News from October 25, 2025

Technology

How Dodoma laws clash with global norms, stifle opposition

“Tanzania’s legal framework continues to enable repression. Authorities have weaponised laws including the Media Services Act, Electronic and Postal Communications Act, Political Parties Act, Cybercrimes Act and Public Order Act to silence dissent, restrict freedoms, and entrench authoritarian control,” said Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa. “These laws are vague, overly broad and incompatible with international human rights standards.”

Luke Anami Oct 25, 2025

Technology

'I worked at Buckingham Palace - everyone had same complaint about Prince Andrew'

A former royal chef had spoken out on his experiences working in the kitchen of Buckingham Palace , revealing which member of the royal family was more difficult than others. Dan Ottaway, who worked as a chef in Buckingham Palace and often cooked meals for the late Queen Elizabeth , has spoken candidly of his whirlwind experience working for the Firm as he started a new role as the executive head chef at a high-end hotel in Ireland. Ottaway said that among all the members of the royal family that he served, Prince Andrew was “quite difficult” and “much more demanding” than others, while also heaping praise on a sweet act by Princess Kate . Ottaway told the Irish Independent that Prince Andrew would bombard the Palace kitchen with extravagant last-minute requests that were difficult to fulfil and put the kitchen staff under immense pressure. He said: “We used to say that he was quite difficult, he would have been more demanding than the rest of them for sure. There would have been last-minute requests for lunches, guests, and stuff like that. Other family members would have told us weeks in advance because they understand we needed to prep for them.” Ottaway added that Andrew’s unreasonable requests kept coming, saying: “But knowing, sort of, that he could get away with anything really, because who’s going to tell him off really, nobody. And he was probably the queen’s favourite child, he was definitely different to the rest of the family in his meal requirements.” While the former chef admitted it was difficult to work with Andrew, he said the opposite about the Princess of Wales , revealing that Kate would always bring the children into the kitchen to thank the chefs after a meal. He said: “She didn’t want them to be ungrateful or whatever but it meant a lot to us in the kitchen to see the kids really bubbly. The former royal chef’s claims echo what a former palace staffer told biographer Andrew Lownie about Andrew and Fergie’s lavish feasts , and how their demands for expensive and luxurious meals may have contributed to Sarah’s financial struggles. The sacked staff member reveals to Lownie that "greed and wastefulness that contributed to the duchess's financial downfall." The former courtier claimed, as reported in Lownie’s explosive book Entitled: "Every night she [Sarah Ferguson] demands a whole side of beef, a leg of lamb and a chicken, which are laid out on the dining room table like a medieval banquet. It's a feast that would make Henry VIII proud." The source continued: "But often there is just her and her girls, Bea and Eugenie, and most of it is wasted. There is no attempt to keep it to have cold the next day. It just sits there all night, and the next day it's thrown away." The book also alleges that "her butler had to get in at 4.30am to put watercress on ice".

Charlotte Foster Oct 25, 2025

Technology

US and China Begin Trade Talks in Malaysia to Ease Tensions - Bloomberg.com

The US said it held “very constructive” discussions with China after the first day of trade negotiations in Malaysia, as President Donald Trump began his trip to the region including a meeting with the Chinese leader next week.

Josh Xiao, Daniel Flatley Oct 25, 2025

Technology

Arne Slot told he's made big Liverpool mistake after Man Utd and Eintracht Frankfurt comments

Former Liverpool defender Glen Johnson reckons Arne Slot has dropped a clanger by moaning about how rival teams approach matches against the Reds, essentially exposing their own vulnerabilities. Following the win over Man United, the Dutch boss took a swipe at Ruben Amorim's tactics in the 2-1 reverse against United, criticising their defensive setup and reliance on long balls in the air. Slot clarified his comments this week, insisting his remarks were intended as praise for the opposition's clever approach against the defending champions. He would revisit that tactical element following the Champions League victory over Eintracht Frankfurt. Slot acknowledged his squad had improved when handling crosses into the penalty area. He said: "That is a big, big, big difference and you go in at half-time at 1-1 with still the same amount of chances, but people will judge us differently if you don't score them." "The biggest exception for me compared to the other games we've played was the playing style of our opponent. We got some energy out of the moments we could press them, which in the last four or five games we played we were not able to press the opponent because the ball wasn't on the ground, it was in the air." Nevertheless, Johnson reckons Slot's observations about tactical approaches should have remained behind closed doors. Speaking to aceodds.com, Johnson said: "Every team has their own style and you play with what you've got. Everyone wants to play football, in terms of what we call tiki-taka, which is great. "But if you're susceptible against long balls, people are going to see that and try to exploit it. These days, everyone's got their own styles, the game's changing really quick. "People need to do whatever they can to get an advantage on their opponents and if they think going long and attacking certain players and certain areas helps, teams are going to do that. "Usually the managers take the bullet and protect their players, but at the same time, managers will also do what they think will get the best reaction out of their players. So if that means pointing the finger at them every now and then, if he's right, then it's okay. "Of course you still need to make sure it's a happy camp and make sure it's constructive what you're actually trying to do rather than dissecting yourself from the team. "I'm sure he's doing what he thinks is right, but in my experience it's always better to have those battles inside the camp and keep it in the dressing room." Liverpool are off to Brentford later today, hoping to halt their streak of three consecutive Premier League losses and close the gap on top-placed Arsenal . The Gunners face Crystal Palace at home tomorrow afternoon. Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.

Matty Hewitt Oct 25, 2025

Technology

Milei's future hangs in the balance at Sunday's midterms

Milei's future hangs in the balance at Sunday's midterms Sunday's midterm elections in Argentina have been deemed crucial for the future of President Javier Milei's La Libertad Avanza and its drastic “chainsaw” economic reforms amid mounting recession and a sharp slowdown despite bailouts from Washington. From a strictly political standpoint, Argentines will renew nearly half of the seats in the Lower House (127 out of 257), with LLA, a new force by all accounts, risking only 22% of its seats there. The country is also renewing one-third of the Senate (24 out of 72 seats), none of LLA's at stake. Hence, Milei's party can only hope to win on this front. It badly needs to reach at least a one-third minority to uphold presidential vetoes. LLA's allies, such as former President Mauricio Macri's Propuesta Republicana (PRO), face a challenging outlook, risking nearly 60% of their Deputy seats. The opposition Peronist under the Fuerza Patria label and its allies are risking nearly half of its Deputies and the most seats in the Senate. The elections will produce 24 separate results —one for each of the 23 provinces and another for the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires (CABA). Eight of these electoral districts are also choosing Senators (three each). The national focus will be on the aggregated difference in votes between LLA and the Peronist coalition. The government's proposal to count votes nationally (aggregating all provincial data) was rejected by the Court of Appeals in Electoral Matters (CNE), which ordered results to be published by district. LLA would have benefited from an aggregated count, as it uses the same name nationwide, while the Peronist coalition uses local names in ten provinces. Historically, mid-term elections in Argentina are adverse for ruling parties. In only one of the last seven presidencies (Mauricio Macri in 2017) did the ruling party increase its vote share compared to the presidential election. The average number of seats won by ruling parties in mid-term Deputy elections since 1983 is 50. LLA has only been the most-voted force in two of the ten provinces that held separate provincial elections this year: CABA and Chaco (where it joined forces with the UCR). In the critical province of Buenos Aires, the Peronist party won by nearly 14 points, an early result that created political instability for the national government. Voter turnout has been decreasing in the last two mid-term elections, and participation will be a key factor. For the first time in a national election, the Single Paper Ballot (BUP), which groups all candidates per category on one sheet, will be implemented. On the other hand, from an economic perspective, markets have been vigilant of the outcome, fearing a sharp devaluation of the Argentine peso against the US dollar, which has not yet taken place, thanks to repeated interventions from the US Treasury to stabilize the currency, with US$400 million on Friday alone, despite which the dollar climbed to AR$1,515. Earlier this month, US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent announced an unprecedented US$20 billion swap agreement with Argentina's Central Bank (BCRA). Despite these efforts, the dollar appreciated by 72 pesos over the past two weeks, driven by increased demand from savers seeking protection ahead of the elections and credit card holders converting balances into dollars to cover international purchases and streaming services. The 35 business days since the government's defeat in Buenos Aires have been marked by extreme volatility. Sharp currency fluctuations tend to delay investment decisions. Fear persists for the day after the elections. Although Economy Minister Luis Toto Caputo anticipated no changes, traders know it will all hinge on Sunday's outcome.

Unknown Oct 25, 2025

Technology

National Shame: Aussie Women Cricketers Molested In Indore; Accused Arrested

This special report focuses on the shocking molestation of two Australian women cricketers in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, during the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Cricket Australia have both responded to the incident, which has raised serious questions about player security. BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia stated, 'Very unfortunate incident, and this type of incident brings disrepute. The Madhya Pradesh police acted swiftly, arresting the accused, identified as Akil Khan, who was allegedly following the players on a motorcycle before inappropriately touching one of them. Khan reportedly has a prior criminal record. The BCCI has initiated an internal inquiry, while authorities investigate any potential security lapses.

India Today Video Oct 25, 2025

Technology

Paddy Pimblett makes Tom Aspinall vs Ciryl Gane UFC title prediction - 'I don't see how'

Paddy Pimblett believes Tom Aspinall will dominate Ciryl Gane in the UFC 321 main event . Heavyweight champion Aspinall faces former interim champion Gane in Abu Dhabi on Saturday night. Aspinall and Pimblett have trained together in the same gym during the build-up to this title fight. 'The Baddy' is now backing the fighter from Salford to defend his belt for the first time since being promoted to undisputed champion this summer due to the retirement of Jon Jones from MMA . "I think Tom will dominate him, Dr Squatch ambassador for the Manladia campaign Pimblett told the Daily Mail . "I don't see any other way that it could go, to be honest, I genuinely don't." "Tom is brilliant. I've trained with Tom; he's one of the coolest dudes you'll ever meet, such a nice guy.' 'The Baddy' went on to explain: "I just don't see a way that Ciryl Gane can beat him unless it is like a big, crazy knockout that catches Tom off guard. I don't see how Tom can get beaten there. Pimblett added, "I'd say he has fought someone of the striking level of Gane before because he fought Sergei Pavlovich and knocked him out. Pavlovich, at the time, at least, was one of the most dangerous knockout artists in the UFC , and Tom knocked him out in two minutes or something (one minute and nine seconds). "So you could even say he has fought someone with better striking than Ciryl Gane; Gane is more of a technical striker, but I just can't see Tom losing that fight. He's got too much for Gane because he can strike with him, but he can take him down at will and submit him if he wanted to." Aspinall is similarly confident, saying at the weigh-in: "This is going to be a very special performance, guys, make sure you tune in, this is big." However, he has prepared for a longer fight than usual. "My opponent moves really well," Aspinall told the BBC , "so I'm gonna have to keep up with him moving. He's very athletic; he's got great cardio, so I obviously want to be able to match that or get as close to it as possible." Aspinall added, "I'd much prefer a short fight, but if I have to do a long fight, that's fine." Aspinall has also spoken about being the heavyweight champion. "The ultimate goal has been done a long time ago," he said, "which is to do this full-time. "I have been doing this full-time for a long time now; that was the ultimate goal. Anything on top of that is good. "As for being a long-reigning heavyweight champion? We will just see how it goes, but I am confident that I am the best fighter in the division. "But it's heavyweight MMA; you never know what is going to happen; well, there are two things that can happen – you can win or lose. You never really know. "The heavyweight title is like a hot potato; people have dropped it left and right. It doesn't tend to stay around for you too long."

Matthew Abbott Oct 25, 2025

Technology

'Changing the narrative' response as experienced Irish League manager reacts to shock defeat

With four wins and the same number of defeats before last weekend’s trip to Lurgan, inconsistency appeared the only consistent from Carrick’s early-season Premiership programme. However, the form book suggested Baxter would follow up his midweek milestone 1,000th game in Irish League management with victory over a Glenavon side bottom still searching for a way to stop the rot and secure a first point of the top-tier schedule. But a 1-0 reverse has led to Baxter searching for solutions to last Saturday’s problems before playing host to Cliftonville. "We were great at other places and didn't get anything from a game,” said Baxter. "We were trying three or four different shapes (at Glenavon), we were writing shapes down from 15 minutes in the second half, trying to do something different, trying to change the flow of the game – and there was nothing. "And that's not like us, because in every game this season we've been on top for periods where we've looked like we will get a goal and we've been threatening and got goals. "In football, no matter what the game, when you lose you pinpoint what you think went wrong...then you have to very quickly assess what your players are doing, what you've got out of people and if you need to think of making changes, you do it. "And then you have to always then prepare for the next game and that's the cycle of football. "You have to try and get into a way of changing the narrative all the time.”

Patrick Van Dort Oct 25, 2025

Technology

Rohit, Kohli guide India to big win against Australia

Opener Rohit Sharma struck an unbeaten century, Virat Kohli made a fighting half-ton while pacer Harshit Rana grabbed four wickets as India defeated Australia by nine wickets in the third and final ODI but lost the series 1-2, here on Saturday. After Rana came up with superb bowling figures of 4/39 to dismiss Australia for 236 in 46.4 overs, Rohit hit an unbeaten 125 ball 121 to make it a one-sided contest. Rohit shared a vital 69-run partnerships with Shubman Gill (24) for the opening wicket before joining forces with Kohli (74 not out off 81 balls) for another unbroken productive 168-run stand as India chased down the target in 38.3 overs. Brief Scores Australia 236 all out in 46.4 overs (Matt Renshaw 56, Mitchell Marsh 41, Matthew Short 30, Harshit Rana 4/39, Washington Sundar 2/44, Axar Patel 1/18, Mohammed Siraj 1/24). India 237 for 1 in 38.3 overs (Rohit Sharma 121 not out, Virat Kohli 74 not out). Published on October 25, 2025

Unknown Oct 25, 2025

Technology

Delhi airport’s T2 to be operational on Sunday; Air India, IndiGo to operate 120 flights daily

Delhi airport's refurbished Terminal 2 will be operational from October 26, enhancing passenger handling capacity at the country's largest airport, with Air India and IndiGo set to operate a total of 120 flights daily. Inaugurating the revamped T2, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu on Saturday said the government is developing and transforming airports into world-class transit hubs at an unprecedented pace. "Handling nearly 50 per cent of the Northern region's total passenger traffic and managing nearly 50,000 transfers every day, Delhi is emerging as a preferred transfer hub," he said. The Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) can handle more than 100 million passengers annually. The more than 40-year-old T2 was shut for renovation works in April this year and will become operational on the intervening night of October 25-26, coinciding with the start of the winter schedule, during which the airport is set to have around 13 per cent more flights than the previous winter schedule. The winter schedule is from October 26, 2025, to March 28, 2026. Together, Air India and IndiGo will operate around 120 daily domestic flights from the upgraded T2, DIAL said in a release. "This (T2) reopening also allows for more balanced airline operations across terminals, further enhancing efficiency and convenience for millions of travellers," DIAL CEO Videh Kumar Jaipuriar said. Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), a consortium led by the GMR Group, operates the IGIA, which is also the country's largest airport. At the inaugural, Naidu said India can become one of the world's largest civil aviation ecosystems. The whole transfer ecosystem should be made more efficient for making the airport an international hub, he said and added that the airport can have an annual passenger handling capacity of around 130 million with efficient use of space. The minister also said the Delhi airport is focusing on sustainability, including concentrating on the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). According to DIAL, the future-ready T2 will play a pivotal role in strengthening the airport's position as India's foremost aviation hub, equipped to handle the next phase of passenger growth efficiently and sustainably. The revamped T2 will feature a Self Baggage Drop (SBD) facility, enabling passengers to check in bags independently and reducing queues and waiting time. Among others, there will be six new Passenger Boarding Bridges (PBBs). In terms of infrastructure and safety, T2 has undergone comprehensive mechanical and electrical upgrades, and the refurbished airside and apron areas are designed to support efficient aircraft movement and accommodate future traffic growth, DIAL said. At the T2, the first arriving flight will be IndiGo's 6E 2058 from Lucknow at around 0025 hours on October 26, while the first departing flight will be IndiGo's 6E 2343 to Pune at 0215 hours on October 26. The Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in the national capital, also the country's largest airport, has three terminals -- T1, T2 and T3 -- and four runways. It handles more than 1,300 flight movements daily. Published on October 25, 2025

Unknown Oct 25, 2025

Sports

Picture gallery: Action from the end-of-season Sunflower Trophy meeting at Bishopscourt in Co Down

The line-up includes British Supersport champion Rhys Irwin and fellow Supersport rider Eugene McManus, who is competing in the Superbike class for the Hawk Racing team on the MasterMac Honda. Ulster Superbike champion Carl Phillips and frontrunner Korie McGreevy and Jonny Campbell are also among the key protagonists at the Hillsborough Club’s annual meeting.

Kyle White Oct 25, 2025

Technology

Broken bottle or piece of glass held to baby's head in hijacking report in Belfast

Detective Sergeant McVeagh said the incident occurred at around 3.50am, when a delivery driver parked his white Vauxhall Agila on Donegall Place and stepped out, leaving his partner and their young baby inside. “Two men approached the vehicle on foot, and one got into the driver’s seat and drove off,” the Detective Sergeant explained. “The second man appeared to try to intervene but was unsuccessful. “A short distance away, near Fountain Lane, the driver stopped, held what the woman believed to be a broken bottle or piece of glass to the baby’s head, and ordered her to get out of the car. When she complied, he drove off towards City Hall and Chichester Street. The vehicle was later recovered in Upper Stanfield Street.” Detective Sergeant McVeagh described the incident as “an absolutely shocking and extremely distressing ordeal” for the victims, who were left shaken but not physically injured. Police have launched an investigation and are appealing for witnesses. Anyone who was in the area at the time or who may have CCTV or dashcam footage is urged to contact detectives on 101, quoting reference 211 25/10/25. Reports can also be made online via www.psni.police.uk/makeareport or anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or www.crimestoppers-uk.org.

Johnny McNabb Oct 25, 2025

Technology

Chilean elections anticipate a shift to the right and a Conservative president

Chilean elections anticipate a shift to the right and a Conservative president The two leading candidates in the Chilean presidential election, Jeanette Jara and Jose Antonio Kast, scheduled in three weeks-time November 16, have undergone significant falls in their vote intention according to an opinion poll from LatAm Pulse. The candidate for the ruling coalition, Unity for Chile, former Labor minister and belonging to the Communist party has seen support drop from 38,9% to 32,7%, points out the latest opinion poll, while the solid right candidate Kast has slid from 24.7% to 20,1%. Nevertheless as leading candidates and with percentages far from 50% of votes cast, a December run off is expected with Kast crushing Jara by 47% to 39%. Obviously Chile has become a highly polarized country with the incumbent candidate promising measures to increase workers’ salaries and improve social services, while Kast anticipates a frontal battle against irregular migration, and deep million dollars cuts in social spending. Both candidates in recent weeks have experienced stumbles: Ms. Jara had to reorganize its communicational department limiting the number of spokespersons. Her advisors have also recommended to distance herself from extreme left positions, as well as from current president Gabrile Boric, given his very downgraded popularity. Kast has also had to deal with a controversial column published by one of his campaign advisors arguing the current Chilean government is “full of parasites”. He has also had to anticipate which government ministries, departments, institutions will be exposed to expenditure cuts, if elected. The poll also showed that another conservative hopeful, Evelyn Matthei, who has strong support from the big corporate class, and rich neighborhoods, but not much more managed to slightly up her support from 11.8% to 13.8%. This means that Matthei, together with two outsiders, Johannes Kaiser and Franco Parisi now have similar support standings, 13.4% and 13.2%. Meanwhile those interviewed who declared themselves undecided as to whom vote, has climbed from 1.2% to 6.9%. The LatamPulse poll interviewed 2.828 persons in Chile, between 15 and 19 October, with a confidence level of 95% and a plus/minus error margin.

Unknown Oct 25, 2025

Technology

Conor Bradley determined to make up for lost time after pre-season injury halted Liverpool progress

With Trent Alexander-Arnold departing for Real Madrid, it opened up a vacancy for Bradley to establish himself in Arne Slot’s squad at the start of the new campaign, but the 22-year-old suffered an injury setback ahead of their league opener. Bradley is continuing to work his way back to full fitness, racking up six Premier League appearances and played 72 minutes in Wednesday’s 5-1 Champions League victory over Frankfurt after coming on as an early replacement for Jeremie Frimpong. International involvement has also helped Bradley get up to speed – he started in Northern Ireland’s first three World Cup qualifiers, including captaining his country in a 2-0 win over Slovakia earlier this month before missing a showdown with Germany due to suspension. Bradley has spoken about looking to improve his disciplinary record having picked up three yellow cards in the Premier League and a further two in the Champions League so far this term. Liverpool travel to Brentford on Saturday evening with an aim of ending a three-game losing league run. "It's never nice getting an injury in pre-season," Bradley told the club’s website. "Especially when I nearly got through it then I just picked up a little injury. "It's always disappointing and then it sort of kills the start of the season for you because you're ready to go into it with full fitness and then you have a setback, so it's difficult. "It's never nice but I just need to try to get my full fitness back now and try to play as many games and try to help the team as much as possible." Bradley is part of a star-studded Reds squad which was further bolstered by the £100million signing of Florian Wirtz while striker Alexander Isak arrived from Newcastle United for £125million. The likes of Frimpong, Milos Kerkez and Hugo Ekitike also joined during the summer, and Bradley feels it’ll take time for the new-look team to gel. "It definitely does take time," he added. "I think you have to build relationships, which you can't just do in one day. "That's over weeks and months and things like that. "But I think all the new lads have settled in really well. They're all really nice people first of all and obviously they're all top players from what you see online from what they've done at their previous clubs and what they're doing for us. "They're all top people, top players and I think we're really lucky to have them."

Johnny Morton Oct 25, 2025

Technology

Man buys £3.50 cardigan in charity shop is gobsmacked after learning true worth

It's quite common to find a wild item lurking in your local charity shop . And by wild, we mean a product which is worth a lot more than the price tag it has been given, which is what one shopper recently experienced. Chris, who is a part-time seller on eBay and Vinted, was left floored after coming across a cardigan from a big designer brand in the thrift shop one day. He picked up the item which cost him just £3.50, as he couldn't believe how cheap it was, and made it his challenge to earn a profit on it online. In a post on TikTok , he told his 5,300 followers: "So another great charity shop find coming up." He added: "When I spotted this lady's cardigan now I immediately recognised the brand Inis Meáin made in Ireland. It was priced up at just £3.50. Now this is a brand that is well worth looking out for, especially if you pick it up at this sort of price. "Had a look at the label inside and this was in fact 30% cashmere and 70% merino wool. Now people are asking anywhere between £100 to £160 for this brand of cardigan and a previous similar one went for £148 so I think I'll be listing mine at around £150." Inis Meáin is a knitting company which creates contemporary Irish knitwear, menswear and womenswear from the island of Inis Meáin in Ireland. On the official website, any sort of cardigan will set you back between £278 (€320) and £399 (€460) for a brand new one. So given how much it costs to buy it first-hand, Chris found himself quite the bargain considering the charity shop find has been worn. Since he shared the video on TikTok, it garnered 300 likes and dozens of comments. One said: "Nice find good luck getting nice price." Another added: "Wow what a find!" A third commented: "Incredible find mate." Chris revealed how he only listed the item online for £150 so is yet to make his profit. Previously, the part-time seller spotted a new pair of Dr. Martens in a charity shop and was gobsmacked by the cost. After making the purchase for £45, Chris took them home and gave them further examination. Talking about the condition of the boots, he continued: "There was no wear on the soles, it just needed a little bit of a wipe over. "No damage to them and they did both come with laces."

Christine Younan Oct 25, 2025

Technology

US strike kills six on Caribbean boat

US strike kills six on Caribbean boat The US military conducted a “lethal kinetic strike” on a vessel in international waters overnight Thursday, killing six people described as “narco-terrorists,” Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced Friday. The vessel was allegedly operated by the Venezuelan transnational criminal organization Tren de Aragua (TdA) and was interdicted in the Caribbean Sea as part of a campaign the Republican administration of President Donald Trump claims is aimed at eliminating narcotics trafficking from Venezuela and Colombia. “If you are a narco-terrorist smuggling drugs in our hemisphere, we will treat you like we treat Al-Qaeda,” Hegseth wrote on X, vowing to continue to “hunt down” and “kill” more alleged traffickers. He confirmed that all six individuals aboard the TdA vessel were killed and no US forces were harmed. The strike marks the tenth such operation conducted by the US military against alleged drug runners, bringing the reported total killed in international waters to 43. It also follows two other strikes conducted this week. The lethal strike follows an announcement that the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group is being deployed to the Caribbean Sea, nearly doubling the US naval presence in the region. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell stated that the enhanced force will “bolster US capacity to detect, monitor and disrupt illicit actors and activities.” President Trump recently touted the military’s counter-narcotics efforts as a “great success,” claiming the flow of seaborne drugs has fallen to “like 5% of what they were a year ago.” Trump warned that action on “land is going to be next,” without providing details. He has designated several transnational gangs, including TdA, as terrorist organizations. Both the Venezuelan and Colombian governments have strongly rejected the US claims, interpreting the military operations as an attempt at resource grabbing rather than a genuine anti-smuggling effort. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro stated that the US operation “is not about drug trafficking... they need oil [and] gas,” referring to his country's vast energy and mineral reserves. The Trump administration has accused Maduro of profiting from drug smuggling and has raised the reward for information leading to Maduro's arrest to US$50 million. The administration is also reportedly considering authorizing strikes inside Venezuela to weaken Maduro's government.

Unknown Oct 25, 2025

Technology

Maduro says foreign movements organizing brigades to help Venezuela

Maduro says foreign movements organizing brigades to help Venezuela Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro announced Friday that international social movements were organizing the “Simón Bolívar Internationalist Brigades” to “fight alongside Venezuela for independence, sovereignty, and peace.” Speaking from the “El Gran Topo Agrotourism Commune” alongside international guests from the Platform of Solidarity with the Bolivarian Revolution, Maduro claimed that videos were circulating online showing “social leaders, young people, women leaders, union leaders” calling for the formation of these brigades. The Bolivarian leader also referred to the “deranged” US narrative to justify military aggression against Venezuela. Maduro asserted the US could not accuse Venezuela of having weapons of mass destruction, building nuclear weapons, or aiming missiles at US cities. “Since they can't say it, they invent an extravagant, vulgar, criminal, and totally false narrative,” Maduro said, referring to US accusations linking Venezuela to drug trafficking. He insisted that Venezuela was a country “free of coca leaf production, free of cocaine production,” which was working to eliminate the “tiny 5% of drug trafficking that comes from Colombia.” He credited these achievements to the country's military, police, and intelligence forces, noting that progress had been made “since we broke with the [US] DEA, the world's largest drug cartel.” Maduro stressed that the country is united in rejecting confrontation, citing that 94% of Venezuelans oppose war. He called for the mobilization of “the peoples of South America and the Caribbean” to avoid conflict and promote peace. The President's comments came as the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB) and the Bolivarian National Militia continued nationwide defense exercises across the Venezuelan coasts. The maneuvers, set to conclude Saturday, involve establishing at least 73 main defense points and between 700 and 1,000 total control and surveillance points along the coast to guarantee national sovereignty.

Unknown Oct 25, 2025

Technology

Argentine President meets with JP Morgan CEO

Argentine President meets with JP Morgan CEO Argentine President Javier Milei met on Friday in Buenos Aires with Jamie Dimon, the CEO of JPMorgan Chase, at a dinner hosted by the bank at the National Museum of Decorative Art, in a high-stakes gathering focused on securing international financial assistance. The encounter just two days before Argentina's midterm elections saw the President arrive by car after heavy storms in Rosario forced him to return by land following his final campaign event. Milei was joined by Economy Minister Luis Toto Caputo and newly designated Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno. Official sources indicated that the central topic of discussion was the possibility of international financial assistance and the government's strategy to stabilize the country's volatile economy. Dimon's visit comes as the Argentine government is reportedly in negotiations with the Wall Street giant for financial backing to strengthen Central Bank reserves and address exchange rate volatility. JPMorgan is a key institution in current talks for a multi-billion-dollar financial support package being organized by the US Treasury, which would complement the already-announced US$20 billion currency swap. Minister Caputo participated in the meeting but left early, while Quirno remained with JP Morgan executives, including Facundo Gómez Minujín and Alfonso Aguirre. Quirno, in his previous role as Secretary of Finance, recently announced that JP Morgan would collaborate with Argentina on a sovereign debt buyback operation aimed at reducing financing costs and strengthening investment in education. Dimon, in Argentina on a regional tour, was briefed about the country's economic priorities and the guidelines of the financial program currently under implementation. The evening went smoothly amid pre-election day restrictions, it was also reported.

Unknown Oct 25, 2025

Technology

As cancer rises among young adults, experts explain how to lower risk - The Washington Post

Not only are more young people being diagnosed with breast and colorectal cancer, but the diseases are leading to more deaths. Here’s what you can actually do about it.

Allyson Chiu Oct 25, 2025

Technology

Who is the favourite to win Strictly Come Dancing? George Clarke jumps ahead of Series 23 rivals

A red-hot favourite has emerged to win Strictly Come Dancing. The stars are set to take to the ballroom floor for ‘icons’ week very shortly. One more of the celebs will be leaving the competition very soon, but one of the famous faces is being strongly backed to lift the Glitterball Trophy. It is a new name to take the crown of favourite. Sign up for our daily national newsletter - in your inbox Mon-Fri The bookies have issued their latest odds ahead of week 5. Oddschecker has named the star seen as most likely to win series 23. But who is being backed to take the title in 2025? Here’s all you need to know! If you love TV, check out our Screen Babble podcast to get the latest in TV and film. Related topics: BoostTVBBCStrictly Come Dancing

Matthew Mohan,Matthew Mohan-Hickson Oct 25, 2025