, who has appeared mostly as a defensive replacement, batting just twice in 18 games entering Tuesday, is the most likely to be sent down.

US president claims Israel accepted his terms to end the war in Gaza and issues ‘last warning’ for Hamas.

Washington, DC – United States President Donald Trump has suggested that he put forward a new proposal to end the war in Gaza, saying that Israel has accepted his terms as it pushes on with its brutal assault on the Palestinian territory.

In a social media post on Sunday, Trump warned Hamas to accept his conditions, saying that he informed the group about the “consequences” of turning down the offer.

Throughout the 23-month war, US officials have repeatedly claimed that Israel has accepted ceasefire efforts – all while Israeli leaders vow publicly to intensify their offensive, which leading rights groups and scholars have described as a genocide.

“Everyone wants the Hostages HOME. Everyone wants this War to end!” Trump wrote in a social media post.

“The Israelis have accepted my Terms. It is time for Hamas to accept as well. I have warned Hamas about the consequences of not accepting. This is my last warning, there will not be another one! Thank you for your attention to this matter.”

It remains unclear what Trump’s terms entail.

But Trump has previously issued similar verbal warnings to Hamas and predicted that the war would end soon. On August 25, the US president said he thinks the war would come to a “conclusive ending” within three weeks.

Later on Sunday, Hamas confirmed receiving “ideas” from the US for ending the war.

“Hamas welcomes any initiative that helps in the efforts to stop the aggression against our people,” the group said.

“We affirm our immediate readiness to sit at the negotiation table to discuss the release of all prisoners in exchange for a clear declaration to end the war, the full withdrawal from Gaza, and the formation of a committee to manage Gaza from Palestinian independents, who will immediately begin their work.”

Hamas has been calling for a ceasefire deal that would see a prisoner exchange to release Israeli captives in Gaza and a lasting end to the Israeli offensive.

The Palestinian group also said last month that it accepted a proposal presented by the mediators for a 60-day truce.

Trump’s statement comes as Israel steps up its campaign to capture Gaza City against the pleas of rights groups and Western officials.

The US president has been a staunch supporter of Israel. Last week, his administration imposed sanctions on Palestinian rights groups for cooperating with the International Criminal Court’s investigation into Israeli abuses.

Trump also previously called for removing all Palestinians from Gaza and turning the enclave into a US-owned “Riviera of the Middle East” – a plan that rights advocates decried as an ethnic cleansing push.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has embraced Trump’s mass displacement proposal, presenting the push to ethnically cleanse Gaza as an effort to allow Palestinians to voluntarily leave the territory.

But legal scholars say that people have no real choice when they are under the threat of constant Israeli bombardment.

The Israeli campaign has killed more than 64,000 Palestinians and levelled most of the territory to the ground.

At the heart of the uproar over allegations that Kawhi Leonard of the Los Angeles Clippers received millions in undisclosed payments from a tree-planting startup is a National Basketball Association rule that caps the the total annual payroll for teams.

According to a report by Pablo Torre of the Athletic, bankruptcy documents show that the tree-planting startup Aspiration Partners paid Leonard $21 million — and still owes him another $7 million — after agreeing to a $28 million contract for endorsement and marketing work at the company.

The report claims there is no evidence to show that Leonard did anything for Aspiration Partners, whose initial funding came in large part from Clippers owner Steve Ballmer. Torre alleges that the payment to Leonard was a way to skirt the NBA salary cap and pad his contract.

The Clippers have forcefully denied that they or Ballmer “circumvented the salary cap or engaged in any misconduct related to Aspiration.”

Still, the NBA said it was launching an investigation into the matter.

The salary cap is a dollar amount that limits what teams can spend on player payroll. The number is determined based on a percentage of projected income for the upcoming year. In 2024-25, the salary cap was $140.6 million.

The purpose of the cap is to ensure parity, preventing the wealthiest teams from outspending smaller markets to acquire the best players. Teams that exceed the cap must pay luxury tax penalties that grow increasingly severe. Revenues from the tax penalties are then distributed in part to smaller-market teams and in part to teams that do not exceed the salary cap.

The cap was implemented before the 1984-85 season at a mere $3.6 million. Ten years later, it was $15.9 million, and 10 years after that it had risen to $43.9 million. By the 2014-15 season it was $63.1 million.

The biggest spike came before the 2016-2017 season when it jumped to $94 million because of an influx of revenue from a new nine-year, $24 billion media rights deal with ESPN and TNT.

Salary cap rules negotiated between the NBA and the players’ union are spelled out in the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Proven incidents of teams circumventing the cap are few, with a violation by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2000 serving as the most egregious.

The Timberwolves made a secret agreement with free agent and former No. 1 overall draft pick Joe Smith, signing him to a succession of below-market one-year deals in order to enable the team to go over the cap with a huge contract ahead of the 2001-2002 season.

The NBA voided his contract, fined the Timberwolves $3.5 million, and stripped them of five first-round draft picks — two of which were later returned. Also, owner Glen Taylor and general manager Kevin McHale were suspended.

Then-NBA commissioner David Stern told the Minnesota Star-Tribune at the time: “What was done here was a fraud of major proportions. There were no fewer than five undisclosed contracts tightly tucked away, in the hope that they would never see the light of day. … The magnitude of this offense was shocking.”

Current commissioner Adam Silver is just as adamant as Stern when it comes to enforcing salary cap rules, although the current CBA limits punishment.

According to Article 13 of the CBA, if the Clippers were found to have circumvented the cap, it would be a first offense punishable by a $4.5 million fine, one first-round draft pick, and voiding of Leonard’s contract. However, the Clippers don’t have a first-round pick until 2027.

Leonard, one of the Clippers stars, is extremely well compensated. He will have been paid $375,772,011 by NBA teams through the upcoming season, according to industry expert spotrac.com.

A former Aspiration finance department employee whose voice was disguised on Torre’s podcast said that when they noticed the shockingly large fee paid to Leonard, they were told that, “If I had any questions about it, essentially don’t, because it was to circumvent the salary cap, LOL. There was lots of LOL when things were shared.”

Aspiration Partners was a digital bank that promoted socially responsible spending and investments that, at one point, brought in a star-filled roster of investors that included Drake, Robert Downey Jr., and Leonardo DiCaprio. Founded in 2013, it offered investments in “conscious coalition” companies and offered carbon credits to businesses. The company was valued it at $2.3 million at one point.

But in August, the company’s co-founder, Joseph Sanberg, agreed to plead guilty to charges that he defrauded investors and lenders. Federal prosecutors accused Sanberg of causing more than $248 million in losses, calling him a “fraudster.”

Prosecutors alleged that Sanberg and another member of the company’s board, Ibrahim AlHusseini, fraudulently obtained $145 million in loans by promising shares from Sanberg’s stock in the company. AlHusseini allegedly falsified records to inflate his assets to obtain the loans, and Sanberg concealed from investigators that he was the source for revenue that was recognized by the company.

Sanberg had also recruited companies and individuals to claim they would be paying tens of thousands of dollars to have trees planted, but instead Sanberg used legal entities under his control to hide that he was making these payments, not the customers.

Aspiration, which was partially funded by Ballmer with a $50 million investment, filed for bankruptcy in March.

The company was expected to pay more than $300 million over two decades as a sponsor for the Clippers’ Intuit Dome, which opened in August 2024. But before the new arena opened, the Clippers said Aspiration was no longer a sponsor, just as the Justice Department and Commodity Futures Trading Commission began looking into allegations that Aspiration had misled customers and investors.

During Aspiration’s bankruptcy proceedings, documents emerged citing KL2 Aspire as a creditor owed $7 million, one of four yearly payments of that amount agreed upon in a 2022 contract. KL2 is a limited liability company that names Leonard — whose jersey number is 2 — as its manager.

Aspiration was partially funded by a $50-million investment from Ballmer. It is not known whether Ballmer was aware of or played a role in facilitating the employment agreement between Aspiration and Leonard.

The Clippers issued a lengthy statement Thursday, attempting to explain why Leonard being paid by Aspiration was unrelated to his contract with the Clippers.

“There is nothing unusual or untoward about team sponsors doing endorsement deals with players on the same team,” the statement said in part. “Neither Steve nor the Clippers organization had any oversight of Kawhi’s independent endorsement agreement with Aspiration. To say otherwise is flat-out wrong.”

“The Clippers take NBA compliance extremely seriously, fully respect the league’s rules, and welcome its investigation related to Aspiration.”

In his reporting, Torre noted that Leonard’s contract with Aspiration included an unusual clause that said the company could terminate the endorsement agreement if Leonard was no longer a member of the Clippers.

Mark Cuban, part owner of the Dallas Mavericks, took to X.com to suggest that Torre’s reporting was faulty.

‘I’m on Team Ballmer,” Cuban wrote. “As much as I wish they circumvented the salary cap, First Steve isn’t that dumb. If he did try to feed KL money, knowing what was at stake for him personally, and his team, do you think he would let the company go bankrupt ? “

Torre responded by inviting Cuban on his podcast, “Pablo Torre Finds Out.”

CHARLTON’s new stopper Thomas Kaminski has opened up on his struggles following his father’s tragic death near the end of last season.

Kaminski, 32, joined the Addicks from Luton after a difficult time on and off the pitch, as the Hatters’ second consecutive relegation saw them tumble down the football pyramid.

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The double relegation from the Premier League to League One in consecutive seasons was put firmly into context by the sad passing of his dad Jacek, aged 65.

He died of a heart attack while out on a scooter back home in Belgium.

It came just days before the Hatters’ penultimate game last term against Coventry at Kenilworth Road.

After dashing back home to be with his family he still returned to play in the final two matches.

They beat the Sky Blues before losing 5-3 at West Brom, which saw Luton go down on goal difference.

Kaminski told SunSport: “It was a big disappointment to be relegated — but I had different things on my mind this summer because of my dad. He was the main man in my career and life so it was a tough time.

“I didn’t have time to process the relegation.

“When you reflect, yes, it’s disappointing — but it’s also only football.”
Kaminski is proud to have played in the Prem with the Hatters, which his dad was able to witness.

The Belgian played all of the Hatters’ 38 games in the top flight and said: “It was a good experience. It was always my dream to play in the Premier League.

“You come up against these players that can make the difference in any game. It was different to the Championship, it was less physical but quick.

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“It was all in and around the box — more cutbacks rather than crosses. It was quick and intense.

“And you know that you’re going to need to make at least a couple of good saves every game.

“I became a better keeper for the experience.”

That season in the Prem has given Kaminski a desire to get back there.

And he joined Charlton this summer believing the promoted side are on the up under manager Nathan Jones.

He said: “This is most definitely a team going places. We’ve some good players, young ones, and talented boys coming through the academy.

“And the manager is very intense.  He’s demanding on every aspect. And that’s how I work the best.”

Kaminski also looked forward to the Addicks’ match on Saturday, reassuring QPR No 1 Joe Walsh that he knows exactly how he feels after letting in SEVEN at Coventry last weekend.

The Belgian conceded just as many in a 7-0 thumping while playing for Blackburn against Fulham at Ewood Park almost four years ago.

But Kaminski insists the south-east Londoners should not treat their visit to Loftus Road as a lunchtime stroll in the park because the R’s and Walsh will be a wounded animal following that 7-1 loss.

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He said: “I’ve been exactly where Joe has been but we beat Sheffield United 3-1 in the next game.

“So I am certain that they’re going to be right up for this one — in front of their own fans in a London derby. So we’ll have to be at our best.

“I always have sympathy for other keepers. I hope Joe has a good game but we take the three points.

“From my own experience of coming off the pitch letting in seven, everything that could go wrong did.

“We had a man sent off but were only 2-0 down at half-time. We said in the dressing room, ‘Let’s not concede any more goals’.

“But Harry Wilson, Aleksandar Mitrovic and Rodrigo Muniz were on fire and we were well beaten. Against Sheffield United we went behind again after about 90 seconds so there was that feeling, ‘Oh no, not again’.

“But you learn from big defeats like that one to turn it into a positive.

“What I took from it was you have to move on quickly and learn from the goals you’ve conceded. It’s never nice to let in seven but it’s part of football.”

Employees expressed outrage over budget cuts, personnel decisions and other reforms enacted under President Donald Trump.

Some employees at the United States Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have been put on leave after they signed an open letter of dissent against the agency’s leadership, according to the nonprofit that published the letter.

The employees were placed on administrative leave on Tuesday after they signed an open letter a day earlier – on the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina – expressing outrage over budget cuts, personnel decisions and other reforms enacted under President Donald Trump, which they say could recreate conditions that led to the widely criticised FEMA response to the 2005 hurricane.

“We can confirm multiple FEMA employees who publicly signed the Katrina Declaration have been placed on administrative leave,” nonprofit group Stand Up for Science said in a statement on Tuesday.

The development is likely to fuel concerns that US President Donald Trump’s administration does not tolerate dissent. In July, the US Environmental Protection Agency placed 139 employees on administrative leave after they signed a letter expressing criticism of Trump’s policies.

The Stand Up for Science website said the letter had more than 190 signatories as of Tuesday evening, the majority signing anonymously due to fears of retaliation.

“Around 30” employees were suspended, The New York Times reported on Tuesday evening, citing their review of emails.

“Once again, we are seeing the federal government retaliate against our civil servants for whistleblowing – which is both illegal and a deep betrayal of the most dedicated among us,” Stand Up for Science said.

FEMA employee Virginia Case told CNN she received an emailed notice on Tuesday evening that she’d been placed on paid leave from her job as a supervisory management and programme analyst.

“I’m disappointed but not surprised,” Case said, according to the US outlet.

“I’m also proud of those of us who stood up, regardless of what it might mean for our jobs. The public deserves to know what’s happening because lives and communities will suffer if this continues.”

The Washington Post reported that the suspended employees will still continue to receive pay and benefits.

FEMA’s press secretary said on Monday the agency has been bogged down by red tape and inefficiencies, and the Trump administration “has made accountability and reform a priority”.

However, since his return to the White House in January, Trump has stated that he wants to abolish FEMA and let states “take care of their own problems”.

Roughly 2,000 FEMA employees, or a third of its workforce, have left the agency this year through firings, buyouts or early retirements.

Hurricane Katrina caused catastrophic flooding in New Orleans, killing more than 1,800 people. It was one of the worst natural disasters in US history, in part because of the ineffective response to it. Congress passed the Post-Katrina Emergency Reform Act in 2006 to give FEMA more responsibility.

The letter warned the Trump administration was undoing those reforms.

Texas cannot require public schools in Houston, Austin and other select districts to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom, a judge said Wednesday in a temporary ruling against the state’s new requirement.

Texas is the third state where courts have blocked recent laws about putting the Ten Commandments in schools.

A group of families from the school districts sought a preliminary injunction against the law, which goes into effect Sept. 1. They say the requirement violates the 1st Amendment’s protections for the separation of church and state and the right to free religious exercise.

Texas is the largest state to attempt such a requirement, and U.S. District Judge Fred Biery’s ruling from San Antonio is the latest in a widening legal fight that’s expected to eventually go before the U.S. Supreme Court.

“Even though the Ten Commandments would not be affirmatively taught, the captive audience of students likely would have questions, which teachers would feel compelled to answer. That is what they do,” Biery, who was appointed by President Clinton, wrote in the ruling that begins by quoting the 1st Amendment and ends with “Amen.”

The ruling prohibits the 11 districts and their affiliates from posting the displays required under state law. The law is being challenged by a group of Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Unitarian Universalist and nonreligious families, as well as clergy, who have children in the public schools.

A broader lawsuit that names three Dallas-area districts as well as the state education agency and commissioner is pending in federal court. And although the ruling marks a major win for civil liberty groups, the legal battle is probably far from over.

Texas Atty. Gen. Ken Paxton said he planned to appeal the ruling, calling it “flawed.”

“The Ten Commandments are a cornerstone of our moral and legal heritage, and their presence in classrooms serves as a reminder of the values that guide responsible citizenship,” the Republican said in a statement, echoing sentiments from religious groups and conservatives who support the law.

Texas has a Ten Commandments monument on the Capitol grounds and won a 2005 Supreme Court case that upheld the monument.

The families who sued were represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, Americans United for the Separation of Church and State and the Freedom from Religion Foundation.

“The court affirmed what we have long said: Public schools are for educating, not evangelizing,” Tommy Buser-Clancy, senior staff attorney at the ACLU of Texas, said in a statement.

A federal appeals court has blocked a similar law in Louisiana. A judge in Arkansas told four districts they cannot put up the posters, and other districts in the state said they’re not putting them up either. In Louisiana, the first state that mandated the Ten Commandments be displayed in classrooms, a panel of three appellate judges in June ruled that the law was unconstitutional.

Biery, the judge, cited both the Louisiana and Arkansas cases in his 55-page ruling. He also includes extensive historical references, quotes that range from the founding fathers to evangelist Billy Graham, and even a Rembrandt painting of Moses holding the stone tablets, alongside an image of actor Charlton Heston in the film “The Ten Commandments.”

Having the displays in classrooms, Biery wrote, would probably pressure children of the parents challenging them into adopting the state’s preferred religion and suppressing their own religious beliefs. The judge said there are ways students could be taught the Ten Commandments’ history without it being placed in every classroom.

“For those who disagree with the Court’s decision and who would do so with threats, vulgarities and violence, Grace and Peace unto you,” he wrote. “May humankind of all faiths, beliefs and non-beliefs be reconciled one to another.”

DeMillo writes for the Associated Press.