WASHINGTON — Vice President JD Vance and other Trump administration officials said Tuesday they plan to remove 760,000 Affordable Care Act enrollees from public healthcare exchanges, alleging that the individuals were fraudulently enrolled in the program, or simply do not exist.

Vance said the discovery and canceled subsidy payments for hundreds of thousands of people from the exchanges would result in $2.2 billion in cost savings.

“We’re actually making sure that the people receiving Obamacare subsidies are actually entitled to receive them,” Vance, who leads a government-wide task force to eliminate fraud, said in a public address at the White House, Tuesday. He was flanked by Dr. Mehmet Oz, the administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and other administration officials.

The Trump administration also announced a six-month suspension on new brokers who sign up enrollees for healthcare coverage, who officials say commit a disproportionate amount of the fraud they uncovered.

Tuesday’s announcement is the latest in an administration-wide initiative to address fraud around the country, including in federal healthcare programs, which officials say is needed to rein in runaway spending and protect taxpayers.

The announcement comes as inflation and rising healthcare costs pressure the Trump administration to come up with a plan to bring down costs for Americans heading into the midterms.

The price of ACA insurance has skyrocketed for many Americans during Trump’s second term, after Republicans opposed extending COVID-era subsidies that had helped offset the costs of health insurance for most enrollees during Biden’s term.

Premiums doubled or tripled for many enrollees, prompting millions to downgrade their plans or exit the program entirely after the Republican-led Congress allowed the subsidies to expire this year.

Roughly 19.2 million Americans are actively enrolled in ACA marketplace health plans as of early 2026, according to the HHS website.

The White House referred The Associated Press to the Vice President’s team for additional comment on bigger plans to address healthcare affordability.

The Wall Street Journal first reported the news of the Trump administration’s plan to remove ACA enrollees from public exchanges.

Hussein writes for the Associated Press. AP writer Michelle Price contributed to this report.

New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart appears to have avoided a “devastating outcome” after leaving Monday night’s game against the Rams with a left knee injury, coach John Harbaugh told reporters following his team’s 28-6 loss at SoFi Stadium.

Harbaugh stopped short of confirming the multiple media reports that Dart suffered a sprained MCL when his leg bent in an unnatural manner after he was hit hard by Rams linebackers Byron Young and Josaiah Stewart early in the first quarter.

“That’s in the neighborhood of it, I would say,” Harbaugh said of those reports after the his team’s 28-6 loss. “We’ll get an MRI tomorrow and have a real good feel for it, and give you more information from there.”

SNY Giants reports that Dart could miss two to four weeks with the injury. Still, it could have been much worse. A torn ACL could have ended the season for the second-year quarterback who missed two games last year after sustaining a concussion.

“Never play to hurt anybody,” Young, a fourth-year player and 2025 Pro Bowl selection for the Rams, posted in an Instagram Story after the game. “I pray for a healthy recovery.”

Former NFL quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning seemed to fear the worst while watching the situation unfold live on their alternative broadcast of the game on ESPN2.

“Oh no. Oh no. No, no, no, no, no,” Peyton Manning said as he watched Dart writhe on the ground while holding his knee. “That is not what we want to see. Gosh!”

“Tough to watch,” Eli Manning said as a replay aired. “Hate to see that. Hope he’s OK.”

Dart was able walk off the field and into the locker room gingerly but under his own power. ESPN’s Jordan Raanan reported that the former USC and Mississippi quarterback actually wanted to return to the game but was not allowed to do so by his team.

Instead, Dart watched the second half from the sideline in street clothes, with video appearing to show him telling someone, “They wouldn’t let me come back out.”

Veteran quarterback Jameis Winston filled in for Dart and completed 11 of 27 passes for 111 yards with one interception.

Dart was one of several key Giants (1-1) players to suffer injuries during the loss. Top pass rusher Brian Burns sprained his left ankle and left tackle Andrew Thomas sustained an apparent lower-body injury, with neither player returning to the game.

Wide receiver Malik Nabers had to pop his right shoulder into place after dislocating it during the first quarter. He stayed in the game but indicated afterward he would undergo X-rays the next day.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Former The Great British Bake Off host Mel Giedroyc opened up about past moments of jealousy in a candid insight into her friendship with a co-star

The Great British Bake Off returns for its 17th series, with hosts Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding at the helm alongside judges Paul Hollywood and Nigella Lawson, who makes her debut on the show. Before the programme moved to Channel 4, presenters Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins fronted the series for six years.

The gig was one of many the pair took on together during their long-running friendship, which Mel has now revealed hasn’t always been smooth sailing. The broadcaster said their relationship has gone through “phases”, with periods when they’re inseparable and other times when they’ve been “off” with each other.

Speaking on the Dig It podcast with Jo Whiley and Zoe Ball, Mel explained that she and Sue are currently in one of their closer spells, chatting and seeing each other frequently. At the time of recording, the pair were also preparing to reunite at the Edinburgh International Book Festival.

“There’s a real friendship there, you’ve known each other for ages and you know you’ve got each other’s backs and I think that is such a lovely thing,” she shared. Though keen not to be “disingenuous”, Mel admitted there had been moments of jealousy.

“There’s been times over the last 39 years or whatever that I’ve known Sue, I’m sure that we’ve had moments of a little bit of jealously and, sort of, off with each other but, you know, at base you’ve got each other and it’s everything,” she shared.

“It really is everything and the older I get the more I realise that you have to cling to the real proper quality.”

Mel and Sue released a statement in 2016 when the show left the BBC, saying they were “very shocked and saddened” by the news. In the statement at the time, they praised the BBC for helping shape the programme’s tone and for growing its audience from two million to nearly 15 million.

They also confirmed they were “not going with the dough”, while wishing the future bakers well.

After their departure, the hosting role passed to Sandi Toksvig, who left in 2020, and Noel Fielding, who now presents the show alongside Alison Hammond.

The current judging panel consists of Paul Hollywood, who has been part of the programme since it began, and Nigella Lawson, who makes her debut after stepping into Prue Leith’s shoes.

The new series returns tonight, with 12 amateur bakers entering the tent in the hope of impressing the judges and being crowned this year’s champion.

Away from Bake Off, Mel and Sue have also returned to screens with their Saturday night gameshow Win Win with Postcode Lottery.

The Great British Bake Off airs tonight at 8pm on Channel 4

LAS VEGAS — Susan Gonzalez plans to pay off her credit card now that she no longer needs to pay taxes on the dollar bills that she stashes away at the end of long shifts pouring beers and mixing cocktails in a smoky sports bar.

Thanks to President Trump, “there’s more money in our pockets,” the registered Republican said. The Iran war might have spiked gas prices, but Gonzalez is still confident that the U.S. economy is getting stronger.

The Jackpot Bar & Grill, located about 4 miles from the Las Vegas Strip, is in the heart of Nevada’s 3rd Congressional District, where Democratic Rep. Susie Lee is trying to fend off a challenge from Republican candidate Marty O’Donnell. The state has the highest concentration of tipped workers in the country because its economy is driven by the hospitality and tourism industries, making Trump’s “no tax on tips” policy a critical part of his party’s midterm pitch here.

The question for Nevada voters is whether they’re seeing more benefit from lower taxes or more pain from the country’s economic troubles, such as energy costs and declining tourism.

Lee’s district is a top target for the Republican Party in its fight to maintain control of the House. With a mix of working-class and high-income neighborhoods, it’s the most competitive of Nevada’s four congressional seats. In 2024, both Lee and Trump won the district.

Lee has held the seat since 2019, campaigning as a moderate and highlighting her bipartisan record. O’Donnell, a composer known for his work on the “Halo” video game series, became his party’s nominee this year with help from Trump and a $3 million personal loan.

The race has caught the attention of Trump-aligned super PACs. Safety and Affordability, an offshoot of MAGA Inc., committed this month to spending almost $3.2 million on advertising to help O’Donnell, according to the ad-tracking firm AdImpact. The total effectively matches the $3.1 million O’Donnell’s campaign has already spent on advertising reservations through November.

The heavy commitment puts pro-O’Donnell forces ahead by more than $1 million in the ad spending race in the district, where Lee’s campaign has spent $2.9 million and the Democratic House leadership super PAC House Majority Fund has put in $2.3 million.

Nevada is the birthplace of ‘no tax on tips’

Trump first announced his policy proposal at a June 2024 campaign event in Nevada, and he has repeatedly said that he was inspired by a Las Vegas server who suggested the idea.

“So we’re eating, and this beautiful young lady walks over, and I said, ‘How are you doing, everything good?’” Trump said in August. “‘Sir, they’re taxing me to death.’ I said, ‘Really? What are they taxing?’ ‘They’re taxing my tips. Sir, they should have no tax on tips.’”

The proposal was included in a sweeping package of tax breaks, social-services cuts and immigration enforcement that Trump signed into law last year.

O’Donnell has centered his attack against Lee for her vote against that bill.

“When she had an opportunity to vote for things that would actually help the people of the district, she said no,” O’Donnell told The Associated Press.

Lee attributed her vote to what she says were harmful and unpopular policies in the package. She also noted that the “no tax on tips” part of the legislation expires at the end of 2028.

“More importantly, they came at the cost of cutting Medicaid and SNAP and healthcare,” Lee told the AP at a recent canvassing launch in Las Vegas.

She and other Nevada Democrats support a separate proposal that would make permanent “no tax on tips” while also fixing what they say are issues with the current policy.

Slump in tourism lessens ‘no tax on tips’ impact

Lee said the tax cut isn’t helping because tourism is falling off.

“When people are feeling the pinch at home all across this country, the first thing they cut is their trip to Vegas,” Lee said.

Nevada’s tourism fell 7.5% from 2024 to 2025, according to Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority CEO and President Steve Hill. Las Vegas hosted the Super Bowl and the second annual Formula 1 Grand Prix in 2024.

At a recent economic forum, Hill said high rollers are continuing to visit the city but lower-income visitors are not. The number of international visitors has also dropped significantly, especially Canadians who watched Trump feud with their country over trade and other issues.

O’Donnell said Las Vegas tourism is on the “comeback.” He said Trump’s tariffs served as a necessary way to negotiate with countries “that have been absolutely ripping us off.”

The composer blames the high cost of living on Democrats. He recently told a crowd at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas that one good job used to be enough to raise a family, buy a house and “live a comfortable, fulfilling life while getting ahead.”

“Somewhere along the way, that deal got broken,” he said. “Now many need two incomes just to tread water, and we’re still digging our way out of Biden’s inflation crisis.”

Nevada’s powerful labor unions are backing Lee

While O’Donnell has help from Republicans’ national war chest, Lee has the support of the political powerhouse that is the Culinary Workers Union, representing 60,000 hospitality workers in Nevada.

Secretary-Treasurer Ted Pappageorge said the current “no tax on tips” policy brings some relief but is “deeply flawed.” A married couple filing jointly can deduct only up to $25,000 of their tipped income, Pappageorge said. The policy also does not apply to automatic gratuities that are charged to large parties, he said. Lee and other Nevada Democrats want to fix that, he said.

“There’s a history of our Democrats here fighting for fair taxation,” Pappageorge said.

On a recent weekend in Lee’s district about 50 days before the election, members from the Culinary Union, the American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations knocked on voters’ doors, hoping to sway those still undecided.

Paul Peterman, president of the local chapter of the National Association of Letter Carriers, wearing a blue union T-shirt, a lanyard and shorts, walked to union households, carrying flyers supporting Lee and other Democrats. He asked a resident who he planned to vote for. “All Republican,” said the man, hidden behind his screen door. Peterman asked if he could leave a non-Republican flyer, and the man said, “No.”

“Sorry to bother you,” Peterman said as the door closed.

At the next door, the voter identified as an independent but said he’d vote for Lee. A voter at another house said who he plans to vote for was private. Nobody answered at the next few doors.

Peterman has been canvassing these neighborhoods for years, describing it as important union work.

“It sends a message that we’re all united, and you also need every hand on deck, too, to be successful in what you want to achieve,” Peterman said.

Hill and Beaumont write for the Associated Press.

Every footballer has a story, but not many are quite as trippy as the one Luis Binks tells while sitting among the palm trees of La Manga, Scotland’s training headquarters for a few days this week.

At 25, the Brondby centre-half and captain is pushing hard for a Scotland debut against Slovenia on Saturday, a spot in the heart of Sebastien Pocognoli’s defence having opened up since Grant Hanley and John Souttar were jettisoned once the Belgian took over from Steve Clarke.

Binks, with a grandparent from Dunbar, is among the eight uncapped players in the new manager’s squad.

That’s a lot of new faces and a lot of new stories.

Binks talks about the early weeks of his time at Montreal Impact in the MLS; February to March, 2020. He was 18 and recalls: “I’d been at Tottenham since I was very young, but I just wanted to go and play first-team football.

“That was my biggest thing, to not get caught up in the whole youth system. I feel that if you get caught in that, it’s not real football. I wanted to test myself.”

Which brought him to Montreal where his manager was the great Thierry Henry.

“I’d signed in February and then we went into Covid lockdown in March,” Binks explains. “I hadn’t yet found an apartment. I was in one hotel and Thierry was in another. The one I was in was then shut down.

“He was staying at the Ritz on his own. They wanted to move me to a hotel by the airport and I didn’t want to go because there was nothing there. It felt like prison, almost. One day I get a call from him, saying: ‘Do you want to move to where I am? You can go on the other floor’.”

The Ritz-Carlton is a five-star retreat with 129 rooms. Henry and Binks were the only residents.

“I’d go for runs in the morning and he’d be sat in the reception on his own. When I’d get back from the run, he’d still be sat there. I’d spend a few hours with him, just trying to pick his brains.

“I remember one night I was sat in my room just playing PlayStation and he rings me and goes, ‘do you want to get a pizza?’. There’s me and him driving around Montreal looking for a pizza. It’s a bit surreal, but that was how it was.

“I’m saying it now like it’s just anybody, but there’s a big aura around him. I was nervous at the time, but I asked him who’s the best defender he’s played with and against and why and it was a good time.

“It’s a bit of a blur now, but I always remember him talking about Sol Campbell and just saying what made him great and how I could improve as a defender.

“I owe a lot to him because he gave me my first chance in senior football.”

A “suspected terrorist plot” to target the Jewish community in Manchester is believed to have been foiled after two men were arrested in the city on Sunday, police have said.

The men, who are both in their 30s, were detained on suspicion of offences under Section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000 in Newton Street on Sunday, according to the Metropolitan Police.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans said police were aware the news would cause “further concern” to the Jewish community, “especially given the significant High Holy day period”.

The two suspects remain in police custody as investigations continue.

“This has been a long-running proactive investigation which has led to the disruption of what we believe to be a plot to target the Jewish community in the Manchester area,” said Evans.

“Counter Terrorism policing continue to focus our efforts on identifying and disrupting those who wish to cause harm in our communities.”

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

You can receive Breaking News on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on X, external to get the latest alerts.

NOEL Fielding is back in the Bake Off tent as Series 17 gets under way with 12 new amateur bakers.

The comedian returns alongside Alison Hammond, Paul Hollywood and new judge Nigella Lawson for the latest run of the Channel 4 favourite.

Early life

Noel Fielding was born on May 21, 1973, in Westminster, making him 53 years old.

His parents were just 18 when he was born, and after they split he lived with his father and stepmum, Dianne.

He was also close to his grandmother, who helped raise him.

Noel said in an interview in 2013: “My dad was so young, you know when I was 10 he was only 28, 29, so, that’s mind- blowing.

read more on noel fielding

SO SWEET

Bake Off host Noel Fielding makes rare public outing with presenter girlfriend

rising to the occasion

The new 2026 Bake Off presenting line-up with Nigella Lawson

“When I was 20 he was only in his late 30s, he was my age now, so I’ve sort of had some brilliant years out of my mum and dad, and also they were quite young and tolerant and easy going and up for doing stuff.”

Tragically his birth mum, Yvonne Fagan, 30, died when Noel was just 17 in 1990.

Becoming an artist

Noel originally had plans to be an artist, and had no intention of getting into TV and comedy.

He trained at Croydon Art College and had his first solo exhibition, Psychedelic Dreams Of The Jelly Fox, in December 2007.

The comedian has held a number of different exhibitions since then,
including showing his video installation The Jelly Fox at the Saatchi Gallery in 2012.

His artwork remains an active part of his career, with pieces appearing at the London Original Print Fair in May 2026 and Jealous Gallery’s summer exhibition later that year.

In 2006, he told Left Lion: “I wanted to be a painter and went to art school.

“I just got sidetracked into comedy. It was a mistake… I’m trying to get out but I’m trapped!

Despite his success in the art world, Noel is most famous for his comedy and TV work.

Finding fame

Noel shot to fame after teaming up with Julian Barratt to create, write and star in surreal comedy The Mighty Boosh.

Just like in his stand-up routines, Noel played a whole host of different characters in show.

The comedy troupe began in the late 90s, with Noel’s brother Michael also a member of the group.

Some of his humorous alter-egos were flamboyant zookeeper Vince Noir, a cockney hitch-hiker called The Hitcher, and hermaphroditic merman Old Gregg.

The series also featured a number of famous faces, including Matt Berry and Richard Ayoade.

It aired from 2004 to 2007 and scooped the Shockwaves NME Best TV Award three times.

Following the success of The Mighty Boosh, Noel took his series to radio.

Finding love

Also appearing in The Mighty Boosh was Lliana Bird.

She is a writer, actress, author and former radio presenter on Radio X.

Noel and Lliana have been dating since 2010.

She has starred in various theatre shows, and has appeared as a guest commentator on Sky News and BBC Breakfast.

Lliana is also an author, publishing her first children’s book, Baboo the Unusual Bee, in 2023.

She is also a co-founder of charities Choose Love and The Kindly Collective.

Fatherhood

In early March 2018, The Sun exclusively revealed Noel and Lliana were expecting their first child together.

They welcomed their newborn, Dali, in April 2018, who is named after Noel’s favourite artist, the surrealist painter Salvador Dali.

The pair welcomed a second daughter, Iggy, in August 2020.

Opening up about their home life in an episode of Giovanna Fletcher’s Happy Mum Happy Baby podcast, Lliana described Noel as a “magical” father.

She said: “He kind of makes the silliest little moments, he makes having breakfast a real moment.

“I think I’ve just really leaned into that and just going like, ‘This is amazing.

“We’re getting to have porridge and it’s funny, and it’s fun. And we’re wearing silly hats, and we’re dancing. And that’s okay’.”

TV work

As well as working with Richard Ayoade in The Mighty Boosh, the pair both starred in The IT Crowd.

The popular comic is also known for his work on TV panel shows.

He remains a team captain on Sky’s revived Never Mind The Buzzcocks, whose fifth series aired in 2025, and has also made appearances on QI and The Big Fat Quiz of Everything.

He was also the series four winner of Taskmaster.

In 2024, Noel played Dick Turpin in Apple TV+ comedy series The Completely Made-Up Adventures Of Dick Turpin.

Bake Off

Noel gained a whole new bunch of fans when he began co-hosting The Great British Bake Off in 2017.

He presented firstly alongside Sandi Toksvig, then Matt Lucas.

Since 2023, he has fronted the competition with Alison Hammond.

At the time, he welcomed Alison to the tent by posting on Instagram: “Congratulations and Welcome to the tent lovely!! We are gonna have an absolute blast together.

“I can’t wait. I’m buzzing. Two naughty kids together… The bakers will love you x.”

Noel and Alison both return for Series 17, which begins at 8pm on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, with 12 new amateur bakers entering the famous tent.

Paul Hollywood is once again on judging duties, but for the first time he is joined by Nigella Lawson.

Nigella replaced Dame Prue Leith, who stepped down in January after nine series on the programme.

Music lover

And as if that is not enough, Noel is also a huge lover of music.

It will come as no surprise to his fans that he has made appearances in a number of music videos.

He can be spotted in the videos for Kasabian’s Vlad The Impaler and You’re In Love With a Psycho, as well as Razorlight’s In The Morning.

In November 2025, Pink Floyd also commissioned Noel to create a series of paintings inspired by Syd Barrett for the official video accompanying a new stereo mix of Shine On You Crazy Diamond.

NEW YORK — President Trump threatened to escalate the war with Iran by “annihilating” the Islamic Republic if it fails to negotiate a deal over its nuclear program, delivering a defensive speech justifying the mission at the United Nations on Tuesday.

His remarks come more than six months into a war that has grown increasingly unpopular at home, with fewer than a third of Americans approving of the president’s handling of the conflict, according to recent polls.

“I have a big decision to make,” he told world leaders gathered at the U.N. General Assembly in New York, with Iranian diplomats in attendance.

“Will a deal be made with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a far greater country than it ever was before — maybe one of the greatest in the Middle East or even the world? Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic, and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy again?

“Do I drive them into hell,” he continued, “with no chance of survival and no hope of future greatness?”

The war has carried steep political costs for the president and his party ahead of the U.S. midterm elections in November, increasing inflation and energy prices due to disruptions in commercial shipping traffic through key waterways in the Middle East.

Defense officials say the conflict has also placed a huge burden on U.S. munitions stockpiles, as Iran continues firing ballistic missiles and drones at American assets and bases throughout the region.

But Trump denied that the war has depleted U.S. stocks. “That’s not true,” he said.

“I believe we’ll make a deal right after the election,” Trump said. “We must be equally united in maintaining pressure.”

The rise in global gas prices has sparked protests around the world. But Trump’s vow to ensure Tehran never acquires a nuclear weapon — an issue that for decades united the international community — generated applause throughout the chamber.

Launching Operation Epic Fury in February, Trump projected the campaign would last roughly six weeks, with the stated objective of disabling Iran’s ballistic missile program, its navy and its nuclear infrastructure. He also vowed a day would soon come when the Iranian people could rise up against their government and reclaim their country.

More than six months later, the Islamic Republic stands. Iran’s ballistic missiles continue to test U.S. air defenses across the Middle East, shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains depressed, and talks over the future of Iran’s nuclear program have collapsed.

Explaining his decision to start the war, Trump said that he decided not to let the problem of Iran’s nuclear work “fester,” and warned that its ballistic missile program was being designed as a shield to protect its nuclear program from foreign attack.

“Iran’s goal was to complete their mad dash to a nuclear bomb from behind this conventional nuclear shield,” Trump said. “They were the bully of the Middle East, but they’re the bully no more.”

The United States has repeatedly offered a deal with Iran that would open up economic cooperation between the two nations in exchange for an end to their nuclear work, he said.

“They absolutely refused,” he added. “That was a big mistake.”

Sept. 22, 2026 7:39 AM PT

Why has it been so hard for USC football to compete for a national title after setting the standard in college football during Pete Carroll’s tenure?

(Harrison Freeman / Los Angeles Times Studios )

Times USC beat reporter Ryan Kartje spent the past four years conducting more than 100 interviews, gaining new insight into the football program’s dramatic rise, fall and difficult push to return to national relevance.

Today, we begin sharing that story with you in “House of Troy,” a new narrative podcast from L.A. Times Studios available now on Spotify and Apple.

Check out Episode 1: “Win Now.”

In the late 1990s, USC football was in desperate need of a revival. The school turned to an unpopular choice: Pete Carroll, a former NFL coach. What happened next would transform USC into a college football powerhouse and Carroll into the face of a modern dynasty. In the first episode of “House of Troy,” Kartje takes us back to the beginning of the Carroll era and the drama that unfolded on and off the field.

Listen to “House of Troy” now on Spotify and Apple.

The Houthis are attempting to push into the Kahboub Mountains after seizing much of Yemen’s Red Sea coast in a lightning offensive this month – an advance that experts say could dramatically shift the balance of power in the country’s war if successful.

The renewed fighting in recent months with forces aligned with Yemen’s Saudi-backed, internationally recognised government has brought an end to the relative calm that had largely held since 2022. In recent days, the conflict has moved into the rugged highlands overlooking the approaches to Bab al-Mandeb, one of the world’s most important shipping routes.

The strait connects the Indian Ocean to the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, and its importance is only growing as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains disrupted by the Houthis’ main ally: Iran.

Experts said taking the high ground would help the Houthis defend the newly captured coastline and make it far harder for government forces to push them back. While the mountains may not necessarily be used as a launchpad for attacks on ships, controlling them would provide defensive depth and cover for Houthi positions closer to the coast, making missile and drone operations in the Red Sea easier to sustain and harder to disrupt.

The Houthis have said they do not intend to target United States shipping and attacks would be limited to vessels linked to Saudi Arabia. But the group has repeatedly attacked ships in the Red Sea in previous years, including vessels with no clear connection to its stated targets.

The Houthi advance has taken on added urgency after The New York Times reported that US President Donald Trump came close to ordering air attacks against the Houthis on Sunday, only to call them off at the last minute. Britain, meanwhile, said it will support Saudi Arabia with defensive refuelling.

Why is Kahboub strategically important?

Kahboub, a mountainous region spanning parts of the Lahj and Taiz governorates in southern Yemen, derives much of its strategic importance from its proximity to Bab al-Mandeb. Some of its heights lie about 40km (25 miles) from the waterway, providing commanding views across a stretch of the Red Sea, through which a significant share of global maritime trade and millions of barrels of oil pass each day.

While that vantage point has considerable military value, experts said the mountains are unlikely to serve directly as a launchpad for attacks in the Red Sea. Their more immediate importance for the Houthis lies in securing the territory the group has already captured.

“The mountains are the natural wall that protects the Houthis’ rear on the coast. Controlling them would cut the coast off from the government-held south and place direct pressure on Lahj and, in the longer term, Aden,” Faozi Al-Goidi, a visiting fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, told Al Jazeera.

Securing their rear would help the Houthis prevent government forces from attacking their coastal positions from behind or severing the routes connecting their newly captured territory. Until the high ground is secured, Houthi forces stationed along the Red Sea remain vulnerable to attacks from government-held areas to the south and east.

Capturing the elevated positions, therefore, would make Kahboub less important as a potential launchpad for maritime attacks than as a defensive shield for the Houthis’ military gains along the coast.

Ewa K Strzelecka, a visiting senior fellow at the London School of Economics, told Al Jazeera that controlling the coastline, Mayyun Island and the neighbouring highlands would give the Houthis “strategic resilience”.

“Holding the coastline, Mayyun and the adjacent highlands together would give the Houthis a much deeper and more defensible position around one of the world’s principal maritime chokepoints,” she said.

Those positions would allow the Houthis to move fighters, weapons and supplies along the coast with less risk of their routes being severed from behind.

“From the high ground, the Houthis could monitor movements along the coast, around Mayyun Island and towards the chokepoint while protecting missile, drone and potentially unmanned-boat infrastructure positioned farther inland,” Andreas Krieg, a senior lecturer at the School of Security Studies at King’s College London, told Al Jazeera.

The battle is already proving slower than the Houthis’ rapid advance across the coastal plains. Footage circulated on X by the Taiz Military Axis Command’s media centre appears to show intense fighting between forces aligned with the Yemeni government, local fighters and the Houthis on mountain fronts. The footage could not be independently verified by Al Jazeera.

“This is not an easy battle,” said Mohammed al-Basha, an analyst and a former spokesperson for Yemen’s embassy in Washington. “The fighting is taking place across some of Yemen’s most unforgiving terrain where control of a single hilltop or mountain peak can come at a heavy cost.”

Could the Houthis isolate Taiz by controlling Kahboub?

Control of Kahboub could also place greater pressure on Taiz, a symbolically and strategically important city, as the Taiz governorate forms a bridge between the Houthi-held north and the government-held south and the Red Sea coast. Whoever controls it gains the upper hand in the movement of weapons and supplies between the interior and the southern port city of Aden. Losing it, therefore, could deal a serious blow to the government.

Murad Al-Arefi, an editor at the Sana’a Center, told Al Jazeera that taking Kahboub would “increase pressure on the southern and western approaches to Taiz” although he cautioned that it should not yet be seen as evidence of a broader attempt to encircle the city.

The immediate threat to the Taiz-Aden connection is less direct because Kahboub does not itself sit across the route.  “What matters is whether the Houthis can subsequently push farther east through Al-Wazi’iyah and towards the Al-Turbah-Lahj axis, which would place much greater pressure on the southern approaches to Taiz and potentially weaken its connection with Aden,” Strzelecka said.

A further advance, therefore, could leave government forces defending several mountain fronts simultaneously while relying on fewer secure routes to move troops, weapons and supplies, leaving Taiz increasingly exposed. One of Yemen’s largest population centres, Taiz became an important centre of resistance to the Houthis after they seized Sanaa in 2014, and was besieged by the rebel group for years. A major Houthi breakthrough there, therefore, would carry symbolic significance far beyond the territory captured.

What could it mean for Red Sea shipping?

Officially, the Houthis have said their current restrictions in Bab al-Mandeb would apply only to Saudi-linked shipping.

But during its previous Red Sea campaign, the group struck or endangered ships with no clear connection to Israel – their purported target during Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza – raising questions about how narrowly any new restrictions would be applied. Seizing the Kahboub Mountains would further strengthen the Houthis’ position by helping them secure the coastline overlooking Bab al-Mandeb and making it harder for their opponents to push them back.

Simon Mabon, a professor of international relations at Lancaster University, told Al Jazeera that the offensive showed the Houthis using their momentum to capture more territory, weaken their opponents and “dominate Yemen further”.

“This is the Houthis trying to seize more ground and diminish the capacity of their enemies while increasing their strategic ability to close Bab al-Mandeb,” Mabon said.

Recent satellite imagery of a shipyard in northeastern China offers interesting new insights into the country’s next-generation submarine developments. The images notably show a pumpjet propulsor and other features worth examining on an example of what is generally described as a new class of nuclear-powered attack submarine, or SSN.

TWZ has obtained a new image taken on September 18 of the submarine in question, which is being built at the Bohai Shipyard in Huludao, from Vantor. Janes reported on this submarine earlier today, based on a separate Vantor image from September 1. The outlet also described the boat as a Type 095, a commonly used, but still unofficial designation. This is something we will come back to later on.

As mentioned, the pumpjet propulsor immediately stands out in both images. This is also understood to be a feature on the Type 093B nuclear-powered attack submarine, a significantly improved variation on that earlier design, which first emerged in the early 2020s. Compared to traditional exposed propellers and more basic shrouded types, pumpjets offer benefits for quieter operation and efficiencies, especially at higher submerged speeds.

The recent imagery also highlights the submarine’s X-shaped stern plane arrangement. This is not found on the Type 093B, which is considered to be something of a bridge between that class and the next-generation design. Broadly speaking, an X-shaped configuration offers advantages when it comes to enhanced maneuverability, efficiency, and safety, which can be particularly useful in littoral environments. It can also provide benefits when it comes to acoustic signature reductions across significant parts of the submarine’s operating envelope compared to the cruciform stern planes.

Another Chinese submarine design that emerged in 2024, currently referred to as the Type 041 or Zhou class, and that is understood to feature a hybrid nuclear/conventional propulsion system, also has an X-shaped stern configuration. The first known example of the Type 041 came to light after it appeared to have sunk in a shipyard.

An X-shaped stern arrangement also looks to be a feature on yet another new class of submarine that appeared at the JN (Jiangnan) Shipyard in Shanghai earlier this year. Initial reports also suggested that the design lacked a traditional sail. However, it has been confirmed that it has a sail, but that is very small proportionally to the overall size of the boat. Truncated sails can offer performance and other advantages, but there are trade-offs.

The image of the submarine that Janes obtained also notably shows an open rectangular-shaped section aft of the sail. The September 18 image that we received from Vantor shows a structure placed over that section of that submarine, obscuring ongoing work on that part of the boat. The Type 095 is widely expected to feature some type of vertical launch system (VLS) array able to accommodate a variety of anti-ship and land-attack cruise missiles, as well as potentially hypersonic types. The Type 095 is also sometimes referred to as a guided missile submarine, or SSGN, as a result. The open area seen in the September 1 shot could be where the VLS array is set to be fitted. It might also provide access to the reactor compartment or another area of the submarine.

Interestingly, the September 18 image also shows what look to be at least two relatively large circular openings, side-by-side, at the bow end of the submarine in front of the sail, the purpose of which is not immediately clear. There is a possibility these could also be for vertically launching munitions or other payloads. As a point of comparison, U.S. Virginia class nuclear attack submarines, starting with the Block III version, have two large-diameter Virginia Payload Tubes (VPT), one in front of the other, in the bow in front of their sails. At the same time, the openings on the submarine in Huludao also appear to be in a position that is very close to where the submarine’s main sonar array would be installed, and they could be tied to that aspect of the design, too.

“I think it’s too early to be sure about the VLS configuration from publicly available imagery. I realize people assume the large rectangular space halfway behind the sail is the VLS, but I am not sure this is the case and I’d caution to jump to conclusions. The space could also be related to work on the reactor compartment,” Alex Luck, a naval analyst who closely tracks submarine and Chinese navy developments, told TWZ. “With Type 093B, the VLS after launch was initially covered with a tarp, and then the installed launchers were readily visible quite quickly during the fitting-out process. The work process may change with these newer boats, but the different appearance during launch and fitting out needs to be considered in that regard.”

“I do expect Type 095 to have a VLS of some sort, but I am not sure as of yet what the configuration would look like, or where exactly it is located,” he added.

The bigger outstanding question may be exactly what type of submarine is currently being built now at the Bohai Shipyard. Based on a review of additional imagery from Planet Labs’ archive, the boat appears to be around 394 feet (120 meters) long. When the first example of what was assessed to be a Type 095 emerged in Huludao in February, it was estimated to have a length of roughly 361 feet (110 meters). The ‘small sail’ design that broke cover earlier this year in Shanghai is also estimated to be some 394 feet/120 meters long based on available imagery, but also looks to be narrower than the boat presumed to be a Type 095 in February.

“One significant question is the nature and difference between the boat launched by Bohai in February, and the two newer hulls launched in late May/early June both by Bohai and at Jiangnan in Shanghai,” Luck, the naval analyst, also told TWZ. “Specifically, we do not quite know whether they are for different operational roles, or rather a two step development for one final configuration of a new SSN. I think the latter is at least plausible.”

“A related question then is what boat we are looking at now with the new imagery, i.e. the February boat or the newer hull Bohai had launched,” he continued. “Without exact and reliable measurements that question for now is unresolved in the public discourse. For now we need more, and more detailed imagery, including of the different boats together, to clarify these aspects.”

“This [September 1] image reinforces my impression that the boat launched in February may have been a one off not including the full spec featured on the notional 095A launched by Bohai and Jiangnan in late May. We’ve already seen both versions side by side in Bohai,” Luck also wrote on X after Janes‘ published its report.

Regardless, the emergence in recent years of so many new, more modern submarines, and across what appear to be several distinct classes, is significant. It is no secret that China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) is working to significantly expand the size and capabilities of its submarine force with a clear eye toward extending operations further and further out in the Pacific, at least. In the past, U.S. officials have publicly said the overall quality of newer Chinese submarines has been getting closer in parity to American designs.

“The PLA Navy is executing a significant strategic shift from diesel-electric to all-nuclear construction, representing a fundamental departure from historical construction patterns,” U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Mike Brookes, head of the Office of Naval Intelligence, wrote in prepared remarks ahead of a hearing before members of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission in March.

In particular, the Type 095, as well as the new Type 096 nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, “represent next-generation platforms expected to enter service during the late 2020s through 2030s,” Brookes also wrote at that time. “These submarines will incorporate substantial advancements in nuclear reactor design, sensor performance, weapons integration, and noise quieting technologies.”

Submarine modernization efforts are just one aspect of a larger effort by the PLAN to expand its capabilities above and below the waves. Chinese shipyards have also been producing ever-more capable aircraft carriers, amphibious assault ships, destroyers, frigates, and more in recent years, as well. The pace of China’s construction of new surface ships and submarines has also been growing, creating a particularly significant and still-widening disparity in this regard with the U.S. Navy. This is something that has become increasingly concerning, as TWZ routinely highlights.

Work in Huludao, as well as shipyards elsewhere in China, is certainly already revealing interesting new insights into China’s next-generation submarine efforts.

Contact the author: joe@twz.com

Mel Giedroyc hosted The Great British Bake Off for seven years between from 2010 to 2016, but one contestant shared what she’s really like once the cameras stop filming

Mel Giedroyc showed her true personality to contestants when cameras weren’t rolling during filing of The Great British Bake Off. Mel Giedroyc hosted The Great British Bake Off for seven years between from 2010 to 2016 and left the show when it moved from the BBC to Channel 4, famously stating they were “not going with the dough”.

Over her time on the show she met dozens of contestants and hundreds of filming and production crews – with one show member lifting the lid on what she was like once the cameras stop rolling. Former contestant Howard Middleton, a graphic designer from Sheffield who left on week six of series four the show.

He shared one moment where he believes Mel showed her true colours once the cameras were not rolling in the tent.

Speaking to Smooth Spins Casino, former GBBO contestant Howard Middleton said: “They [Mel and Sue Perkins] were so funny. They were lovely. I remember there was one occasion where Mel came up and asked whether I wanted a cup of tea.

“And there were no cameras or anything like that. She actually asked one of the runners to get one for me; she didn’t make it herself, but it was just that consideration and warmth, which was very genuine.”

Nigella Lawson replaces Prue Leith for 2026 Great British Bake Off

Earlier this year, Prue Leith 86-year-old announced it was the ‘right time’ to leave The Great British Bake Off after nine years on the show. However, in her place, viewers will welcome Nigella Lawson to the tent as the 66-year-old will be judging this year’s contestants alongside Paul.

Sharing his thoughts on the newcomer, Paul told Radio Times how each person he’s worked alongside has varied from one another.

He remarked that Mary Berry was different from Prue and Prue was different to Nigella before adding ‘Nigella is different to Mary’. Admitting how each of them brought their ‘own character’ to the programme, he highlighted that Nigella is a ‘very warm’ person, especially to the contestants taking part in the competition.

However, Paul commented that he’s the ‘constant’ as he remains the ‘constructively critical’ judge. Although people are welcoming a new face to the tent, presenters Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding are returning as hosts once again.

Channel 4 viewers were treated to a glimpse of Nigella in the iconic tent during a brief teaser clip revealing the show’s return date. She walked towards the camera in a purple jumpsuit before playfully pretending to tuck into the lens as though it was a sweet treat.

When it was announced that Nigella was joining the Channel 4 show, she had nothing but excitement. Nigella commented: “I’m uncharacteristically rather lost for words right now!

“Of course, it’s daunting to be following in the footsteps of Prue Leith and Mary Berry before her, great dames both, but I’m also bubbling with excitement.

“The Great British Bake Off is more than a television programme, it’s a National Treasure – and it’s a huge honour to be entrusted with it.

“I’m just thrilled to be joining the team and all the new bakers to come. I wish the marvellous Prue all the best, and am giddily grateful for the opportunity!”

THE summer is almost over here in the UK, and if you are already craving some autumn sun don’t fret, as there are plenty of options out there.

Here are 10 destinations with high temperatures even in October – and some spots are less than three hours away from the UK.

Marrakesh, Morocco

A top choice for autumn sunshine is Marrakesh in Morocco which in October has highs of 28C – and it’s three and a half hours from the UK.

Marrakesh is nicknamed the ‘Red City’ because it’s been built from red clay and sandstone so in the sunlight it appears to glow an orange-red colour.

While it doesn’t have beaches, there’s plenty to explore from its Bahia Palace to shop-filled souks.

Or head to Jemaa el-Fnaa square for vibrant cafes and colourful market stalls.

BE-LEAF IT

Perfect autumn attractions from £1.95 per kid from pumpkin patches to waterparks

SPLASH OUT

UK indoor waterparks MAPPED with 30C temps, white-knuckle rides & £2.50 tickets

With Wowcher you can buy a 4* holiday to Marrakesh including a hotel stay and return flights from £59pp from October 5-9.

Seville, Spain

Under three hours away from the UK, Seville is Spain’s fourth-largest city with lots to offer from its tasty tapas and fabulous flamenco.

Not to mention in early October temperatures tend to sit around 26C on sunny days.

Top spots to see include Plaza de Espana – and pop by El Rinconcillo, the city’s oldest tapas bar where a huge glass of wine barely costs £3.

With loveholidays, book a stay at the Ilunion Alcora Sevilla which has sweeping views of the city, and a luxury swimming pool.

A four-night stay between October 19-23 starts from £279pp with return flights to London Gatwick.

Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt

Dubbed to be super popular next year (so get ahead of the game), Sharm El Sheikh is in Egypt.

The resort city on the Red sea has world-class reefs, incredible beaches and average highs of 31C in October.

For Brits, it has lots to offer alongside its sunshine like all-inclusive hotels and waterparks.

With Wowcher, there’s an offer for a seven-night 4* all inclusive Sharm El Sheikh getaway with return flights – the hotel has a spa, sauna, gym, tennis courts and watersports.

Book a stay at the Sharm Club Beach Resort from £299pp

Antalya, Turkey

If you’re seeking autumn sunshine, why not look in what has been called ‘paradise on earth‘?

Antalya sits on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey with beautiful beaches, mountain scenery and October highs of 26C.

To make it even better, the average flight time from the UK is around four and a half hours.

There’s a current offer with Wowcher for a 4* Antalya getaway in a sea view hotel stay with breakfast and return flights included.

Book a stay from 5-8 October from £159pp.

Limassol, Cyprus

Five hours away from the UK is the city of Limassol in Cyprus which has daytime highs of 27C next month.

Some favourite sunbathing spots include Kourion Beach and Pissouri Beach which has been described as a “beautiful rustic pebble beach with pristine water.”

The largest waterpark in the country, Fasouri Watermania Waterpark, is open for weekends during October.

With loveholidays, you can book into the Troodos Hotel which is minutes from Mount Olympus and is surrounded by natural beauty.

A seven-night holiday between October 5-12 starts from £369pp.

Reggio Calabria, Italy

In just three hours, you could be basking in the Italian sunshine in Reggio Calabria with city with sun, beaches, mountains, waterparks and lots of history.

Not to mention there are highs of 26C in October and Brits can fly directly to Reggio Calabria from London Stansted and return fares start from under £30.

As southern Italy is the perfect place for vineyards, there are even vineyard tours and wine tastings for £20.

You can book a getaway with loveholidays to La Bussola a hotel with huge swimming pools and plenty of space to sunbathe.

A seven-night break between October 4-11 starts from £270pp.

Tenerife, Canary Islands

The Canary Islands are a safe option for autumn sunshine, and in October, the island of Tenerife has highs of 26C.

The island also has hundreds of beaches, coastal towns with bustling promenades and head up to Mount Teide National Park on the cable car.

Siam Park, an enormous Thai-themed waterpark is open throughout next month too.

It has high-speed slides, family zones, beaches and plenty of swimming pools.

With Wowcher, book an all-inclusive break to Tenerife from October 5-8 including return flights from £169pp.

Fuerteventura, Canary Islands

Tenerife’s trusty neighbour, Fuerteventura has the same high temperatures – and can actually be cheaper.

On the second largest Canary Island, you can explore a number of beaches like Playa de Matorral, Corralejo and Playa Bajo de la Burra.

It’s easy to take a boat excursion out into the waters and go snorkelling to spot colourful fish and sometimes even stingrays.

Also make sure to check out Acua Water Park and hike on Corralejo Natural Park.

With Wowcher, book an all-inclusive break to Fuerteventura including return flights from £179pp.

Sousse, Tunisia

It’s no secret that Tunisia is a top spot when it comes to staying sunny during autumn.

In October, daytime highs can reach 28C – perfect sunbathing weather.

Sousse in particular is known for its sandy beaches and modern marina with boutique shops and boat trips.

Tunisia is relatively cheap too with a pint of beer costing less than £2.

With loveholidays, book a seven-night break between October 9-16 to Riadh Palms which has an enormous swimming complex – prices start from £415pp.

Dubai, UAE

In the UAE, Dubai offers all the delights of an autumn getaway from its many luxury hotels to its thrilling waterparks and exotic beach clubs.

You can do all this next month while enjoying highs of 35C – and Emirates offers direct flights to Dubai which get there in seven hours.

Don’t forget to hit the shops or head to the Grand Souk for tasty treats like stuffed breads.

Or try a Iranian falooda — a sorbet-like dessert made of thin rice noodles and syrup.

With Wowcher, book a break to Dubai (a four or seven night stay) including breakfast and return flights from £449pp.

In terms of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, the FCDO no longer advises against travel to the UAE, but warns that “the situation in the Middle East remains unpredictable”.

*Prices correct at the time of publication.

A day after unveiling Pontes, its system for settling tokenised assets in central bank money, the ECB has set out how it wants Europe’s crypto rulebook rewritten.

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

The response, published on Tuesday by the European System of Central Banks, which groups the ECB with the EU’s national central banks, argues for tougher rules on stablecoins, staking and crypto firms.

It feeds into the European Commission’s review of the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation, known as MiCA, the EU’s rulebook for cryptocurrencies and the firms that trade them.

MiCA has applied since December 2024, and the last transitional deadline for existing operators expired on 1 July, including Binance, the world’s largest exchange, to stop serving European customers.

The Commission’s consultation will close on 30 September, a month later than planned.

The central banks’ recommendations are not binding, and the Commission will weigh them alongside other responses before deciding whether to reopen the law.

EU diplomats have told Euronews they expect a revision in 2027, which would need the approval of the European Parliament and member states.

No interest and no loopholes

Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies designed to hold a steady value, usually by tracking the US dollar.

MiCA already bars both issuers and crypto exchanges from paying interest on them, and the central banks want it kept that way.

“The payment of stablecoin remuneration should continue to be prohibited,” the ECB response says.

Their targets are the workarounds. Some exchanges, the response notes, offer crypto lending, borrowing and staking, “thereby replicating the economic effect of interest payments through ancillary or unregulated services.”

The central banks want the ban extended to those activities and to indirect rewards, such as certain loyalty-programme benefits, calling it “a clear legislative priority”.

Washington has gone the other way.

The 2025 GENIUS Act banned US stablecoin issuers from paying interest but left exchanges free to offer rewards, and whether to close that gap became one of the most contested fights over the CLARITY Act, the landmark crypto bill that fell ten votes short in the US Senate on 15 September.

A brake on US dollar stablecoins

The central banks want stronger tools against tokens pegged to foreign currencies.

It would be useful, they say, if authorities could impose “a prohibition to issue new tokens, as well as an obligation to redeem existing tokens” on issuers where central banks judge that the tokens pose a threat, including to financial stability.

More broadly, they see limited benefit in stablecoins for everyday payments at home, given instant bank transfers and the planned digital euro. They warn that MiCA provides no legal basis for issuing the same stablecoin both inside and outside the EU.

In a bank run, European reserves could end up paying holders elsewhere, while “EU authorities cannot determine with certainty how many tokens are held within the Union.”

Eurozone central banks also do not currently let stablecoin issuers hold customer funds with them.

A token fully backed by central bank money, the response warns, “would effectively result in a ‘synthetic’ central bank digital currency” that is essentially a private imitation of the digital euro and could, in theory, drain deposits from commercial banks, especially under stress.

Staking and decentralised finance

On staking, where users lock up crypto in exchange for rewards, the response is blunt: “Staking, lending and borrowing of crypto-assets should be regulated at Union level.”

Where a firm takes customers’ crypto and promises to return it, potentially with a premium, the central banks argue that the arrangement can be “comparable to the taking of repayable funds”, in the language of banking.

The same applies to decentralised finance, or DeFi, where lending and trading run on automated software rather than through a company.

MiCA exempts fully decentralised services but never defines the term, and the central banks cite studies showing that full decentralisation is rarely, if ever, achieved, leaving it unclear who is in control.

Who licenses crypto exchanges?

The central banks also back a Commission proposal to move licensing and supervision of crypto firms from national regulators to ESMA, the EU’s markets watchdog.

Currently, one national licence covers the whole bloc, which was the route Binance originally pursued in Greece.

The Wall Street Journal reported last week, citing people familiar with the discussions, that ECB President Christine Lagarde urged Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis not to approve Binance’s application because of the exchange’s past compliance problems and fears that its scale could deepen the use of US dollar stablecoins in Europe.

A senior Greek regulator, according to the newspaper, told the exchange that Lagarde wanted the decision delayed until ESMA took over, the same shift the central banks endorse in Tuesday’s response. Binance withdrew the application on 24 June.

Neither the ECB nor the Greek regulator has confirmed the account. The ECB, which has no formal role in licensing crypto firms, declined to comment, while Binance said it would “not comment on speculation”.

Sept. 22, 2026 7:23 AM PT

WASHINGTON — Republican Sen. John Curtis of Utah is calling on the Senate Judiciary Committee to investigate whether Donald Trump Jr. used his proximity to the presidency for financial benefit, after his recent wedding party was partially bankrolled by a Russian oligarch.

In a letter sent Tuesday, Curtis called on the committee to subpoena Trump Jr. over his business dealings, relationships with foreign individuals and entities, gifts or other benefits he has received and any instances in which his relationship to President Trump, a Republican, “was invoked or understood to provide value.” Curtis called for the same scrutiny of Hunter Biden, the son of former President Joe Biden, a Democrat.

“The country should not have to accept one standard for the family of a Republican president and another for the family of a Democratic president,” Curtis wrote in the letter addressed to GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, chairman of the committee, and Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the top Democrat on the committee.

The letter comes as a few Republicans have shown a growing willingness to criticize Trump after largely avoiding public breaks with the president during much of his second term. The unpopular war in Iran, high gas prices and mounting concerns about the GOP’s prospects in November’s midterm elections have brought increased scrutiny of the president from within his own party.

The Trumps say it was a generous gift from a dear friend

ProPublica first reported last week that Umar Kremlev, who has close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, helped pay to rent a private island and for a fireworks show when Trump Jr. and socialite Bettina Anderson were married in the Bahamas in May.

In a subsequent post on her Instagram page signed by the couple, Bettina Trump wrote that Kremlev, head of the International Boxing Association, was a “dear friend” who “very generously hosted two incredible nights of celebrations for us AFTER our wedding.”

The president, who did not attend his son’s wedding, defended Kremlev’s involvement but said the money would be paid back.

Curtis calls the funding ‘corruption’

Curtis, first elected to the Senate in 2024, vowed upon taking office not to shy away from disagreeing with Trump. He has publicly broken with the president several times since, including rejecting Trump’s calls to eliminate the Senate filibuster. In a July Wall Street Journal op-ed, Curtis wrote that “under no circumstance” would he support efforts to end or alter the filibuster, which requires 60 votes to advance most legislation in the 100-member chamber.

Curtis’ criticism involving Trump’s son goes beyond those policy disagreements. Curtis last Friday called the gift “corruption” and vowed to say more in the coming days.

“A Russian oligarch paid for a lavish wedding after-party for Donald Trump Jr., which to me just stinks. It’s corruption. I don’t like it,” Curtis said in a video posted on social media.

On Tuesday, Curtis wrote on social media that Republicans “nearly wore out the subpoena machine investigating Hunter Biden’s foreign relationships” and that they “should not unplug it now.”

Any congressional committee can launch an investigation at any time. In 2017, Grassley led a Senate Judiciary Committee investigation of the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia, including a meeting that Trump Jr. held with Russians in 2016. The panel has also conducted multiple investigations of Hunter Biden.

Clare Slattery, a spokesperson for the Senate Judiciary Committee, confirmed that the committee had received Curtis’ letter but indicated that a hearing before the end of the year would be difficult, citing the limited Senate schedule and the amount of time it takes to prepare for an investigative hearing. She did not say whether the committee will investigate.

Republicans investigated the Bidens

Grassley worked alongside House Republicans in 2023 and 2024 to investigate whether Hunter Biden used his father’s name and political position to benefit his business dealings with foreign interests. The Biden family dismissed the investigations as politically motivated and denied any wrongdoing.

The GOP effort culminated in a report accusing Joe Biden of participating in a conspiracy to use his public office to enrich his family. But the House never voted on articles of impeachment against him.

“‘Trust us’ was not enough then, and it is not enough now,” Curtis wrote.

Democrats have foreshadowed plans to investigate Trump and his family if they win control of Congress in November, with particular scrutiny on the family’s financial interests. Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, said in a statement that the revelations surrounding Trump Jr.’s wedding “may be the most serious allegation against you to date.”

Cappelletti and Jalonick write for the Associated Press.

Sonay Kartal and Katie Boulter lost their respective singles matches as Great Britain were beaten by a strong Czech Republic side in the Billie Jean King Cup quarter-finals.

Anne Keothavong’s team headed into the tie as underdogs, with all five Czech players placed higher in the singles rankings than any of the British squad.

Sonay Kartal produced a gritty performance as she returned to tennis after six months out with a lower back injury, but fell to a narrow 7-6 (7-2) 4-6 6-4 defeat in a marathon three-hour encounter with Marie Bouzkova.

Boulter could do little to get Britain back into the best-of-three tie as she was outplayed 6-2 7-6 (7-3) by Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova.

It was a second successive loss for Boulter at the hands of a Czech player, coming just three weeks after a 58-minute demolition by Karolina Muchova at the US Open.

It is the first time since 2023 that Britain have failed to reach the semi-finals at the Billie Jean King Cup and their wait for a maiden title will go on for another year.

The Czech Republic, who are 11-time winners of the tournament and the only team boasting two top-10 players at the Finals, will face either Kazakhstan or Spain in Friday’s semi-finals.

TWO major tech outage have caused hundreds of flight cancellations and delays across the UK this month – yet Brits will struggle to get any compensation, according to experts.

Earlier this month a major Air Traffic Control failure in the UK resulted in thousands of flights cancelled across the globe.

And another failure yesterday caused more than 200 flight cancellations and widespread delays.

With the two incidents less than two weeks apart, many travellers have been left out of pocket.

Travellers are now wondering if they can claim compensation back for their delayed or cancelled flight.

Unfortunately, it’s bad news – the NATS issue was classed as an “extraordinary circumstance” which means travellers are not entitled to cash compensation.

Read more on travel inspo

GO ON

All the little-known websites for cheap or FREE tickets to gigs, theatre & festivals

CHEAP BREAKS

UK’s best 100 cheap stays – our pick of the top hotels, holiday parks and pubs

The Civil Aviation Authority said that passengers are “unlikely to be entitled to compensation”.

The maximum compensation you can get is for long-haul flights which are delayed four hours or more, which would be £520.

This is only for when the problems are caused by the airline, directly, however.

Lisa Minot, Head of Travel previously said: “Airlines are only required to give you compensation if the delay or cancellation is the airline’s fault, as in a technical failure on a plane or issues with crew.

“In this situation, where ATC is the reason for the chaos, there is unfortunately no compensation due.”

But one thing you should note is that airlines have a duty of care.

This means that when you flight is delayed, they must provide you with food, drink and accommodation.

Sometimes the airline might provide you with a voucher, but if this isn’t provided you can keep your receipts to claim back any expenses.

Often airlines will automatically book you accommodation, but you may also be asked to book accommodation yourself through its website or a dedicated app.

Travellers are advised to always check with airport staff though before booking any hotel yourself.

And make sure to keep your receipts for your hotel as well, to claim back your costs.

Don’t book anything lavish though – airlines will usually only cover a hotel at a reasonable price.

Airlines will usually have a dedicated expenses claims page for you to fill out on its website.

The CAA also recommends asking for an itemised receipt to show what you purchased and how much was spent on each thing.

Lisa added: “Check your insurance policy to see if you have any redress if you have incurred additional costs like missing a concert or unable to pick up car hire. You may be able to claim for that.

“Generally for delays, if an airline looks after you or provides you with food and drink or hotels, you cannot claim for the same costs against your travel insurance.”