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WASHINGTON — Betty Ford reportedly said that if the White House West Wing is the “mind” of the nation, then the East Wing — the traditional power center for first ladies — is the “heart.”

That “heart” beat for more than 100 years as first ladies and their teams worked from their East Wing offices on everything from stopping drug abuse and boosting literacy to beautifying and preserving the White House itself. It’s where they planned White House state dinners and brainstormed the elaborate themes that are a feature of the U.S. holiday season.

That history came to an end after wrecking crews tore down the wing’s two stories of offices and reception rooms this month. Gone is an in-house movie theater, as well as a covered walkway to the White House captured in so many photos over the years. An East Wing garden that was dedicated to Jacqueline Kennedy was uprooted, photographs show.

President Trump ordered the demolition as part of his still-to-be approved plan to build a $300-million ballroom.

The Republican former real estate developer has long been fixated on building a big White House ballroom. In 2010, he called a top advisor to then-President Obama and offered to build one. Trump made no secret of his distaste for the practice of hosting elegant White House state dinners underneath tents on the South Lawn. The Obama White House did not follow up on his request.

Now Trump, in his second term, is moving quickly to see his wish for what he calls a “great legacy project” become reality. He has tried to justify the East Wing tear-down and his ballroom plans by noting that some of his predecessors also added to the White House over the years.

First ladies and their staffs witnessed history in the East Wing, a “place of purpose and service,” said Anita McBride, who worked there as chief of staff to First Lady Laura Bush.

“Tearing down those walls doesn’t diminish the significance of the work we accomplished there,” McBride told the Associated Press.

McBride said she supports a ballroom addition because the “large and expensive tent option” that has been used when guest lists stretched longer than could be comfortably accommodated inside the White House “was not sustainable.” Tents damage the lawn and require additional infrastructure to be brought in, such as outdoor bathrooms and trolleys to move people around, especially in bad weather, she said.

Others feel differently.

Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, who was policy director for First Lady Michelle Obama, said the demolition was a “symbolic blow” to the East Wing’s legacy as a place where women made history.

“The East Wing was this physical space that had seen the role of the first lady evolve from a social hostess into a powerful advocate on a range of issues,” she said in an interview.

Here’s a look at some of the history that came out of the East Wing and the first ladies who spent time there:

Rosalynn Carter

She was the first first lady to have her own office in the East Wing. Most first ladies before Carter had worked out of the private living quarters on the second or third floor of the residence. Carter wanted a place where she could separate work and home.

“I always need a place to go that is private, where I don’t have to dress and don’t have to put on makeup,” she wrote in her memoir. “The offices of the staff of the first lady were always in the East Wing, and it seemed a perfect place for my office too.”

In her memoir, Carter wrote about her favorite route to her office in winter months. She walked through the basement, past laundry rooms and workshops and the bomb shelter kept for the president and his staff. The thermostats in the residence above had been turned down low because of President Carter’s energy conservation program, making the East Wing so cold that she was forced to wear long underwear.

The subterranean passageway shown to her by a residence staffer provided some relief. “With Jimmy’s energy conservation program, it was the only really warm place in the White House, with large steam pipes running overhead,” the first lady wrote.

Nancy Reagan

Photos from the East Wing in the early 1980s show the first lady meeting with staff, including her press secretary, Sheila Tate. For a generation of Americans, Nancy Reagan was most closely associated with a single phrase, “Just Say No,” for the anti-drug abuse program she made a hallmark of her White House tenure.

As Reagan once recalled, the idea for the campaign emerged during a 1982 visit with schoolchildren in Oakland. “A little girl raised her hand and said, ‘Mrs. Reagan, what do you do if somebody offers you drugs?’ And I said, ‘Well, you just say no.’ And there it was born.”

Hillary Clinton

Clinton bucked history by becoming the first first lady to insist that her office be in the West Wing, not the East Wing. In her memoir, Clinton wrote that she wanted her staff to be “integrated physically” with the president’s team. The first lady’s office relocated to what is now the Eisenhower Executive Office Building while Clinton was assigned an office on the second floor of the West Wing.

“This was another unprecedented event in White House history and quickly became fodder for late-night comedians and political pundits,” Clinton later wrote.

Laura Bush

Bush wrote in her memoir about what it was like at the White House after the Sept. 11 attacks. Most of her staff members, in their 20s, “kicked off their high heels and fled from the East Wing” after they were told to “run for their lives” when reports suggested the White House was a target, she wrote.

“Now they were being asked to come back to work in a building that everyone considered a target and for a presidency and a country that would be at war.”

Michelle Obama

Obama was the first Black woman to serve as first lady, becoming a global role model and style icon who advocated for improved child nutrition through her “Let’s Move” initiative. She and her staff in the East Wing also worked to support military families and promote higher education for girls in developing countries.

Photos from the time show Obama typing on a laptop during an online chat about school nutrition and the White House garden she created.

Melania Trump

Trump pushed the boundaries of serving as first lady by not living at the White House during the opening months of President Trump’s first term. She stayed in New York with their then-school-age son, Barron, so he wouldn’t have to switch schools midyear. When she eventually moved to the White House, she and her East Wing aides launched an initiative called “Be Best,” focused on child well-being, opioid abuse and online safety.

Jill Biden

Biden was the first first lady to continue a career outside the White House. The longtime community college English professor taught twice a week while serving as first lady. But in her East Wing work, she was an advocate for military families; her late father and her late son Beau served in the military. Biden also advocated for research into a cure for cancer and secured millions of dollars in federal funding for research into women’s health.

Superville writes for the Associated Press.

WASHINGTON — Construction started this week on the $250 million ballroom that President Trump is adding to the White House as construction crews began tearing down the facade of the East Wing, where the new space is being built.

The Republican president and top White House officials had initially said nothing would be demolished during construction.

The 90,000-square-foot ballroom will dwarf the main White House itself, at nearly double the size, and Trump says it will accommodate 999 people.

Trump said on social media that the ballroom won’t cost taxpayers a dime because it is being privately funded by “many generous Patriots, Great American Companies, and, yours truly.”

Here are some things to know about the newest White House construction project:

Why is Trump building a ballroom?

Trump says the White House needs a large entertaining space and has complained that the East Room, the current largest space in the White House, is too small, holding about 200 people. He has frowned on the past practice of presidents hosting state dinners and other large events in tents on the South Lawn.

Who is paying the $250 million construction tab?

Trump says the project will be paid for with private donations and that no public money will be spent on the ballroom. The White House promised to release information on which individuals and corporations have pledged or donated money and invited some of the donors to an East Room dinner last week, but has not released a comprehensive list and breakdown of funds.

Some $22 million for the project came from YouTube, a Google subsidiary, as part of a recent settlement for a 2021 lawsuit Trump brought against the company.

The White House also has not said how much of his own money Trump is contributing.

Why tear down part of the East Wing to build the ballroom?

The East Wing is traditionally the social side of the White House and sits across East Executive Avenue from the Treasury Department. It’s where tourists and other guests enter for events.

The president and his chief spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, said over the summer that the White House itself would remain intact as the ballroom was going up.

“It’ll be near it but not touching it,” Trump said. “Nothing will be torn down,” Leavitt added.

That turned out not to be the case.

The White House said some demolition was needed because the East Wing, the traditional home for the first lady and her staff, is being modernized as part of the ballroom project.

Can Trump build a ballroom?

He’s moving ahead with construction despite the lack of sign-off from the National Capital Planning Commission, the executive branch agency that has jurisdiction over construction and major renovations to government buildings in the region.

Trump named a top White House aide, Will Scharf, to head the commission. Scharf has made a distinction between demolition work and rebuilding, saying the commission was only required to vet the latter.

What happens to the East Room?

By Trump’s telling, it will become a space where guests will mingle, sip cocktails and eat hors d’oeuvres until they are called into the ballroom for dinner. Trump said a set of windows in the room will be removed to create a passageway to and from the ballroom.

What will the new ballroom look like?

Renderings released by the White House suggest a strong resemblance to the gilded ballroom at Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s private club and home in Palm Beach, Florida.

The project also has grown in size since it was announced, going from accommodating 650 seated guests to holding 999 people, big enough to fit an inauguration if needed, he said at a recent White House dinner for donors. Windows will be bulletproof, he said.

When will the ballroom be completed?

The White House has said the ballroom will be ready for use before Trump’s second term ends in January 2029, an ambitious timeline.

Has Trump made other changes to the White House?

Yes. He has heavily redecorated the Oval Office by adding numerous portraits, busts and gold-toned adornments. He converted the Rose Garden into a stone-covered patio, installed towering flagpoles on the north and south lawns, and decorated an exterior wall with portraits of every president except his immediate predecessor, Democrat Joe Biden.

Trump also said he renovated the bathroom in the famous Lincoln Bedroom in the private living quarters and laid down marble floors in a passageway leading to the South Lawn.

How has construction changed the White House over the years?

Presidents have added to the White House since construction began in 1792 for a host of reasons, and Trump aides say his decision to build a ballroom follows that long tradition.

Many of the prior projects were criticized as being too costly or too lavish, but eventually came to be accepted, according to the White House Historical Association.

Thomas Jefferson added the east and west colonnades.

Andrew Jackson built the North Portico on the Pennsylvania Avenue side of the White House, aligning with the South Portico that James Monroe added after the original mansion was rebuilt after the British burned it during the War of 1812.

Theodore Roosevelt added the West Wing to provide dedicated space for the president and key staff, while Franklin D. Roosevelt added the East Wing, which over time became the home base for the first lady’s staff and social functions.

One of the most significant White House renovations happened under Harry Truman, when the mansion was found to be so structurally unsound that he ordered a complete gutting of the interior that lasted from 1948 to 1952. The project, including Truman’s addition of a balcony to the second floor of the South Portico, was highly controversial.

Other changes include the creation of the Rose Garden during John F. Kennedy’s administration and Richard Nixon’s decision to convert an indoor swimming pool that was built for FDR’s physical therapy into a workspace for the growing White House press corps.

Superville writes for the Associated Press.

BBC Breakfast staff are rumoured to be raging at the “double standards” of suspending Kaye Adams from Radio Scotland whilst their own presenters remain in their roles whilst under review

The staff of BBC Breakfast are reportedly furious at the network bosses’ “double standards” after Kaye Adams was suspended from Radio Scotland following bullying allegations, while their own presenters, Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt remain in their roles, despite a review underway for similar claims.

Adams was pulled from her BBC radio show after allegations arose about her ‘bullying’ her colleagues. But, BBC Breakfast hosts Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt are under review for the same complaint, it has been alleged, and have not been suspended from their show.

BBC bosses are said to be considering a range of allegations about the duo, but while they have already taken action against Adams, they have not taken action against Munchetty and Stayt.

READ MORE: Loose Women star Kaye Adams ‘taken off air’ following internal complaintREAD MORE: BBC Breakfast’s Naga and Charlie announce heartbreaking news as guest living with incurable illness

A source said Adams’ suspension “put a cat among the pigeons” behind the scenes at the BBC: “The review on Naga and Charlie is rumbling on because new complaints keep coming up, which raise new questions, so they have to keep interviewing other people.

“The news about Kaye Adams’ suspension up in Scotland has put the cat among the pigeons because she’s been accused of the same thing as Naga and Charlie – bullying.

“People are saying it’s double standards and that the BBC are pandering to Naga particularly, because she is the big name because she has Breakfast and her 5 Live show. They are the nation’s broadcaster and should treat all complaints the same way.”

Adams was removed from her hosting job on BBC Radio Scotland while bosses conduct an inquiry. It is believed that complaints against the 62-year-old were raised under the BBC’s Call It Out scheme.

The initiative was set up after a review into the conduct of former MasterChef presenters Gregg Wallace upheld several allegations of inappropriate language and the misuse of power. The report also upheld an allegation that John Torode used inappropriate language. After allegations were brought against Wallace, a review into the working environment on MasterChef was conducted.

Following the review, both Wallace and Torode were told they would no longer be MasterChef’s presenters, though they did appear in the latest series as that had already been filmed. They will be replaced with Grace Dent and Anna Haugh for the next series.

The same Call It Out initiative that started from this situation and led to complaints from BBC Radio Scotland staff, rooted out complaints on BBC Breakfast.

When asked about the situation with Munchetty, Stayt and Adams, a BBC spokesperson said: “We do not comment on individual HR matters.”

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United Nations demands the release of its employees after Houthi forces raided a facility and detained staff in Sanaa.

Yemen’s Houthi authorities have detained about two dozen United Nations employees after raiding another UN-run facility in the capital Sanaa, the UN has confirmed.

Jean Alam, spokesperson for the UN’s resident coordinator in Yemen, said staff were detained inside the compound in the city’s Hada district on Sunday.

Those held include at least five Yemeni employees and 15 international personnel. A further 11 UN staff were briefly questioned and later released.

Alam said the UN is in direct contact with the Houthis and other relevant actors “to resolve this serious situation as swiftly as possible, end the detention of all personnel, and restore full control over its facilities in Sanaa”.

A separate UN official, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity, said Houthi forces confiscated all communication equipment inside the facility, including computers, phones and servers.

The staff reportedly belong to several UN agencies, among them the World Food Programme (WFP), the children’s agency UNICEF and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

The incident follows a sustained crackdown by the Houthis on the UN and other international aid organisations operating in territory under their control, including Sanaa, the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, and Saada province in the north.

According to UN figures, more than 50 staff members have now been detained.

Houthis claim UN staff are spying for Israel

The Houthis have repeatedly accused detained UN staff and employees of foreign NGOs and embassies of espionage on behalf of the United States and Israel, allegations that the UN has denied.

In reaction to previous detentions, the UN suspended operations in Saada earlier this year and relocated its top humanitarian coordinator in Yemen from Sanaa to Aden, the seat of the internationally recognised government.

In a statement on Saturday, UN Secretary-General spokesperson Stephane Dujarric warned: “We will continue to call for an end to the arbitrary detention of 53 of our colleagues.”

Dujarric was responding to a televised address by Houthi leader Abdelmalek al-Houthi, who claimed his group had dismantled “one of the most dangerous spy cells”, alleging it was “linked to humanitarian organisations such as the World Food Programme and UNICEF”. Dujarric said the accusations were “dangerous and unacceptable”.

Saturday’s raid comes amid a sharp escalation in detentions. Since August 31, 2025, alone, at least 21 UN personnel have been arrested, alongside 23 current and former employees of international NGOs, the UN said.

Ten years of conflict have left Yemen, already one of the poorest countries in the Arab world, facing what the UN describes as one of the gravest humanitarian crises globally, with millions reliant on aid for survival.

We paid half of what we were going to – and it was a nice way to end the holiday

Screaming kids and a four-hour delay. That’s what my boyfriend and I were faced with when we set foot in the airport last week – and after we decided to escape to the airport lounge no matter the cost, we were shocked that we were entitled to a discount, cutting the price in half.

Flying from Tenerife, we were due to land back home in Scotland at 11pm and instead arrived home at 4am – so it’s safe to say it was a heck of a delay. Thankfully, though, as my partner is a member of Monzo Premium, he got us a discount, and we had no idea it was a perk he was entitled to.

We were told the Montaña Roja VIP Lounge was €44 each, and whilst paying €88 seemed a lot, it was worth it. The last thing we needed was to end our holiday with parents ignoring their screaming kids, letting them run wild and screaming in people’s faces (I wish I was making that part up).

On top of that, airport chairs are not comfy enough for a three-hour wait – and that doesn’t even include waiting to board once we’re called to our gate. So how do you get the discount and how much did we end up paying?

How to get an airport lounge discount worldwide

We ended up paying a total of around £48, which brought it down to £24 each. Saving us half the price, we were delighted. We were given free WI-FI, access to showers (towels provided) as well as all-you-can-eat food and drink – including alcohol.

Explained on the Monzo Help page, the online-based bank revealed they have teamed up with LoungeKey to give anyone with Monzo Premium or Monzo Max discounted access to airport lounges worldwide.

It explained: “You and guests can access 1,100 airport lounges around the world for a flat fee of £24 per person, per visit. This rate includes Max Family, and you will need to pay per person, per visit.

“You are required to complete strong customer authentication (SCA) before visiting a lounge for the first time. You will only need to go through this process once, as subsequent transactions will be processed from your stored card on file.

“If you replace your card you will need to re-register the payment method and complete SCA again, this includes physically presenting your new card at the lounge the first time you intend to use it.”

Do you have to pre-book?

We didn’t book and instead just turned up, as it was never our plan to go to the lounge until we were faced with loud kids and a massive wait. Monzo explained that some lounges will allow you to pre-book before your visit.

Howeve,r if you go for this option, you will be charged at least £6 on top of your discounted price. It states this price is determined by the airport lounge and has nothing to do with Monzo.

It added: “If you visit on the day without pre-booking, you will just pay the discounted price of £24 per person, but this is dependent on whether the lounge has space.”

It is worth noting that Monzo says that customers will need to have their physical Monzo card with them for their first visit. We had ours with us, but were also able to give the staff the number on our card to get the benefit too.

So where are you planning on holidaying next – and will you be getting comfy in an airport lounge? Let us know in the comments.

About 1,400 workers will be cut from the agency, which is responsible for overseeing the US nuclear weapons stockpile.

The administration of United States President Donald Trump has announced that it will furlough about 1,400 workers at the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) starting next week due to the ongoing shutdown of the US government.

A spokesman at the Department of Energy, of which the NNSA is a semiautonomous branch, said on Friday that nearly 400 workers would remain at the agency, which is responsible for overseeing the US nuclear weapons stockpile.

President Trump’s energy secretary, Chris Wright, said “enough is enough” in a post on X on Friday, as he announced the planned furlough of NNSA workers.

“Starting next week, we’re going to have to furlough thousands of workers that are critical to modernizing our nuclear arsenal because of [Chuck] Schumer’s disastrous Shutdown,” Wright said in his post, referring to the US Senate’s Democratic party leader.

On Thursday, Democrats in the Senate voted against advancing a Republican bill to extend funding to federal agencies for a 10th time, and continuing the government shutdown that has now lasted for 17 days.

Starting next week, we’re going to have to furlough thousands of workers that are critical to modernizing our nuclear arsenal because of Schumer’s disastrous Shutdown.

Enough is enough!https://t.co/0jSorVkdkZ

— Secretary Chris Wright (@SecretaryWright) October 17, 2025

Republicans have blamed Democrats for the deadlock, as they continue to block the funding legislation to force Republicans to negotiate on healthcare subsidies.

Federal employees categorised as “essential” continue to work without pay during government shutdowns until they can be reimbursed when it ends.

Approximately 750,000 of the US government’s more than two million federal employees have been furloughed so far, along with tens of thousands of federal contractors.

The NNSA’s federal staff oversee approximately 60,000 contractors, who maintain and test nuclear weapons at national laboratories and other locations across the US.

The agency also works to secure dangerous nuclear materials around the world, including in Ukraine, where there is an escalating risk of nuclear disaster due to Russia’s invasion, according to the United Nations.

Nuclear weapons control expert Daryl Kimball, who is the executive director of the Arms Control Association, a nonpartisan organisation promoting arms control, criticised next week’s potential cuts to NNSA staffing.

“If the Trump administration really thinks the NNSA’s functions are important – and many of them are essential for nuclear facility safety and security – I am sure they can find the funds to keep the workers on the job,” Kimball said.

“Or else, they might want to rethink their position on the federal government shutdown,” he added.

Speaking to the Bloomberg news organisation on Friday, Energy Secretary Wright warned that modernisation of the US’s nuclear weapons programme will be slowed by the shutdown.

“We’re just getting momentum there … To have everybody unpaid and not coming to work, that will not be helpful,” he said.

The Energy Department said Wright would visit the National Nuclear Security Site in Nevada on Monday to discuss the impacts of the shutdown.

Earlier this year, NNSA employees were among hundreds of employees in the Energy Department who received termination letters as part of Elon Musk’s short-lived efforts to slash government expenditure through his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

The Trump administration quickly scrambled to rehire the majority of the axed employees, issuing a memo days later rescinding the firings.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Katie Porter, under fire for recently emerged videos showing her scolding a reporter and swearing at an aide, expressed remorse for her behavior on Tuesday in her first public remarks since the incidents were publicized.

Porter, a former Orange County congresswoman and a top candidate in California’s 2026 governor’s race, said that she “could have handled things better.”

“I think I’m known as someone who’s able to handle tough questions, who’s willing to answer questions,” Porter told Nikki Laurenzo, host of Inside California Politics and anchor on Fox40 in Sacramento. “I want people to know that I really value the incredible work that my staff can do. I think people who know me know I can be tough. But I need to do a better job expressing appreciation for the amazing work my team does.”

Last week, a video emerged of Porter telling a separate television reporter that she doesn’t need the support of the millions of Californians who voted for President Trump, and brusquely threatening to end the interview because the reporter asked follow-up questions. The following day, a second video emerged of Porter telling a young staffer “Get out of my f—ing shot!” while videoconferencing with a member of then-President Biden’s cabinet in 2021.

Porter on Tuesday said that she had apologized to the staffer. She repeatedly sidestepped Laurenzo’s questions about whether other videos could emerge.

“What I can tell you … is that I am taking responsibility for the situation,” Porter said.

Porter’s behavior in the videos underscored long-standing questions about her temperament and high staff turnover while she served in Congress.

The most recent polls showed that Porter held a narrow lead in the competitive race to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is serving his second and final term as governor. After the videos emerged last week, several of Porter’s rivals criticized her behavior, including former state Controller Betty Yee, who said she should drop out of the race.

On Tuesday, Yee argued that Porter’s temperament could imperil Democrats’ efforts to pass Proposition 50, the Nov. 4 ballot measure to redraw congressional districts in California to boost their party’s numbers in the House.

Yee, a former vice chair of the state Democratic party, warned that a Republican could potentially win the governor’s race and Democrats could lose the U.S. House of Representatives because of Porter’s “demeanor.”

“I don’t relish picking a fight, and it’s not even a fight,” Yee said during a virtual press conference. “I’m doing what’s best for this party.”

Porter is also expected to address the issue Tuesday night during a virtual forum with the California Working Families Party.

Prior to her statements on Tuesday, Porter had released one statement about the 2021 video, saying, “It’s no secret I hold myself and my staff to a high standard, and that was especially true as a member of Congress. I have sought to be more intentional in showing gratitude to my staff for their important work.”

The UC Irvine law professor has not responded to multiple interview requests from the Times.

Mehta reported from Los Angeles and Smith reported from Sacramento.

Oct. 10 (UPI) — The Bureau of Labor Statistics has called back employees to prepare the Consumer Price Index report.

The news of the callback was reported by the New York Times, CNBC and Axios. The CPI report is how the government and economists measure inflation.

The price data has already been collected, but it must be processed and analyzed. Employees called back are economists and IT specialists, an administration source familiar with the plan told the Times. Data collection will still be suspended, meaning next month’s report may be delayed if the government shutdown continues.

The report will be released at 8:30 a.m. EDT on Oct. 24, CNBC reported. It was originally scheduled for Oct. 15.

The reason for the release of the new report is that federal law requires the Social Security Administration to adjust Social Security benefits annually based on inflation from the third quarter, and the adjustment must be published by Nov. 1.

But the delay could make it impossible for the administration to meet the deadline.

Other BLS reports, such as the nonfarm payrolls report, have not been released since the shutdown. That report was scheduled for Oct. 3.

Former Rep. Katie Porter’s gubernatorial prospects are uncertain in the aftermath of the emergence of two videos that underscore long-swirling rumors that the Irvine Democrat is thin-skinned and a short-tempered boss.

How Porter responds in coming days could determine her viability in next year’s race to replace termed-out Gov. Gavin Newsom, according to both Democratic and Republican political strategists.

“Everyone’s had a bad day. Everyone’s done something that they wouldn’t want broadcast, right? You don’t want your worst boss moment, your worst employment moment, your worst personal moment, captured on camera,” said Christine Pelosi, a prominent Democratic activist from the Bay Area and a daughter of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

“I definitely think that it’s a question of what comes next,” said Pelosi, who had endorsed former Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis before she dropped out of the race.

Porter, the 2026 gubernatorial candidate who has a narrow edge in the polls, came under scrutiny this week when a recording emerged of her brusquely threatening to end a television interview after growing increasingly irritated by the reporter’s questions.

After CBS reporter Julie Watts asked Porter what she would say to the nearly 6.1 million Californians who voted for President Trump in 2024, the UC Irvine law professor responded that she didn’t need their support if she competed against a Republican in the November 2026 runoff election.

After Watts asked follow-up questions, Porter accused Watts of being “unnecessarily argumentative,” held up her hands towards the reporter’s face and later said, “I don’t want this all on camera.”

The following day, a 2021 video emerged of Porter berating a staffer who corrected her about electric vehicle information she was discussing with a member of the Biden administration. “Get out of my f— shot!” Porter said to the young woman after she came into view in the background of the video conference. Porter’s comments in the video were first reported by Politico.

Porter did not respond to multiple interview requests. She put out a statement about the 2021 video, saying: “It’s no secret I hold myself and my staff to a high standard, and that was especially true as a member of Congress. I have sought to be more intentional in showing gratitude to my staff for their important work.”

Several Porter supporters voiced support for her after the videos went viral on social media and became the focus of national news coverage as well as programs such as “The View.”

“In this critical moment in our country, we don’t need to be polite, go along to get along, establishment politicians that keep getting run over by the opposition,” wrote Peter Finn and Chris Griswold, co-chairs of Teamsters California, which has endorsed Porter and represents 250,000 workers in the state. “We need strong leaders like Katie Porter that are willing to call it like it is and stand up and fight for everyday Californians.”

EMILYs List, which supports Democratic women who back abortion rights, and Rep. Dave Min (D-Irvine), who won the congressional seat Porter left to unsuccessfully run for U.S. Senate last year, are among those who also released statements supporting the embattled Democratic candidate.

Lorena Gonzalez, president of the influential California Labor Federation, alluded to growing rumors in the state’s Capitol before the videos emerged that powerful Democratic and corporate interests dislike Porter and have been trying to coax another Democrat into the race.

“The only thing that is clear after the past few days is that Katie Porter’s willingness to take on powerful interests has the status quo very afraid and very motivated,” Gonzalez said in a statement.

There has been a concerted effort to urge Sen. Alex Padilla into the race. The San Fernando Valley Democrat has said he won’t make a decision until after voters decide Proposition 50, the redistricting proposal he and other state Democratic leaders are championing, on the November ballot.

A pivotal indicator of Porter’s plans is whether she takes part in two events that she is scheduled to participate in next week — a virtual forum Tuesday evening with the California Working Families Party and a live UC Student and Policy Center Q&A on Friday in Sacramento.

Democratic gubernatorial rivals in California’s 2026 race for governor seized on the videos. Former state Controller Betty Yee called on Porter to drop out of the race, and wealthy businessman Stephen Cloobeck and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa attacked her in ads about the uproar.

Former Sen. Barbara Boxer said she saw the same traits Porter displayed in the videos — anger, a lack of respect, privilege — previously, notably in the 2024 Senate contest, which is why she decided to back then-Rep. Adam Schiff, who ultimately won the race. Boxer has endorsed Villaraigosa for governor.

“I had a bad taste in my mouth from that experience,” Boxer said, growing upset while describing her reaction to the video of Porter cursing at her staffer. “This video tells us everything we need to know about former Congresswoman Porter. She is unfit to serve. Period.”

Disagreements arose between Boxer and her staff during her more than four decades in elected office, she said.

But even when “we weren’t happy with each other, there was always respect, because I knew they deserved it, and I knew without them, I was nothing,” Boxer said, adding that men‘s and women’s behavior as elected officials must be viewed through the same lens. “We are equal; we are not better. She’s proof of that.”

Beth Miller, a veteran Sacramento-based GOP strategist who has worked with female politicians since the 1980s, said women are held to a different standard by voters, though it has eased in recent years.

“In some ways, this plays into that bias, but in other ways, it unfortunately sets women back because it underscores a concern that people have,” Miller said. “And that’s really disappointing and discouraging to a lot of female politicians who don’t ascribe to that type of behavior.”

Miller also pointed to the dichotomy of Porter’s terse reaction in the television interview to Porter championing herself in Congress as a fearless and aggressive inquisitor of CEOs and government leaders.

“You exhibit one kind of behavior on the one hand and another when it affects you,” Miller said. “And you know, governor of California is not a walk in the park, and so I don’t think she did herself any favors at all. And I think it really is a window into who she is.”

A SWARM of flying bugs halted the Women’s Cricket World Cup grudge match between India and Pakistan.

Players from both sides tried to fix the problem by waving towels and spraying bug repellent.

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But organisers called for heavy duty measures when India were 154 for four in the 34th over of the group match.

With the insect invasion in full swing, a man in a gas mask emerged to fumigate the pitch with an industrial grade bug spray cannon.

Both sets of players were forced to leave the field and fans had to sit through a 15-minute delay.

But even that didn’t seem to have the desired effect.

Once play resumed, it wasn’t long before another stoppage was brought on by a bug flying into the eye of Pakistani bowler Rameen Shamim.

Indian batters repeatedly moaned to the umpire about being affected by the insects.

Unsurprisingly, there is nothing written into cricket law to guide umpires when bugs bother the players.

But they are advised to signal a dead ball if a player is “disadvantaged by an animal within the field of play”.

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India ended up winning the clash with their geographical neighbours by 88 runs.

The match was played on neutral ground in Colombo, Sri Lanka, due to political tension between the two nations.

And there were no handshakes between the players before the action got underway.

Colombo is proving to be a troublesome venue for cricket matches of late.

On Saturday, the match between Sri Lanka and Australia was washed out without a single ball being bowled due to heavy rain.

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Oct. 4 (UPI) — Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Friday fired U.S. Navy Chief of Staff Jon Harrison after the Senate earlier in the week confirmed Hung Cao as the Navy’s undersecretary.

Harrison had no military experience prior to being nominated and confirmed as the Navy’s chief of staff and oversaw the War Department’s realignment of the U.S. Navy’s budgeting and policy wings, in addition to minimizing the influence of the Navy undersecretary, Politico reported.

“Jon Harrison will no longer serve as chief of staff to the Secretary of the Navy,” the Department of Defense told the New York Post in a statement. “We are grateful for his service to the department.”

Harrison worked with Navy Sec. John Phelan while implementing the administrative and leadership changes, which included changing those who were to assist Cao as the Navy’s new undersecretary.

The pair also sought to influence the hiring of Cao’s military aides to ensure the Naval secretary’s office made all final decisions, Politico reported.

Like Harrison, Phelan had no military experience prior to becoming the Navy secretary.

Harrison’s departure also occurred after Hegseth in May told the U.S. military to remove a fifth of its four-star generals and admirals.

Hegseth also had fired several high-ranking generals, two of whom were the only women to hold four-star rankings in the U.S. military, according to The Guardian.

Hegseth on Tuesday addressed a gathering of the military’s top-ranking generals and admirals in Quantico, Va.

During the meeting, he criticized the military’s adoption of what he called “woke” policies and aired his opposition to its former diversity and inclusion policies.

HOLIDAY booze cruises promise a carefree escape with sun, sea and endless partying – but beneath the decks and pounding music lies a darker reality.

For Nakita Colville, a pirate-themed boat trip in Turkey turned to tragedy when her father, Peter, suddenly died while swimming – but instead of rushing back to shore, staff told his shell-shocked daughter, “he’s dead, he’s gone”, covered his body with a towel, and told guests they would go ahead with a planned foam party.

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In her first exclusive interview since her father’s heartbreaking death just nine weeks ago, on July 27, she told The Sun how “unbothered and clueless” staff on board just stood there watching as her dad died in front of his children and grandchildren.

She also warned that this wouldn’t be the last tragedy at sea onboard unregulated party boats with shoddy safety standards.

She tells The Sun: “I don’t think people are aware of how dangerous it can be until something like this happens to your family.

“Unless things change, I don’t think this will be the last death.”

Despite thousands of tourists signing up for boat parties and trips every year, what was once a thrill-filled novelty is now a high-risk activity, where the line between fun and danger is perilously thin. 

And the risks are compounded once you step outside UK waters, where regulations can be patchy and enforcement inconsistent – and lax safety measures, unlimited drink offers, and drugs circulating on board create a perfect storm.

On one booze-filled stag-do party cruise in Lisbon, laddish “banter” led to the tragic death of city worker Nishanthan Gnanathas.

Thrown from a yacht into the River Tagus in November 2019, Nish – best man and beloved friend – hit his head on a balustrade before crashing into the icy water. 

The coroner’s conclusion was stark – what happened was “horseplay that went tragically wrong”.

Dr Fiona Wilcox recorded a conclusion of misadventure, saying: “This was an absolutely tragic accident that could not have been reasonably anticipated.”

Maritime police chief Malaquais Dominguez said “it was a stupid joke between friends”.

“He was pushed and he went overboard. He disappeared in the water. I have no doubt they will live with this terrible moment for the rest of their lives,” Dominguez said. 

The story echoes the growing unease around stag and party-boat culture abroad – where cheap alcohol, bravado, and ritualised pranks can lead to tragedy.

In Amsterdam, Neil Stewart’s fiancée arranged a surprise weekend in the Dutch capital – and told her it was “the happiest time of his life”.

But by the end of a night on a party boat, Stewart was dead, swallowed by the inky waters of the Noordzeekanaal after what witnesses believe began as a prank on board.

The Newcastle coroner’s inquest heard Stewart had taken cocaine and cannabis before boarding the boat for the Bounce Til I Die event. 

Post-mortem tests later confirmed both in his system, along with traces of cannabis from a “space cake” eaten earlier in a café.

A witness said she saw Stewart “deliberately jump” from the smoking deck and initially thought it was “a silly prank” – especially as he seemed to be laughing in the water before he drowned, and Stewart’s body was recovered two weeks later.

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‘Pirate ship’ tragedy

On July 27, grandfather Peter Colville, 60, from Woking, died on board a pirate-themed boat trip in Alanya, Turkey.

Daughter Nakita, 27, told how her father and nine other family members, including children, had boarded the boat.

The “luxury pirate ship” promised entertainment, DJs and a foam party, along with two swim stops for guests to go snorkelling.

The family paid over £200 for tickets to board the “luxurious six-deck yacht” – called Legend Big Kral – at an excursion centre.

Everyone was enjoying the music, blue seas and stunning views of the Mediterranean as the boat, carrying some 600 passengers according to Nakita, set sail.

Unless things change, I don’t think this will be the last death

Nakita Colville

Nakita, an admin assistant, said: “My dad is very safety-conscious, and I remember as we walked onto the boat, he said it was strange they didn’t seem to tick off names, hand out wristbands or get waivers signed.

“At that point, we just brushed it off – we never could have known what was to come.”

The first swim stop came and went, with most of Nakita’s family getting into the water, including property maintenance boss Peter – who was an avid snorkeller. 

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Nakita recalled feeling strange that only the children were given life jackets.

So, being a weaker swimmer, when the second swim stop came at Cleopatra Beach, she opted not to go back in.

But confident swimmer Peter, and Nakita’s brother-in-law, Ben Diamond, 35, were keen to get back in the water again.

The pair were happy snorkelling together one minute – and the next, Nakita heard screams of panic.

She says: “I looked into the water and saw my dad’s face, floating, and people scrambling to get him out of the water.

“My sister and I ran down – and she screamed, ‘Oh my God, he is going purple’.”

Nakita said guests dragged Peter, a dad-of-seven and grandfather-of-six, onto the deck, and one began administering CPR.

As Nakita’s family – along with countless other guests – crowded around, “screaming and horrified”, she claims “unbothered and clueless” staff on board “just stood there watching”.

She alleged staff on board repeated, “he’s dead, he’s gone” before a member of the team suggested covering Peter’s body with a towel – before the coastguard even arrived.

Nakita says: “There didn’t seem to be any system in place to deal with an emergency situation. There didn’t seem to be a plan.

“He was laid on the deck – and then nothing. No proper procedure, no clearing the deck of onlookers, no immediate CPR. They stood there with their arms crossed, clueless.

“Some seemed like they weren’t bothered, some of the younger staff members looked like they felt bad that they didn’t know what to do. 

“It didn’t feel like they were adequately first-aid trained. It was the guests giving my dad CPR.”

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She claims she asked staff if the boat carried a defibrillator and was told by a crew member that they didn’t have one as they “couldn’t keep it charged”.

She said: “I found that strange, as they had electricity for the DJ decks and foam machines.”

According to UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency advice, all ships should undertake a risk assessment, but “as a general guide, vessels in regular operation carrying in excess of 100 persons” should carry a defib.

But many holiday booze cruises operate in foreign ports with looser safety standards, overcrowded decks, and minimal oversight. 

Life jackets may be scarce, crew training is often insufficient, and emergency procedures can be a little more than a box-ticking exercise. 

Nakita said the event was so traumatising that her mother and Peter’s wife, Rosalind Colville, 53, collapsed from shock.

And Nakita says it was also guests on board helping Rosalind by bringing her water and getting her a chair – rather than staff.

I was told the remaining guests were told ‘sorry for the delay’ and they carried on with the party. Apparently it was disturbing – nobody else on board even wanted to party after what they had just witnessed

Nakita Colville

Nakita says: “My sister and I were just holding my dad’s hand, screaming.

“As far as we knew, or he knew, he was healthy – we have no idea what happened.

“He was smart – if he had been, or felt, unwell, he wouldn’t have got in the water.

“They had covered him with a towel before the coastguard even arrived.”

When they did finally arrive 40 minutes later, Peter was taken to hospital.

The family were asked whether they wished to remain on the boat for the rest of the trip, or get off and go to hospital with him.

The family – including two of his grandchildren – were taken off the boat, and at the hospital Peter was confirmed dead.

Nakita says she learned from other guests at their hotel, who were also on board the boat, that after her family left, the party continued.

She claims she learned the crew even hosted a foam party for the remaining traumatised passengers.

She said: “I was told the remaining guests were told ‘sorry for the delay’ and they carried on with the party.

“Apparently, it was disturbing – nobody else on board even wanted to party after what they had just witnessed.”

Nakita had to break the news by phone to her four brothers and their families back home.

Postmortems were conducted in Turkey and back in the UK when his body was brought home.

Nakita said neither could find a cause of death, so investigations are ongoing as the family tries to grieve the loss of their beloved father and grandfather.

One Tripadvisor review from the day of the tragedy read: “The way it was handled by the crew was nothing short of horrifying.

“It is unsafe, unprofessional, and the crew is neither trained nor emotionally capable of handling emergencies – or tragedies.”

There didn’t seem to be any system in place to deal with an emergency situation. There didn’t seem to be a plan

Nakita Colville

But Nakita fears tourists don’t realise the risks associated with excursions like this one.

She says: “With these trips, even if safety measures are in place, there are always risks.

“Thinking back, I don’t think there were enough crew members for the number of people on the boat, and to be able to watch all the people swimming in the water.

“We can’t say it was the company’s fault that he died, but maybe he could have been saved.”

Legend Big Kral did not respond to a request for a comment, but a representative did contact Nakita directly after her original story was shared. 

They claimed that all ten staff members were first aid trained. 

Nakita says the representative also claimed that Peter passed of a heart attack – a fact which has not been confirmed yet by two post-mortems. Coroners say it is still being investigated. 

For many Brits, holiday booze cruises start as a fantasy: sun, cheap drinks and a chance to let loose, far away from the office or family life. 

But increasingly, these trips are leaving more than just a hangover in their wake. 

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WASHINGTON — Fox news made its way to Capitol Hill on Tuesday.

Rep. Ami Bera (D-Elk Grove) identified himself as the victim of a fox attack. Bera, a doctor, told reporters he was walking near a Senate office building Monday when he felt something around his ankle.

“Yeah, I was just walking, as I often would, over by that park over by Russell [Senate Office Building] and felt something lunge — totally unprovoked, right — at the back of my leg,” Bera said, adding that he was thankful he had an umbrella with him to help fend off the wild animal. “It felt like a small dog.”

The disclosure of a fox attack on a member of Congress followed a memo that went out Tuesday warning of possible fox dens on Capitol grounds.

The Office of the Sergeant at Arms sent an alert notifying members of Congress and staff that U.S. Capitol Police had received reports Monday of people being attacked or bitten by a fox.

The notice, which was also forwarded to journalists who cover Congress, described the locations of two encounters and said Capitol Police had received a call Tuesday morning about a fox approaching staff near an intersection.

“There are possibly several fox dens on Capitol grounds,” the notification said. “Animal Control is currently on the grounds seeking to trap and relocate any foxes they find. Foxes are wild animals that are very protective of their dens and territory. Please do not approach any fox you see.”

Bera said the bite didn’t appear to puncture through his sock and into his skin. He said he will take a seven-shot anti-rabies regimen as a precaution and advised everyone on Capitol grounds to take encounters with wild animals seriously.

He tweeted that he is “healthy and back at work serving the people of #CA07.”

A Politico reporter said she was also bitten by a fox as she was leaving the Capitol on Tuesday, because “that’s of course something I expect in THE MIDDLE OF DC.”

Shortly after, Capitol Police broke some news of its own: It captured a fox.

A parody Twitter account was created as the identity of the Capitol fox. It released a statement on its “illegal arrest.”

“As a fox, I cannot speak. And too often — I have nobody to speak for me,” the statement began.

“Today, I was forcibly removed from my den by very scary and mean individuals,” it continued. “I am innocent of the crimes in question. This will not be the end.”

It comes after an EasyJet flight was involved in an incredible near-miss incident last week

A French mayor has argued that air traffic controllers should be replaced with military personnel following a near-miss accident involving an EasyJet flight at Nice airport. On September 21, EasyJet flight 4706 to Nantes experienced a near-miss incident with a Tunisian Nouvelair jet.

Reportedly, the flight was forced to apply power in order to avoid a collision. According to preliminary findings from the Bureau of Investigation and Analysis (BEA) investigation, the aircraft from Tunisia was preparing to land on the incorrect runway – as a result, the BEA is classifying the event as a ‘serious incident’.

While the investigation is ongoing, Nice mayor Christian Estrosi pledged that he would ask the French government to replace air traffic controllers with military personnel. The surprise announcement was made during a Nice City Council meeting on Wednesday, October 1, with the subject not initially being put on the meeting’s agenda.

‘We’ve had enough of air traffic controllers’

Instead, the city council was debating a survey of Nice airport users with the goal of improving expectations. However, during the debate Mr Estrosi said: “At our next city council meeting, I will propose that the French government replace our air traffic controllers with military personnel. We’ve had enough of air traffic controllers and the DGAC (Directorate General of Civil Aviation), which is incapable of keeping them in check.”

He later told the press: “‘We are increasingly penalised by the unacceptable behaviour of air traffic controllers in both Nice and Aix-en-Provence. This has economic and social consequences.”

At the time of the incident, an EasyJet spokesperson said: “The safety and wellbeing of our customers and crew is EasyJet’s highest priority and in line with procedures, we are fully cooperating with the safety investigation that has been launched in order to understand what happened.”

If full, the two aircrafts would have been carrying over 300 passengers and crew members between them. It has been reported that the EasyJet pilot said there was only three metres between the two planes.

The mayor’s request will be put to a vote at the next city council meeting.

Air traffic control in France is currently operated by civil servants. In order to get the job, they generally must have graduated from the French National Civil Aviation School (ENAC). While there is some airspace which is controlled by military air traffic controllers, this is currently not the case for Nice Airport.

According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, 72 air traffic controllers are currently active in Nice.

A PENSIONER has died after reportedly falling from a window at a care home.

Emergency crews were scrambled to Berrycroft Manor care home in Romiley, Stockport, on Monday morning.

Greater Manchester Police confirmed a 78-year-old woman was taken to hospital following a fall and died the following day.

It is understood the woman fell from a window, according to the Manchester Evening News.

The care facility’s manager described the incident as a “tragic accident” and said an investigation is underway.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC), the care home and medical provider regulator, is aware of the incident.

Michael Blissett, home manager at Berrycroft Manor, said: “This was a tragic accident, and our thoughts and prayers are very much with the family. We extend our heartfelt condolences to them.

“Everyone here is shocked and saddened by the accident. Investigations are still continuing as to exactly how this has happened.

“Safety here is paramount and we are working with HSE [Health and Safety Executive] and CQC to ensure this never happens again.”

A GMP spokesperson added: “Shortly after 7.30am yesterday (September 29), officers responded to reports of a concern for the welfare of a woman following a fall at a care home on Berrycroft Lane, Stockport.

“Emergency services attended but sadly, a 78-year-old woman died from her injuries in hospital later that day.

“Her family are currently being supported. Enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances of her death.”

A CQC spokesperson said: “CQC has been made aware of the death of a resident at Berrycroft Manor in Stockport, and our condolences are with the family at this sad time.

“We are in close contact with the home and police as they look into the circumstances around this incident, so we can understand if there is any regulatory action that needs taken to ensure people are receiving safe care.

“CQC’s priority, at all times, is the health and wellbeing of people using health and social care services, and all information we receive informs our monitoring of services and future inspections.

“We’d encourage anyone who has concerns about a health and social care service to let us know. This can be done by emailing [email protected] or via our customer service centre on 03000 616161.”

Do you know more? Email [email protected]

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Radio star Nikki Osborne was approached by a member of staff as she headed to the Qantas lounge ahead of her flight – and what followed left her feeling ‘angry and frustrated’

A woman has said she was left feeling ‘humiliated’ and ‘degraded’ after she was approached by an airline worker with concerns over her outfit.

Nikki Osborne has now opened up about the incident, which took place in Qantas’s Brisbane lounge. The 44-year-old was dressed in tailored white shorts, a pink lace bodysuit and a knitted white cardigan for a work trip to the Whitsundays, Australia, when she claims she was confronted by a lounge employee.

“A staff member hurried up to me, grabbed me by the arm and said: ‘Firstly, I’m a long-time fan of yours, but I’ll need you to button your cardigan up to cover yourself to protect the other cultures in the lounge,” Nikki, an Australian radio personality, wrote in her QWeekend column.

READ MORE: Woman books window seat on Ryanair flight and this is what happens nextREAD MORE: Plane passenger spots man with sunglasses on easyJet flight before clocking who he is

“Other cultures I thought? All I saw in the lounge were a few FIFO workers and a mum! She was very polite about it. I however was suddenly shaken with a combination of shock, embarrassment, humiliation, anger and frustration.

“It was actually hard to process that I’d been made to feel like a tart in my hometown, in front of my male colleague too.”

READ MORE: Ryanair passenger ‘stunned’ to receive ‘worst food ever’ on flight

Nikki continued: “Now, I’m a born and bred Queenslander but I’ve always made an effort to dress well and be taken seriously in my profession as a radio host, writer and stand up comedian. I’m also a mother. To have a woman suggest that my choice of dress is inappropriate really hit hard.

“I was wearing tailored white shorts, a pink bodysuit with a knitted white cardigan over the top, which I had worn at work earlier that day. Do I have cleavage? Yes. Had I covered the top of it? Yes. Was that enough? Apparently not!”

According to Nikki, the airline later reached out with assurances the incident wouldn’t happen again. But she said the follow-up phone call left her feeling even more scrutinised when staff went through her outfit item-by-item.

But her faith in Qantas was restored when a flight attendant greeted her warmly by her comic persona ‘Bush Barbie’ and treated her with complete respect. “That air steward salvaged my week,” she said.

Nikki has now said that while she’ll continue flying with Qantas, she’ll think twice about what she wears in the lounge, the Daily Mail reports.

“I’ll continue to choose what is appropriate clothing to wear and steer clear of the high moral ground of the Lounge.”

According to the Qantas website, the airline declines entry to its lounge if “some items of clothing are too casual or inappropriate”.

Among the banned list are thongs, bare feet, head-to-toe gym wear, beachwear (such as boardshorts), sleepwear (such as Ugg boots), clothing with offensive images or slogans and revealing, unclean or torn clothing.

“These guidelines are intended to create an environment everyone can enjoy, so please be mindful of your choice of clothing and footwear when visiting Qantas Clubs and Business Lounges in Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney,” the website said.

READ MORE: Mum humiliated after boy tells school he isn’t sick – he’s going on ‘Jet2 plane’

Nikki is by no means the only traveller who has come under fire for their choice of attire. A woman previously said she was “shamed” on a flight after being accused of wearing an “inappropriate” and “lewd” outfit.

Maggi Thorne, 42, boarded a Southwest Airlines flight from Orlando to Nashville when she was left shocked by the reaction to her outfit choice. The seven-time American Ninja Warrior contestant says she was approached soon after boarding by a flight attendant.

The flight attendant reportedly told Maggi to cover up, writing on X, formerly Twitter: “[Southwest Airlines] attendant just shamed me in front of passengers saying my attire wasn’t appropriate”. Maggi was wearing a black cropped top and high waisted jogging bottoms to travel, meaning most of her body was covered – apart from her arms.

READ MORE: ‘We booked a flight to Nice – but ended up 495 miles away in Tunisia instead’

She added: “A tank top and high-waisted pants. Flight 1039. Is this really happening in 2023? The passengers around me were stunned as she shamed me for all to hear.”

Maggi said she told staff she was “not ok” with being told to cover up her outfit. The AWN star maintained there was nothing wrong with her outfit. She thinks the attendant was out of line for categorising her outfit as breaching Southwestern’s clothing policy of “lewd, obscene, or patently offensive” attire, she told Insider .

Maggi reportedly refused to cover up and complained to another crew member, adding: “When I told her I wasn’t okay, I don’t think she knew what to do. I’m not a confrontational person, but what happened isn’t okay and someone should say something about it.”

Southwest Airlines has since reached out to Thorne, offering her an apology and informing her that a complaint has been filed on her behalf.

Staff who work on Jimmy Kimmel Live! must wait to find out if they still have jobs after the show was axed this week over comments that angered President Trump

Staff who work on Jimmy Kimmel Live! have been given an update on their jobs after the show was pulled off air following comments host Jimmy made about Charlie Kirk, the US political activist shot dead earlier this month.

The 57-year-old TV host and comedian’s show was axed after he suggested Kirk’s suspected shooter Tyler Robinson, 22, was Republican and that the ‘MAGA gang’ were “working very hard to capitalise on the murder of Charlie Kirk”.

During Monday’s broadcast, Kimmel opened the show saying: “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang trying to characterise this kid who killed Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them.”

He then went on to mock President Trump’s response to a question from the press about how he was mourning Kirk’s death, which lead to the world leader bafflingly talking about the White House’s new ballroom construction instead.

READ MORE: Jimmy Kimmel’s wife warns ‘please don’t read this’ in ‘regretful’ Donald Trump move

Kirk was killed aged 31 as he spoke at an event at Utah Valley University on September 10. Robinson has since appeared in court, facing charges of aggravated murder over his death.

ABC, which airs Kimmel’s show, said it would not be showing Jimmy Kimmel Live! “for the foreseeable future”. While the network’s affiliate group, Nexstar Communications, called Kimmel’s comments “offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse”.

Disney, who owns ABC, wanted Kimmel to apologise for his comments around the killer of Charlie Kirk. While Kimmel had informed Disney bosses that he planned to address his remarks on Wednesday’s episode, he said he was not willing to say sorry.

Though the show has been axed for now and staff were seen packing up and leaving the Hollywood studio this week, it’s reported they will still be paid while an agreement for the late night talk show is reached, suggesting it could well be back on air soon.

According to Deadline, a note was sent out to staff this week to inform them of the move as talks between the company and Kimmel continue.

What Kimmel will do next remains to be seen, but he is said to be popular with colleagues and is not thought to want any decision he makes to negatively impact them, particularly after many were hit by writers’ strikes, LA wildfires and the pandemic in recent years.

But the decision to axe Kimmel’s show will likely please one person more than any other. Celebrating on Truth Social, Trump wrote: “Great News for America: The ratings challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED.

“Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done. Kimmel has ZERO talent, and worse ratings than even Colbert, if that’s possible.

“That leaves Jimmy and Seth, two total losers, on Fake News NBC. Their ratings are also horrible. Do it NBC!!! President DJT.”

READ MORE: Holidaymakers can stay in Omaze winners’ mansions in the Lake District and Bath from £77

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As a major storm rushed toward Florida last October, the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency at the time faced a different kind of threat. Police had shown up in force to a rental property she owned as a result of a prank call, in a potentially dangerous attack known as “swatting.”

Back-to-back Hurricanes Helene and Milton had sparked a torrent of online conspiracies, with FEMA officials facing harassment and death threats, according to hundreds of pages of agency emails and other documents obtained via a Freedom of Information Act request by Bloomberg News. The records shed new light on how disaster-related misinformation affects the government’s emergency response, sucks up internal resources, and puts staff at risk.

Deanne Criswell, who ran FEMA under President Joe Biden, learned about the swatting situation as she was about to brief TV viewers on Milton, one of the most powerful storms on record to develop in the Gulf of Mexico. “It was a very unsettling feeling,” she said in a recent interview, thinking back on how she juggled her concern for her renters along with preparing Floridians for the storm.

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell testifies during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing, November 20, 2024.

(Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Many of the attacks outlined in the documents have not previously been reported, including the doxxing of at least seven senior FEMA staffers. In those incidents sensitive personal information, such as home addresses, was published online for the purpose of harassment. The records also reveal challenges the agency faced as it tried to control the situation.

The incidents followed an online wave of disinformation suggesting FEMA was mishandling the response to the hurricanes that pummeled Florida and North Carolina in the lead up to the presidential election. Among the debunked claims swirling at the time were reports that agency workers had seized property from survivors and confiscated donations.

The offensive diverted agency time and resources to set the record straight and protect personnel. “It made my staff nervous,” said Criswell. “It made people in the community nervous. They didn’t know who to believe. They didn’t know who to trust.”The threat of misinformation continues to loom over the agency at a time when President Donald Trump and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem have made steep cuts to its staffing and funding, including pulling back on some of the resources FEMA used last fall to combat threats. In the aftermath of deadly Texas floods in July, for example, conspiracy theories online blamed cloud seeding.

“The profit-driven platform model, where sensational falsehoods outperform factual updates in emergencies, ensures this problem persists across political cycles and it can put lives at risk,” said Callum Hood, head of research at the nonprofit Center for Countering Digital Hate.

A FEMA spokesperson said in an email the agency “uses internal DHS resources to identify and mitigate any personal threats to employees.”

A trail of disinformation

Workers, community members, and business owners clean up debris in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in Marshall, North Carolina, Sept. 30, 2024.

(Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Im)

Hurricane Helene made landfall in the middle of the night on Sept. 26 as a Category 4 storm, causing historic flooding far inland and killing at least 250 people. Western North Carolina was particularly hard hit. Flood waters swept away small towns and cut off others, while Asheville lost water for more than a month. Almost immediately, FEMA staff had to confront false rumors circulating online, including that it had stopped accepting housing assistance applications from survivors and didn’t have enough funds to help them.

FEMA officials and experts attribute the quick spread of disinformation to historic government mistrust in the area, as well as social media platforms ratcheting back moderation. High-profile figures including X owner Elon Musk and Trump, then in the late stages of his bid to retake the White House, repeated some of the false claims. Trump, for example, said multiple times during his campaign rallies FEMA was directing disaster funds to immigrants.

For example, the agency shared a screenshot taken from a TruthSocial post from Oct. 5 that stated: “Deanne Criswell needs to be executed for crimes against humanity and treason!” An Oct. 6 post on Gab, a social media site favored by the far right, called for the “Mussolini treatment” of various officials. “The only question: Is there enough rope?” read one of the responses.

Jacyln Rothenberg, the agency’s spokesperson at the time, was among the most heavily targeted, leading Homeland Security to loan Customs and Border Protection agents to provide security at her home. “Because the doxxing was so severe and my safety was at risk, I had to stop tweeting,” she said. “I had to stop doing interviews. I had to stop putting myself on the record.”

FEMA staff also found what it called “far-right” users posting possible personal information for numerous officials, including Criswell, Coen and Rothenberg, internal documents show.

Attacks on FEMA Offline

As a second powerful hurricane — Milton — developed off the coast of Florida, the attacks on staffers’ started migrating from the internet to their homes. After Criswell’s rental property was swatted, among other “serious threats,” then-DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas signed off on a government vehicle and extra security to protect the embattled FEMA chief.

Then it happened to someone else. “My deputy Jenna Peters’ home was swatted,” Coen told FEMA’s security team in an email on Oct. 11. Peters did not respond to a request for comment.

The most high-profile incident involved a man allegedly “hunting” FEMA staff in North Carolina’s disaster zone. On Criswell’s orders, she said in an email to other top Biden officials: “All FEMA staff and contractors working to interact with survivors and conducting housing inspections, as well as search and rescue teams stood down following the initial reports.”

Elena Gonzalez, 37, looks at their burned-out home after Hurricane Milton’s landfall on October 14, 2024, in Fort Myers, Florida.

(Eva Marie Uzcategui/The Washington Post via Getty Im)

Afterwards, FEMA put together a Workplace Protection Task Force involving security, intelligence and communications professionals to manage incoming threats. Protective measures included using specialized software to flag personnel previously targeted online as at risk of more harassment. But there were limits to how far the government could influence content moderation. At the time, outspoken Republicans led by House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan were investigating tech companies, alleging that the platforms were censoring conservative viewpoints under federal government pressure.

After initially approving ZeroFox to assist with facilitating takedowns, FEMA later asked that the company end all social media content removal requests. Per internal documents, the move came after staff discussions that it wasn’t advisable for the agency to contract for services that took any action beyond passive threat monitoring. ZeroFox declined to comment.

Supporters of 2024 Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump attend a boat parade near a house damaged in Hurricane Milton, Siesta Key, Florida, October 26, 2024.

(Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images)

Trump’s team has already overseen a massive scale back of FEMA’s staffing, funding and programming. As part of a review of contracts, FEMA ended its agreement with ZeroFox, according to a former official familiar with the situation. A FEMA spokesperson confirmed that it ended the ZeroFox contract in April. For Melissa Ryan, founder of Card Strategies, a consulting firm that researches disinformation, the current political climate — in which public officials who attempt to provide transparency are often politicized and attacked — is a bigger obstacle than budget cuts in the fight against false claims. “So many of the new government appointees are Trump loyalists, and attempting to actually respond effectively to disinformation would make whoever made the attempt a target for MAGA and the administration,” she said.

Hirji, Alba and Leopold write for Bloomberg.

It was the end of an era on Friday night at Canoga Park High, where Mark Nogy completed his final high school football home game as the public address announcer on the 30th anniversary of his debut.

He’s a Canoga Park graduate who later became a school counselor and also announced Pierce College football games.

Former Canoga Park principal Denny Thompson wrote on Facebook, “Mark has never been shy about telling anyone who will listen just how great the community, staff, and students are. Thank you for being such a great Ambassador for our school. We will miss you on the mic at games. You are one of the reasons that ‘every day is a GREAT day at Canoga Park High.’”

The person who has been sitting next to him for 30 years in the press box running the scoreboard clock, Anthony Villalobos, will take over announcing for the rest of the season.

Canoga Park is set to get a new grass field, new scoreboard and new all-weather track next year.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email [email protected].