RIYADH: Al Rajhi Bank has completed a $600 million Tier 2 social sukuk offering, with the 10.5-year certificates carrying an annual return of 6.23 percent. 

Settlement is scheduled for Sept. 10, according to the bank’s Saudi Exchange filing. 

The latest offering comprises 3,000 trust certificates, each with a par value of $200,000. The instruments are callable after 5.25 years. 

The transaction marks the Saudi lender’s second international Tier 2 social sukuk issuance, following a $1 billion offering completed in September 2025. 

The issuance comes as Saudi banks increasingly tap international debt markets to diversify their funding sources and bolster regulatory capital, while strong credit growth and the kingdom’s economic transformation continue to drive demand for financing. 

“The Trust Certificates may be redeemed in certain cases as detailed in the offering circular in relation to the Trust Certificates,” the statement said. 

The certificates will be listed on the London Stock Exchange’s International Securities Market and may be sold in reliance on Regulation S under the US Securities Act of 1933. 

The offering was directed at eligible investors in Saudi Arabia and international markets. Al Rajhi Bank announced its intention to issue the certificates and commenced the offering on Sept. 3. 

Al Rajhi Capital, Arqaam Capital, Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria and Citigroup were among the joint lead managers and bookrunners for the offering. Intesa Sanpaolo’s London branch, Morgan Stanley, SMBC Bank International, Standard Chartered and Warba Bank also held the role. 

Previous issuance  

Al Rajhi Bank’s $1 billion Tier 2 social sukuk issued in September 2025 marked its first Tier 2 transaction in international debt markets, according to the lender’s 2026 allocation and impact report.  

That issuance carried a 5.65 percent annual return, had a 10.5-year maturity and was callable after five years. It was also listed on the London Stock Exchange’s International Securities Market.  

The bank said the earlier instrument was issued under its sustainable finance framework and structured to support capital adequacy while advancing social objectives.  

The latest transaction follows a 14.2 percent annual increase in Al Rajhi Bank’s first-half net profit to SR13.76 billion ($3.67 billion), according to a separate Saudi Exchange disclosure.  

The lender reported assets of SR1.05 trillion at the end of June, while its financing portfolio reached SR762.1 billion and customer deposits stood at SR688.4 billion.  

A handful of aviation photographers got a suprise eyeful of a very sleek and large aircraft silhouette on Thursday night at Long Beach Airport. One of them was Ricky Schol, who saw the mysterious airframe emerge from a hangar, prompting a double take. It was the first time in his 16 years of aviation photography at the historic airport he’d ever seen anything like it.

“I was driving home past my local airport Thursday evening here in Southern California when I saw a bright light coming from a hangar I haven’t seen open in a long time, so I doubled back to check it out,” Schol told us. “I was blown away when I pulled over and saw the future in front of my eyes. I had no clue what I was looking at. I jumped out of my vehicle and started taking pictures immediately.”

“At first glance I thought it was an F-117 Nighthawk when driving by,” said Schol, a plumber by trade. “That’s why I doubled back to see. And to my surprise I saw something I’ve never seen before, having no cockpit. It left me with a very curious feeling.”

Schol said he did some asking around and learned more details. He would soon learn that the mysterious aircraft design was the RAVN X, an aircraft meant to launch payloads into space, made by Aevum Aerospace of Huntsville, Alabama. Schol was kind enough to share some of the photos he took of the aircraft, which he said he saw from about 100 feet in the distance. You can find his work on Instagram at @aggressoraviation_.

As you can see from the images below, the aircraft bears the FAA N Number N567RX, which has been reserved by Aevum to an address at the airport, but it appears to be a mockup — one we have likely seen before.

A mockup of the drone was introduced online with great fanfare in 2021 and described at the time by company CEO Jay Skylus as the “mothership” for a two-stage rocket able to carry a payload of just over 1,000 pounds. 

From our story when the RAVN X was unveiled: “The twin-engine Ravn X drone — described by the company as the first stage of the system — reportedly weighs 55,000 pounds, is 80 feet long, and has a wingspan of 60 feet — roughly the size of an A-5 Vigilante. The sleek drone… has seemingly been tailored for speed.” 

During the mockup roll-out, the company described what we noted back then was a “very ambitious, if not almost bizarre timeline” for getting Ravn X into the air. The plan was to start with “vehicle-level testing” to obtain the required airworthiness certification and launch licensing for operations, a process that should take 18 months, Skylus claimed. From there, Aevum planned to secure airworthiness certification for the first-stage drone from the Federal Aviation Administration. 

Following that, the next step was to commence orbital launch tests from Cecil Spaceport in Jacksonville, Florida, by late 2021. 

Aevum Ravn X Autonomous Launch Vehicle Rollout

It is unclear whether AEVUM achieved any of its goals. There are no details on the company website and the most recent information about RAVN X is from Gunter’s Space Page, a website that tracks launches.

“In December 2020 Aevum rolled out a mock-up of the Ravn-X carrier plane (although claimed to be a real prototype), but no further activities have been noticed so far,” noted Gunter’s Space Page. “It is doubtful, that any real hardware has been produced so far. By August 2024, all activities seem to have stopped.”

We reached out to Skylus and Aevum for more details.

Given that RAVN X has all but disappeared from public notice, Schol and a few other photographers at the airport caught a rare glimpse.

“I was there from the time they pulled it out to the time they pulled it in,” he told us. “They lined it up on the runway. It moved a little bit, but not much.”

Schol said he didn’t hear the engines or see any exhaust.

“I don’t know exactly what they were testing or trying to accomplish that night,” he proffered.

Mockups can be modified for limited ground tests and other important work, which could be the case here. Regardless, RAVN X does appear to be still alive as a program.

If we find out any details, we will pass them along.

Contact the author: howard@twz.com

Game of Thrones’ Rose Leslie still remembers what she learnt when winter was coming.

Rose Leslie has shared some handy behind the scenes Game of Thrones tricks she used for Vigil season three.

Vigil continues to air every Sunday and Monday night on BBC One as DI Kirsten Longacre (played by Rose Leslie) heads up the latest murder investigation.

But in a complete 180 degrees move to series two which was mostly set in the Middle East, season three takes place in Svalbard, Norway, which is located in the Arctic Circle.

And with Svalbard having an average annual temperature between minus 11 and minus 16 degrees, it wasn’t the easiest of conditions to work in.

Nevertheless, Leslie did pick up a few helpful tips while shooting in Iceland’s freezing temperatures for Game of Thrones.

“Filming back then, I was given a brilliant hack that I also used for Svalbard as well.

“Essentially, if you get a heat pack and you place them on both your kidneys, you are then heating up your blood because your blood is going through your kidneys and then whizzing everywhere else in your system.

“So if you’re heating up the blood going through your kidneys, you’re actually going to warm yourself up.

So I was like ‘Guys, you’ve got to listen to me on this!’ And it works!

“That really helped me on every single day we were filming outside on the mountain tops.”

Vigil season three returns for its third episode tonight, Sunday, September 6, where Kirsten will finally be reunited with DCI Amy Silva (Suranne Jones).

It’s been teased that Amy travels to Svalbard to “clear Kirsten’s name” as she faces the “wrath of the Russians”.

The official synopsis continues: “Together, they dig into the complex motivations within the hub whilst something more sinister bubbles beneath its surface.

“The truth of Hodge’s murder may be closer to home than they thought, but the situation threatens to combust before they can get to the truth.”

Vigil is available to watch on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

Emiliano Martinez: There was concern when the Argentina goalkeeper was accidentally kicked in the head by Gabriel early on, but he was beaten too easily at his near post for Havertz’s equaliser. He later made a high-quality save from Saka in the second half. 5

Josh Acheampong: Often dragged into uncomfortable areas by Tzolis from a tactical perspective, but handled his individual defensive duties well. 6

Maxence Lacroix: Miscontrolled a ball early on and allowed Havertz’s shot to pass through his legs but also impressed at other times. 6

Wesley Fofana: Unconvincing defensively against Saka, Odegaard and, ultimately, Havertz for the equaliser, but the most composed of Chelsea‘s defenders in possession. 6

Pedro Neto: Tasked with marking Calafiori while also providing an attacking threat. Hit the post just before half-time with a brilliant curling effort. 7

Reece James: Saw a well-struck long-range effort saved after 22 minutes and was arguably Chelsea‘s best passer. 7

Romeo Lavia: Produced a superb defensive header to clear the danger in the 32nd minute and competed aggressively throughout. 6

Jorrel Hato: His determination helped create Rogers’ volley and he matched that effort defensively, although he struggled to contain Saka at times. 6

Cole Palmer: Had one effort on target in the first half and was booked for a professional foul. Also had a second-half shot saved. Arsenal largely kept him quiet. 5

Morgan Rogers: Opened the scoring with a first-time volley after just two minutes. Later curled an effort narrowly wide in the 31st minute and was Chelsea‘s most dangerous attacking player. 7

Joao Pedro: Unconvincing defensively at set-pieces and had few opportunities in front of goal, including an ambitious effort from distance. Still made a significant contribution through his work-rate, physical presence and ability to bring team-mates into play as the number nine. 6

Subs:

Malo Gusto (on 60, Lavia): Poor effort moments after coming on, albeit playing out of position in central midfield. 5

Pep Chavarria (on 60, Hato): Struggled to track his runners on a few occasions. 6

Estevao Willian (on 80, Neto): The Brazilian’s sensational curling effort almost levelled but was saved by Raya.

Danny Welbeck (on 87, Rogers)

Subs not used: Penders, Colwill, Barco, Quenda, Gittens

Amid the grapevines that once provided a steady income for her family, 56-year-old Palestinian farmer Theeba al-Sabaa spends much of her day guarding her home and farmland in the occupied West Bank from settlers.

From dusk till dawn, she works on her land in the town of Beit Ummar, north of Hebron, known by locals as “Jabal Sabaa”.

Theeba is engaged in a daily battle against the encroaching settler outposts that have emerged among the rolling hills that surround her, and which block access to sections of her land.

“By God, the land has taught me patience, and to cling to my right, for as long as I have a right, I must take it and never let it go,” she told Al Jazeera.

“I will never leave it because I worked hard on it, I toil and sweat on it, so I will not leave my toil and sweat, or the toil of my children and my husband, to go to someone else.”

Weaponising livestock

Since mid-2024, when settlers established new outposts on the nearby hills, every one of Theeba’s moves has been monitored.

Settlers frequently approach the perimeter of her home and deliberately release livestock into the cultivated fields.

“They enter with their sheep into our land after we plow and fix it, grazing in it, trampling the crops, and stomping on them with their sheep, leaving nothing,” Theeba said.

“As soon as they feel any movement or anyone entering the land, you find them attacking us immediately.”

This intimidation extends to the adjacent fields, where 59-year-old Anwar Sabarneh lives with his extended family of seven brothers.

Due to the repeated settler violations, two of his brothers have been forced to abandon their land.

Sabarneh, who supports a family of 14, owns several dunams of vineyards located just 300 metres (980 feet) from his home. With aggressive settlers around, reaching them has become a dangerous ordeal.

Military complicity

Sabarneh said that the Israeli army even demands permits from Palestinians to work on their own land.

“The army came with the settlers to ask me for a permit so I can work in my home, in front of my house’s door, and on my land where I am the rightful owner,” Sabarneh said.

Farmers are also barred from building anything on their land. Sabarneh’s sheep have also been locked in a barn for over eight months due to the dangers posed by settlers.

“If they see me taking the sheep out, the settlers chase me, kidnap them, and steal them,” he said.

When Sabarneh’s children have tried to retrieve their stolen sheep, Israeli soldiers have arrested and beaten them.

A forced exodus

Repeated pogroms by settlers against Palestinian farmers reflect a broader strategy targeting agriculture across the southern West Bank.

Settlers and the Israeli troops carried out 11,074 attacks in the West Bank during the first half of 2026, according to the Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission. This includes 3,488 carried out by settlers.

Hasan Breijieh, a settlement affairs expert and director at the commission, told Al Jazeera that continuous settlement expansionism, alongside restrictions on Palestinian movement, are the primary reasons that so many Palestinians have been forced to flee their farms.

“Military gates erected at the entrances of Palestinian communities have tightened control over…  access to their orchards and vineyards,” he said.

Bypass roads, built by Israel, have also hindered “connectivity between Palestinian communities”, Breijieh said.

Under such restrictions, Palestinian farmers have faced a fourth consecutive season without being able to harvest olives, grapes, or guava. Their lands have been “neither plowed nor pruned”, and have been forcibly abandoned.

In the face of such oppression, Palestinian women like Theeba al-Sabaa have continued to play a pivotal role in protecting their land, particularly when men have been killed or detained by Israeli forces.

“They continue to maintain their leadership role in preserving the family’s agricultural legacy today,” Breijieh said. “This land was historically the primary source of livelihood for families, and a Palestinian cannot leave it voluntarily, no matter the sacrifices.”

He recalled his own grandfather, who went to his fields to bid farewell before dying. “Goodbye, vineyard,” he said to his land.

JEDDAH: “Our Cut of Salt” is an extraordinary debut partly because it understands that the haunted-house story has always been most effective when it is, at heart, a story about people and the fears they carry with them.

Under Palestinian American writer Deena Helm’s pen, a haunted house in Haifa that once was home to a Palestinian family is not merely the site of a ghost story; it is itself a record of displacement, violence and belonging, as well as an indictment of military occupation.

Forthcoming from US publisher Tor’s horror imprint Tor Nightfire on Sept. 22, the gothic horror novel follows three generations of Palestinian women and the history embedded in their ancestral home, Dar Sayadi.

After Nuhad’s death, her granddaughter Marina in Chicago becomes determined to visit the house she has inherited that she only knows of through her grandmother’s stories. Her mother, Haifa — named for the city her family lost and carrying inherited trauma herself — reluctantly agrees to let her go to Palestine.

Nuhad had not returned to the house since the Nakba of 1948, but she continued to carry it in her heart until death. Rania, her childhood friend, becomes a guide and a bridge connecting Marina to her ancestry.

Helm’s characters feel remarkably full and vibrant even when they appear only briefly. The debut author’s measured prose moves deftly between the poetic and the clear-eyed. At times, her language is lyrical and atmospheric, giving the house and its haunting an almost dreamlike quality; at others, it becomes restrained and precise, allowing scenes to speak without being weighed down by narration.

In “Our Cut of Salt,” the supernatural elements expose the inadequacy of ordinary language to describe the psychological consequences of forced expulsion and Israeli military occupation.

Locals and cats alike avoid Dar Sayadi’s perimeter; strange sounds and screams sometimes emanate from within; and any Israeli settlers who occupy it either die or disappear. Even as they keep coming, the house “refuses” to become a sanctuary for the Israeli settlers.

More significantly, Dar Sayadi is a “painful, festering” wound, and as Marina digs into the family past, the illness — symbolizing the Israeli occupation — becomes increasingly physical.

By placing the supernatural alongside the very real horrors that have continued to reverberate since the Nakba of 1948, Helm takes the machinery of the American gothic haunted-house story — the ominous building, unexplained noises, apparitions, a family entering a space where it should not be — and turns it toward a history for which the word “haunting” is more than literal.

Within the architecture of Palestinian belonging, a house is never only walls, windows and a roof: It is also the place from which a family was expelled. Helm’s narrative is tightly wound around the understanding that to lose such a place is not merely to lose property.

A Palestinian home lost to colonization becomes an archive of domestic life, forever tethered to the family that once cared for it, that it continues to belong to. They are rooms in which children grew up, where meals were eaten, arguments took place, prayers were said.

Dar Sayadi’s “sickness,” anger and violation become a way of exposing the inhuman conditions that Israeli occupation has allowed to fester across generations, a violence that continues to reproduce itself in the present.

Beneath the apparitions and hauntings, “Our Cut of Salt” is about inheritance: what mothers transmit to daughters, what displacement severs, and how a place can remain an emotional time capsule even when generations have been physically separated from it.

CARA Delevingne has shared a picture of herself topless while cuddling her pet cat in a new Instagram post.

The supermodel, who is a doting pet-parent to two male cats, posed in bed as one of her Persian shorthair cats covered her chest.

Donning just a pair of grey boyshorts, Cara showed off her natural complexion with her hair scraped back in the snap.

She also shared a myriad of other pictures in the post, including a loved-up snap with her partner Minke.

Cara has been with Minke, whose real name is Leah Mason, since 2022.

Whilst Cara is best known for her successful modelling career, the star has recently turned to music.

PETE ICKS

Olivia Attwood reveals what gives her ‘the ick’ about boyfriend Pete Wicks

HEALTH FEARS

Acting icon, 95, sparks fear as she drops out of event due to ‘sudden illness’

Earlier this month, she stripped down for a sexy new music video for single Crazy, Baby to launch her move to music in style.

The video saw Cara embrace her rock side with leather knee-high boots and matching shorts, with the star going topless for several scenes.

Cara officially launched her music career earlier this year after signing with Warner Records.

She followed this up with the release of her first two electropop/rock singles, ‘I Forgot’ and ‘Out Of My Head’.

Crazy, Baby is Cara’s latest release.

Her debut studio album, Not Normal, is expected to be released over the coming weeks.

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has opened subscriptions for its September “Sah” savings sukuk, offering a fixed annual return of 4.80 percent, up from 4.70 percent in August’s issuance. 

The window opened at 10 a.m. Saudi time on Sept. 6 and closes at 3 p.m. on Sept. 8, according to the National Debt Management Center, or NDMC. 

The Shariah-compliant sukuk is denominated in Saudi riyals, carries a one-year maturity and pays a fixed return at maturity. The issuance is part of the NDMC’s 2026 calendar and reflects the Kingdom’s efforts to boost household savings and advance financial inclusion. 

The Shariah-compliant sukuk is denominated in Saudi riyals, carries a one-year maturity and pays a fixed return at maturity. The issuance is part of the NDMC’s 2026 calendar and reflects the Kingdom’s efforts to boost household savings and advance financial inclusion. 

In a post on X, the NDMC said the minimum subscription is SR1,000 ($266), while the maximum is capped at SR200,000 per individual across the program period. 

The sukuk is available only to Saudi citizens aged 18 or older through approved platforms, including SNB Capital, Aljazira Capital, Alinma Investment, SAB Invest and Al Rajhi Capital.  

Issued monthly, “Sah” sukuk returns are set according to prevailing market conditions. The program is issued by the Ministry of Finance and arranged by the NDMC and is designed to encourage personal savings and expand financial inclusion. 

Launched under Vision 2030’s Financial Sector Development Program, “Sah” aims to raise the Kingdom’s national savings rate to 10 percent by 2030, up from about 6 percent currently. 

International sukuk 

On Sept. 2, the Kingdom raised $3.25 billion through a two-tranche international sukuk issuance that drew about $16.5 billion in orders, the NDMC said. 

The order book was about five times the size of the offering, as the Kingdom tapped international Islamic debt markets through its Global Trust Certificate Issuance Program. 

Separately, Saudi Arabia’s non-oil private sector grew at its fastest pace in six months in August, with the Riyadh Bank Purchasing Managers’ Index rising to 53.8, driven by stronger business activity and domestic demand. 

The reading came as the non-oil economy continued to show resilience amid a sharp downturn in oil activity. 

This is a meditation on my writing life and routine. It follows. It’s also a prayer. I don’t believe I belong to anything. To any man or woman or to my contemporaries. I dive into Hallmark movies that are so American: Thanksgiving and peach cobbler. The love story- what is that? Does it mean taking selfies together? A friend is in love with a young lady. It suits him to be in love. I never hear from him anymore, which I think is a good thing. We were becoming too close, (physically, emotionally and intellectually) and every male and female relationship that is a friendship and is not bound by the confines of intimacy needs a divide. I am a strong believer in the separation of both the soul and the spirit when it comes to friendship between a young man and a young woman. Nothing can and must happen. The friendship, I have decided, between a man and a woman is a very delicate and fragile thing.

What is normal? I don’t know what that is anymore? Why am I filled with fear and this sudden anxiety that floods through me? The books beside my bed have a lonely, resolute air to them. In summer the days are long, sweet and warm, though sometimes unbearably hot. I feel I have stood the test of time so far, not quite. My bones are weary, dripping with exhaustion. Chronic fatigue gnaws at my mind, and so I fall. I have the tickets to get there. Silence comes into view with its glacier walls made of a kind of ice rock. The love affair has come to an end, or whatever that was. The steadfast man was quick to recover, and he has moved on. My brother, my father tells me, wants to leave his teaching job. He wants the greener pasture but can’t afford to get there. 

I watch this landscape of events play itself out, not all deft curves, and it definitely does not speak of tranquillity. I think of the man’s lips on mine and his frame folding into me as he takes me in his arms and months later, though it could’ve been weeks or days or hours he leaves me behind to start a new life. My life is immediately permeated with an irrevocable sadness that it seems that I will never completely recover from. How does any woman recover from being humiliated by the man she loves or her mother? I find happiness in moments spent with my brother’s ex-girlfriend’s four small children (his latest girlfriend, who he wants to turn into a fiancée, is unashamedly pregnant). I also accept happiness in bursts. For example, listening to classical music (it’s soothing and gentle, its powers magical, resourceful, imaginative, healing and restorative) and writing down my thoughts. 

I found my calling in writing, and the pathetic useless frustration that so oftentimes unnerved me stopped cutting through me at will. It is, of course, natural for the will to have this acute stamina to draw on and superfluous discipline as its framework. My brother and his girlfriend watch provocative Netflix shows. My mother descends upon me and my father in the sitting room and announces she is going for a walk. I had announced to her a few minutes ago that there was money in the joint bank account she has with my father. But off she goes because she has to. She returns about twenty minutes later to inform me that the lights were off at the garage on account of loadshedding. 

I look forward to sleeping. At night I settle down and try to read a few pages before calling it a night. Slow and steady wins the race. I wonder what this sense of alarming loneliness that I feel now will be like when I am elderly and what I will look like. Lines on my face where no lines had been before, wrinkles at the corners of my eyes and my mouth, speckled and mottled skin, arthritis, would I walk with a cane or a walker, would I still be capable of smiling, of making conversation at what life or rather what I still had left within me to offer life? I imagined the people at the funeral at the back of my mind. I don’t know anyone that would attend and have no close ties, no bonds with family. But then again so do so many people. My father has his people. Though distant he still has people. Some friends, family and church people in his life. I don’t want to look back on my life with regret but somehow I know there will be a list. I had enjoyed swimming and walking when I was young but now felt no inclination for displays of endurance, athleticism, sports or survival.

I think of how sadness tears into me during the day. I think of sadness as a wound. It’s like an incision is there in my skin. A little fold of broken skin that I have to put a band-aid on. Another man, an editor, tells me to fall in love. To trust that feeling, to become centred in it as if it would make me whole again. I don’t really listen, and I know in my heart that it will go on my list of regrets. Already I have the Athol Fugard writer’s retreat that I wanted to go on (but didn’t) when I was sixteen years old in New Bethesda when I was a learner at Collegiate to put on that “regret” list. I can only think of that now. I feel cold. It’s cold, I realise as I shiver. It has started to rain. It had been raining this morning. I think of how cold it was in Grahamstown. At Robert Berold’s farm. I think of his wife Mindy Stafford’s delicious cooking. That writing retreat I went on,, which was held on that farm, was the highlight of my year and would become one of my most cherished memories. My mother turns to look at me and says, “Can you go and type in your own room?”

I sit here listening to the sound of the rain. Something about the rain always comforts me. It’s soothing and imaginative like the classical music I listen to sometimes. My thoughts are drawn to death these days. You watch it in films, read the obituaries at the back of the newspaper. I know that physically I am not well. I have many problems on a cellular level that are complex in nature. If I had done things differently five or even ten years ago, I would be singing a different tune. But it is what it is. If I had existed in a different era, everything would have been against me. But I stand here now, overpowered by the things I can’t change. These things, health and my financial circumstances, threaten my livelihood but they have given me this wonderful life. This career as a writer. I have all the hours and all the silence I can stand to want. Everybody struggles to a certain extent in life. I can’t argue with that. Some struggle at things and don’t quit. I struggle with so many simple tasks. Getting a SIM card on my cell phone, for one. Making conversation with my mother who looks as if life has nothing left to offer her. I can’t help her. She’s in the autumn of her years, she can’t hide her sadness, her loneliness from me anymore. Did she ever love my father? He tells me that he loved her. I ask him if they ever spoke to one another in the way of deep, meaningful conversation, and he says no, that they never did. He says this quite matter-of-factly.

I remember that inside the cave I am the guest and the jewel is the writing. I meditate, I pray, I write a little, I scratch the pen across the surface of the page and then I go to bed. It is never easy to fall asleep. The older male figures of my past still haunt me but fall asleep I must and the dreams when they come still hold me in their grip when I wake up the following morning.

I want to remember you, the man who was very briefly in my life, how beautiful that period was, followed by the restless nights that separated us. I write this for you even though you will never see it. The love letters I have revised, reworked and reimagined in a sense into a book. I hid you between two women. The female protagonist of the book and an artist. The book is really a novel with a modern setting. I think of the men in my life and how I have failed them and not the other way round. To my beloved, the love of my life, I have this to say. I want you to still think of me as writing, as a writer, as writing to you even if you won’t. You were, of course my last chance at love, whatever that was between us.

An adaptation for Graham Norton’s best-selling novel has just been given a major update

Channel 5 viewers have said they “can’t wait” as the release date for an exciting new series has been announced.

Graham Norton’s best-selling novel, Forever Home, is set to be released as a six-part drama, and is due to air in just days. It was earlier revealed that the cast includes Amy Nuttall, Douglas Henshall, Denise Welch, Kevin Whately, Samantha Bond, Lewis Cope, Jenny Walser, Shane Zaza and James Baxter.

Channel 5 has now teased: “Would you still want the house if you knew what it was hiding?” The broadcaster also confirmed that the series would begin airing from Monday, September 14.

“I’m really excited to watch! Looks so good! Proud of you always Lewis,” one fan said. Another commented: “Not long to go!! I can’t wait to watch.”

A third echoed: “Looking forward to this,” as another said: “Can’t wait.” Yet another wrote: “Ohh this looks good.”

Someone else said: “Cannot wait to see this, I’ve almost finished the book, what a fab writer Graham Norton is….” Another fan echoed: “Read the book hopefully it be as good.”

The synopsis had previously revealed: “The six-part series follows the story of a second wife dealing with the memories of the woman who went before her. When Carol discovers a long-dead body hidden in the basement of her home, the horrific realisation is undeniable – she’s living with a killer.

“The story that her husband’s first wife ran away never to be seen again now looks like a lie, and the fact he’s insisted on never selling the house suddenly makes sense. But one dark family secret is soon to be replaced by another…”

After the series was commissioned, chatshow host and author Graham shared: “In writing Forever Home, I was initially inspired by the simple idea of packing up a home later in life, and the ‘what if’ scenarios and complexities that come with later-life relationships. The novel soon evolved into a funny, twisted, ‘dark-romp’ full of farcical scenes and it’s wonderful to see the depth and richness of Carol’s story realised as a screenplay.”

Commissioning editor Paul Testar also commented: “We’re delighted to partner with FilmNation and The Mediapro Studio to bring Graham Norton’s compelling novel to UK screens, supported by an outstanding cast. Working with North East Screen again to champion local filming has been a pleasure, and we can’t wait for viewers to immerse themselves in Forever Home.”

Creative director of FilmNation TV UK, Kirstie Macdonald, added: “From the moment I read the always-hilarious Graham Norton’s brilliant novel, I knew I wanted to bring Forever Home to the screen. It’s a story full of twists and turns, secrets, and emotional depth that we can’t wait to bring to life for 5 audiences. We’re proud to collaborate with Clara Salaman, 5, and our partners at The Mediapro Studio on this thrilling adaptation and are grateful for the support of North East Screen.”

Forever Home airs premieres 5 on Monday, September 14 from 9pm.

Sept. 6, 2026 8:33 AM PT

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration on Sunday renewed its appeal to the Supreme Court after a federal judge blocked new restrictions on mail ballots ahead of the midterms.

The filing came after U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani extended an order against the U.S. Postal Service enforcing President Trump’s executive order for the November elections.

The legal wrangling comes even as states start sending out mail ballots, leaving the administration little time to make big changes in mail ballot rules.

“Ballots have already begun to be mailed in North Carolina, and more States will begin the mailing process as the injunction remains in place — including Alabama on September 9 and at least five States the week of September 13,” Solicitor Gen. John Sauer said in the filing.

“Once those ballot envelopes enter the mailstream, there is no retrieving them. And while the injunction allows the Postal Service and the States to continue taking steps to ensure that their envelopes satisfy the Rule’s requirements … each day the injunction is in place risks sowing confusion and chaos because the injunction makes those preparatory steps voluntary, rather than mandatory.”

The appeal marks the third time the administration has asked the high court to intervene. The high court has allowed the plan to move forward but not ruled on whether it is legal.

The battle could have major ramifications for this year’s elections, when control of Congress is at stake. Nearly one-third of voters in the U.S. cast mail ballots. Mail ballots are sent to every California voter.

Democratic states and voting rights groups say the changes are unconstitutional and amount to voter suppression. Election officials contend that there isn’t enough time to revise their systems to comply with the new Postal Service directives.

The Trump administration has framed the restrictions as commonsense changes that are within its power to regulate the mail.

“Simply put, the best way to address respondents’ fears about inability to comply with the Rule is to grant an immediate administrative stay of the order, followed by a full stay pending further review,” Sauer said. “That will remove the improper cloud of uncertainty that the district court has cast over the Rule, making clear to all involved that compliance with the Rule is not optional and must start without further delay.”

Trump has long sought to limit mail voting, even though he himself often uses that method to cast his own ballot. He has falsely blamed mail balloting for his 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden, spreading baseless claims of fraud. But so far, he has been unable to change the long-standing voting procedure.

Whitehurst and Fields write for the Associated Press.

RIYADH: Saudi foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah received a phone call from Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan, official ministry statements said Sunday.

Officials from both countries reviewed the state of bilateral relations and discussed recent regional developments, including the ongoing crisis in the region.

The ministries stated that the conversation addressed efforts to contain the crisis and promote peaceful solutions through dialogue and negotiation, with the aim of reducing tensions and preserving security and stability in the region.

سمو وزير الخارجية الأمير #فيصل_بن_فرحان” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>https://x.com/hashtag/%D9%81%D9%8A%D8%B5%D9%84_%D8%A8%D9%86_%D9%81%D8%B1%D8%AD%D8%A7%D9%86?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#فيصل_بن_فرحان @FaisalbinFarhan” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>https://x.com/FaisalbinFarhan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@FaisalbinFarhan يتلقى اتصالاً هاتفياً من معالي نائب رئيس الوزراء وزير خارجية جمهورية باكستان الإسلامية محمد إسحاق دار. pic.twitter.com/puIUe1VwKg

&mdash” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>https://t.co/puIUe1VwKg”>pic.twitter.com/puIUe1VwKg— وزارة الخارجية (@KSAMOFA) September” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>https://x.com/KSAMOFA/status/2096540134522966457?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>September 6, 2026

Niger’s military government has accused France of orchestrating a failed mutiny that rocked the capital, Niamey, last week.

France denied any involvement in the events in its former colony, but the accusation indicates that tensions between them remain high.

Here’s what you should know:

What happened last week?

Shortly after midnight on August 29, renegade soldiers targeted Base 101, a major military facility inside Niamey’s international airport complex.

Authorities said the mutineers detained some of their comrades and opened fire at “certain sensitive sites” in the capital.

Fighting spread to the presidential palace and temporarily knocked the state broadcaster off air, with explosions and gunfire echoing around Niamey for hours until Niger’s army, helped by Russian paramilitary fighters known as the Africa Corps, contained the mutiny.

State media said hundreds of soldiers took part, with dozens killed or arrested.

The mutiny happened three years after Abdourahamane Tchiani seized power in a coup that overthrew President Mohamed Bazoum, saying the elected government had failed to contain armed groups. However, violent unrest has persisted, while governance grievances and economic challenges remain.

What has Niger’s military government said?

As with previous rounds of unrest, Niger’s military authorities blamed France and other West African countries.

“This operation, with its international ramifications, was instigated and sustained by a vast network of collusion headed by the French regime of Mr [Emmanuel] Macron,” said Soumana Boubacar, Niger’s government spokesperson, in a statement read out on TV on Friday.

“Traitorous and renegade elements, to whom promises of great things were made, were tasked with carrying out unfulfilled ambitions of Macron and his cronies in our country,” he said, adding that such “undermining manoeuvres will always fail”.

The Niger Council of Ministers, which functions as the cabinet since the 2023 coup, said a “substantial body of evidence has been compiled regarding this attack and Niger reserves the right to ⁠⁠bring the matter before international courts”. Details were not provided.

Niger also accused a number of regional countries of being involved, including the regional economic bloc ECOWAS. Benin’s government, one of the countries accused, rejected the accusations.

In contrast, Niger thanked Russia, Algeria and allies in the Sahel region – Burkina Faso and Mali – for their support.

What has been the French response?

France dismissed the allegations as “pure fantasy”.

“There never was any intention, nor means that France would have mobilised,” French Foreign Minister, Jean-Noel Barrot, told the French radio station, RFI.

“All of this is, as usual, a way of wrongly blaming France for something it is simply not responsible for.”

Tensions between the two countries have increased following the 2023 coup.

Niger has since ordered the withdrawal of about 1,500 French troops, expelled the French ambassador, revoked a number of bilateral military agreements and suspended French state-funded stations, such as France 24 and RFI, from broadcasting there.

Is Niger’s security situation worsening?

Henri Nsaibia, West Africa senior analyst at Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED), said the Nigerien armed forces’ fight against armed groups linked to ISIL and al-Qaeda could be weakened following the mutiny.

“The regime will likely divert resources from fighting jihadist groups to monitor internal threats,” he said.

Niger’s security situation is facing several challenges.

Since the 2023 coup, nearly 6,000 people have been killed in more than 1,400 violent incidents, according to ACLED. The casualties represent a sharp increase compared to the three years before Tchiani was in power, when nearly 3,200 people were killed in more than 1,300 violent incidents.

“Niger still experiences less intense violence than neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso, but faces a wider range of armed threats,” said Nsaibia.

What’s the history of French colonialism in Niger?

France’s influence has dropped dramatically throughout its former colonies in West Africa in recent years in the wake of failed military interventions and allegations of interference.

The rise in anti-French sentiment has helped coup leaders in a number of countries claim legitimacy, including in Niger, where France has a long history of brutality.

France’s 1899 military campaign in Niger is still remembered for its intense violence, mass executions and destruction of towns and villages.

Niger became part of France’s colonial empire the following year and gained independence in 1960, but Paris still meddled in its internal politics and economic policies.

In recent years, discussions about potential reparations as compensation for the looting and extraction of the country’s resources during and after French rule have intensified.

The German Navy has demonstrated the launch of Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) LORA ballistic missile from an F125 frigate, with at least two missiles fired from the Sachsen-Anhalt during a test in the North Atlantic last night. The demonstration points to a potentially significant new long-range strike capability for Germany’s surface fleet, should it be adopted.

Video released by the German Ministry of Defense alongside the test shows two LORA launch canisters positioned on the frigate’s flight deck, followed by a missile launching from each container.

The launches were conducted as part of the Bundeswehr’s operational experimentation (OPEX) program in cooperation with the Bundeswehr Innovation Center in Erding. Reportedly, two German frigates were deployed to the waters between Ireland and Iceland for the test, and a warning was issued to maritime and air traffic 45 days beforehand.

The test marks a notable expansion of the weapons capabilities demonstrated by Germany’s F125 frigates and could provide a pathway toward a new long-range naval strike capability.

German Navy Inspector General Vice Adm. Jan Christian Kaack described the event in a statement distributed through the Bundeswehr’s official WhatsApp channel:

“With the successful launch of a ballistic missile last night in the North Atlantic, we have made naval history. I am extremely pleased with this achievement. The system can be successfully deployed by our units, and its potential range exceeds anything we have seen before. For the protection of Germany and our allies, this test marks a new chapter in deterrence and defense readiness at sea.”

IAI also confirmed the results of the test, stating that both missiles followed their planned trajectories and struck their targets with high precision.

The exact targets, engagement ranges, flight profiles, and missile configurations used during the test have not been disclosed.

There is no possibility that Sachsen-Anhalt will retain the launchers in their current location, since they mean the F125’s flight deck cannot be used, depriving it of a critical capability. Potentially, they could be installed elsewhere on the vessel, but, moreover, it is unclear if the current experiment will lead to a formal acquisition program.

At the same time, LORA is a substantially different weapon from the anti-ship and land attack cruise missiles normally associated with modern surface combatants.

Available for ship- and ground-launch, the missile is approximately 17 feet long, 25 inches in diameter, and weighs around 3,500 pounds. It follows a quasi-ballistic trajectory and has an officially stated range of approximately 60 to 270 miles. An air-launched derivative has also been developed.

A weapon capable of reaching targets hundreds of miles away would give German surface combatants a long-range strike option extending far beyond the range of traditional naval guns and many shorter-range precision weapons.

Its quasi-ballistic flight profile also differentiates LORA from a conventional cruise missile. A ballistic-style trajectory allows the weapon to cover distance rapidly and presents an air-defense challenge different from that posed by a low-flying cruise missile. This type of missile also impacts its target with much greater kinetic energy, making it especially useful for striking more hardened target sets.

LORA uses a navigation architecture combining GNSS satellite navigation with an inertial navigation system and can achieve a circular error probable, or CEP, of approximately 33 feet. IAI also says LORA can be launched within minutes, including from unprepared positions, and can attack a target within its range in less than 10 minutes after a decision to launch.

Back in 2017, as you can read about here, IAI successfully test-fired LORA from a containerized launcher on the back of a truck sitting on the deck of a cargo ship. The missile successfully struck a target on land.

LORA Ballistic Missile Firing Trial

What is less clear is its ability to strike targets at sea.

A long-range anti-surface application would be particularly interesting for the German Navy, although the weapon, in its basic form, has no terminal seeker. This limits the missile to use against targets with a fixed location, rather than autonomously finding and tracking a maneuvering warship during the terminal phase of flight.

In a 2020 test, IAI demonstrated firing two LORA missiles from a ship before hitting separate floating targets at approximately 60 miles and 250 miles. However, striking a static floating target is different from an enemy warship that is maneuvering and potentially employing electronic warfare and air defenses.

Regardless, Germany has an even clearer requirement for land attack capabilities, which LORA is fully capable of fulfilling, as we will return to later.

As for Germany’s F125 frigates, these were designed primarily for long-duration deployments, maritime security, stabilization operations, and other missions requiring a persistent naval presence. Their overall lack of firepower is something we have examined in detail before now.

The latest test involving the Sachsen-Anhalt is in line with the Bundeswehr’s OPEX framework, which is intended to evaluate emerging technologies and operational concepts under realistic conditions before decisions are made about wider adoption.

There is precedent for such experimentation leading to operational capabilities. Israeli-developed systems, including IAI’s Blue Whale autonomous underwater vehicle, have previously been evaluated through German naval experimentation efforts and subsequently moved toward formal adoption.

As well as the four F125 hulls, Germany might look to incorporate LORA from the start on its future F127 multi-purpose frigates and/or its planned Large Remote Missile Vessels (LRMV), uncrewed vessels that will serve as arsenal ship ‘wingmen,’ supporting conventional surface combatants.

It is worth noting that Germany has recently acquired various other Israeli-made missile and rocket systems. These include the Arrow 3 anti-ballistic missile system — the largest-ever Israeli defense export deal — and the PULS multiple rocket launcher. A German purchase of the land-based version of LORA would also be an option, with the truck-mounted system also able to be launched from ships at sea.

Meanwhile, Germany is a major provider of weapons systems to Israel, among them its most powerful surface combatants and submarines.

The LORA test also reflects a broader European push toward longer-range precision fires.

Russia’s war in Ukraine has underscored the importance of ballistic and cruise missiles, while NATO countries have increasingly sought weapons capable of holding targets at greater distances at risk.

Germany has historically possessed comparatively limited deep-strike capability. The Bundeswehr is now working to expand its ability to conduct long-range precision engagement, both independently and within NATO structures. This includes planned procurement of land-based Tomahawk cruise missiles, with a range exceeding 1,000 miles depending on the exact configuration.

FROM #ad posts to children launching their own fashion lines, the world of influencing is no longer reserved for reality stars and celebs – but their mini-mes too.

Amy Childs became the latest star to cash in on her daughter Polly when she revealed last month that the nine-year-old was launching her own fashion range – with a crop top-clad Polly telling the camera all about her new venture.

The announcement didn’t go down quite as positively as Amy had hoped, with many fans slamming her for ‘exploiting’ the youngster for the money-spinning venture – leaving her ‘devastated’.

It comes as a whole host of celebs have welcomed their offspring into the world of business.

Ferne McCann’s daughters Sunday and Finty often feature in her social media brand deals, Molly-Mae’s three-year-old Bambi joined her in fronting a campaign for laundry detergent brand Comfort and Persil, and Rochelle Humes’ three children often appear in front of the camera for her brand, My Little Coco.

But why are so many celebs turning to using their children for new cash-grabbing ventures?

‘devastated’

Amy Childs hit by backlash over kids’ gym clothes with daughter Polly, 9

mum mode

Molly-Mae Hague shares health update on son Midas & admits ‘it’s been savage’

PR expert Luana Riviera says celeb parents are a ‘goldmine’ when it comes to money-making, as she says: “Being seen with their children makes even the most famous faces seem more down-to-earth and relatable.”

However, fans have been left concerned over the rise in celeb children on their screens.

Amy Childs’ was flooded with comments about ‘exploitation’ after revealing daughter Polly’s clothing brand.

Something feels off about this. Sorry but it’s a money making thing and doesn’t seem right.

“She isn’t old enough to do this sort of thing and have the maturity to understand,” said one.

Another echoed: “God let her be a child a little longer.”

Molly-Mae faced similar backlash after showing daughter Bambi in the bath on her Amazon Prime series and taking part in campaigns together.

“From a PR point of view, the use of families is appealing and will certainly get people talking about the brand and the marketing campaign,” explains Launa, who is the founder of Dauntless PR.

She continued: “But it is important to remember that these decisions are forever and when children get older they may wish they had been given more privacy and normality in their younger years.”

“Whether or not celebrities SHOULD put their children in the public eye in this way is an area which people will have lots of opinions on.

“Some will argue it is a safety risk and that the children themselves aren’t old enough to fully consent or understand the implications of establishing a level of fame in their own right.”

With the move such a controversial one, will the young stars see any of their hard-earned profits?  

PR expert Carla Speight believes they will reap the rewards, just not anytime soon.

“These industry savvy parents will be making sure their kids won’t work for free, especially in the case of Molly Mae’s Bambi in the Comfort ads.

“Bambi will have been paid for that and the money will sit in a trust earning interest until she’s at least 16, which gives her a good financial head start.

“Just like most of the celeb children, they’ll either have shares in the brands or they’ll get a wage for each time they showcase the brands and in the case of their parent’s brands, it’s likely they’ll get both.”

GRAB granny and pack your bags – multi-generational holiday packages are an absolute bargain.

It comes as new research from Jet2 reveals that more and more families are bringing the grandparents with them on holiday.

According to booking data, most family trips are taken in groups of five or six, with the Canary Islands proving to be the most popular spot.

Choice of destination is a huge consideration for multi-gen groups, with 43 per cent choosing somewhere based solely on suitability for their party.

Following the Canary Islands on the list of most in-demand multi-generational getaway locations is Turkey, the Balearic Islands, Greece and mainland Spain.

Sophie Swietochowski shares her pick of holidays for the whole family . . . 

RETREAT YOURSELF

From St Lucia to Ibiza – we tried 2 adults-only retreats for perfect reset

MED FOR IT

We test two adults-only Mediterranean escapes from rooftop cool to beach bliss

TENERIFE

Promising year-round sunshine and affordable deals, the rugged Canary Isle of Tenerife is the sweet spot for families after something quick and easy with unlimited R&R.

Check in to the 4H Paradise Park Fun Lifestyle Hotel, which has enough to keep the kids happy while the older generations kick back with a pina colada.

Kids’ clubs, for those aged four to 12, will keep them busy in the day with arts, crafts and competitions, while evening entertainment is geared up for everyone, with bingo, live music and mini discos.

Five outdoor pools ensure you won’t struggle to find a sunlounger and there’s an onsite spa, too.

TURKEY

This European hotspot is crammed with all-inclusive resorts where vast food choices help take the faff out of having multiple mouths to feed.

The Aquapark at Orka World Hotel stays open until mid-October and the kids will absolutely love it.

The park is home to 13 water slides, four pools and a lazy river that even the grandparents can enjoy.

You’ll keep well fuelled at the buffet restaurant, which has all the favourites plus some traditional Turkish offerings, including pide (a savoury flatbread) and gozleme (a thin, doughy pancake stuffed with spinach, feta or meat).

GREECE

You don’t need to spend buckets to bag a deal that will suit everyone, and the calm Rodos Palace resort in Rhodes is a prime example.

The Greek island offers fascinating history for the grandparents to sink their teeth into, as well as high-intensity activities for the kids and views that look super in the sunshine.

Rooms are bright and airy, while the eight restaurants on site will ensure you’re never short of dinner options.

There’s also a plush private beach with plump cabanas and a volleyball net.

DES MOINES — Alongside the familiar sounds of roosters crowing and thrill seekers screaming on rides at the recent Iowa State Fair, there was a chorus of boos from Turning Point Action activists who were heckling Democratic politicians making their way through the crowds.

Videos of the confrontations got hundreds of thousands of views on social media, a burst of attention for a conservative youth organization that is charting its next chapter after last year’s fatal shooting of its leader Charlie Kirk. But the true test of Turning Point Action’s clout was unfolding inside the exhibition center, where staff members were registering voters, handing out buttons and signing people up for social events.

“Building the foundation for 2028,” said one of the fliers.

While Democrats have punted Iowa from the top of its presidential primary calendar, the state’s caucuses will still kick off Republicans’ next nominating process. Turning Point Action is positioning itself to shape that contest, a reminder that preparations for the next White House campaign are already in motion even though no candidates have announced and the midterm elections are still two months away.

Turning Point Action wants at least one staffer in each of Iowa’s 99 counties to mobilize the conservative grassroots.

“It is important to us to see high voter participation in the caucuses,” said Tyler Bowyer, the organization’s chief operating officer. “That’s your measuring stick.”

In addition to Iowa, Turning Point Action grew its footprint in New Hampshire and Nevada for this year’s midterms, which could also help in 2028.

The likely beneficiary of this initiative would be Vice President JD Vance, who is widely expected to launch a presidential campaign. Turning Point leaders including Erika Kirk, Charlie’s widow, have been clear they’re ready to throw their support behind Vance if he jumps in.

More than a dozen Republican officials, activists, lawmakers and strategists in Iowa said Turning Point’s imprint in the state was visible but still something of a mystery, and some privately question whether the organization’s impact will match the buzz it generates online.

But others have eagerly welcomed the organization to the state.

“A year ago, Iowa was virgin — no Turning Point. And many of us complained,” said Kelley Koch, a former Dallas County Republican chair, to a gathering of MAGA Nation Iowa, the grassroots organization she founded. “Finally, Turning Point Action listened to us.”

Early state investments could benefit Vance

When asked about his 2028 ambitions, Vance demurs and says he’s focused on his current job, but he’s expected to be an immediate Republican front-runner if he decides to seek the presidency. Bowyer said Turning Point Action wants to be supportive without “being pushy.”

“We haven’t officially endorsed as an organization yet because no one’s announced, right? But, you know, depending on who announces and when we endorse — yeah, of course we’ll be out campaigning on behalf of who we endorse,” he said.

Bowyer said Vance can bridge the gap between the Make America Great Again movement, which President Trump launched more than a decade ago, and younger voters who were attracted to Charlie Kirk’s brand of conservatism.

“It’s a natural fit,” he said.

Bowyer acknowledged that Turning Point Action’s growing infrastructure in early primary states could cause some agitation on the right if it is seen as throwing its weight behind one candidate. But, he said, “that’s not why we do it,” describing the goal as boosting turnout in the Iowa caucuses to send a strong signal heading into the general election.

Other potential candidates include Marco Rubio, Trump’s secretary of State. Rubio, however, has said he wouldn’t run against Vance.

Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas has not announced a campaign, but he has already made several visits to Iowa this year and said in a recent podcast hosted by Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick that “it’s no secret that I want to be president.”

Looking to grow the grassroots

Although Iowa has shifted rightward over the last decade, it’s considered a political battleground in this year’s midterm elections because of Trump’s sagging approval ratings, declining access to healthcare and tariff-driven turmoil in the agricultural industry.

Sen. Joni Ernst and Gov. Kim Reynolds, both Republicans, are retiring, and there are fiercely contested races to replace them. Democrat Josh Turek and Republican Ashley Hinson are seeking the Senate seat, while Democrat Rob Sand and Republican Zach Lahn want to be governor. Two battleground congressional districts will help determine control of the House as well.

The spotlight on Iowa this year is an opportunity for Turning Point Action to demonstrate its clout.

The organization said it hired four staffers on the ground last year. After Lahn’s surprise win over Trump-endorsed Rep. Randy Feenstra, Turning Point Action said it would double its staffing in the state before the midterms.

Young activists regularly post on social media from county fairs and Republican committee meetings. They upload selfies on sidewalks or stoops to show days spent knocking on doors.

“We’re newer in Iowa,” a Des Moines-based senior field staffer, Kylie Kloewer, told a visitor who stopped by Turning Point Action’s booth at the state fair.

The booth featured signs declaring that there are only two genders and one that said “men can’t get pregnant,” the kind of confrontational culture war messaging that Charlie Kirk practiced on college campuses. Some people nodded and chuckled, while others raised their eyebrows as they wandered by.

Those who walked up to the table could sign up for social clubs that host events, including barbecues and volleyball games.

“Any involvement is success,” said Kelsey Newberry, who is based in the organization’s Phoenix headquarters and was helping at the Iowa State Fair. “You’re bringing people together as a community. The more you talk to your neighbors, the better.

“And even if they’re not ready to get activated now,” Newberry added, “being around like-minded people might encourage them in the future.”

Fingerhut and Price write for the Associated Press. Price reported from Washington.

Former Leicester City and England striker Jamie Vardy has joined Burnley until the end of the season.

The 39-year-old, who is Leicester’s record Premier League scorer with 145 goals, departed for Cremonese in 2025.

Vardy left the Italian side in the summer and now joins the winless Clarets who are bottom of the Championship.

“This club has a proper footballing history and passionate fans who deserve a team that represents them and their town,” Vardy told the club website., external

“I can’t wait to get going on the pitch and help the team move in the right direction.”

Vardy, who won 26 caps for England, scoring seven goals, spent 13 years at Leicester after signing from non-league Fleetwood Town in 2012.

He went on to score 200 goals in all competitions in 500 appearances.

Burnley, relegated from the Premier League last season, have made a poor start back in the second tier and have not won in five matches under new boss Nicky Hayen.

On Saturday they conceded two goals in the final 10 minutes to lose 2-1 at home to Bristol City.

“His experience and leadership will be invaluable to our squad, and we believe he can make a significant impact on our campaign,” Hayen added.

“Jamie has a proven track record, and we are looking forward to seeing him in a Claret shirt.”

RIYADH: Companies listed across the Gulf Cooperation Council posted a record $74.8 billion in net profits in the second quarter of 2026, up 31.3 percent year on year, driven by gains in the energy and banking sectors, according to an analysis.  

In its latest report, Kamco Invest said the rise in net profit also reflected higher average crude oil prices amid the regional geopolitical situation, which more than offset a decline in crude oil exports from the region. 

Compared with the previous three months, net profit of listed companies in the GCC region increased 10 percent. 

The strong figures underscore the resilience of GCC corporates even as geopolitical tensions and regional disruptions continue to weigh on investor sentiment. The gains also highlight the continued importance of energy to Gulf corporate earnings, even as governments pursue economic diversification and non-oil sectors expand.  

In its report, Kamco stated: “At the country level, the increase in profits mainly reflected double-digit y-o-y growth in profits for Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi and Oman and 4.9 percent growth in profits for companies listed on Dubai Exchange.  

It added: “On the other hand, Qatari and Bahraini companies reported decline in quarterly profits by 20 percent and 0.4 percent, respectively.” 

Industry observer Tony Hallside, CEO of STP Partners, said the record $74.8 billion profit figure reflected strength beyond the headline number. “Higher oil prices clearly provided a major tailwind, with energy-sector profits rising more than 40 percent, but earnings growth across several other sectors shows that corporate activity remains resilient.”  

He added: “For investors, that breadth is arguably more important than the record number itself.”  

Aggregate revenues for GCC-listed companies rose 17 percent year on year to $381.6 billion in the second quarter and 8.1 percent quarter on quarter. 

Excluding Saudi Aramco, revenue growth for the rest of the region remained in double digits at 11.4 percent. 

Saudi Arabia leads growth 

Saudi-listed companies accounted for the bulk of the gain in the region, with aggregate net profits rising 36.7 percent to $45.3 billion from $33.2 billion a year earlier. 

Energy, banking and materials together made up 92 percent of Saudi earnings in the quarter. 

Saudi Aramco’s net profit increased 42 percent year on year to $32.4 billion, supported by a 19 percent rise in total revenue as realized crude prices climbed from $66.7 a barrel in the second quarter of 2025 to $108.1 a barrel in the second quarter of this year. 

Saudi Arabia’s banking sector net profits increased 8.3 percent to $6.6 billion from $6.1 billion, supported by strong lending growth and resilient operating income. 

Al Rajhi Bank reported $1.9 billion net profit, up from $1.6 billion, driven by a 13.7 percent increase in net income from financing and investments and a 13.3 percent rise in total operating income. 

Saudi National Bank recorded a 7.5 percent increase in net profit to $1.8 billion, mainly supported by a 1.6 percent rise in income from financing and investments. 

“Saudi Arabia remains the earnings engine of the GCC market. Aramco was clearly a major contributor as higher crude prices lifted energy earnings, but the more interesting figure is that Saudi-listed company revenues still grew around 11 percent excluding Aramco,” said Hallside.  

He noted that it points to “broader corporate momentum and gives investors more evidence that the opportunity set in Saudi equities is widening beyond the traditional energy story.”   

Wider regional outlook  

Kuwaiti companies recorded the largest percentage increase, with net profits almost doubling to $3.1 billion, partly reflecting the absence of large losses from discontinued operations that weighed on Agility in the year-earlier quarter. 

Abu Dhabi profits rose 41.8 percent year on year to $14.7 billion. Dubai-listed firms grew 4.9 percent to $6.9 billion. 

Qatari companies saw profits fall 20 percent to $2.9 billion, while Bahraini firms declined 0.4 percent to $572 million. Omani companies rose 24.2 percent to $1.4 billion. 

In the first half of 2026, aggregate net profits for GCC-listed companies rose 23.1 percent, or $26.8 billion, to $142.81 billion. The increase was led by almost 30 percent growth in Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia, followed by a 14.6 percent rise in Oman. Kuwaiti and Dubai-listed companies registered high single-digit growth, while Qatar and Bahrain recorded declines of 11.6 percent and 0.2 percent, respectively. 

Sectoral outlook  

Sector performance was mixed but broadly positive. Energy profits jumped 41.6 percent year on year to $36.2 billion in the second quarter. 

Food, beverage and tobacco more than doubled to $3.9 billion. Real estate, materials, capital goods and transportation also posted higher profits. 

Banks reached a record $17.8 billion, up from $16.6 billion, with six of seven country aggregates higher. Telecom recorded modest growth. Utilities, food and staples retailing, and media and entertainment declined. 

“What stands out is the divergence within the GCC. Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi and Oman all delivered double-digit profit growth, while Qatar and Bahrain saw declines. That tells investors this remains a market where country and sector selection matters,” said Hallside.  

He noted that banks and telecoms continued to grow, albeit more moderately, while energy, real estate, materials and transportation were stronger. “The GCC cannot be treated as one homogeneous equity market; earnings drivers are becoming increasingly differentiated,” Hallside added. 

Inclusion matters

The association uses its website, email lists, newsletters and neighbourhood flyers, and it enlists volunteers who walk around to make sure residents know about upcoming events. The association also has a welcome wagon to greet new neighbours and tell them what’s happening.

Kathi Eckert, a retired teacher who has lived in Hiltonia for more than 10 years, said personal contact still matters. Wearing a grey 250th-anniversary T-shirt and baseball hat, she chatted with people around the lawn before settling in with the group gathered along the street.

“We are so inundated with media, emails, ‘noise’ that it is hard to focus on what’s going on in our little world. A personal ‘reaching out’ to someone is so much more meaningful than just sticking a flyer in their screen door,” said Eckert, who informally lets neighbours know about upcoming events. “It’s not always possible, but we try.”

Even with those efforts, reaching people who are not already involved can be a challenge. Eckert said some neighbours may hesitate to attend because they assume the group is already well-established.

“We do tend to see a lot of the same people here, because I think we all have that same intent to keep community,” Eckert said. “But I have also heard that some people won’t come because they think we’re a clique. We’re not a clique unless we exclude people, and we don’t do that. We open this to everybody.”

The challenge is not only getting people through the door but creating the conditions for them to feel they belong once they arrive. For Reese, inclusivity means thinking beyond who is invited to how you’ve curated the space for the people who are there.

“If you are trying to host a gathering with the intent of getting a wide variety of people, some folks are going to have a question of, am I going to be safe there? And have you done your due diligence to make sure that I am?” she said. “These things don’t just happen, and I do think that we are in a moment where intentionality feels even more important.”

To create a space where people feel welcome and able to participate, Community Plate works to remove economic and other barriers. Guests can share a story or listen, bring a dish, buy something simple, or just come and eat. Organisers also encourage people to take leftovers home for themselves or neighbours who could use a meal. Their toolkit outlines ways to make community meals more accessible.

“We do our best to meet people where they are,” said Schatz.

But even the most intentional gatherings won’t work for everyone. Carter Florence, vice president of programmes at Meals on Wheels America, said there’s “no one silver bullet” when it comes to creating social ties. Through community dining and home-delivered meals, her organisation uses food as an entry point for social support, helping to build relationships and reduce isolation.

“For some people, the idea of eating with a group of people they may not know is actually really uncomfortable, and that wouldn’t be a very positive situation,” she said. “But the idea of someone that I’ve maybe seen periodically coming by and delivering a meal may be more beneficial.”

The individual nature of connection is what makes scaling these programmes complex. “You really want to be able to offer the type of connection that’s going to be most beneficial” for each person, Florence explained.

The idea has also made its way into policy. A report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published in July, highlighted how food-based activities are appearing in national and local strategies to strengthen social ties.

The report shows, for example, how Japan’s national loneliness plan includes community cafes and meal-delivery programmes. Seoul has introduced convenience stores where residents can prepare and share meals alongside accessing other forms of support. Several European countries have also backed communal-eating initiatives. The programmes differ, but they reflect a recognition that food can function not only as nutrition but also as a way to create social connections.

Back in Hiltonia, by early evening, people were folding up their chairs and packing the remains of their dishes to take home. The community’s next gathering was already planned for August: a National Night Out, where neighbours would block off the street and share another potluck.

Green and Kroon stayed until the end, helping clean up before leaving about 7pm. While at the event, their next-door neighbours introduced them to a couple who recently moved into the area. The two couples chatted about life in Hiltonia and the house the newcomers were moving into. Green and Kroon hope to get to know their new neighbours better and plan to visit them once they have finished unpacking.

It was a small example of what organisers hoped the potluck would accomplish: turning neighbours who might otherwise remain strangers into people with a reason to meet again.

While they are still building relationships in the area, Kroon said they have made some close friends here.

“It’s hard to start forming these things,” she said. “But if there’s already something established that you can show up to, it’s a lot easier.”

VENICE, Italy — “My actual personality is not very friendly, I’m afraid,” claims Korean actor Jeon Do-yeon. “Myself and actor Sul Kyung-gu, we can be a little bit brusque. We don’t really have the talent to make the set fun.”

As she says it, though, Jeon and co-star Cho Yeo-jeong are laughing — making the assertion rather harder to believe when it arrives in English from Korean via an interpreter. Throughout our conversation, in fact, the pair chuckles, nods along to each other’s answers, interjects sounds of assent. Enough for me to understand that their chemistry comes naturally, whatever Jeon’s protestations.

“In the film I play a character that chases [Jeon’s character] and it really suited me, almost to the point where I didn’t really need to try and act this role,” as Cho puts it. “I was almost like a sunflower, constantly facing and chasing actor Jeon.”

The actors needed every ounce of the sublime chemistry they forged to portray the magnetic but fatally flawed relationship at the heart of auteur Lee Chang-dong’s first film in eight years, “Possible Love,” which premiered Sunday at the Venice Film Festival. South Korea’s international feature submission for the 2027 Oscars, the Netflix film sees Ye-ji (Cho), a documentarian married to a wealthy businessman (Zo In-sung), cozy up to Mi-ok (Jeon), whose husband (Sul) has been seriously injured in a brutal crackdown on striking factory workers, in order to secure an interview with him — only for divisions of class and professional ambition to expose the fault lines in their relationship, and in turn their marriages.

“It seems like they want to be friends with each other, but then there seems to be a line that just cannot be crossed between them,” says Lee, also through an interpreter, of the actors’ accomplished double act, referring to a scene in which Ye-ji bristles at Mi-ok’s suggestion that her high-end clothes are out of place interviewing unemployed laborers. “[Jeon and Cho] knew of that and they went into shooting that scene knowing that it was quite challenging to express. There were, of course, some things that were up to the camera in bringing that about, but I think that was a scene where the two were able to express just how nuanced and quite strange the relationship can be.”

The film itself is just as slippery and multi-layered, down to Lee’s heady admixture of documentary and dramatic aesthetics. Inspired by real-life labor conflict in South Korea, “Possible Love” uses Ye-ji’s nonfiction study of laid-off workers as a window into the lives of ordinary people swept up in large-scale social change, against the backdrop of which the two women’s competing priorities are thrown into stark relief. Can a filmmaker who totes a $4,000 Lora Piana backpack, however well-intentioned, truly understand the plight of the working class? Is a subject eager to publicize a political struggle prepared for the risk that her personal privacy will be invaded in the process?

To choreograph the film within the film — so compelling that I almost missed seeing its conclusion when “Possible Love” shifts the focus to interpersonal fireworks in the third hour — Lee cast a real-life documentary director and cinematographer as Ye-ji’s crew, lending what Cho calls their “natural energy” to the movements of the camera. Cho herself prepared by consulting the late master of the form, Frederick Wiseman, who was unabashed about the tension between documentary filmaking’s often radical politics and the privilege required to turn it into a profession.

“[Wiseman] was posed the question by some students studying film and documentary: ‘How can I pursue this work in reality?’” she recalls. “And he replied with the immortal words, ‘Marry a rich man.’ And you know, I was preparing for the role of Ye-ji, so it was such an apt response for her situation.”

Jeon, left, and Cho in “Possible Love.”

(Joo Jae-bum/Netflix)

The potential for conflict bursts into the open at a seaside home that has been in Ye-ji’s husband’s family for years, where the group has decamped for a supposedly restorative holiday. Reminded of the setting by the location of our conversation — a set of green-curtained, pink-carpeted suites at the Hotel Excelsior, overlooking the northern shores of the Adriatic — I ask the actors what’s going through their characters’ minds when Mi-ok and Ye-ji’s promising connection ultimately severs.

Mi-ok “doesn’t really want to reveal to anyone else what’s going on in the family … She only wants to show the good side that they are trying to live their best life and trying to improve and move forward with hopefulness,” Jeon says, citing an early scene in which Mi-ok asks the crew not to film her son’s awkward taekwondo at a school field day. When the camera’s prying eye becomes more intrusive, though, she “feels a great sense of betrayal, that her family is being used and exploited.”

For Cho, who says Ye-ji is “constantly balancing the ethical dilemma” between documenting the truth and treating her subjects with care, the break was always inevitable, and no amount of Ye-ji’s remorse or guilt can repair the damage.

Against this microcosm of the class war Lee sets the emergence of artificial intelligence, which threatens to further destabilize labor across a range of industries — including his own. Although he’s uncertain if, when or how AI will “intrude” on the “entirely creative” filmmaking process, the “Poetry” and “Burning” director is already using it for everyday tasks.

“Before going to see the doctor, I like to ask AI all the symptoms that I have, ask what’s wrong with me. Or I would ask, you know, ‘What’s the weather like in Venice?’” he says. “AI gives us instant answers, and it goes even beyond that to where it gives you advice these days. And in that sense, AI has indeed really gotten deeply intertwined in my daily life.”

Similarly, Jeon is open to using AI for more “trivial” matters, such as simultaneous translation from English to Korean and vice versa. But she admits to more “extreme thoughts” than Lee about the technology’s role in the future of screen acting.

“I’m going to be starring in a [Korean-language adaptation] of Anton Chekov’s “The Cherry Orchard” upcoming in New York. And I was wondering, actually, is the stage the last place that cannot be conquered by AI, and will not be replaced by AI?”

Perhaps. But the scene in “Possible Love” that best captures the finely honed chemistry of its female leads, in which Mi-ok and Ye-ji drunkenly bond over soju and Korean barbecue as their bemused husbands look on, seems to me beyond the capabilities of AI — it’s too warm, too meticulously rendered to be anything other than fully human, the sort of acting one hopes the Venice jury will remember when it hands out the Volpi Cup for best actress on Saturday.

“It is quite difficult technically and practically — it was a scene that we shot all night long,” Cho says. “But I remember shooting it with a lot of pleasure.”

No protest there.