Inside Israel’s war of imprisonment against Palestinians | News

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Thousands of Palestinians have been freed under a fragile ceasefire between Hamas and Israel – but many more remain in Israeli prisons. As arrests continue and families wait for answers, what does “freedom” really mean under occupation? And how does detention shape daily life, resistance, and hope in Palestine?

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Gucci Mane reveals schizophrenia, bipolar disorder diagnoses

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Rapper Gucci Mane’s newest release might be his most vulnerable yet.

The Atlanta-based musician, promoting his third memoir, “Episode,” revealed to “The Breakfast Club” crew on Monday that he had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. He also went into detail about how he has learned to manage the mental health conditions, with a stern but helping hand from his wife, Keyshia Ka’oir.

The 45-year-old hip-hop star, born Radric Davis, said in a joint interview with Ka’oir that he sought professional help for his mental health after experiencing an episode during the pandemic. “After that I was just like, ‘Man, I gotta really hold myself accountable and take care of my health,’” he said.

“I don’t ever wanna have another episode again. I’m like, I’m gonna see a therapist, if I have to take medicine — I kinda like threw in the towel,” the rapper continued. “Whatever I need to do to get better.”

Schizophrenia is a serious mental health condition that affects how people behave, think and feel, according to the Mayo Clinic. Someone living with schizophrenia — which the clinic says can be managed with medicine and therapy — can experience “a mix of hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized thinking and behavior” and can “lose touch with reality.”

Bipolar disorder is a treatable mental health condition marked by extreme changes in mood, thought, energy and behavior, according to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance. A widely known symptom of the illness is manic episodes, which are marked by elevated changes in mood or behavior. But many people with a bipolar disorder diagnosis more commonly experience depressive episodes.

During the hour-long conversation, the “Wake Up in the Sky” rapper and Ka’oir shared details about his various episodes over the years and how it affected their relationship. They married in 2017 and share two kids. Ka’oir recalled witnessing Gucci Mane’s episodes even before they tied the knot.

During the episodes, “you’re seeing someone you don’t know,” said Ka’oir, who was born Keyshia Watson and modeled as Keyshia Dior. She recalled the rapper making “disrespectful” remarks and understood that he didn’t mean it. “I felt like if I left, he wouldn’t have been the same,” she said Monday. “He needed someone to help him.”

“I’m cool with this,” Ka’oir recalled thinking when someone voiced concern for their marriage.

Helping the Grammy-nominated “Exactly How I Feel” rapper manage his conditions proved challenging over the years, Ka’oir said. She said she worked with his inner circle to plan a “kidnapping” to a hospital so he could receive professional help. Ka’oir said she was confident that the rapper would never hurt her, even if other people worried otherwise.

Gucci Mane, who has faced legal woes including a federal prison sentence that ended in 2016, said he was “super embarrassed and hurt by the things I said” during his episodes. After his release from prison, he said, he apologized to a number of rap artists, name-dropping Rick Ross, Drake and Nicki Minaj. The latter had her own thoughts about the pair’s interview, accusing Ka’oir on X of sedating the “I Get the Bag” artist.

“I felt bad. I felt terribly bad,” he said, adding that apologizing to fellow stars felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

Ka’oir said she worked to keep her husband’s episodes away from the public eye by controlling his social media presence. She explained that she learned how to identify an episode before it became a full-blown incident, noting that some signs included him making mean comments or odd requests. Gucci Mane said that during episodes of what he called “psychosis,” he would hear voices speaking ill about people in his close circles.

Drug use, stress and a lack of sleep were among his triggers, he said. He added that other musicians did not reach out to support him during his episodes.

Throughout the interview, Gucci Mane made it abundantly clear that he prioritizes his family life, noting he sought professional help to be present and to raise his children with Ka’oir.

“My best decision was to marry her and be with her,” he said. “I got somebody to hold me accountable and I got somebody to watch TV with. Sometimes that’s all you wanna do … I don’t really need a lot.”

Gucci Mane released his memoir and his newest album — both titled “Episodes” — on Friday. This marks the third book from the rapper, who previously released memoirs in 2017 and 2020.

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Democrats look to long term as North Carolina GOP redistricting plan seeks another seat for Trump

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Democrats rallying Tuesday against a new U.S. House map proposed by North Carolina Republicans seeking another GOP seat at President Trump’s behest acknowledged they’ll probably be unable to halt the redraw for now. But they vowed to defeat the plan in the long run.

The new map offered by Republican legislative leaders seeks to stop the reelection of Democratic Rep. Don Davis, one of North Carolina’s three Black representatives, by redrawing two of the state’s 14 congressional districts. Statewide election data suggest the proposal would result in Republicans winning 11 of those seats, up from the current 10.

The proposal attempts to satisfy Trump’s call for states led by Republicans to conduct mid-decade redistricting to gain more seats and retain his party’s grip on Congress in the 2026 midterm elections. Democrats need to gain just three more seats to seize control of the House, and the president’s party historically has lost seats in midterm elections.

With Republicans in the majority in both General Assembly chambers and state law preventing Democratic Gov. Josh Stein from using his veto stamp against a redistricting plan, the GOP-drawn map appeared headed to enactment after final House votes as soon as Wednesday. The state Senate gave its final approval early Tuesday on a party-line vote. A House redistricting committee debated the plan later Tuesday.

Still, about 300 protesters, Democratic Party officials and lawmakers gathering outside the old state Capitol pledged repeatedly Tuesday that redrawing the congressional map would have negative consequences for the GOP at the ballot box in 2026 and beyond. Litigation to challenge the enactment on the map also is likely on allegations of unlawful racial gerrymandering.

“We know we may not have the ability to stop the Republicans in Raleigh right now … but we are here to show that people across this state and across this nation are watching them,” North Carolina Democratic Party Chair Anderson Clayton said to cheers.

The gathering served Democrats to censure state Republicans they accuse of agreeing to kneel to Trump through a corrupt redrawing of district lines to target Davis.

State GOP leaders defended their action, saying Trump has won the state’s electoral votes all three times that he’s run for president — albeit narrowly — and thus merits more potential support in Congress.

The national redistricting battle began over the summer when Trump urged Republican-led Texas to reshape its U.S. House districts. After Texas lawmakers acted, California Democrats reciprocated by passing their own plan, which still needs voter approval in November.

Republicans argue that other Democratic-leaning states had already given themselves a disproportionate number of seats well before this national redistricting fight started.

“It is incumbent upon us to react to this environment, to respond to this environment, and not let these tactics that have happened in blue states dominate the control of Congress,” state Sen. Ralph Hise, the map’s chief author, said during Tuesday’s Senate debate.

Seminera and Robertson write for the Associated Press.

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Viktor Gyokeres makes Arsenal ‘much better’ as drought ends – Mikel Arteta

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There is never a bad time for a striker to score, but Viktor Gyokeres’ relief was obvious as he ended a barren run with two goals in Arsenal’s 4-0 win over Atletico Madrid. It can be the start of a prolific spell, manager Mikel Arteta believes.

After three goals in his first four matches, £64m signing Gyokeres failed to find the net in Arsenal’s next seven games and looked visibly frustrated at times.

But his team-mates continued to praise his overall impact and Arteta said he gave the striker a hug after Arsenal’s 2-0 win over West Ham on Saturday in appreciation for the effort he was putting in.

The 27-year-old has had to play more than was planned at this stage of the season because of a knee injury to Kai Havertz, featuring for 90 minutes seven times in Arsenal’s opening 12 matches.

But after finding his clinical touch again in the thumping win over Atletico on Tuesday, Gyokeres’ tally now stands at five goals in 12 matches and his manager thinks the strikes were reward for his persistence.

“He deserved it because everything that we were seeing in terms of what he was bringing to the team and how much he was helping the team in many areas, apart from scoring goals in the last few weeks, there was no debate about that,” said Arteta.

“It was about keeping that belief in himself, that emotional state that he can enjoy and play freely.

“I think he has certainly done that today, [he had] a big smile on his face.

“Look at his team-mates as well, in the picture and the video, they are all so happy for him because he fully deserves it.”

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Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,336 | Russia-Ukraine war News

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Here are the key events from day 1,336 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Here is how things stand on Wednesday, October 22, 2025:

Fighting

  • A “massive” Russian attack killed four people and injured seven in the town of Novhorod-Siverskyi, in Ukraine’s Chernihiv region, Governor Viacheslav Chaus wrote in a post on Telegram.
  • Chaus said that Russian forces launched about 20 Shahed drones in the attack and that there was “a lot of destruction in the city”.
  • Russian attacks killed two people and injured one person in the city of Kostiantynivka in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, the head of the Kostiantynivka City Military Administration, Serhii Horbunov, wrote in a post on Facebook.
  • A Russian drone attack injured nine people in Ukraine’s Sumy region, Governor Oleh Hryhorov said.
  • A Ukrainian attack killed one person and injured five in settlements in a Russian-occupied part of the Kherson region in southern Ukraine, the Russian-installed governor, Vladimir Saldo, said.
  • A Ukrainian drone attack killed one person in the village of Novostroyevka-Pervaya in Russia’s Belgorod Region, Russia’s state TASS news agency reported, citing regional authorities.
  • Russian attacks on energy facilities left hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians without electricity in Ukraine’s Chernihiv region, the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine said on Tuesday.
  • More than 1,000 people were left without electricity due to a Ukrainian attack on the Kamianka-Dniprovska area of the Russian-occupied Ukrainian Zaporizhia region, TASS reported, citing local officials.
  • Ukrainian forces struck the Bryansk chemical plant in Russia, Ukraine’s General Staff said in a post on Facebook, adding that the “outcome of the strike is being assessed”.
Volunteers from the Plastdarm organization work to identify Russian bodies recovered from the front lines in order to return them to their families in Sloviansk, Ukraine on October 21, 2025.Photojournalist:Jose Colon
Ukrainian volunteers in Sloviansk, Ukraine, on Tuesday work to identify Russian bodies recovered from the front lines to return them to their families [Jose Colon/Anadolu]

Politics and diplomacy

  • A senior White House official told Al Jazeera that “there are no plans for [US President Donald] President Trump to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the immediate future”, days after Trump suggested a meeting could take place in Hungary “within two weeks or so”.
  • Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said of developments: “I don’t want to have a wasted meeting… I don’t want to have a waste of time, so I’ll see what happens.”
  • Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov also implied that any potential meeting could take time, saying “preparation is needed, serious preparation”.
  • However, Putin’s special envoy for investment and economic cooperation, Kirill Dmitriev, said on X late on Tuesday that the “media is twisting comment about the ‘immediate future’ to undercut the upcoming Summit”, adding that “preparations continue” for the meeting between Trump and Putin.
  • Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his nightly address that Moscow’s dwindling interest in the presidential meeting came after the US appeared to back away from considering supplying long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine.
  • “As soon as the issue of long-range mobility became a little further away for us – for Ukraine – Russia almost automatically became less interested in diplomacy,” Zelenskyy said.

Regional Security

  • A man who shot and wounded Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico last year has been found guilty of terrorism charges and handed a 21-year jail sentence. The shooter said he opposed the approach taken towards Ukraine by Fico, who ended state military assistance to Ukraine and sought closer ties with Moscow.



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North Korea fires multiple ballistic missiles towards East Sea | Kim Jong Un News

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DEVELOPING STORY,

Experts warned N Korea could launch provocative missile tests before or during the upcoming APEC summit in South Korea.

North Korea has fired multiple, short-range ballistic missiles towards waters off its eastern coast, South Korea’s military said, marking its first missile launch in months.

The launch of missiles on Wednesday morning comes a week before South Korea hosts the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, which will see Chinese President Xi Jinping, United States President Donald Trump, and other world leaders gather in the South Korean city of Gyeongju for talks.

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South Korea’s military said that it “detected several projectiles, believed to be short-range ballistic missiles” fired towards the East Sea, which is also known as the Sea of Japan, the official South Korean Yonhap news agency reports.

“Our military has stepped up monitoring in preparation for (the possibility of) additional launches and is maintaining a steadfast readiness posture while sharing relevant information with the US and Japan,” South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said, according to Yonhap.

North Korea last fired short-range ballistic and cruise missiles towards the East Sea on May 8 and May 22 , meaning the latest launch is the first under South Korea’s new president, Lee Jae Myung, who took office in June, Yonhap said.

Experts had warned that North Korea could launch provocative missile tests before or during the APEC summit to underscore its commitment to being recognised as a nuclear-armed state, the Associated Press news agency reports.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un earlier this month displayed a new long-range Hwasong-20 Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM), described as the country’s “most powerful”, during a huge military parade in Pyongyang, with top Chinese, Russian and other leaders in attendance.

The parade, which marked the 80th anniversary of the founding of North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party, highlighted Kim’s strengthening diplomatic presence on a regional and global level and his consistent drive to build sophisticated weapons capable of delivering nuclear payloads.

Pyongyang has long rejected international bans on its weapons development, which it says is necessary to protect North Korea from potential attack by its enemies, the US and South Korea.

Trump met the North Korean leader during his first term in office, and said recently that he hopes to meet Kim again, possibly this year.

Pyongyang has said that Kim is open to future talks with Trump, but with the caveat that North Korea will never agree to relinquish its nuclear arsenal.

REUTERS PICTURES 40th ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION: U.S. President Donald Trump meets with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas, in Panmunjom, South Korea, June 30, 2019. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque SEARCH "REUTERS PICTURES 40th ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION" FOR THIS PACKAGE
US President Donald Trump meets with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the demilitarised zone separating the two Koreas, in Panmunjom, South Korea, on June 30, 2019 [Kevin Lamarque/Reuters]

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The 5 best family-friendly cruises out of L.A. and Long Beach

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The sports court on Carnival Radiance.

The sports court on Carnival Radiance.

(Carnival Cruise Line)

Sails to: Ensenada, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán, La Paz, Cabo San Lucas and Catalina Island via three- to five-day wintertime voyages
Cost: Starting at about $200 per person

Carnival Radiance is one of the cruise line’s oldest vessels, having launched in 2000 under its original name, Carnival Victory. Following a $200 million refresh in 2021, it’s become a staple along the Long Beach waterfront.

The 2,984-guest ship offers a variety of shorter trips, which first-time cruisers may appreciate. Some of its staterooms connect, allowing extended families to vacation together. And most of its outdoor activities — such as mini-golf, a sports court and a two-level ropes course — are conveniently clustered together. Nearby are waterslides and pools, one of which sits under a large movie screen.

Like Carnival Firenze, Radiance also has NASA and Dr. Seuss-themed activities, in addition to an at-sea Build-a-Bear workshop and “Zumbini,” a kid-friendly Zumba class.

Picky eaters need not fret. Radiance has 15 dining options, nine of which are included in the cost of your cruise. A few have celebrity names attached to them: along with Guy Fieri’s Burger Joint and barbecue restaurant, there’s also a chicken counter from basketball star Shaquille O’Neal.

If you’ve tested the waters with a short Carnival Radiance cruise and can’t get enough, the ship will also be embarking on a 14-day round-trip voyage in early January to Kahului, Maui; Honolulu, Oahu; Nawiliwili, Kauai; Hilo, Hawaii; and Ensenada, Mexico.

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BBC boss calls on Helen Skelton and Gethin Jones to ‘stop playing around with viewers’

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Helen Skelton and Gethin Jones looked cosy together as they posed for photographs on the Daily Mirror Pride of Britain red carpet this week – despite a suggestion they had split

BBC bosses reportedly want popular duo Helen Skelton and Gethin Jones to come clean about the true nature of their relationship – for the sake of the viewers.

More than 1.5million people tune into Morning Live every weekday on BBC One, and see Helen and Gethin discuss topical issues. It was understood they had embarked on a relationship since working together on the programme, but speculation of a split swirled a few months ago.

But on Monday night, Gethin, 47, put his arm around 42-year-old Helen on the Daily Mirror Pride of Britain red carpet in London. The cosy photographs led to further speculation the couple had rekindled their romance, but the “confusion” has reportedly irked some management at the BBC.

One boss told the Daily Mail: “There’s a common feeling among them [BBC bosses] that it’s time for Helen and Gethin to confirm where they stand and stop playing around with the viewers. It’s time for clarity.

“Standing together on that red carpet has only confused viewers, who truly do want them to be an item, and it’s not fair anymore to keep the speculation going. It’s starting to feel on purpose as they’re really leaning into it.”

READ MORE: Pride of Britain Awards 2025: Amy Dowden and GK Barry lead the red carpet glamREAD MORE: Morning Live star gives birth and reveals baby’s name

Gethin was one of the original hosts of Morning Live when it first aired five years ago, and Helen joined him in 2023. She started the post around one year after splitting with Richie Myler, a now retired rugby league player, with whom she has three children.

Chatter emerged Gethin and Helen’s friendship had become a relationship in May this year after the presenters were seen leaving the BAFTAs together. Though neither confirmed a relationship, they were spotted again with each other off-set several times in the spring. Similar gossip spread this week after the pictures at the Daily Mirror Pride of Britain event, which the stars reportedly left within minutes of each other.

READ MORE: Frequent Ryanair flyer turns heartbreak into comedy with ingenious tattoo fix

Yet Gethin, who in 2011 split from fellow Welsh star opera singer Katherine Jenkins, nor Helen have confirmed or denied whether or not they are together now.

It is thought when Helen, a former Blue Peter host, was brought in to join Gethin on Morning Live the BBC hoped the pair would build a strong rapport to continue its success in its timeslot.

When Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan were chosen to launch This Morning on ITV in 1998, it quickly became a success and, though the pair were long married by then, it is believed their strong charisma together drew in the viewers. The BBC, it is understood, felt that a similar onscreen chemistry was exactly what it needed to win the daytime ratings war in 2023 – and it was undoubtedly worked onscreen.

Chatter remains whether that move has seen things blossom off it too.

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Wednesday 22 October Diwali Amavasya (Laxmi Pujan) in Maharashtra

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Diwali marks the return of Lord Rama, who was the seventh incarnation of Vishnu, from a fourteen-year exile.

The Festival of Lights takes place on the darkest night (the first night of the new moon) in the month of Kartik in the Hindu calendar.

Across India streets and temples are decorated with spectacular light displays and colourful garlands.

In their homes, people light small oil lamps called diyas. It is believed that deceased relatives come back to visit their families on Earth during this festival and the lights are a way to guide the spirits home. The sound of firecrackers exploding is common as the noise is said to drive away evil spirits.

Over 70% of all firecrackers used during Diwali come from the town of Sivaski in Tamil Nadu.

Families, friends and business associates exchange gifts and sweets, settle old business deals and are encouraged to rid themselves of hate, anger and jealousy.

The festival is a time for rejoicing and renewal.

Diwali holds significance not only in Hinduism but also in Sikhism who celebrate the release of their sixth Guru (literal translation: teacher) Hargobind. To Sikhs, it is known as Bandi Chhor Divas. The Jains celebrate it as the day when Lord Mahaveer, the last Tirthankara, attained Nirvana or Moksha.

MLB players won’t accept a salary cap. What does union want instead?

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If this World Series is going to turn into a food fight about the economics of baseball, Dave Roberts tossed the first meatball.

The Dodgers had just been presented with the National League Championship trophy. Roberts, the Dodgers’ manager, had something to say to a sellout crowd at Dodger Stadium, and to an audience watching on national television.

“They said the Dodgers are ruining baseball,” Roberts hollered. “Let’s get four more wins and really ruin baseball.”

The Dodgers had just vanquished the Milwaukee Brewers, a team that did everything right, with four starting pitchers whose contracts total $1.35 billion.

The Brewers led the major leagues in victories this year. They have made the playoffs seven times in the past eight years, and yet their previous manager and general manager fled for big cities, in the hope of applying small-market smarts to teams with large-market resources.

The Dodgers will spend half a billion dollars on player payroll and luxury tax payments this year, a figure that the Brewers and other small-market teams might never spend in this lifetime, or the next one.

The Brewers will make about $35 million in local television rights this year. The Dodgers make 10 times that much — and they’ll make more than $500 million per year by the end of their SportsNet LA contract in 2038.

Is revenue disparity a problem for the sport?

The owners say yes. They are expected to push for a salary cap in next year’s collective bargaining negotiations. A cap is anathema to the players’ union. At the All-Star Game, union executive director Tony Clark called a cap “institutionalized collusion.”

The union could say, yes, revenue disparity is the big issue and propose something besides a cap.

But that is not what the union is saying. The union does not agree that revenue disparity is the issue, at least to the extent that the players should participate in solving it. Put another way: Tarik Skubal should not get less than market value in free agency to appease the owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

For the most part, the union believes the owners should resolve the issue among themselves.

And the fundamental difference might be this: To most of the owners, the Dodgers’ spending is the big problem, or at least the symptom of a big problem. This was Commissioner Rob Manfred at the owners’ meetings last February: “Do people perceive that the playing field is balanced and fair and/or do people believe that money dictates who wins?”

To the union, the problem is not one of perception. The union believes the problem is that the Dodgers’ spending exposes other owners who would love a salary cap that would give them cover — not to mention cost certainty that could increase profits and franchise values.

“Players across the league show up every day ready to compete and ready to win,” Clark told The Times. “Excuses aren’t tolerated between the lines, and they shouldn’t be accepted outside them either.

“When decision-makers off the field mirror the competitive drive exhibited on it, everybody wins and baseball’s future is limitless. Fans and players alike deserve — and should demand — far more accountability from those to whom much is given.”

Tony Clark, executive director of the MLB Players' Assn., speaks during a news conference in New York in March 2022.

Tony Clark, executive director of the MLB Players’ Assn., speaks during a news conference in New York in March 2022.

(Richard Drew / Associated Press)

In its annual estimates, Forbes had the Dodgers’ revenue last season at a league-leading $752 million and the Pirates’ revenue at $326 million. The Pirates turned a profit of $47 million and the Dodgers turned a profit of $21 million, according to those estimates.

The Pirates — and other small-market teams — make more than $100 million each year in their equal split of league revenue (national and international broadcast rights, for instance, and merchandising and licensing) and revenue shared by the Dodgers and other large-market teams. That means the Pirates can cover their player payroll before selling a single ticket, beer, or Primanti sandwich stuffed with meat, cheese and fries.

“The current system is designed so larger markets share massive amounts of revenue with smaller markets to help level the playing field,” Clark said. “Small-market teams have other built-in advantages, and we’ve proposed more in bargaining — and will again.”

The union would be delighted to get a salary floor — that is, a minimum team payroll. The owners would do that if the union agreed to a maximum team payroll — that is, a salary cap.

Whether the owners believe recent and potential future changes — among them a draft lottery, more favorable draft-pick compensation for small-market teams losing free agents, providing additional draft picks for teams that promote prospects sooner and for small-market teams that win — can begin to mitigate revenue disparity is uncertain. Whether the players can condition revenue sharing on team progress also is uncertain.

And, perhaps most critically to owners, the collapse of the cable ecosystem means many teams have lost local television revenue that might not ever bounce completely back, even if Manfred can deliver on his proposed “all teams, all the time, in one place” service.

Whatever the issues might be, fans are not throwing up their hands and walking away. The league sold more tickets this year than in any year since 2017. Almost every week brought an announcement from ESPN, Fox or TNT about a ratings increase, and the league did not complain about the outstanding ratings the Dodgers and New York Yankees attracted in last year’s World Series.

Dodgers fans celebrate after Shohei Ohtani hits the second of his three home runs in Game 4 of the NLCS.

Dodgers fans celebrate after Shohei Ohtani hits the second of his three home runs in Game 4 of the NLCS against the Brewers at Dodger Stadium on Oct. 17.

(Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times)

Payroll is under the control of an owner. Market size is not.

Of the top 15 teams in market size, six made the playoffs. Of the bottom 15 teams in market size, six made the playoffs.

Is that a reasonable exhibition of competitive balance? Would the Dodgers winning the World Series in back-to-back years define competitive imbalance, even if they would become the first team in 25 years to repeat? The only other team currently dedicated to spending like the Dodgers — the New York Mets — has not won the World Series in 39 years.

The Kansas City Chiefs have played in the Super Bowl five times in six years, winning three times. That is because they have Patrick Mahomes, not because the NFL has a salary cap.

In the past three years, the Dodgers are the only team to appear in the final four twice — more diversity than in the final four in the NFL, NBA or NHL, each of which has a salary cap.

The league used to happily distribute information like that. After the winter chants about the Dodgers ruining baseball, the league started talking about how no small-market team had won the World Series in 10 years.

Payroll itself should not define competitive balance, but that becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy if an owner decides competing with the Dodgers would be no less futile by spending another $25 million on players.

It is premature to count heads now. However, at this point, you wonder whether any team besides the Dodgers and Mets would lobby against the league pursuing a salary cap in negotiations. If the owners really want a salary cap, they need to be prepared to do what the NHL did to get one: shut down the league for an entire season.

We should be talking about the magic of Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts. Instead, on its grandest stage, the talk around baseball will be all about whether its most popular team is ruining the game to the point of depriving us of it come 2027. Well done, everyone.

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OpenAI announces new AI-powered Atlas browser

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1 of 3 | An introduction page of ChatGPT is pictured in 2023. On Tuesday, Open AI unveiled an early version of its new AI-powered ChatGPT Atlas web browser. File Photo by Wu Hao/EPA

Oct. 21 (UPI) — OpenAI unveiled the early version of its AI-powered ChatGPT Atlas web browser on Tuesday, offering many powerful features that seek to interlace the company’s technology into daily internet use.

The new browser is currently only available on macOS, with future versions coming to Windows and mobile devices, according to a post by OpenAI. While other tech companies, including Microsoft and Google, have incorporated AI into their products, OpenAI called Atlas a step closer “to a true super-assistant” that follows users across the web.

“It’s a new kind of browser for the next era of the web,” OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said in a video, where staff demonstrated how Atlas could be used to complete a grocery order, help project management at work and other tasks.

Atlas will draw on user’s previous interactions with the powerful chat bot, meaning it will have a back-and-forth deeper than Google’s box of AI-generated results that accompanies web searches.

If Atlas is popular, it could be “a serious threat to Google’s dominance,” according to TechCrunch. It could also provide valuable information to targeted advertising should OpenAI change its business model. But the tech website concluded that “It’s still early days for Atlas and a lot will depend on the product itself — and whether users really want what OpenAI is offering here.”

Users of the paid version of ChatGPT can use “agent” mode that allows Atlas to perform some tasks independently.

“Despite all of the power and awesome capabilities that you get with sharing your browser with ChatGPT that also poses an entirely new set of risks,” OpenAI’s Pranav Vishnu said during the video announcing Atlas. He said that there are safeguards that keep the agent operating on Atlas tabs and prevents it from accessing users’ computer files.

Marketing experts have warned that AI could soon be used to make purchases for consumers using their data. Users of Atlas can limit what data is saved, according to an OpenAI page explaining user controls.

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Can shampoo repair hair? Four haircare myths get the chop

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Emily Holt & Yasmin RufoBBC News

BBC A woman with dark hair smiling. BBC

We all want hair that looks and feels healthy, whether that means glossy waves, bouncy curls or sleek and smooth strands.

In an industry worth £5.8bn in the UK, there are endless products, trends and TikTok hacks flying around which makes it’s easy to lose sight of the basics.

The truth is, healthy hair isn’t about spending a fortune or following complicated routines, it’s about getting the simple stuff right.

Trichologists Eva Proudman from UK Hair Consultants and Tracey Walker from Hair and Scalp Clinic, bust four common myths about how to look after your hair.

1. Cold water doesn’t make your hair shinier

Getty Images A woman showering. Getty Images

Ever shivered your way through an icy shower just for the sake of shinier hair?

Well luckily you can stop doing that and enjoy a warm and comfortable wash as Proudman says cold water doesn’t add any extra shine to your hair.

“There’s no need to wash your hair in freezing cold water as it does nothing,” she says. “What’s much more important is how you protect your hair from chemicals, heat and the environment you’re in.

She does add that you don’t want to wash you hair in too hot water though as it can dehydrate your hair and can scald the scalp in the same way hot water scalds our skin.

2. No product can repair damaged hair

Getty Images A woman with long brown hair spraying a hair product onto her hair. Getty Images

If you’re someone who hopes to fix their split ends without a visit to the hairdressers, you’ll be disappointed to know a haircut is the only solution.

Proudman explains a split end is similar to a ladder in tights – there’s simply no way to mend it.

Walker says: “If you imagine a hair is fracturing and if you look at it under the microscope, it almost looks like there’s two or three more prongs to the hair.

“Products on the market act as a kind of glue which puts the hair back together again so it looks better.”

She says these are temporary fixes, and warns not to get lulled into spending a lot of money on products which promise a solution.

Proudman also says claims that cutting your hair can make it grow faster are untrue.

“It’s just not possible to make your hair grow quicker so any product claiming that is lying.”

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3. Your hair won’t self-clean

Getty Images Woman shampooing hair Getty Images

You may well have met someone who swears they’ve managed to train their hair to “self-clean” allowing them to wash it infrequently or not at all.

But Proudman says doing this is absolutely not good for your hair. “Your scalp has 180,000 oil glands and it collects dirt and debris if it’s not regularly washed.”

Walker agrees and likens it to the fact you can’t remove an oily or dirty mark from clothes with just water, you need detergent too.

Not washing your hair regularly can cause a smell as well as a worsening of scalp conditions such as dandruff, she says because “leaving the hair to become oilier can let yeast and bacteria build, making itchy scalp conditions worse”.

Proudman recommends washing your hair every other day if your hair is very oily or you use a lot of product in it.

Laura Waters, Professor of Pharmaceutical Analysis at University of Huddersfield, says while those with very oily hair might benefit from stronger cleansing, people with drier hair could consider a sulfate-free shampoo which is more expensive but won’t strip oil out of it.

4. Dry shampoo isn’t a substitute for washing

Getty Images A woman spraying a green bottle of dry shampoo onto her hair. Getty Images

Finding time for a full wash, blow-dry and style isn’t always realistic so between work, workouts and social plans, many of us reach for dry shampoo as a quick fix to revive greasy roots and refresh our hair without hopping in the shower.

Proudman says dry shampoo is “absolutely fine”, but that it should be used only once between hair washes.

The problem arises when you use it for multiple days in a row without washing it out.

“The natural oil of the scalp sinks into the shampoo and the yeast will feed on the build up,” Proudman says.

“If you’re not careful you’ll get an itchy and flaky scalp.”

Ultimately her advice is to focus on looking after your scalp in the same way you look after your face – you wouldn’t keep piling makeup onto your skin without removing what’s underneath and washing it first.

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Gigi Hadid looks sensational in bright yellow gown as she hugs pal Anne Hathaway on red carpet in New York

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SUPERMODEL Gigi Hadid looks a ray of sunshine at a charity event beside actress pal Anne Hathaway.

Gigi, 30, wearing a bright yellow dress, was there to support 42-year-old Anne, who was honoured at the 2025 Golden Heart Awards in New York.

Gigi Hadid looks a ray of sunshine at a charity event beside actress pal Anne HathawayCredit: Getty
Gigi, wearing a bright yellow dress, was there to support Anne, who was honoured at the 2025 Golden Heart Awards in New YorkCredit: Getty

Gigi has been dating American actor Bradley Cooper since 2023.

She was previously in a relationship with former One Direction member Zayn Malik.

Gigi shares four-year-old Khai with Zayn, and despite their shocking breakup, she says the couple now successfully co-parent with “love, and a feeling of camaraderie”.

Meanwhile, Bradley, 50, has an eight-year-old daughter, Lea De Seine, from his previous relationship with Gigi’s friend Irina Shayk.

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The model was apparently instrumental in matchmaking the pair, and has such a great relationship with Bradley they still holiday together.

The pair have a cuddle at the eventCredit: Getty
Gigi and Ann have a laugh togetherCredit: Getty

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Trump reportedly seeks $230 million in damages for prior federal investigations

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President Trump said Tuesday that the federal government owes him “a lot of money” for prior Justice Department investigations into his actions and insisted he would have the ultimate say on any payout because any decision will “have to go across my desk.”

Trump’s comments to reporters at the White House came in response to questions about a New York Times story that said he had filed administrative claims before being reelected seeking roughly $230 million in damages related to the FBI’s 2022 search of his Mar-a-Lago property for classified documents and for a separate investigation into potential ties between Russia and his 2016 presidential campaign.

Trump said Tuesday he did not know the dollar figures involved and suggested he had not spoken to officials about it. But, he added, “All I know is that, they would owe me a lot of money.”

Though the Justice Department has a protocol for reviewing such claims, Trump asserted, “It’s interesting, ‘cause I’m the one that makes the decision, right?”

“That decision would have to go across my desk,” he added.

He said he could donate any taxpayer money or use it to help pay for a ballroom he’s building at the White House.

The status of the claims and any negotiations over them within the Justice Department was not immediately clear. One of Trump’s lead defense lawyers in the Mar-a-Lago investigation, Todd Blanche, is now the deputy attorney general at the Justice Department. The current associate attorney general, Stanley Woodward, represented Trump’s valet and co-defendant, Walt Nauta, in the same case.

“In any circumstance, all officials at the Department of Justice follow the guidance of career ethics officials,” a Justice Department spokesperson said. A White House spokesperson referred comment to the Justice Department.

Trump signaled his interest in compensation during a White House appearance last week with Blanche, FBI Director Kash Patel and Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi, who was part of Trump’s legal team during one of the impeachment cases against him.

“I have a lawsuit that was doing very well, and when I became president, I said: ‘I’m suing myself. I don’t know. How do you settle the lawsuit?’” he said. ”I’ll say, ‘Give me X dollars,’ and I don’t know what to do with the lawsuit. It’s a great lawsuit and now I won, it looks bad. I’m suing myself, so I don’t know.”

The Times said the two claims were filed with the Justice Department as part of a process that seeks to resolve federal complaints through settlements and avert litigation.

One of the administrative claims, filed in August 2024 and reviewed by the Associated Press, seeks compensatory and punitive damages over the search of his Mar-a-Lago estate and the resulting case alleging he hoarded classified documents and thwarted government efforts to retrieve them.

His lawyer who filed the claim alleged the case was a “malicious prosecution” carried out by the Biden administration to hurt Trump’s bid to reclaim the White House, forcing Trump to spend tens of millions of dollars in his defense.

That investigation produced criminal charges that Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith abandoned last November because of department policy against the indictment of a sitting president.

The Times said the other complaint seeks damages related to the long-concluded Trump-Russia investigation, which continues to infuriate the president.

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Champions League: An eventful evening as 43 goals scored, five red cards given, six penalties awarded

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There were 43 goals scored, five red cards handed out and six penalties awarded – of which five were converted.

It was a relentless evening of Champions League football on Tuesday.

Last season’s winners Paris St-Germain hit seven past Leverkusen, with both teams having a player sent off and the German side’s Alejandro Grimaldo missing a spot-kick.

PSV Eindhoven fought back from a goal down before running riot in a 6-2 win against Italian champions Napoli.

Arsenal, Newcastle and Manchester City all claimed convincing victories, with City’s Erling Haaland scoring for a 12th consecutive game.

There were goals and drama aplenty, so BBC Sport has dived into the stats behind an entertaining night in Europe’s most prestigious club tournament.

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Cold cells, meagre meals: Palestinian American boy suffers in Israeli jail | Israel-Iran conflict News

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Defense for Children International – Palestine (DCIP) has obtained testimony from Palestinian American teenager Mohammed Ibrahim, whose case has become a symbol for the mistreatment of minors in Israeli jails.

In an interview with a DCIP lawyer, published on Tuesday, 16-year-old Mohammed described the harsh conditions he has faced since his detention began in February, including thin mattresses, cold cells and meagre meals.

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“The meals we receive are extremely insufficient,” he is quoted as saying.

“For breakfast, we are served just three tiny pieces of bread, along with a mere spoonful of labneh. At lunch, our portion is minimal, consisting of only half a small cup of undercooked, dry rice, a single sausage, and three small pieces of bread. Dinner is not provided, and we receive no fruit whatsoever.”

According to DCIP, Mohammed has lost a “considerable amount of weight” since his detention started more than eight months ago. He was 15 years old at the time.

Mohammed’s family, rights groups and US lawmakers have been pleading with the administration of United States President Donald Trump to pressure Israel to release the teenager.

The US has provided Israel with more than $21bn over the past two years.

“Not even an American passport can protect Palestinian children,” Ayed Abu Eqtaish, the accountability programme director at DCIP, said in a statement.

“Despite his family’s advocacy in Congress and involvement of the US Embassy, Mohammad remains in Israeli prison. Israel is the only country in the world that systematically prosecutes children in military court.”

After Israeli soldiers raided Mohammed’s family home in the occupied West Bank in February, they took the teenager into custody. Mohammed recalled to DCIP that the soldiers beat him with the butts of rifles as they transported him.

The teenager was originally housed in the notorious Megiddo prison – which a recently released Palestinian detainee described as a “slaughterhouse” – before being transferred to Ofer, another detention facility.

“Each prisoner receives two blankets, yet we still feel cold at night,” Mohammed told DCIP.

“There is no heating or cooling system in the rooms. The only items present are mattresses, blankets, and a single copy of the Quran in each room.”

The teenager has been charged with throwing stones at Israeli settlers, an accusation that he denies. Legal experts say that Palestinians from the occupied West Bank almost never receive fair trials in Israel’s military courts.

The abuse that freed Palestinian captives have described after the recent prisoner exchange between Hamas and Israel, as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal, spurred renewed calls for releasing Mohammed.

“Right now, Mohammed Ibrahim, a US citizen, is being held in an Israeli prison. His health is deteriorating. The circumstances are desperate,” Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley wrote on X on Sunday.

“The United States must use every avenue available to secure the release of this Palestinian American child.”

Since the start of the war on Gaza in October 2023, at least 79 Palestinian detainees have died in Israeli jails amid a lack of medical care, restrictions on food and reports of violence and torture, according to the Palestinian Prisoner Club.

Medical officials in Gaza have described signs of torture and execution on the bodies of slain Palestinian captives handed over by Israel after the ceasefire over the past week.

Earlier this year, Mohammed’s relatives told Al Jazeera that they fear for his life.

His father, Zaher Ibrahim, said that the Trump administration could use its leverage to free his son with a single phone call. “But we’re nothing to them,” he told Al Jazeera.

Since 2022, Israeli forces and settlers have killed at least 10 US citizens, including two in the West Bank in July.



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Gripen E Fighter Officially Joins The Swedish Air Force

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The Swedish Armed Forces have finally gotten their hands on their first operational Saab Gripen E multirole fighter. The first of 60 of the new jets marks a significant step in the modernization of the Swedish Air Force, which is reconfiguring its posture to better face off the resurgent threat from Russia.

På plats vid F7 Såtenäs där Försvarsmakten idag tar emot den första av 60 JAS Gripen E. Det är en viktig dag för flygvapnet och det svenska försvaret. Gripen E är ett exempel på svensk teknologisk framkant och är ett modernt stridsflyg som i allt väsentligt är helt nytt. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/Bse70Hb5DX

— Pål Jonson (@PlJonson) October 20, 2025

The first Gripen E for the Swedish Air Force touched down at the airbase of Såtenäs, in south-central Sweden, yesterday. This is the home of F 7, or the Skaraborg Wing, which will be the service’s first operational Gripen E unit. A handover ceremony at Såtenäs included representatives from the Swedish Ministry of Defense, the Swedish Armed Forces, the Swedish Defense Materiel Administration (FMV), and Saab.

Mikael Granholm of the FMV, Minister of Defense Pål Jonson, Swedish Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Michael Claesson, Swedish Air Force Chief Jonas Wikman, and Skaraborg Wing Commander Mattias Ottis. Forsvarsmakten

“This is a big day that marks the beginning of a new chapter in Swedish aviation history,” said Skaraborg’s Wing Commander Mattias Ottis. “F 7 Skaraborg Wing is the center of Swedish fighter aircraft development; we are paving the way for the future. We are ready, we are excited, and now we are going for it.”

“This marks an important milestone in the development of the Swedish defense. It is the result of long-term cooperation and close collaboration between the Swedish Armed Forces, FMV, and Swedish industry. Gripen E strengthens our national defense capability to meet future threats together with our allies,” added Michael Claesson, commander-in-chief of the Swedish Armed Forces.

Notably, the Gripen E is already in operational service, in Brazil.

A Brazilian Air Force Gripen E. Saab Linus Svensson @Saab

The Latin American nation was the first export customer for the jet and has also inaugurated a domestic production line, which will build 15 of the 36 aircraft currently contracted to the Brazilian Air Force. Unlike Sweden, Brazil is also receiving the two-seat variant of the jet, the Gripen F. The first Gripen for Brazil was shipped from Sweden to South America by sea, arriving there in September 2020.

Returning to Sweden, the Gripen E is seen very much as a cornerstone of the country’s changing defense policy, which has seen a renewed emphasis on its fighter fleet as the country grapples with a further deterioration in regional security policy including increasing Russian belligerence.

A pair of Swedish Gripen E test jets. Saab

As well as joining NATO, in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, this new posture has seen Sweden decide to retain its older Gripen C/D fleet for longer, alongside the new-generation Gripen Es.

This marks a notable change for the Swedish Air Force.

After all, when switching from the Cold War-era Saab Viggen to the Gripen, the Swedish Air Force decided to use only one type of fighter aircraft for all tasks. Operating the Gripen E in parallel with the Gripen C/D, beyond a normal transition, reverses this.

JAS39C Gripen Ukraine
A Swedish Air Force Gripen C. Saab SAAB

Despite its similar outward appearance, the Gripen E is regarded as a completely new aircraft type — as you can read about here.

Ultimately, the Gripen E will take over the tasks currently performed by the Gripen C/D, but the two will serve together for “a relatively long period of time,” according to the Swedish Air Force.

In basic mission terms, the Gripen E offers a longer range and can carry a heavier load than its predecessor. The aircraft is slightly larger than the C-model at just under 50 feet and includes a beefed-up fuselage that accommodates approximately 30 percent more fuel. The aircraft also features larger air intakes, the more powerful General Electric F414 engine, and a total of 10 hardpoints. 

On those 10 hardpoints, the heavy loads can include up to four of the big Saab RBS 15 anti-ship missiles, up to nine air-to-air missiles, or 16 Small Diameter Bombs, albeit at the expense of external fuel.

A Gripen E carrying four RBS 15 anti-ship missiles. Saab

“It’s a completely new system — built to meet future requirements for survivability, range, sensors, and interoperability. It’s the result of Swedish engineering and innovation with a clear focus on operational effectiveness,” explained Mattias Ottis, commander of the Skaraborg Wing.

Under the skin, the Gripen E is also substantially different.

New features include its sensors, among them an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, and an infrared search and track (IRST) system. The communications system is also new, as is the aircraft’s advanced electronic warfare self-protection system.

The Gripen E’s IRST is located ahead of the windscreen. Jamie Hunter

All this reflects the fact that the Gripen E is intended to operate in a different threat environment compared to the Gripen C/D, a fact made clear by the Swedish Air Force:

“The Swedish Armed Forces have needed to find a way to operate in what is known as a ‘contested environment,’ i.e., an area where they do not have control,” the Air Force explains. “In the past, it was possible to take off and land in a controlled environment. Today, as soon as the aircraft takes off, we find ourselves in an uncertain environment, hence the need to develop a new and more capable fighter aircraft system.”

A Swedish Gripen E test jet. Saab

In another reflection of the increasingly contested environment that the Swedish Air Force is expected to be able to fight in, the Gripen E is being tested loaded with an artificial intelligence (AI) agent that can conduct autonomous beyond-visual-range air-to-air combat. You can read more about this initiative here. Suffice it to say, it’s very much focused on enabling a much smaller air arm (the Swedish Air Force) to deal with a potential large-scale Russian aerial attack. In such a scenario, AI could play a critical role in helping a force of Gripens armed with Meteor air-to-air missiles, for example, to prioritize multiple incoming threats and find the best solutions to combat them.

AI JAS-36 gripen tests for long-range air-to-air combat are underway.
A Gripen E loaded with an artificial intelligence (AI) agent, known as Centaur. Saab SAAB

At the same time, the Gripen E retains some commonality with the Gripen C/D, especially in terms of its flying qualities.

The Swedish Air Force describes the new aircraft as “just as easy to fly and maneuver” as the Gripen C/D, and that pilots trained on the earlier aircraft “will feel right at home in the E.” This is especially important considering that, as mentioned previously, Sweden will not be buying two-seat versions of the new jet, which would ease the training process.

While the first Gripen E may have just been delivered, Sweden is already starting to plan for what might come next.

In a statement regarding the introduction of the new fighter, Swedish Minister of Defense Pål Jonson said: “Parallel to the introduction of Gripen E, studies are underway to prepare for the next generation of fighter aircraft.”

As TWZ has discussed, the FMV recently awarded Saab with a contract, worth around $276 million, for continued conceptual studies for future fighter systems.

The Swedish Defense Materiel Administration (FMV) recently awarded Saab with the contract, worth around $276 million and covering the period from 2025 to 2027. As well as the FMV, Saab will work with the Swedish Armed Forces, the Swedish Defense Research Agency, GKN Aerospace, and other industry partners.
A rendering of a concept for a supersonic uncrewed platform in the F-Series, as developed by Saab. SVT screencap via X SVT screencap via X

At this early stage, it’s very much unclear what the Swedish Air Force’s future combat air ‘ecosystem’ will look like and how it will balance crewed and uncrewed assets — or if it will be an all-drone combat fleet.

But with the Gripen E only just entering service, it would seem to make sense that it’s paired in the future with stealthy drones. We have discussed in the past how ‘loyal wingman’ type drones are potentially even more relevant to so-called ‘generation 4.5’ fighters than fifth-generation ones.

Saab and the Swedish government, meanwhile, will hope that the induction of the Gripen E with the Swedish Air Force serves as a springboard for more export orders. After Brazil joined the program as a co-partner, it took a long time for more orders to come in, with the Gripen E/F losing out on more than one occasion to the F-35. More recently, however, the Gripen E has been ordered by Thailand — which already operates the Gripen C/D — and has been selected as Colombia’s next fighter jet.

Royal Thai Air Force Gripen and Saab 340 AEW / Erieye
A Royal Thai Air Force Gripen D and a Saab 340 Erieye radar plane. Saab Peter Liander

The Gripen has also repeatedly been linked with a possible transfer to Ukraine, a topic that was reportedly discussed between President Volodymyr Zelensky and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson earlier this month. Sweden’s long-term plan is to have 120 Gripens serving by 2030, with half being E variants. That would leave roughly 37 Gripen C/D models potentially available to Ukraine, but the number is likely somewhat lower due to airframe fatigue and other factors. 

The long-term future of Sweden as a developer and producer of crewed combat aircraft is by no means certain. But in the meantime, the start of Gripen F deliveries to the Swedish Air Force ensures that the service remains at the cutting edge as it starts to look forward to the next generation of combat aircraft.

Contact the author: [email protected]

Thomas is a defense writer and editor with over 20 years of experience covering military aerospace topics and conflicts. He’s written a number of books, edited many more, and has contributed to many of the world’s leading aviation publications. Before joining The War Zone in 2020, he was the editor of AirForces Monthly.




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Shakira supports a Bad Bunny Super Bowl halftime show

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Shakira is all in for the Bad Bunny Super Bowl halftime performance, despite ongoing public efforts to replace the Puerto Rican singer with another artist.

In an interview with Variety, the Colombian superstar voiced support for Bad Bunny, who is set to perform on Feb. 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.

“It’s about time!” she said.

In 2020, Bad Bunny joined Shakira and Jennifer Lopez on stage during their halftime performance, which marked the first all-Latine show in Super Bowl history — J Balvin was also featured.

“I remember when we did ours that even having part of our set in Spanish was a bold move… Acceptance of Spanish-language music as part of the mainstream has come so far from when I started,” said Shakira, who during the interview reflected on the recent anniversaries of her critically-acclaimed Spanish album “Pies Descalzos” (released in 1995) as well as “Oral Fixation (Vol 1 and 2)” (both released in 2005).

“I hope and like to think that all the times my music was met with resistance or puzzlement from the English-speaking world before it was embraced helped forge the path to where we are now,” Shakira added.

The news that Bad Bunny would headline the major American sporting event has been met with some pushback from conservative figures, including President Trump, who labeled the decision as “crazy” and “absolutely ridiculous” in an interview with Newsmax earlier this month.

One floating petition on Change.org, which has acquired over 54,000 signatures, called for Bad Bunny to be replaced by Texas singer George Strait as a way to “honor American culture.”

The late Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point USA also announced an alternative halftime show titled, “The All American Halftime Show,” though the conservative organization has not yet announced artists.

Claims that Bad Bunny is not an American artist are factually incorrect: Puerto Rico is an unincorporated U.S. territory and Puerto Ricans are therefore American citizens. Past Super Bowl halftime shows have also featured non-American acts, including the Rolling Stones, U2, Rihanna, Shania Twain and Coldplay, to name a few.

Despite the anti-Bad Bunny buzz, Shakira doubled down on her support of the singer.

“And I’m so proud that Bad Bunny, who represents not only Latin culture but also how important Spanish-language music has become on a global scale and how universal it has become, is getting to perform on the biggest stage in the world,” she said.

“It’s the perfect moment for a performance like this. I can’t wait to watch it.”

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Another day, another Southern Section athlete declared ineligible

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In a continuing crackdown by the Southern Section against against students and parents who are supplying inaccurate information on transfer paperwork, Orange Lutheran High announced Tuesday that it has declared a football player ineligible and will forfeit its first two games of the season. The school self-reported the violation after an investigation that lasted for weeks.

More than 40 students this fall have been given penalties of two years without being able to play for violating CIF rule 202, which involves providing false information. In September, the Southern Section disqualified 19 players from the Bishop Montgomery football program for a total of 24. The school canceled its varsity season.

Players at Long Beach Millikan, Long Beach Poly, Compton, Victor Valley and Bellflower have also been hit with two-year penalties.

The Orange Lutheran student will be ineligible only until next season because the transfer did not submit fraudulent paperwork.

The Southern Section has deployed new investigative techniques to checker transfer paperwork submitted by schools.

Orange Lutheran principal Jack Preus and football coach Rod Sherman informed players and parents on Tuesday. Preus said as a result of this experience, his school will institute a “more rigorous process” of reviewing bills and visiting homes of transfer students before sending in paperwork for a valid change of residence.

Schools have started to submit transfer paperwork for basketball players, with the season beginning on Nov. 17, and that will be a good indication whether athletic directors and parents have learned lessons from what has been happening to football players.

A big change is that the Southern Section has been declaring players ineligible after accepting a school’s decision declaring the athlete eligible with a valid change of residence. If additional information becomes available, whether the student was cleared for a valid change of residence, they can be switched to ineligible. Same with students cleared after sit-out period athletes.

“We’re going to be different and do it right,” Sherman said.

Southern Section commissioner Mike West said last month, “We’ve had a real influx of fraudulent paperwork. It’s been significant and very disheartening.”

Orange Lutheran drops to 2-6 overall but is still considered a likely Division 1 playoff participant with its strength of schedule. It forfeited wins to Miami Northwestern and Rancho Cucamonga.

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President Trump accepts Nixon foundation’s Architect of Peace Award

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Oct. 21 (UPI) — President Donald Trump accepted the Architect of Peace Award from the Richard Nixon Foundation during a closed ceremony at the White House on Tuesday morning.

Trump earned the award due to his central role in negotiating the current cease-fire deal between Hamas and Israel to end the unchecked war in Gaza that began when Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, CBS News reported.

Award presenters included former President Richard Nixon’s daughter, Tricia Nixon Cox, former national security adviser Robert O’Brien and acting U.S. archivist Jim Byron, CBS News reported.

Trump had argued he deserved to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for securing a cease-fire in Gaza and ending other wars.

Among wars that Trump has said he ended are those between Cambodia and Thailand, the Congo and Rwanda, Israel and Iran, India and Pakistan, Egypt and Ethiopia, and Armenia and Azerbaijan, and Serbia and Kosovo, the president told the U.N. General Assembly on Sept. 24.

The Nobel Peace Prize went to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who opposed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in that nation’s 2024 presidential election, which exit polling suggests Machado won despite Maduro’s victory claim.

The Architect of Peace award is not given annually but instead when foundation representatives decide one has been earned by those who “embody [Nixon’s] lifelong goal of shaping a more peaceful world,” according to the Architect of Peace Award website.

The award last year honored former President George W. Bush, Farah Pahlavi and Reza Pahlavi.

Bush received the award for establishing the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, which globally has saved millions of lives.

The Pahlavis received the award for championing a secular Iranian government, religious freedom and human rights, according to the Nixon Foundation.

Farah Pahlavi is Iran’s former queen, while Reza is her son.

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