Deadly clashes erupted overnight between the Taliban and Pakistani forces across the Afghanistan border, with each side claiming to have captured or destroyed outposts. The fighting follows an alleged Pakistani air strike on Kabul on Thursday, which the Taliban called a violation of their sovereignty.

A NON-LEAGUE club has demolished the wall that was struck by former Arsenal star Billy Vigar leading to his tragic death.

The Chichester City ace collided with the pitchside barrier during the Isthmian Premier Division game at Wingate and Finchley last month.

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Vigar, 21, was placed into an induced coma following the accident after he hit his head against the wall.

The game was suspended just 15 minutes in and was abandoned completely after he had been airlifted to hospital.

He had suffered a serious brain injury, and an operation was unable to save his life.

He sadly died just days later on September 25.

Following the tragedy, the FA insisted that it would carry out a safety review of perimeter walls in the National League.

But officials at Wingate and Finchley have already made steps to increase safety around the pitch at the Maurice Rebak Stadium.

The Daily Mail has reported that work has been commissioned to make improvements.

The ground did comply with current regulations, but the club has now demolished the wall completely.

It follows on from a petition calling on brick walls around pitches to be banned reached over 4,000 signatures.

On the immediate review, a FA spokesperson said: “[It woudl] include looking at ways we can assist National League system clubs to identify and implement additional measures at their stadiums that they determine will help to mitigate any potential safety risks.”

Meanwhile, the PFA called for an investigation and demanded that players should “not be put at unnecessary and avoidable risk”.

Vigar, from Worthing, West Sussex, spent his youth career with Arsenal after joining at age 14 and signed a professional contract in July 2022.

He worked his way up to the U21 team in North London, alongside loan spells with Derby County U21 and Eastbourne.

He left the club permanently in 2024 after being unable to progress to the senior team, joining Hastings United in the Non-League Premier before his move to Chichester.

Full statement from Arsenal

Everyone at Arsenal Football Club is deeply sorry to hear of the tragic passing of Chichester City forward and former Arsenal academy player, Billy Vigar.

Billy joined our academy on schoolboy terms aged 14, after being scouted at his hometown club Hove Rivervale FC and excelled as a striker at Hale End, scoring 17 goals in his debut season.

In 2020, his performances earned him a scholarship and joined us full-time for the 2020/21 season, his intake including current players Charles Sagoe Jr, Remy Mitchell and others such as Omari Hutchinson, Charlie Patino and Brook Norton-Cuffy.

Quick, powerful and fiercely determined, his first season as a scholar was blighted by a serious hamstring injury, but he made up for it in his second, scoring four goals in 18 under-18 appearances and signed professional terms for the club at the end of that 2021/22 season.

Billy went on to appear for us in the PL2 and EFL Trophy and proved to be an asset across the forward positions and even deputised in defence – his versatility illustrating his commitment to the coaching staff and his team.

He enjoyed loan spells at Derby County and Eastbourne Borough and at the end of the 2023/24 season,  headed back to his native south coast, signing for Hastings United – prior to a move to Chichester just last month.

As well as his significant talent, Billy will always be remembered for his love of the game, pride at representing our football club – he once called the day he was spotted by our scouts as ’the most Important of his life’ – and a character beloved by teammates and coaches alike.

Our deepest condolences go out to the Vigar family and his many friends at this extremely difficult time.

Healthcare stocks have struggled since interest rates began climbing in 2022. Rising yields pulled capital away from speculative biotech and drug development, pushing valuations lower even as research pipelines advanced. Many promising companies now trade at a fraction of their previous highs, while investors pour money into artificial intelligence (AI) names trading at record multiples.

That gap creates opportunity. Several healthcare innovators are approaching pivotal stages of development, yet their share prices still reflect caution rather than potential. These four healthcare stocks stand out as timely buys in a market that has overlooked their progress.

Image source: Getty Images.

Commercial momentum building

Crispr Therapeutics (CRSP -2.44%) and Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX -1.68%) developed Casgevy, the first gene-editing treatment approved for sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia, two inherited blood disorders.

Vertex reported $30 million in Casgevy sales in the second quarter of 2025, a sharp uptick from prior quarters, showing the drug is starting to gain traction in the marketplace. Crispr receives 40% of the program’s profits through its partnership with Vertex.

By mid-2025, 75 hospitals and clinics worldwide had been cleared to administer Casgevy, and approximately 115 patients had begun the treatment process. As more centers gain experience, patient numbers and sales are expected to grow through 2025 and 2026.

Outside of Casgevy, Crispr is working on several new treatments it fully owns, such as CTX112, a cell-based therapy in early testing for cancer and immune diseases. Results from CTX112 or other key pipeline candidates in late 2025 could provide a boost to the stock if the data show clear progress.

Late-stage catalysts approaching

Intellia Therapeutics (NTLA -3.81%) is advancing two CRISPR gene-editing programs toward key readouts. It recently completed enrollment in its Phase 3 study for hereditary angioedema, a rare disease that causes sudden swelling attacks, using a treatment called lonvoguran ziclomeran (NTLA-2002). Topline results are expected in the first half of 2026, with a regulatory filing planned later that year.

Intellia is also pushing forward with its program for ATTR amyloidosis, a disease in which abnormal proteins build up and damage the heart and nerves, using a treatment called nex-z (NTLA-2001). A pivotal trial is underway, and earlier testing showed that a single dose can reduce the TTR protein by approximately 91% in many patients, with data showing sustained reductions over time.

If both programs succeed, Intellia could become one of the first companies to win approval for a single-dose, in vivo CRISPR therapy (where gene editing happens directly inside the body) — a potential breakthrough that could lift investor expectations and reset how gene-editing companies are valued.

Platform plays with pharma validation

Recursion Pharmaceuticals (RXRX -10.24%) runs a drug discovery platform powered by AI and backed by big pharma partnerships such as Sanofi, Roche, and Bayer. In its latest results, the company pulled in $19.2 million in revenue — primarily from collaborations.

Several clinical trial updates are expected later in 2025. If those trials show its AI-discovered drugs perform well in patients, the market may begin valuing its individual programs more favorably — and that could unlock significant upside for the stock.

Viking Therapeutics (VKTX -4.00%) is advancing VK2735, a dual GLP-1/GIP agonist, through late-stage development for obesity. In its mid-stage study, the injectable version produced up to 14.7% average weight loss after 13 weeks and is now being tested in a large late-stage trial across obesity and type 2 diabetes populations.

The stock declined in August 2025 after results from the oral formulation showed higher dropout rates caused by gastrointestinal side effects from rapid dose escalation. The findings reflected how the drug was given, not an underlying problem with the compound.

With a slower titration schedule, tolerability could improve meaningfully. Both the injectable and oral versions remain key to Viking’s obesity strategy, positioning the company to compete in a market expected to exceed $100 billion in annual sales.

From Ben Bolch: The sheet of paper greeted every UCLA player as he stepped into his row and took his seat on the team plane.

On it, in large block letters, was printed six words and a challenge from their interim coach: “ARE YOU A ONE-HIT WONDER?”

A week after upsetting Penn State, the Bruins answered emphatically.

Hell, no!

These guys had another triumph in them. A big one.

In an encore that was every bit the success of its smash debut under a makeshift coaching staff, UCLA continued its stunning transformation from winless team to … Big Ten powerhouse? College Football Playoff contender? Sports comeback story of the year?

There seems no limit to what this team might be able to accomplish given the continued rise on display Saturday during a 38-13 victory over Michigan State at Spartan Stadium.

UCLA’s offense, led by playcaller Jerry Neuheisel, rolled off 38 consecutive points after the Bruins (2-4 overall, 2-1 Big Ten) spotted the Spartans (3-3, 0-3) an early touchdown.

Continue reading here

UCLA summary

Big Ten standings

From Ryan Kartje: The walk-on took his place next to USC’s quarterback, the last man standing in a battered backfield. In the midst of a bruising Big Ten battle with Michigan, where brawn and ball control were at a premium, both of the Trojans’ top two running backs had already been carted up the Coliseum tunnel. Two of their top linemen, meanwhile, started Saturday in street clothes. The circumstances were anything but ideal for a team whose season hung in the balance.

King Miller, though, was already familiar with beating long odds. Not long ago, the redshirt freshman was buried on the depth chart, a preferred walk-on from Calabasas High without any obvious path to playing time at USC. He’d chosen the Trojans over other opportunities, knowing he might not ever get his shot.

But that was before Saturday, before Miller saw a crease in the Michigan defense, before he took off on a breakaway, game-changing run that broke open the game and eventually lifted USC to a statement-making, 31-13 win over No. 15 Michigan.

“It was all honestly just a dream come true, man,” Miller said. “I’m just honestly so grateful.”

Certainly no one was more thankful than Lincoln Riley, who entered Saturday with a measly four victories in 15 tries over ranked teams during his tenure as the Trojans coach. Considering how poorly USC had played in its last outing — a ranked loss to Illinois in late September — this was perhaps the Trojans’ most resounding win among those few.

“Really just an awesome performance,” Riley said. “A gritty, tough performance. Just felt like they were not gonna come out here with anything less than a win.”

Continue reading here

USC summary

Big Ten standings

DODGERS

From Jack Harris: When Shohei Ohtani was asked about his woeful performance at the plate in the Dodgers’ National League Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies last week, he first gave credit to the opposition.

Then, after a series that saw the Phillies counter him with one left-handed pitcher after the next, he was also quick to point out that he wasn’t alone.

“It was pretty difficult for left-handed hitters,” Ohtani said in Japanese amid the Dodgers’ clubhouse celebration following their Game 4 victory. “This was also the case for Freddie [Freeman].”

The Phillies did indeed make life tough on the Dodgers’ best lefty bats.

Freeman was only three for 15 in the series, albeit with a key Game 2 double and a .294 on-base-percentage.

Max Muncy was four for nine in the series, but spent most of it waiting on the bench, not getting a start in any of the three contests the Phillies had a southpaw on the mound.

Continue reading here

Nine concerns the Dodgers should have about facing the Brewers in the NLCS

MLB POSTSEASON SCHEDULE, RESULTS

All times Pacific

NLCS
Dodgers vs. Milwaukee

Monday: at Milwaukee, 5 p.m., TBS, truTV, HBO Max, AM 570, KTMZ 1220, ESPN radio

Tuesday: at Milwaukee, 5 p.m., TBS, truTV, HBO Max, AM 570, KTMZ 1220, ESPN radio

Thursday: at Dodgers, TBD, TBS, truTV, HBO Max, AM 570, KTMZ 1220, ESPN radio

Friday: at Dodgers, TBD, TBS, truTV, HBO Max, AM 570, KTMZ 1220, ESPN radio

*-Saturday: at Dodgers, TBD, TBS, truTV, HBO Max, AM 570, KTMZ 1220, ESPN radio

*-Monday, Oct. 20: at Milwaukee, TBD, TBS, truTV, HBO Max, AM 570, KTMZ 1220, ESPN radio

*-Tuesday, Oct. 21: at Milwaukee, TBD, TBS, truTV, HBO Max, AM 570, KTMZ 1220, ESPN radio

ALCS
Seattle vs. Toronto
Sunday at Toronto, 5 p.m., Fox
Monday at Toronto, 2 p.m., Fox, FS1
Wednesday at Seattle, TBD, TBD
Thursday at Seattle, TBD, TBD
x-Friday at Seattle, TBD, TBD
x-Sunday, Oct. 19 at Toronto, TBD, TBD
x-Monday, Oct. 20 at Toronto, TBD, TBD

*-if necessary

RAMS/CHARGERS

From Sam Farmer: A few weeks ago, the Rams and Chargers got off to matching 2-0 starts for the first time since 2001, triumphant launches that even prompted some wistful and way-too-premature ponderings of an All-Los Angeles Super Bowl.

Now, like two bottle rockets veering wildly off course, the NFL franchises cross paths again and face similar predicaments.

Both are 3-2, coming off soul-stomping losses at SoFi Stadium, and are looking to right themselves with East Coast games against 1-4 teams in downward slides.

The Chargers play at the Miami Dolphins, who just lost to the Carolina Panthers and out-of-nowhere running back Rico Dowdle. He ran for 206 yards and was used so heavily that in the fourth quarter he had to leave the game temporarily because of cramping in both legs. He drank four jars of pickle juice before reentering, a hiatus that probably cost him the club’s single-game rushing record.

The Rams play at the Baltimore Ravens, coming off a 44-10 collapse to Houston. In a cruel twist, the Ravens are horrible on defense, typically Baltimore’s strong suit, and not just because they had to replace five injured defensive starters with rookies last week. They were bad before that. And quarterback Lamar Jackson is injured, too, so journeyman backup Cooper Rush is starting in his place.

Continue reading here

LAKERS

From Broderick Turner: At some point during the Lakers’ preseason, Luka Doncic will play in a game.

The question is when.

Even after being a full participant in practice Saturday, Lakers coach JJ Redick said that Doncic was “TBD” (to be determined) when asked if his star guard would play in Sunday’s exhibition game against the Golden State Warriors at Crypto.com Arena.

Redick said Austin Reaves will play and that Marcus Smart will see action in his first preseason game of the season.

Continue reading here

KINGS

Mark Scheifele broke a tie with 8:13 left with his second goal of the game, Connor Hellebuyck made 30 saves and the Winnipeg Jets beat the Kings 3-2 on Saturday.

Scheifele picked Josh Morrissey’s pass out of the air and deflected it past goalie Darcy Kuemper to give Winnipeg the lead. Alex Iafallo had a power-play goal for the Jets in the first period to help the Jets rebound from a season-opening home loss to Dallas on Thursday night.

Adrian Kempe and Mikey Anderson scored for the Kings, with Kuemper stopping 24 shots. The Kings played their third game, following an opening home loss to Colorado and a shootout victory at Vegas.

Kings summary

NHL standings

DUCKS

Leo Carlsson scored 46 seconds into overtime and the Ducks overcame a two-goal, third-period deficit for a 7-6 win over the San José Sharks on Saturday night.

Cutter Gauthier and Chris Kreider each scored two goals for the Ducks. Beckett Sennecke added his second goal of the season while Alex Killorn also scored. Mason McTavish had three assists.

The Ducks trailed 2-0 and 6-4 before rallying.

Continue reading here

Ducks summary

NHL standings

GALAXY

Gabriel Pec had a goal and an assist, Elijah Wynder also scored a goal and the Galaxy beat FC Dallas 2-1 on Saturday night.

Pec put away a shot from nearly the penalty spot to give the Galaxy (6-18-9) a 2-1 lead in the 87th minute.

Dallas (10-12-11) is eighth in the Western Conference with 41 points, three behind seventh-place Portland. Salt Lake and Colorado are tied with 40 points.

Continue reading here

Galaxy summary

MLS standings

THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY

1920 — In the final race of his career, 3-year-old Man O War defeats 1919 Triple Crown winner Sir Barton in a match race, the Kenilworth Park Gold Cup. Sent off at odds of 1-20, Man o War wins by seven lengths for his 14th consecutive victory.

1940 — Tennessee registers its 17th consecutive regular-season shutout with a 53-0 rout of Tennessee-Chattanooga. The record streak started on Nov. 5, 1938, also against Tennessee-Chattanooga.

1946 — The No. 2 Texas Longhorns beat No. 1 Oklahoma 28-7. It’s the eighth 1-2 matchup in AP poll history and the first time the second-ranked team wins the game.

1976 — Don Murdoch of the New York Rangers ties an NHL record for rookies with five goals in a 10-4 victory over the Minnesota North Stars.

1979 — Boston Celtics guard Chris Ford scores first 3-point basket in NBA history in 1st quarter of 114-106 win vs. Houston at Boston Garden; game also marks debut of Boston rookie Larry Bird.

1979 — Future Basketball Hall of Fame forward Magic Johnson makes his debut for the Lakers at the San Diego Clippers; Lakers win, 103-102.

1986 — Walter Payton becomes the first NFL player to accumulate 20,000 all-purpose yards in the Chicago Bears’ 20-7 victory over the Houston Oilers. Payton has 76 yards rushing and 30 yards receiving for a career total of 20,045.

1989 — Dallas running back Herschel Walker is traded from Cowboys to Minnesota Vikings for 5 players and 6 future draft picks including future stars Emmitt Smith, Russell Maryland, Kevin Smith and Darren Woodson.

1991 — Doug Flutie of the British Columbia Lions breaks Warren Moon’s CFL record for yards passing in a season with a 582-yard performance in a 45-38 overtime loss to Edmonton.

1997 — James Stewart of the Jacksonville Jaguars becomes the fourth player in NFL history and the first since 1963 to rush for five touchdowns. All the TDs are for less than 10 yards, and he finishes with 102 yards on 15 carries in Jacksonville’s 38-21 victory over Philadelphia.

2003 — FIFA Women’s World Cup Final, Home Depot Center, Carson, CA: Nia Künzer scores winner in sudden death extra time as Germany beats Sweden, 2-1.

2003 — Michael Schumacher wins a record sixth world title. He clinches the Formula One championship by two points after finishing eighth in the Japanese Grand Prix. Ferrari teammate Rubens Barrichello wins the season-ending race.

2007 — Philadelphia forward Jesse Boulerice is suspended 25 games by the NHL for striking Vancouver’s Ryan Kesler across the face with his stick, the longest single-season ban in league history.

2008 — Arizona becomes the first team in NFL history to block a punt to score the winning TD in overtime in their 30-24 win over Dallas.

2009 — Brent Seabrook scores 26 seconds into overtime and the Chicago Blackhawks matched the biggest comeback in NHL history, rallying from a five-goal deficit to beat the Calgary Flames 6-5. Chicago fell behind 5-0 in the first period before overtaking the Flames.

2016 — Auston Matthews takes 40 minutes to get into the NHL record book. In the highest-scoring debut in modern NHL history, Matthews scores four goals for the Toronto Maple Leafs in a 5-4 loss to Ottawa. Kyle Turris scores 37 seconds into overtime to give the Senators the season-opening victory. The 19-year-old Matthews, who was the 12th first overall pick to score in his NHL debut, gets his fourth goal with 3 seconds left in the second period.

2019 — Kenyan distance runner Eliud Kipchoge becomes the first to run the marathon in under two hours (1:59:40)

Compiled by the Associated Press

Until next time…

That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at [email protected]. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

Yousef Birzeit, an economics professor at Birzeit University, says the cost to rebuild Gaza will be far greater than the UN, European Union and World Bank estimate of about $50bn.

Soldiers from a Madagascar army unit have declared support for the youth-led anti-government protests, urging police to disobey ‘unlawful orders.’ President Andry Rajeolina says an ‘attempted illegal seizure of power’ is under way.

An immigrant drama by Rudi Goblen about two brothers born in Nicaragua, “littleboy/littleman,” now receiving its world premiere at the Geffen Playhouse, is an American story at its core.

Lest we forget our past, America is the great democratic experiment precisely because it’s a land of immigrants. Out of many, one — as our national motto, E pluribus unum, has it. How have we lost sight of this basic tenet of high school social studies?

Our tendency to ghettoize drama — along racial or immigrant lines — reflects the failure to understand our collective story.

Goblen, who (like a.k. payne, author of “Furlough’s Paradise”) was a playwriting student of Geffen Playhouse artistic director Tarell Alvin McCraney at Yale, has created not a conventionally worked out two-hander, but an intuitively structured performance piece. Infused by live music and inflected with hip-hop style poetry, “littleboy/littleman” crashes through the fourth wall to make direct contact with theatergoers, who are seated on three sides of the playing area and always just a high-five away.

Marlon Alexander Vargas, the dynamic, sweet-faced performer who plays Fito Palomino, the more creative and mercurial of the two brothers, is on stage interacting with the audience before the play begins. As the musicians — music director Dee Simone on drums and Tonya Sweets on bass — warm up the crowd from their platform at the back of the playing area, Vargas, ever-in-motion, greets theatergoers and counts down to the start of the show.

Rules are spelled out at the top that make clear that this isn’t one of those docile theatergoing experiences, in which the audience is expected to keep mum as the actors do all the work. Spectators are encouraged to make some noise — to show love when they want to show love and to show it even when they don’t.

These friendly instructions are impishly delivered by Vargas, whose performance outside the play has an effect on our experience of his character inside the play. The fate of Fito is the emotional crux of the drama, and what happens to him matters all the more to us because of our theatrical connection to Vargas, our de facto host and impromptu buddy.

Goblen sets up a drama of fraternal contrasts. Bastian Monteyero (Alex Hernandez), the older and more straitlaced of the two brothers, has a tough, no-nonsense demeanor that’s all about discipline and conformity. He’s a bit of a recluse, but he plays by the rules and demands the same from Fito.

A street performer, Fito dreams of opening a vegan restaurant that will offer his community access to affordable, healthful meals. This idea seems far-fetched to Bastian, and he tells Fito that if he wants to continue living with him, he’s going to have to get a real job.

Bastian hooks Fito up with a friend who’s employed at a cleaning service. But scrubbing public toilets isn’t Fito’s idea of an alternative course. Bastian wants his brother off the streets. There are dangers afoot in Sweetwater, Fla., far worse than unpleasant paid work.

A law officer in town, a sadist who demands complete subservience, has it in for Fito, who describes this menacing figure as “a gangster with a badge.” He also calls him “brown on the outside, white on the inside,” and bemoans to his brother the Latino infighting (“the worst thing they ever did was give us all flags”) that only divides people who have political reason to be in solidarity.

Bastian, who affects a white-sounding Midwestern voice when he hustles donations in his telemarketing job, can’t help taking the latter comment personally. He’s made no secret that he wants to change his name so his resume won’t be ignored when he applies for management jobs.

The two brothers have different fathers, and Fito doesn’t have the option of passing. In any case, he’s more embracing of his identity as a person of color than Bastian. What both of them have in common is that they survived both their harrowing childhoods in Nicaragua and their unrelentingly challenging journeys in America, having been raised by a single mother, whose death still haunts them.

Bastian and Fito love each other, but don’t always like each other. Hernandez’s Bastian is a formidable presence, angry, strict and domineering — the qualities he’s needed to navigate a bureaucratic system that has little concern for the feelings of immigrant outsiders. Vargas’ Fito, by contrast, has his head in the clouds and his heart on his sleeve. Goblen never loses sight of their affection even as their conflict grows louder and more bruising.

Bassist Tonya Sweets, from left, Marlon Alexander Vargas and drummer Dee Simone in “littleboy/littleman” at Geffen Playhouse.

(Jeff Lorch)

“littleboy/littleman” is tricky in its theatrical rhythms. It’s like a piece of music that keeps switching harmonic structures, not wanting to get stuck in the same groove. Goblen’s manner of writing is closer to free jazz or freestyle hip-hop than traditional drama.

Director Nancy Medina’s staging, circumnavigating a theatrical circle, lifts the audience out of its proscenium passivity into something almost immersive and definitely interactive. Tanya Orellana’s scenic design and Scott Bolman’s moody lighting create a performance space that is well suited to a work composed as a series of riffs. The influence of McCraney’s “The Brothers Size” is palpable not only in the thematic architecture of the play, but also in how the piece moves on stage.

The staccato nature of the writing is helped enormously by the entrancing acting of both Vargas, who breezes through different theatrical realms as though he had wings, and Hernandez, who locks realistically into character. It’s a credit to the play and to the performers that, by the end of “littleboy/littleman,” the differences between the two brothers seem less important than what they have in common.

Not all the dramatic elements are smoothly integrated, but the production ultimately finds a coherence, not so much in the music (composed by Goblen himself), but in the emotional truth of the brothers’ pressure-cooker lives. Vulnerability unites not only Bastian and Fito, but all of us witnessing their story who hope against hope that compassion will somehow win the day.

After years of stagnation, investors again have good reason to pay attention to Roblox (RBLX 0.28%) stock. Over the last year, the stock has surged by almost 200%.

Still, the gains seem to have stalled since mid-July as Roblox has traded in a range since that time. Hence, the question for investors is whether the entertainment stock‘s gains have temporarily paused, or could the stock stagnate or even fall under current conditions?

Where Roblox stands

Roblox has stood out with the uniqueness of its gaming platform. Instead of publishing games, it supports users who create and release their games to the public. The game designers can then earn revenue from their creations.

Moreover, Roblox has always maintained a massive following of gamers under 13 years old. Although the percentage of players in that age group has declined, they still account for 36% of its approximately 112 million daily active users (DAUs).

This also led to bookings growing at a rate of 51% per year. Nonetheless, in the earnings report for the second quarter of 2025, the forecast for Q3 bookings was 41%. Also, Corey Barrett of M Science estimated that the growth of those bookings had fallen to the low 30% range in September, which could sour investors on the stock.

What’s more, the state of Louisiana filed suit against the company in mid-August, alleging that it fails to protect children on its platform from predators. This issue is particularly concerning since the platform delivers about 6.1 billion chat messages daily.

Roblox has countered the charge, stating that it has added over 40 new features to protect children and give parents greater control. Furthermore, its artificial intelligence-powered system, Roblox Sentinel, can detect interactions that may indicate child endangerment.

The continued financial struggles

Although such efforts to protect children are encouraging on the surface, those challenges could still cast doubt on Roblox stock amid its financials and valuation.

Roblox’s $2.1 billion in revenue for the first half of the year grew by 25% compared to the same period in 2024. Unfortunately, that increase did not help reduce its operating loss, leading to a net loss attributable to shareholders for the first two quarters of 2025 of $493 million. The company lost $476 million in the same year-ago period.

For the full year, Roblox forecasts revenue between approximately $4.4 billion and $4.5 billion. This would amount to a 23% rise in revenue at the midpoint. Still, if M Science is right about the falling bookings growth, it could mean some pain for Roblox stock.

Moreover, despite the aforementioned stock gains, the stock is in correction territory, trading around 16% below its 52-week high. Although that drop is significant, it may not ease concerns about its valuation.

Due to its massive losses, Roblox does not have a P/E ratio. At a price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of 21, it is near its priciest level since the 2021 bull market ended. That is also a high enough sales multiple that investors may begin to question its valuation as revenue growth decelerates. Such conditions could bode poorly for the stock, at least in the near term.

Is now the right time to buy Roblox stock?

Considering the slowing revenue growth and high valuation, investors should probably refrain from adding shares of Roblox stock at this time.

Admittedly, Roblox’s challenges with the lawsuit and slowing growth are likely not enough to challenge the company’s long-term growth thesis. Measures to protect children should help address concerns about child safety. Also, investors should remember that slowing growth is still growth. Even if bookings drop to the low 30% levels, Roblox should still grow rapidly as a company.

Still, the near-term danger to the stock comes with the slowing growth. The 21 sales multiple probably makes the stock expensive, and when you also add concerns about the recent rise in the stock price, it increases the odds of a significant pullback as conditions deteriorate. Amid such conditions, investors should probably watch and wait before adding Roblox shares.

A TENNIS star fell off stage in agony after losing to his COUSIN in a historic final.

Arthur Rinderknech faced his relative Valentin Vacherot, the world No204, in a shock Shanghai Masters final line-up.

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Vacherot was an alternate for qualifying, getting in when others withdrew, then came through the entire field, beating Novak Djokovic in the semi-final.

And the emotional showdown was set when Frenchman Rinderknech won the second semi, leading to a lovely embrace on the court between the relatives.

Vacherot, 26, had only won one ATP Tour-level match before his extraordinary week, sealing the title with a comeback 4-6 6-3 6-3 victory in the final in front of Roger Federer.

That made him the lowest-ranked Masters 1000 champion in tennis history, 52 places lower than the previous record, and the first man from Monaco to win an ATP crown in the Open Era.

The cousins hugged at the net and Vacherot wrote on the TV camera lens: “Grandpa and Grandma would be proud.”

They both then paid tearful tributes to one another during the presentation speeches.

But as Vacherot – whose ranking will soar a whopping 164 places to 40th – spoke on the microphone, crouching Rinderknech, 30, took a tumble off the back of the stage.

He had been struggling physically during the match and there was a dramatic thud.

CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS

Commentators thought he may have cramped up – but laughing Vacherot saw the funny side of his cousin’s discomfort.

He joked: “I think we need some help please!”

Tennis stars following in parents’ footsteps

TALK about pressure…

These rising stars are all making their way in tennis.

But they have got something in common – they’ve got a famous parent who also made their name in the sport.

So who are the players hoping to follow in the footsteps of their tennis mums and dads?

And a physio quickly arrived on the scene with a seat and started massaging Rinderknech’s leg.

A stunned Vacherot – cheered on by his girlfriend Emily Snyder in the crowd – said: “I mean, just all like crying, it’s just unreal.

“What just happened? I have no idea what’s happening right now.

“I’m not in a dream, it’s just crazy.

“I’m just so happy with my performance these last two weeks i just want to thank everyone that has put a brick in my career since the beginning.

“Sharing this final was really tough, there has to be one, but I think there’s just two winners today, one family that won and I think for the sport of tennis, this story is just unreal.

“I wish there could be two winners but unfortunately there’s only one and, for myself, I’m happy it could be me.”

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World number 204 Valentin Vacherot upset his cousin Arthur Rinderknech to win his first ATP title at the Shanghai Masters.

Monaco’s Vacherot fought back from a set down to win 4-6 6-3 6-3 against the world number 54 to become the lowest-ranked ATP Masters 1000 champion since the series began in 1990.

The 26-year-old sealed the success with a searing forehand down the line and, after hugging Rinderknech at the net, sprinted off court and up to one of the boxes to celebrate with his coach and family.

Vacherot then continued the winner’s tradition of writing a message on one of the courtside cameras, writing “Grandpa and Grandma would be proud”.

Both players struggled to hold back tears during their post-match speeches on court.

“It is unreal what just happened – I have no idea what is happening right now. I am not even dreaming, it is just crazy,” said Vacherot.

“There has to be one loser but I think there are two winners today. One family that won and I think for the sport of tennis, the story is unreal.

Frenchman Rinderknech added: “Valentin, you gave everything I am so happy for you. Two cousins are stronger than one.”

The campaign aims to protect the children from the drug-resistant disease spreading across South Asia.

Bangladesh has begun a nationwide vaccination campaign to protect millions of children from typhoid, a life-threatening disease that is becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics.

The monthlong drive, launched on Sunday, aims to immunise about 50 million children aged between nine months and 15 years with a single dose of the typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV).

The vaccine, approved by the World Health Organization (WHO), offers protection for up to five years and is being distributed free under the government’s Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI).

The campaign follows mounting concerns over drug-resistant typhoid strains spreading across South Asia. Pakistan has been battling a strain since 2016 that is resistant to nearly all antibiotics except one.

Health workers in Bangladesh are administering the vaccine through schools, clinics, and door-to-door visits, prioritising urban slums and remote villages. The campaign will run until November 13, after which TCV will be included in the country’s regular immunisation schedule.

Typhoid, caused by Salmonella Typhi bacteria, spreads through contaminated food and water. It triggers fever, abdominal pain, and nausea, and can cause fatal complications if untreated.

Researchers in Bangladesh have recently identified ceftriaxone-resistant strains – a worrying development, as ceftriaxone remains one of the last effective treatments.

Experts warn that without preventive action, resistant strains could make typhoid far harder to manage. Supported by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the campaign aims to lower infection rates and limit the spread of resistance.

Inaugurating the drive, the government’s health adviser, Nurjahan Begum, said it was “shameful” that children still die from typhoid in Bangladesh. She expressed hope that the country would defeat the disease as it did diarrhoea and night blindness.

Officials highlighted the vaccine’s strong safety record in neighbouring countries such as Pakistan, Nepal, and in India’s Mumbai, where no major side effects were reported.

Norwegian riot police used pepper spray to disperse a pro-Palestinian protest outside a World Cup qualifier match between Norway and Israel, which the hosts won 5-0. Several activists were arrested.

The All Creatures Great and Small star has opened up on her latest role which is a far cry from her character in the family drama

All Creatures Great and Small returns for its sixth series, featuring the beloved Rachel Shenton as Helen Herriot.

The performer boasts an impressive portfolio and gained recognition for her Academy Award-winning short film, The Silent Child.

During her appearance on Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh, she discussed her upcoming ventures beyond All Creatures, acknowledging her newest character represents a dramatic shift from Helen Herriot.

Following a preview of her latest series, The Rumour, Alan remarked: “This is not a cosy drama, is it?”

“No, it’s a bit of a departure from All Creatures isn’t it”, Rachel acknowledged whilst explaining her passion for varied roles.

READ MORE: All Creatures Great and Small’s Rachel Shenton shares update on son as she confirms show returnREAD MORE: All Creatures Great and Small star admits ‘we’re not ready’ as they open up on show’s future

In her fresh production, she portrays Joanna, following a mum who relocates to a small community only to suspect a child murderer resides nearby.

The character couldn’t be more different from Helen Herriot in All Creatures, yet Rachel explained that range is precisely what drew her to performing.

She disclosed she’s currently crafting a theatrical piece – her newest professional venture, stating: “It’s hugely important to me, variety is what you get into this business for, to tell stories and to do them in whatever medium that is.

“I love all sorts of stories, I love feature films and short films.

“At the moment I’m writing a play and all of it is so important to me, that you just get to tell your version of the story in whatever way that is.”

The actress has made a comeback to the horror genre, featuring in The Strangers – Chapter 2, the fourth instalment of The Strangers film series.

She portrays Debbie, the elder sister of the main character Maya (Madelaine Petsch), who is a survivor of the Strangers.

The most recent film premiered in September 2025.

All Creatures Great and Small airs on Thursdays on Channel 5 at 9pm

Net worth is one of the most important financial numbers to know.

You should monitor your net worth because it changes over time, and it gives you a good idea of how close you are to being financially independent and shows whether you are making progress on your financial goals.

It can also be fun to see how your net worth stacks up to your peers. In particular, you may be curious about what net worth you would need to be among the top 10% of American households. The number is, unsurprisingly, pretty big.

Here’s the amount you would need, along with some details on calculating your net worth — and increasing it.

Image source: Getty Images.

How do you calculate your net worth?

Before diving into the net worth you need to be among the top 10%, it’s helpful to consider how to calculate net worth in the first place.

Net worth is essentially how much wealth you have to your name. To calculate your net worth:

• Start by adding up the value of all your assets. Money in your bank account and savings account counts. So does money in your money market account. If you have CDs, these count as well. Same with investment dollars in a brokerage account. If you own real estate, a car, jewelry, personal items, or anything else of value, it counts toward your net worth.
• Add up all your debt. You’ll also need to add up what you owe. Credit card debts, student loans, payday loans, a mortgage, and any other financial obligations you have will all become part of your debt calculation. You can check your credit report to confirm balances on all your debts if you aren’t sure of the amounts.
• Subtract the amount of your debt from the value of your assets. If your assets are worth $500,000, for example, but you have $350,000 in debt, then you subtract $350,000 from $500,000 to discover that your net worth is $150,000.

If your net worth is negative, that’s pretty common if you’re young. Many people don’t own much, and they borrow for school, so they graduate with a lot of debt.

As you get older, though, your net worth should be growing as you build up money in brokerage accounts and retirement plans.

Are you in the top 10% of American households?

Now that you know how net worth is calculated, you may want to see where you stand.

The best information on this comes from the Federal Reserve’s Survey of Consumer Finances, which comes out once every three years. Unfortunately, the most recent data is from 2022. Still, we can take a look at that information to get an idea of what the top 10% of earners have in terms of wealth.

Based on this data from the Federal Reserve, the top 10% of American households had a net worth of at least $1,936,900, although the threshold varies by age. For example:

• Among 18 to 29-year-olds, you’d need $281,550 or higher to be in the top 10%
• Between 30 to 39, you’d need $711,400
• Between 40 to 49, you’d need $1,313,700
• Between 50 to 59, you’d need $2,629,060
• Between 60 to 69, you’d need $3,007,400
• At age 70 and over, you’d need $2,862,000

While these are high numbers, the amount is most likely even higher today due to the stellar performance of the stock market and the increase in real estate values in recent years.

While the Federal Reserve should have new data soon, these numbers show that it takes millions to be among the wealthiest Americans in terms of net worth.

Still, regardless of how you compare to your peers, what’s important is that you work on growing your own net worth by paying down debt, investing in your 401(k), IRA, and other accounts, and making smart financial choices that make you more financially secure over time.

At its core, a civil suit is about money. Nobody pleads guilty. Nobody goes to prison. Somebody either pays somebody else or doesn’t.

That’s why roughly 95% of civil suits nationwide reach a settlement ahead of or during trial, legal experts say. Pretrial discovery is usually comprehensive and mediation can produce agreements. Trials are costly, and plaintiffs and defendants alike overwhelmingly prefer to eliminate the risk of an all-or-nothing jury verdict by agreeing on a compromise dollar figure.

That’s also why the case brought by the family of deceased Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs against the Angels has surprised some legal experts. A recent one-day settlement conference between lawyers went nowhere, and both sides are focused on a trial, which begins Monday in Orange County Superior Court with opening statements and witness testimony.

Skaggs was found dead in his hotel room in Southlake, Texas, on July 1, 2019, before the Angels were scheduled to start a series against the Texas Rangers. The Tarrant County medical examiner conducted an autopsy and found that in addition to the opioids, Skaggs had a blood-alcohol level of 0.12. The autopsy determined he died from asphyxia after aspirating his own vomit, and that his death was accidental.

Former Angels communications director Eric Kay was sentenced to 22 years in federal prison Tuesday after being convicted of providing the counterfeit oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl that led to the Skaggs’ overdose.

Prosecutors alleged Kay sold opioids to Skaggs and at least five other professional baseball players from 2017 to 2019. Several players testified during the trial about obtaining illicit oxycodone pills from Kay.

The Skaggs family filed their lawsuit in June 2021, alleging the Angels knew, or should have known, that Kay was supplying drugs to Skaggs and other players. Testimony established that Kay was also a longtime user of oxycodone and that the Angels knew it.

The Angels responded by saying that a former federal prosecutor the team hired to conduct an independent investigation into the circumstances that led to Skaggs’ death determined no team executives were aware or informed of any employee providing opioids to any player.

“The lawsuits are entirely without merit and the allegations are baseless and irresponsible,” the Angels said in a statement shortly after the lawsuit was filed. “The Angels organization strongly disagrees with the claims made by the Skaggs family and we will vigorously defend these lawsuits in court.”

The team has not budged from that position even after years of discovery that included more than 50 depositions, a pretrial ruling by the judge that Kay’s conviction cannot be questioned during the civil trial and Judge H. Shaina Colover denying the Angels’ motion for summary judgment by saying, “There is evidence that … Angels baseball had knowledge that Kay was distributing drugs to players and failed to take measures to get him to stop.”

The settlement conference held between lawyers for the Angels and the plaintiffs — which include Skaggs’ widow Carli, mother Debra Hetman and father Darrell Skaggs — merely underscored that the two sides see the case very differently, according to people close to the negotiations not authorized to speak publicly about the case.

Settlement conferences are confidential and the California Evidence Code protects statements and conduct during conferences from being used to prove liability. However, legal experts said it is clear the two sides remain far apart in assessing the value of the case.

“They definitely could have been talking settlement all along,” said Edson K. McClellan, an Irvine lawyer who specializes in high-stakes civil and employment litigation. “I would be surprised if they haven’t engaged in some settlement negotiations.”

Damages sought by the Skaggs family include his projected future earnings and compensation for the pain and anguish the family suffered.

Lawyers for the Skaggs family originally said they were seeking $210 million, although that number has risen during four years of pretrial litigation. A claim by Angels lawyer Todd Theodora in a hearing this summer that the plaintiffs were asking for $1 billion was shot down last week by a person in the Skaggs camp who said “we are not asking anywhere remotely close to that. My god, the whole world would turn upside down.”

Skaggs had unquestionable earning potential. The left-handed former first-round draft pick was only 27 and an established member of the Angels starting rotation when he died. He was making $3.7 million in 2019 and likely would have made at least $5 million in his final year of arbitration before becoming a free agent after the 2020 season.

Although Skaggs posted average statistics — his earned-run average was over 4.00 in each of his seven seasons and his career won-loss record was 28-38 — free-agent contracts for starters under 30 range from three to six years for $15,000 to $25,000 a year. And he could have merited another contract in his mid-30s.

Assuming he remained healthy — Skaggs missed the 2015 season because of Tommy John surgery and had other injuries during his career — experts said a reasonable prediction of future earnings could exceed $100 million. However, his established history of drug use could dampen the projections.

“Speculative projections, making the assumption that he played another 10 years, push an award into nine figures, but honestly, looking at the level of drug abuse, jurors could have doubts,” said Lauren Johnson-Norris, an Orange County-based defense lawyer.

Pain, suffering and mental anguish damages could add to an award either by jury verdict or settlement. Legal experts expect Skaggs’ lawyers — who include nationally renowned Rusty Hardin and Shawn Holley — to point out that losing a husband or a son that your life centered around is worth an award.

Opening statements this week should illustrate why the two sides aren’t close to a settlement.

Skaggs’ lawyers will say the Angels are responsible for his death because they knew Kay was a habitual drug user that procured opioids for players, pointing to evidence that Angels team physician Craig Milhouse prescribed Kay with hydrocodone 15 times from 2009 to 2012.

Also likely to be mentioned will be Angels star Mike Trout who, according to the deposition of former Angels clubhouse attendant Kris Constanti, offered to pay for Kay’s drug rehabilitation in 2018.

The Angels will counter by telling the jury that prosecutors in Kay’s criminal trial concluded he was not acting as an employee when he gave Skaggs the fentanyl-laced oxycodone. Kay was charged and convicted, not the team.

Skaggs and Kay, the Angels will contend, were two men engaging in criminal misconduct on their own time and they concealed it from the team. The Angels lawyers will tell the jury that taking opioids prescribed by a physician during recovery from surgery is vastly different than Skaggs chopping up and snorting counterfeit pills that were not prescribed for him.

Witness testimony will begin after the opening statements, and current and former Angels executives Tim Mead, Tom Taylor and John Carpino are expected to be the first called.

And as the lawyers make their best arguments and witnesses provide testimony in a trial expected to take more than two months, both sides will be silently evaluating whether pursuing a settlement is in their best interest.

An agreement could be reached at any time, abruptly ending court proceedings.

“Sometimes what triggers a settlement is a court ruling or a witness performing well or poorly,” McClellan said. “As the trial unfolds and evidence is actually coming in, risk is brought into focus and makes plaintiffs and defendants evaluate their case in a more clear light.”

Heavy fighting has broken out between Pakistani and Afghan forces at multiple locations on their border, and the rival sides claim to have captured and destroyed border posts in one of the worst border clashes in recent years.

The Taliban administration’s spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said at least 58 Pakistani soldiers were killed in “retaliatory” attacks on Saturday night, two days after blasts were reported in the capital, Kabul, and the southeastern province of Paktika.

The Pakistani military admitted 23 of its soldiers were ‘martyred’ while claiming to kill 200 Taliban and affiliated “terrorists”. Earlier, Pakistan’s interior minister called the Afghan attacks “unprovoked firing”.

The Taliban government has accused Pakistan of carrying out the recent bombings. Pakistan has neither confirmed nor denied the allegations.

Pakistan is said to have backed Taliban fighters during their rebellion against the United States-led occupation of Afghanistan and was one of only three countries that recognised the first Taliban government from 1996 to 2001.

But the rise of attacks inside Pakistan since the return of the Taliban to power in 2021 has strained their ties as Islamabad has accused the Taliban administration of providing safe haven to fighters from the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP), or Pakistan Taliban. Kabul has denied the allegations.

So what’s the latest on the fighting? What triggered the clashes? And is the situation expected to escalate further?

What’s the latest?

The Taliban attack on Pakistan border areas began about 10pm (17:00 GMT) on Saturday, and the exchange of fire took place at multiple locations.

Pakistani officials and state-run radio noted that those locations included Angoor Adda, Bajaur, Kurram, Dir and Chitral – all in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province – and Bahram Chah in Balochistan.

Mujahid said Afghan forces killed 58 Pakistani soldiers, captured 25 army posts and wounded 30 soldiers in their attacks.

“The situation on all official borders and de facto lines of Afghanistan is under complete control, and illegal activities have been largely prevented,” Mujahid said at a news conference in Kabul.

Afghanistan’s TOLOnews channel reported on Sunday that the Ministry of Defence is deploying tanks and heavy weapons in several areas of Kunar province on the 2,640km (1,640-mile) border, also referred to as the colonial-era Durand Line.

The Pakistani military on Sunday condemned what it called “the cowardly action” aimed at destabilising the border areas to facilitate terrorism”.

“Exercising the right of self-defence, the alert Armed Forces of Pakistan repelled the assault decisively,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing, said in a statement.

“Last night’s episode vindicates Pakistan’s long-standing position that the Taliban government is actively facilitating the terrorists,” ISPR said.

At least 29 soldiers were injured during the overnight skirmishes, it added.

The Pakistani military claimed that multiple Taliban locations were destroyed along the border and “21 hostile positions on the Afghan side of border were also briefly physically captured and multiple terrorist training camps, used to plan and facilitate attacks against Pakistan, were rendered inoperative”.

While the exchange of fire is mostly over, residents of Pakistan’s Kurram area reported intermittent gunfire.

What triggered the clashes?

On Thursday, Kabul was rocked by the sound of two explosions, and another took place in a civilian market in the border province of Paktika, the Taliban Defence Ministry said on Friday.

The Taliban government accused Pakistan of violating Afghanistan’s “sovereign territory”. Islamabad did not outright deny the blasts but asked the Taliban to curb the activities of the Pakistan Taliban.

A Pakistani security official told the Reuters news agency air strikes were carried out and their intended target in Kabul was the leader of the TTP, who was travelling in a vehicle.

Al Jazeera could not independently verify if the leader, Noor Wali Mehsud, had survived.

Pakistan and the Taliban, once allies over shared security interests, have grown increasingly hostile over Islamabad’s claim that the Taliban is giving refuge to the TTP, an armed group accused of carrying out years of attacks inside Pakistan.

At least 2,414 fatalities have been recorded in the first three quarters of this year, according to the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), an Islamabad-based think tank.

In its latest report issued last month, CRSS said that if the current trend continues, 2025 could be one of the deadliest years in Pakistan. Last year, at least 2,546 people were killed in attacks.

The armed attacks have risen following the ouster of former Prime Minister Imran Khan in April 2022. Khan’s government had involved the Taliban to get the TTP to agree to ceasefire deal. Though the ceasefire deal unraveled during Khan’s tenure, the frequency of attacks remained lower.

Ties have deteriorated as Islamabad has increased its use of air strikes inside Afghanistan to target hideouts it says are used by TTP fighters.

Relations have also soured over Pakistan’s decision to deport tens of thousands of Afghan refugees. At least 3 million Afghan refugees have taken shelter in Pakistan after fleeing decades of conflict.

What have both sides said?

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the Afghan attacks late on Saturday, adding that the country’s army “not only gave a befitting reply to Afghanistan’s provocations but also destroyed several of their posts, forcing them to retreat”.

Mohsin Naqvi, the interior minister, said the Afghan attacks were “unprovoked” and civilians were fired at. Strongly condemning the Taliban’s attacks, he said: “The firing by Afghan forces on civilian populations is a blatant violation of international laws.”

“Afghanistan is playing a game of fire and blood,” he said in a post on X.

Enayatullah Khowarazmi, spokesperson for Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defence, said its attacks on the Pakistan border posts were a retaliatory operation, adding that they concluded at midnight.

“If the opposing side again violates Afghanistan’s airspace, our armed forces are prepared to defend their airspace and will deliver a strong response,” Khowarazmi said.

What has been the international response to the clashes?

The escalating tensions have prompted regional concern as they come amid rapidly changing security dynamics and relations in South Asia.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called on his country’s two neighbours “to exercise restraint”.

“Our position is that both sides must exercise restraint,” Araghchi said during a live interview with state television, adding that “stability” between the countries “contributes to regional stability”.

Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also urged “both sides to prioritise dialogue and diplomacy, exercise restraint, and work to contain the disputes in a way that helps reduce tension, avoids escalation, and contributes to regional peace and stability”.

Expressing concern, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: “The kingdom calls for restraint, avoiding escalation, and embracing dialogue and wisdom to contribute to reducing tensions and maintaining security and stability in the region.”

“The kingdom affirms its support for all regional and international efforts aimed at promoting peace and stability and its continued commitment to ensuring security, which will achieve stability and prosperity for the brotherly Pakistani and Afghan peoples,” it added.

India, which is currently hosting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on his first visit there, has yet to comment on the border clashes. Islamabad has viewed New Delhi’s engagement with the Taliban with suspicion.

Could these clashes escalate?

Asif Durrani, a former Pakistani ambassador and special representative to Afghanistan, told Al Jazeera he believes “the chances of this clash [spilling over] to something bigger and more serious [are] minimal.”

“Afghanistan does not have any conventional military capacity when compared to Pakistan,” Durrani said, adding, “Guerrilla warfare is not the same as conventional warfare, which is a whole different beast and something where Pakistan is considerably ahead of Afghanistan.”

Underlining that “diplomacy should always be given a chance, regardless of how dire the situation is,” Durrani noted that the TTP remains the central issue in the countries’ fraught relations.

“The Afghan government refuses to acknowledge their [the TTP’s] existence on their soil, and as long as that irritant remains present, the situation will remain tense,” he added.

Abid Hussain reported from Islamabad

The three-quarter line offers so many options, despite the loss of Matty Ashton to a season-ending injury.

Out wide, Hull’s speedy Lewis Martin – a former Hull City youth footballer – was Super League’s top scorer, but is this too early for him?

Dom Young, who left Sydney Roosters for Newcastle mid-season, has been a rampaging force out wide for England, athletic and powerful.

Joe Burgess has three England caps but has not been in the reckoning of late, despite scoring regularly for Salford and now Hull KR. His team-mate Tom Davies is another who does great work out of back-field as well as out wide – but he only has one cap.

Liam Marshall scored on his England debut against Samoa last November, after several prolific seasons with Wigan, and will surely be considered.

Herbie Farnworth, arguably one of the best players in the world, has sewn up one of the centre spots, so who goes in alongside?

Jake Wardle has had another impressive season at Wigan, while Harry Newman – who Wane has shown faith in during recent series – was again a regular for Leeds.

Roosters’ Billy Smith and Gold Coast utility AJ Brimson, two Australia-born players, might come into consideration but will have to impose their desire and passion on Wane if they are to get the nod.

So who should make Wane’s Ashes squad? Share your thoughts below.

Snorkelling is an enjoyable underwater activity, but when you make a cool sighting, it’s even more exciting. One woman recently couldn’t believe her luck during a dive in the Maldives

A trip to the Maldives can be unforgettable but when you come across a rare sighting, it really can be the cherry on top of a fantastic holiday. There’s so much to do on the islands, from water sports to dolphin cruises and even luxury spa breaks.

Now one woman couldn’t believe her luck when a snorkelling trip turned into a truly memorable experience. Snorkelling is a great way to enjoy marine life and explore underwater world, while it’s suitable for most ages, you’ll need strong swimming skills for it.

The travel influencer, known as Tasha, was recently on a snorkelling trip in the Maldives when she came across a hammerhead shark. They can be quite rare to spot and are sometimes only seen on much further islands.

Tasha was just off Thulusdhoo when she made the sighting. On top of her video, she said: “Rich because I saw one of the most rare sightings in the Maldives with my own eyes.”

Her caption read: “Still not over that we saw a HAMMERHEAD SHARK on a snorkel trip off Thulusdhoo with @Say Yes! Adventures.

“These are super rare and only sometimes seen on much further islands!!!! And I didn’t even see them in the Galapagos!”

Since she posted the clip where she gasped at the sighting, her video scooped 169,100 likes and hundreds of comments.

One said: “I lived there for 2 years and snorkelled every day and never saw a hammerhead! This is insanely lucky.”

Another added: “Craziest moment ever, will never get over this.” A third chimed in: “I would cry for days on, that’s so beautiful.”

Someone else posted: “Omg at Thulusdhoo, that’s sooo lucky!” And a fifth wrote: “This would be the highlight of my year.”

Spotting a hammerhead shark can be quite exciting and these are not considered dangerous to humans.

While the large great hammerhead is a powerful exception and potentially dangerous, these encounters are rare.

Meanwhile, the few documented attacks are typically attributed to surprise or fear, and humans are not a natural prey for hammerheads, who have a diet which consists mainly of stingrays, crustaceans and bony fish.

Average flight prices to the Maldives from the UK vary greatly, but you can expect to pay around £500-£700 for a round-trip economy flight.

Also prices range from under £300 to over £1,800 depending on the season, airline and flexibility. The average flight time is around 10 hours and 18 minutes to 12 hours and 44 minutes, but this can be longer with layovers.

TOURISTS were left stunned as a man brazenly urinated on a Vatican altar during Holy Mass – in full view of hundreds of worshippers.

The shocking act of desecration unfolded inside St Peter’s Basilica on Friday morning.

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The unidentified man climbed the steps of the Altar of Confession – one of the most sacred spots in Catholicism, where the pope himself traditionally celebrates mass.

Once at then top, he dropped his trousers to his ankles and began urinating over the holy site, according to Corriere della Sera.

The disgusting scene took place during the 9am Holy Mass where stunned visitors looked on in disbelief.

Security officers raced towards the man as the crowd gasped.

Cops grabbed him and dragged him away from the altar as he finished his vile act.

But before they could escort him out, the man bent down so he could pull up his jeans – flashing his bare backside to the horrified onlookers.

The clip, filmed by shocked tourists, has since gone viral online.

“That is absolutely shocking and deeply disrespectful,” wrote one viewer.

“This is vile,” said another.

“There is definitely not enough security here,” a third person added.

It remains unclear whether Pope Leo XIV was present at the time.

The Vatican has not yet released an official statement.

But according to reports, the Pope was “shocked” when he heard what had happened.

The Altar of Confession sits directly beneath Michelangelo’s dome and is considered one of the holiest places in the catholic world.

It’s where the pope often celebrates major masses – and where, in April, Pope Francis was laid in response for public viewing before his funeral.

Because of its significance, the Altar has repeatedly been targeted by intruders in recent years.

In February, a man climbed onto the same altar and knocked six candelabras to the floor.

In February, a man climbed onto the same altar and knocked six candelabras to the floor.

In June 2023, a naked Polish man leapt onto the altar during Mass.

He didn’t speak or cause further damage, but he had the words “Save children of Ukraine” scrawled across his back.

Following that stunt, the Vatican held a penitential rite to cleanse the grounds – a ceremony required under canon law to restore sanctity after desecration.

Friday’s incident has sparked renewed questions about security inside one of the world’s most sacred and most visited churches.

St Peter’s Basilica attracts millions of visitors each year, with tourists often crowding the altar area to witness the grandeur of Vatican ceremonies.

Authorities have not said whether the man has been arrested or charged.

The Vatican’s Holy See Press Office is yet to comment publicly.

The shocking desecration comes amid a wider crackdown on tourists and foreign visitors in Italy.

Earlier this year, the Italian government tightened citizenship laws, making it far harder for Australians and other foreigners to get passports by descent.

In Venice, officials doubled the entry fee for day-trippers and expanded the days it applies.

Last year, two unruly tourists caused outrage after stripping off and swimming in front of a cemetery.

They were spotted by commuters leaving their clothes on the banks of the San Michele Cemetery before plunging into the water.

The Isola di San Michele is home to both a cemetery and a church, and is the burial site of several famous figures, including Russian-born composer Igor Stravinsky.

The repeated stunts and security breaches at major religious sites have raised concerns about how well such locations are being protected.

Friday’s stunt – carried out at the heart of the Vatican – is likely to intensify calls for a security overhaul.

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