Wildfires are ravaging many parts of western and southern Europe, with France and Spain among the hardest hit.

The World Health Organization has warned that climate change is contributing to the frequency and intensity of the fires. This is clear in the record temperatures and successive heatwaves seen across the continent since May. France and Spain have deployed thousands of firefighters, and neighbouring countries have sent assistance. Authorities say the situation is unprecedented.

So, what will it take to extinguish the flames?

Presenter: Per Nyberg

Guests:

Eduardo Rojas – chairman of the board at the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification

Soraya Fettih – global campaigns coordinator at 350.org, an international environmental organisation focused on addressing the climate crisis

Laurie Laybourn – executive director of Strategic Climate Risks Initiative, a non-partisan think tank

Lockheed Martin has unveiled the PAC-3 Adapted Capability Effector (ACE), a lower-cost interceptor for the Patriot surface-to-air missile system. By leveraging the existing PAC-3 fire-control architecture and Integrated Battle Command System (IBCS), the company says the new interceptor will cost less than half as much as the in-production PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) while providing a high-volume option for defeating aircraft, cruise missiles, and shorter-range ballistic missile threats. Based on the ballpark figure provided by Lockheed Martin, a single PAC-3 ACE missile would cost around $2.5 million, compared to roughly $5 million for the PAC-3 MSE. The announcement comes as Patriot missile stocks are under immense pressure globally and after the U.S. Army made its hunt for lower cost interceptors official.

“American and allied warfighters need a solution that is battle-tested and budget-smart, and PAC-3 ACE delivers exactly that by building on the unrivaled performance of the PAC-3 MSE,” said Tim Cahill, president, Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. “As we look to partner with our allies, we can further enhance resiliency and ensure our forces can swiftly counter emerging threats today and tomorrow.”

Lockheed Martin said the PAC-3 ACE is designed to provide allied forces with a “rapidly fielded complement to existing Patriot interceptors.” The company plans to work with U.S. and European industrial partners on development and production, with the goal of expanding manufacturing capacity and strengthening the resilience of the transatlantic defense industrial base. The idea of the new missile as a complementary effector is especially noteworthy, indicating that the PAC-3 MSE would be reserved for the most challenging or high-risk threats, while the PAC-3 ACE can be used for everything else.

Other than the price point, it’s unclear to what degree the PAC-3 ACE missile differs from the PAC-3 MSE. A rendering released by Lockheed Martin — seen at the top of this story — appears to show a shorter, more compact interceptor. Coupled with the substantially lower cost, the new missile will offer a more degraded capability set than the MSE. This could include shorter range, lower ceiling, and a reduced ability to engage the most advanced threats Patriot batteries face. Notably missing in the rendering is the PAC-3 MSE Attitude Control Section — the ring of tiny rocket motors that wraps around its forward section — that gives it enhanced agility. Sacrificing exactly this kind of feature could lower costs in exchange for capability. In addition, the new missile may not feature the PAC-3 MSE’s “Lethality Enhancer” warhead, for instance, and could just provide a strictly hit-to-kill capability or some other warhead solution to save on cost. Using a less advanced seeker is also highly probable. We have reached out to the company for additional details.

It is notable, however, that the ability to engage short-range ballistic missiles, at least to a degree, is inherited from the PAC-3 MSE.

PAC-3 Missile: How The System Works

Patriot’s ability to engage short-range ballistic missiles in their terminal phase has never been more important, particularly in light of the ongoing conflict with Iran, the war in Ukraine, and the continuing spread of those weapons worldwide. A lower-cost interceptor that can perform that mission for at least some threat profiles would help make missile defense more sustainable in future conflicts.

Overall, the concept behind the PAC-3 ACE suggests that Lockheed Martin is looking to offer a missile that’s closer to the PAC-3 Cost Reduction Initiative (CRI), which is no longer in production.

We do know that the PAC-3 ACE will leverage existing Patriot weapon system hardware, including the PAC-3 fire-control system and the IBCS. These measures should ensure that the process of developing, testing, and deploying the new missile can be accelerated considerably. Essentially, PAC-3 ACE will provide existing PAC-3 operators with a new common interceptor that can slot straight into the air defense system.

Northrop Grumman Integrated Air Missile Defense Battle Command System (IBCS) Flight Test

Northrop Grumman’s IBCS was designed from the start with a modular, open-systems approach to make it easier to integrate new systems and functionality as time goes on. You can read more about IBCS in detail in this past TWZ feature.

Having access to a significantly cheaper alternative to the PAC-3 MSE effector, while maintaining many of its capabilities in terms of the kinds of threats it can target, is a big deal.

A cheaper effector means the cost-per-kill against man target types can be significantly lower. It also helps increase magazine depth, with operators able to buy larger stocks of missiles, addressing a problem that has been encountered in war zones, in particular Ukraine, where Patriot effectors have been expended at such a rate that the supplies have gotten close to being totally exhausted. Recent operations have reinforced the importance of maintaining sufficient inventories of interceptors and other high-demand munitions to meet both operational and strategic requirements — for example, a future high-intensity conflict against China. Under a contract with the Pentagon inked in January, Lockheed is already committed to boosting annual production of the PAC-3 MSE to 2,000, an increase from roughly 600.

When it comes to the cost of the PAC-3 MSE, each interceptor comes with a price tag of approximately $5.3 million, according to the Army’s latest proposed budget for the 2027 Fiscal Year. In the past, a single missile cost around $4 million.

Just as critical as cost is speed and scalability of production. PAC-3 ACE has been adapted with this in mind, and drawing upon production facilities outside the United States will also help. Having plentiful supplies of Patriot missiles will only become more critical once they are introduced by the U.S. Navy as well as the Army. The Navy is now working to integrate PAC-3 MSE into the Mk 41 Vertical Launch System (VLS), adding a valuable new anti-air interceptor to its sea-based arsenal, but also further increasing demand that the PAC-3 ACE could help meet.

Back in May, TWZ reported on how the U.S. Army’s Low Cost Interceptor (LCI) initiative was looking for proposals for a new effector for the Patriot with a unit cost under $1 million. This amounts to about a fifth of the price of a single PAC-3 MSE missile.

As we described at the time:

As a supplement to existing interceptors, a lower-cost alternative would improve Patriot’s cost-per-intercept ratio, especially against lower-tier threats like drones and cruise missiles. The design could also be easier to produce at scale, helping address increasingly worrisome strains on stockpiles and supply chains. These are issues TWZ has been calling attention to for years now, and that have been magnified by Patriot’s heavy use during the latest conflict with Iran.

Like the PAC-3 ACE, the U.S. Army said it was looking for a missile that can be integrated into existing M903 trailer-based launchers and leverage the service’s IBCS network. The M903 is already capable of accommodating newer PAC-3 series interceptors, including the MSE variant, as well as older PAC-2 types that remain in use.

As we noted at the time, the goal of acquiring an anti-air interceptor capable of engaging everything from lower-tier air-breathing threats to SRBMs, at no more than $1 million per missile, is ambitious.

The LCI initiative is also consistent with broader Pentagon efforts to expand access to lower-cost munitions through open-architecture designs and by leveraging new, non-traditional industry partners. LCI calls for Army ownership of the intellectual property, reducing vendor lock-in and enabling future competitions for complete rounds and key subcomponents.

The Army has already stated that the LCI missile and missile subsystem competition is intended to result in multiple awards that can lead to multiple different yet affordable missile interceptor solutions. PAC-3 ACE could be part of that equation for the U.S. Army if the higher price point is deemed acceptable, but clearly the concept will have considerable value for any of the more than a dozen Patriot operators, especially those facing the reality of limited magazine depth in conflict situations. Having a lower-cost effector available could also open the PAC-3 up to additional markets, too.

Even if PAC-3 ACE falls short of the Army’s ambitious sub-$1 million interceptor target, it underscores a reality that has become impossible to ignore. The era of relying exclusively on premium, very high-cost interceptors is giving way to a more layered approach, where lower-cost missiles can absorb a significant share of engagements against cruise missiles, drones, and other less demanding targets. If Lockheed Martin can deliver on its roughly half-price Patriot missile offering while still providing highly relevant capabilities, PAC-3 ACE could become an important addition to the growing effort to make high-end air defense more sustainable in prolonged conflicts.

Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com

KATIE Price was left feeling stunned as she reunited with a club bouncer that she kissed on a night out 30 years ago.

Katie, 48, shared a clip reminiscing about her Wednesday nights at London’s China White back in the day.

Speaking with the hosts of The Rated Show, Katie explained: “I loved it there.”

One of them replied “Ask her how and why the day she came down is so memorable.”

“What did I f***ing do now? What didn’t I do?” laughed Katie.

“I’m the doorman that you kissed at China White’s,” he said.

CLEMMIE MOODIE

Katie, time’s up FINALLY for Lee… my dossier is here for YOU to read in full

PRINCESS DIARIES

Princess Andre lifts lid on her love life & mum Katie’s truce with Peter

A shocked Katie exclaimed: “No!”

His friend added: “He’s been living off that for 30 years. You know he hasn’t washed his face for 30 years.”

“That shows how old I am,” joked Katie.

She then explained how she couldn’t wait to appear on their show.

Katie looked happy and relaxed in the video clip but it comes days after she shared a snap on her Instagram without her wedding ring.

Katie tied the knot with conman Lee in January, just 10 days after meeting him.

Ever since, stories of Lee’s lies, scams and imprisonments have filled the pages of newspapers and magazines.

However, The Sun’s explosive dossier of evidence against Lee – including a “gay affair rumour” – has, according to a source, left Katie with no choice but to consult a divorce lawyer.

Clemmie also confirmed in her in-depth article that Katie is refusing to return to Dubai – where Lee lives and is currently locked up in prison.

Meanwhile Katie has vowed to quiz her husband over his offer to sell a sex tape of them – as her sister Sophie branded him a “d***head”.

It comes after The Sun revealed Lee’s sickening plan of hawking an alleged “sex tape” with his wife.

The Times’ preseason top 25 high school football rankings for 2026:

1. ST. JOHN BOSCO: Braves have few weaknesses but must prove they can win in the rain after last season’s first-round playoff debacle to Orange Lutheran.

2. CORONA CENTENNIAL: The offense is going to be balanced and explosive with quarterback Jaden Jefferson the trigger man and Quentin Hale his partner in battle.

3. SIERRA CANYON: Trailblazers have the offensive linemen and running back to run the ball and the defensive linemen to attack quarterbacks.

4. SANTA MARGARITA: Eagles won’t be ready to start the season dominating with too many young players but beware by season’s end.

5. ORANGE LUTHERAN: There’s already signs the Ray Fenton coaching formula is working with lots of talent on both sides of the ball.

6. MISSION VIEJO: Diablos have their best offensive line in years, giving coach Chad Johnson lots of options.

7. MATER DEI: Depth is gone but there’s enough talent to be very good on their best day.

8. SAN CLEMENTE: Just trust Jaxson Rex to do anything and everything for improved Tritons.

9. CHAPARRAL: There’s a crazy amount of offensive firepower ready to be unleashed.

10. RANCHO CUCAMONGA: They play tough, hard-nosed football.

11. EDISON: Quarterback Sam Thomson’s fourth year as starter sets the stage for big Chargers season.

12. CREAN LUTHERAN: If the Saints’ many transfers get eligible, quarterback Caden Jones should flourish.

13. GARDENA SERRA: With five starters back on the offensive line and the arrival of RB AJ McBean, Cavaliers are ready to play smashmouth football.

14. CHAMINADE: There’s speed and size surrounding sophomore quarterback Jeremy Mellalieu.

15. SERVITE: New coach Rick Garretson has a history of building top teams with speed, which Friars have plenty.

16. JSERRA: Lions will be competitive in nonleague games but Trinity League remains formidable challenge.

17. DAMIEN: USC commit Gavin Williams is the definition of the word elite on defense and offense.

18. PALOS VERDES: Ryan Rakowski is back for fourth year as starting quarterback and is a proven winner.

19. OXNARD PACIFICA: Quarterback Taylor Lee is back with lots of skill-position players.

20. LOYOLA: If Cubs can get production at the quarterback position, they can surprise teams.

21. BISHOP AMAT: Still one of the toughest teams to beat on their home field.

22. WESTLAKE: The scoreboard operator will deserve extra pay trying to keep up with Warriors’ scoring barrages.

23. CARSON: Best in the City Section looking to beat some Southern Section teams with improved line play.

24. CORONA DEL MAR: Should have excellent passing attack if the line can provide protection.

25. TUSTIN: Lots of individual talent but can they get breakthrough win against a top opponent?

ICE officer under review for alleged mental health struggles, violent behavior amid deadly shooting case in Maine.

United States President Donald Trump’s border czar says the vetting of an immigration officer involved in the deadly shooting of a Colombian native in Maine is under internal review after the officer’s relatives revealed to The Associated Press that he had a history of serious mental health struggles and violent behaviour.

Tom Homan said on Sunday that if the allegations against the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer are true, “I don’t think he should ever have cleared vetting.”

“There’s several things under review,” Homan said on CNN about the officer, Army veteran David Brouillette. “The training is under review. I know this specific case, as far as the vetting, is under review by the internal affairs section.”

Questions about the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) rush to hire, train and deploy thousands of new ICE officers to carry out Trump’s immigration crackdown have come into stark focus after back-to-back deadly shootings of immigrants in Maine and Houston.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin ordered a pause in vehicle stops after the Maine shooting, but Trump almost immediately reversed course and insisted the stops resume as a necessary tool in his campaign to round up and deport immigrants without current legal status.

DHS did not immediately respond on Sunday to a request for comment about the internal review.

ICE mandates body cameras during vehicle stops

Homan said that “changes have been made” and that acting ICE director David Venturella has issued a new directive that body cameras must be in use if officers make a vehicle stop.

“Right now, on all vehicle stops, there’s at least one body camera on site to record the entire event,” he said.

He said Venturella “sent an instruction out that he wants at least one body camera on those vehicle stops, so we have everything on video”.

It is unclear if the steps the department is taking will be enough to quell the concerns coming from certain Congress lawmakers over DHS training and tactics as it tries to reach Trump’s mass deportation goals.

Lawmakers push for answers

Lawmakers from both parties have raised concerns.

Democrats pressed ICE officials during a closed-door briefing for the House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee last week, leaving some with more questions than answers.

Lawmakers were told during the briefing that there have been 56 complaints of excessive force against ICE officers – 32 were cleared, and one was referred for disciplinary action.

No discipline had yet been handed out, the lawmakers said they were told. The rest of the incidents are still under investigation.

Meanwhile, Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine, chair of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, has pushed for the use of body cameras and ensured funding for the effort. She had said it was “extremely unfortunate” that the officer involved in the shooting in her home state was not using a camera.

In celebration of the 99th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA), established in August 1927, the PLA commemorates its founding on August 1st each year (remembering the Nanchang Uprising of 1927). This anniversary is marked amidst ongoing efforts to modernize its defense capabilities, alongside diplomatic and military endeavors to strengthen dialogue, partnerships, and the exchange of experiences with European, Asian, and international militaries. The PLA is considered the cornerstone of China’s national defense, and Chinese military leaders at all embassies and consulates worldwide organize numerous official events to mark its founding on August 1st each year. Chinese embassies and military attachés around the world, such as the Chinese Embassy in Belgium and other European countries, host official receptions to highlight the PLA’s role in maintaining global peace and stability, as well as its development capabilities and readiness. The PLA is focused on transforming into a modern, integrated military force encompassing land, sea, and air.

China’s military relations with European militaries reflect the logic of military diplomacy, as China seeks to deepen military ties with its European allies and partners within its strategy of mutual military engagement, cooperation, and learning opportunities. Here, Chinese military channels with European countries serve as avenues for dialogue and the exchange of views on regional and international security to achieve balance and stability. Beijing, through its diplomatic activities, emphasizes the importance of balanced partnerships with the European Union and its member states to provide stability and certainty to the world. In this context, Beijing’s relationship with European militaries takes on a dual character of strategic competition and mutual caution, especially given Washington’s efforts to utilize NATO to contain Chinese power. Consequently, tension has arisen between the Chinese military and NATO due to China’s rejection of NATO’s Asian expansion into its regional sphere. Beijing views NATO’s attempts to broaden its security engagement with Asia-Pacific countries as a threat to stability and incompatible with the multipolar world order, while China rejects the logic of military hegemony. The Chinese military, in its strategic literature, emphasizes its opposition to American power and hegemonic policies implemented through the NATO military alliance. China and the People’s Liberation Army also strongly reject NATO’s involvement in Asia-Pacific affairs, viewing it as interference that threatens regional and global stability and leads to confrontations between military blocs.

Herein lies the official Chinese military stance on the NATO military alliance, describing it as a relic of the Cold War that extends beyond its original geographical scope. China explicitly accuses NATO of instigating tensions and provoking confrontations in Asia. Furthermore, China warns against the militarization of the region through NATO partnerships with countries such as Japan and Australia. The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) maintains that China’s defense policy aims to protect national sovereignty and regional security, viewing Western actions as attempts to contain Chinese influence and impose American hegemony. Therefore, Chinese intelligence, military, defense, and security circles reject the logic of linking Euro-Atlantic security to issues in the Indo-Pacific region.

The most significant dynamics of the Chinese military relationship with European armies are characterized by the maintenance of strategic autonomy. Some European capitals seek to avoid full involvement in the US-China conflict, preferring to preserve commercial interests and pursue self-sufficiency. This is further complicated by technological and industrial competition between European armies and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army. NATO closely monitors the development of the Chinese military’s cyber capabilities and artificial intelligence, viewing them as strategic challenges impacting global supply chains. Meanwhile, China perceives NATO’s policies as subservient to US interests at the expense of European national security. NATO’s ongoing monitoring of Chinese cyber capabilities and the escalating technological competition between China, Europe, and the United States for leadership in the digital and economic future are noteworthy. These tensions manifest in mutual concerns regarding cybersecurity and global supply chains, which raise serious concerns for NATO due to the numerous strategic challenges and cyber threats they pose. Here, NATO monitors digital operations and hybrid attacks linked to Beijing-affiliated actors targeting critical infrastructure and technological security, according to NATO’s military perspective. NATO’s military strategies focus on protecting technological superiority in artificial intelligence and semiconductors to prevent any potential disruption to global supply chains.

For this reason, China’s stance toward NATO is characterized by accusations of American political dominance. Beijing believes that NATO’s expanding policies and transatlantic orientation serve the US strategic agenda at its expense and in confrontation with China, which, from the Chinese perspective, affects European security itself. China considers NATO’s increasing involvement in Asia-Pacific issues and technological confrontation not to serve Europe’s own security interests but rather to threaten international stability as a whole. Thus, China’s position on NATO is based on the accusation that it serves American hegemony and threatens security and stability in Asia and Europe. Beijing views NATO as a tool for implementing America’s strategic plans, aiming to mobilize member states of the military alliance to pursue a policy of Asian expansion in the face of China. China and the People’s Liberation Army reject NATO’s involvement in Asia-Pacific issues, arguing that NATO’s policies harm Europe’s economic and technological security. From a Chinese perspective, the alliance’s technological confrontation poses a threat to international stability and European security, with China believing that NATO’s policies ultimately undermine Europe’s own security.

Love Island fans have been rooting for one couple since day one of the 2026 summer season – but they got dumped on the eve of the final and were forced to take out another couple with them

Love Island viewers shocked by a brutal penultimate episode twist that cost two couples a place in the final. The 2026 season of ITV’s long-running reality romance show has been airing since the beginning of June.

But the thirteenth season of the ITV show has proved to be very unlucky for two loved up couples – who were brutally ditched from the villa the day before the live final meaning they lost all hope of scooping the £50,000 Love Island prize. For one couple, it was a real stinger – as they had made it all the way through the past two months of couplings, uncoulpings and dumpings – only to fall at the last hurdle.

Mica Harris, 21, from Barbados, and 25-year-old Samraj Toor, from Birmingham, coupled up on day one of the 2026 summer season but were told their Love Island dream was over in scenes that aired on Sunday night. But a cruel twist meant they weren’t the only pair to lose out on a place in the final.

At the beginning of the episode, the former couples from the season returned to the Villa to reveal which couple each of them thought didn’t deserve a place in the final. After the majority decided on Mica and Samraj, the deflated couple began to say their goodbyes and prepared to leave.

However, the crushed duo then received a text message while packing up their things that told them that only three couples could advance to the live final, and they had the terrible task of picking one other couple to get booted from the Island before the final.

And in an even more agonising twist for viewers, the episode ended before Mica and Samraj’s decision was aired. Fans of the show are now waiting in fear that their favourite couples might not make it to the final after all.

One commented on X: “If they choose Julia & Lorenzo I’m boycotting the final, this twist is dumb.” And another raged: “I hate this production move because Simba/Angelista or Julia/Lorenzo might be in jeopardy smh.”

Indeed, some viewers have accused Love Island bosses of trying to fix the finale by granting Mica and Smaraj a veto over who gets to make it to the end.

One wrote: “This plot twist was actually to help Jasmine and Kavan secure their spot in the finals over Julia and Lorenzo I don’t want to hear about who the producers favor anymore cause it’s clear.”

And another argued: “It makes zero sense to give Samraj and Mica a say in who reaches the final when the public has repeatedly voted them into the bottom. The logic just isn’t there…”

Love Island 2026 will reach a climax on Monday 27 July – airing on ITV2 and via ITVX from 9pm.

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NEW YORK — Dodgers reliever Will Klein had just induced the Mets’ Marcus Semien to whiff on a high fastball. So, he went there again, a little further inside. But Semien got a hold of it for a three-run home run that put the game thoroughly out of reach.

The Dodgers ended an impressive road trip on a sour note with the 8-3 loss to the New York Mets.

They went 6-3 on their East Coast swing and won series against the New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies and Mets.

“It’s great,” manager Dave Roberts said Saturday night. “It seems like we’ve been on the road a long time, but the travel has been nice as far as staying in this time zone. We’re finding ways to win. So that’s the main thing. That’s the object of the game.”

The Dodgers’ All-Stars, as well as Roberts and his coaching staff, left for Philadelphia two weeks ago. The rest of the team met them in New York for three games against the Yankees. Then they traveled to Philadelphia for a three-game set, took a detour to Washington to visit the White House before returning to New York.

“It’s been a long road trip — especially for the guys who went to Philly for the All-Star Game,” right fielder Kyle Tucker said. “Being able to come out of the break and play some really good teams and put together really competitive at-bats and great innings from our pitching staff is huge. Some of the guys are kind of grinding in terms of how long they’ve been away from L.A. It’s kind of part of it. You’ve got to come out and play regardless and they’ve done a great job of that.”

Even so, the Dodgers (67-39) played cleaner baseball on this extended road trip — a couple baserunning mistakes aside — than they did in the homestand before the break.

Maybe the Dodgers just needed time off to reset.

Against the Mets (44-62) on Sunday, the first couple innings didn’t look promising. After Shohei Ohtani led with a double and Max Muncy drew a two-out walk, both were left stranded.

A.J. Ewing’s lead-off double against Dodgers starter Emmet Sheehan, however, almost immediately led to a run. Francisco Lindor then sent a low changeup into shallow right field for an RBI single.

The Dodgers’ three-up, three-down second inning ended when Teoscar Hernández tried to stretch a single into a double and ran into an out. Then, Sheehan hit Tyrone Taylor with a pitch to start the bottom half of the inning.

Sheehan retired the next three batters as the Dodgers started to take control. They pulled into the lead with a two-run third inning, powered by doubles from Eliézer Alfonzo — his second double in as many appearances — and Freddie Freeman.

The Dodgers manufactured another run the next inning with a pair of singles, an error by Mets first baseman Jared Young, and a run-scoring double play.

As the Dodgers bullpen took over in the sixth, however, the game slipped away. Jack Dreyer walked two batters and recorded just one out in the sixth inning before Roberts replaced him with Evan Phillips.

In a 1-1 count, Phillips threw a sinker on the inside edge of the strike zone, and Taylor lifted it into the left-field stands for a go-ahead three-run homer. Phillips, who last week talked about rewiring his rehab mindset, has already surrendered four home runs in just seven outings.

A run-scoring passed ball from Dalton Rushing and Semien’s three-run blast in the seventh ultimately sealed the win for the Mets.

Displaced Palestinians in Gaza cautiously welcome Israel’s approval for an international stabilisation force to enter the territory under the US-backed ceasefire plan. Residents hope the force can help rebuild Gaza and allow them to return home after months of bombardment and displacement.

The ISF, to be staffed by ‘friendly countries’, will operate in areas of the Palestinian enclave that are outside Israel’s military control.

Israel’s government has approved the entry of the International Stabilization Force (ISF), part of United States President Donald Trump’s 20-point “peace plan,” to Gaza.

An Israeli official reported on Sunday that Israel’s security cabinet had approved the key legal measures and that the force would operate “in full coordination with” the Israeli military, according to the Times of Israel.

There was no timeframe given for when the ISF, which will include 200 people from “friendly countries such as Uganda and Morocco”, according to the Reuters news agency, will be deployed.

The cabinet determined that Israel will have the authority to approve which countries can send forces.

Following the implementation of Trump’s deal, Israel dictates who can and cannot enter the Gaza Strip, along with how much aid and food can enter, in the wake of Israel’s two-year, genocidal war on Gaza.

Though a “ceasefire” between Hamas and Israel was agreed in October, reports of killings of Palestinians by the Israeli military occur almost daily.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health reports that 1,200 Palestinians have been killed since the deal was implemented, with 3,888 wounded.

The plan also called for an international “Board of Peace” to oversee the administration and reconstruction of the strip, for the creation of a National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) technocratic governing body, and for Hamas to disarm and Israel to withdraw from the strip.

Nickolay Mladenov, the director-general of the Gaza Board of Peace – which the vast majority of Western countries refused to join – welcomed the news.

The former Bulgarian foreign minister and defence minister said Israel enabling the deployment was “a critical part of the agreed framework for stabilising Gaza, supporting demilitarisation, and enabling the transition to effective Palestinian transitional administration” under the NCAG.

The cabinet’s approval comes a day before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is due to travel to Washington, DC in the United States.

Israel currently occupies close to 70 percent of Gaza. Its population of almost two million has been forced to live in a diminishing fraction of the strip, as Israel continues to move the “Yellow Line” it created to demarcate areas it withdrew to under the first phase of the deal.

The ISF will operate in the areas that are not under Israeli control.

The gripping new show has been dubbed “absolutely brilliant” by viewers

Viewers watching BBC’s newest psychological thriller The Rapture were all left saying the same thing.

Adapted from Liz Jensen’s bestselling novel, the show follows a teenager who has been accused of killing her mum, and who claims to be able to predict natural disasters.

The Rapture boasts a stellar cast including Ruth Madeley, India Amarteifio, Gavin and Stacey‘s Ruth Jones, The History Boys’ Stephen Campbell Moore, Lisa Palfrey from Sex Education and Siena Kelly from Black Mirror.

Set in a heatwave, it follows psychologist Dr Gabs Fox (Ruth Madeley), who, after a life-altering car accident killed her husband and left her paralysed, starts a new job at a psychiatric hospital where she is assigned 17-year-old inmate Bethany Krall (India Amarteifio).

Two years before, Bethany was sectioned for the brutal murder of her mother, Carys Krall. The case shocked the nation, not least because Bethany’s father, Leonard Krall, is the charismatic leader of the Faith Way, a spiritual movement with millions of online followers.

Bethany seems to know private details about Gabs’ life and insists she can see visions of the future, which she communicates through disturbing sketches of disasters: storms, fires and floods. Bethany’s nurse Rafiq insists Bethany’s predictions always come true, but Gabs is sceptical, determined to find a clinical explanation.

As the heat intensifies, Gabs begins to notice unsettling connections between Bethany’s prophetic drawings and the world outside, forcing Gabs to re-examine her assumptions about Bethany’s innocence.

Reacting to the first episode, fans had a lot to say. One person declared on Facebook: “Absolutely brilliant series I blitzed it in one sitting it was so enthralling.” Another added: “Binge watching it, so far so good.” A third chimed in: “Enjoying it so far.”

Lindsay Salt, director of BBC Drama, previously remarked on the series: “This thriller brings Liz Jensen’s compelling novel to life with a truly talented cast led by the brilliant Ruth Madeley and India Amarteifio.

“The Rapture features two complicated and captivating characters, blended with a story of climate change, to create a gripping narrative and I can’t wait for BBC viewers to see it.”

“The Rapture is a hugely powerful and entertaining female-led drama, which is charged with timely, important and deeply resonant themes,” said Rebecca Durbin, series executive producer for Mammoth Screen.

The Rapture airs on BBC One and iPlayer from 9pm on Sunday, July 26.

PARIS — Tadej Pogacar confirmed his status as one of cycling’s all-time greats after winning a record-equaling fifth Tour de France title in emphatic style.

Daring mountain attacks from deep, multiple stage wins and an ice-cool temperament all helped the 27-year-old Slovenian seal his victory on Sunday. He joined Belgian Eddy Merckx, Spaniard Miguel Indurain and Frenchmen Jacques Anquetil and Bernard Hinault as the only riders to win five Tours.

“I’m speechless. It’s an incredible day, there was an incredible atmosphere,” Pogacar said. “I’ve ridden seven Tours already and I’ve always finished on the podium. You might think this is a fairy tale, it’s incredible for me too.”

After competing strongly in Sunday’s 21st and exciting final stage in Paris, Pogacar finished 6 minutes, 26 seconds ahead of Belgian rider Remco Evenepoel in the overall standings.

Two-time Tour champion Jonas Vingegaard was Pogacar’s main rival heading into the race but the Dane crashed out on the 15th stage.

“Shame that Jonas and others crashed out of this Tour,” Pogacar said. “I hope we can all fight again next year.”

Pogacar’s UAE Team Emirates XRG teammate Isaac Del Toro, a 22-year-old Mexican making his Tour debut, was third at 9:42 back from Pogacar, who smiled and held up his hand to signify his wins. His teammates then joined him as they stood proudly on the Champs-Élysées.

“I don’t know how I do it,” Pogacar said. “I now have to find a new goal to chase. Which goal? Let’s just not jump ahead of ourselves, and enjoy this moment.”

Pogacar won the Giro d’Italia in 2024 but has not won the Spanish Vuelta, which starts on Aug. 22.

“Will I be at La Vuelta in a few weeks?” he said. “Let’s see.”

Peerless Pogacar

Pogacar won five stages at this year’s race to take his impressive tally to 26 overall.

He tried to win on Sunday, too, but victory ultimately went to Dutchman Mathieu van der Poel, who just held off the chasing pack on the home straight for his second stage win at this year’s race and fourth overall.

Sunday’s 55-mile stage looped around Paris and was mostly processional, although less so than in previous years, which were usually entirely flat stages for sprinters and not for the rest of the peloton.

The stage was shortened and its starting point in Thoiry, west of the capital, was changed to Paris so as to reduce pressure on emergency services combating wildfires in the southwest. Some security forces initially mobilized for Paris were redeployed to help response efforts.

For the second straight year the stage featured the hugely popular uphill climb through the Montmartre district, a sharp 0.62-mile dash which riders tackled three times before finishing on the Champs-Élysées.

It proved even too much for Pogacar, who could not match Van der Poel’s raw power in the closing stages.

Shortly before 6 p.m. local time, Pogacar shook hands at the start line with Evenepoel and Ecuadorian veteran Richard Carapaz, wearing the polka-dot jersey for the best climber.

“I battled hard to win this jersey, it was a great fight,” the 33-year-old Carapaz said. “It’s the best feeling to win it.”

Exciting finale

Van der Poel and Dane Mads Pedersen, the green jersey winner as best sprinter, were among the expected contenders for the stage win.

Crowds roared as the riders began the first climb up Rue Lepic in Montmartre, with the famed Sacré-Coeur basilica looming over them.

Pogacar moved ahead after the second ascension of Montmartre, with Van der Poel, Evenepoel and Pedersen alongside him.

Van der Poel attacked on the third and final climb with Pogacar responding well, and the one-day classics rivals surged ahead.

But they were caught with 700 meters left and, after Pogacar faded, the 31-year-old Van der Poel still had work to do.

He got his bike just over the line ahead of Belgian Jasper Philipsen, his Alpecin-Premier Tech teammate, and Pedersen. Pogacar eased up and finished 30th.

“I thought the sprinters would catch us up so I launched [my attack] from very far away,” Van der Poel said. “I gave everything I had left in my legs and it was just enough.”

Cycling pedigree

Van der Poel is widely considered one of the best cyclists in the world. He has multiple victories in one-day classics and Cyclo-cross world championship titles, and is also a former world road race champion.

His father Adri van der Poel won two stages on the Tour in the late 1980s.

His maternal grandfather was French cyclist Raymond Poulidor, who raced in the 1960s and ’70s, finishing second on the Tour three times and third five times. Nicknamed “Poupou” and “The Eternal Runner-up,” he was adored by French fans.

Women’s Tour

The nine-stage women’s Tour starts in the Swiss city of Lausanne on Aug. 1 and finishes in Nice on Aug 9.

Frenchwoman Pauline Ferrand-Prévôt won on debut last year.

Pugmire writes for the Associated Press.

Tehran, Iran – Iran and the United States have returned to mediated talks, and their military action is temporarily suspended, but the war continues to impact international maritime corridors beyond the Strait of Hormuz as well as domestic markets.

The near-total closure of the strategic waterway, disruptions in the Red Sea by the Iran-aligned Houthis in Yemen and Ukraine attacking an Iranian vessel in the Caspian Sea have all kept tensions high.

Iran’s government is also facing more tough choices, including a potential fuel price hike amid high social and economic discontent, as the US military enforces a naval blockade of the country’s southern ports for a second time.

The Ministry of Petroleum said on Saturday that Iran has sold $11.5bn of crude oil during the war without specifying the exact dates and $6.5bn during the period of the now-suspended memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with the US last month. It said the combined figure represented 60 percent of the full-year oil revenue target in the budget.

The signing of the June 17 MoU led to the partial reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and lifting of the US naval blockade on Iran, which eased some of the pressure on global oil markets and allowed Iran to export oil stored on supertankers waiting to sail from its territorial waters. Iran’s Petroleum Ministry said increased oil prices generated about $3bn in additional value in the first half of the year and $11bn from the yields has so far been transferred to government coffers despite US embargoes.

During the previous blockade that was imposed on April 13 and lasted a little over two months, Iranian authorities attested to near-zero crude exports. A prolonged second blockade risks further reducing Iran’s export revenues and piling pressure on Kharg Island, through which about 90 percent of Iran’s crude oil exports pass, and other Iranian storage and export sites, which could in turn affect production at petrochemical plants and make an eventual restart costlier and slower.

The US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) said that as of Saturday, soldiers had redirected 12 commercial vessels trying to run the blockade that has been in place since mid-July, disabled two that did not comply and boarded two “to ensure total compliance”.

The US military also showed footage of heavily armed soldiers rappelling down from a helicopter onto the deck of the Charminar, an Iran-linked oil tanker subject to US sanctions since last year for allegedly being part of the Shamkhani network. The US says Iranian oil magnate Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani plays a central role in Iranian and Russian shadow fleet operations.

Iran has also said it has been redirecting multiple ships each day to keep the strait closed as its armed forces emphasised that they will not bow to pressure. On Sunday, Iranian media reports said a vessel blew up after hitting a naval mine in the Strait of Hormuz.

Still, CENTCOM has stopped extensive bombing strikes against Iran for two nights with US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz saying President Donald Trump is giving talks with Tehran “some space”.

Iran has also stopped retaliatory attacks across the region while Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said discussions with Oman on reopening the Strait of Hormuz have been productive.

The domestic picture

The oil export constraints, however, are still adding to Iran’s existing economic woes, which are linked to domestic structural issues and mismanagement as well as years of harsh sanctions.

Iran’s infrastructure has also suffered significant damage during the war launched by the US and Israel in late February and may fare worse if the conflict escalates.

The government said last month that about 230 million cubic metres (300 million cubic yards) per day of Iran’s pre-war natural gas output of roughly 650 million cubic metres (850 million cubic yards) was lost due to US and Israeli bombing, worsening electricity and petrochemical shortages.

Sekhavat Asadi, managing director of the Pars Special Economic Energy Zone, said on Sunday that Iran expects to restore more than 100 million cubic metres (130 million cubic yards) per day of that lost production capacity within the coming months.

Authorities are also managing a fuel imbalance as the country faces a deficit of more than 20 million litres (5.3 million gallons) per day of petrol. The shortage is managed through limited but costly imports, blending fuel components, tapping inventories stocked before the war and repeatedly asking citizens to consume less.

The Petroleum Ministry said tighter monthly fuel consumption caps may be imposed if the imbalance persists.

The government said this week that it is seriously considering doubling the price of a third tier of monthly petrol quotas allocated to individuals.

Another petrol price hike was made in December, weeks before the country was swept by a wave of nationwide protests, in which thousands of people were killed in a government crackdown in January. An overnight fuel price increase in November 2019 also triggered deadly nationwide protests.

The capital, Tehran, and cities across the country are facing rolling electricity cuts, which also create water and communications disruptions. President Masoud Pezeshkian said he has ordered industries not to be cut off until late September to avoid further inflaming a bruised jobs market.

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has also hit Iran’s commerce with China, its largest trading partner and buyer of oil, which has considerably curtailed its overall crude oil imports to adapt to conditions created by the war.

But nonoil trade with China has also deteriorated since the start of the war, falling by 75 percent in March and June when compared with a year before, according to Chinese customs data.

Two near-total internet shutdowns imposed by the authorities, first during the January protests and then during the war, only worsened conditions for Iran’s economy this year as it battles chronic inflation and a rapid dwindling of public purchasing power.

A report last year by the Saba Pension Strategies Institute, a think tank affiliated with Iran’s state-run pension fund, found that while a little more than 30 percent of Iranians lived below the poverty line five years ago, that rate was projected to have reached 45 percent this year – and was still rising.

Spread to Bab al-Mandeb, Caspian Sea

After repeated Iranian threats that escalating the war could spread the scope of maritime disruptions to the Red Sea, the Houthis in Yemen last week declared a blockade against Saudi Arabia, turning back or hitting vessels transiting near the strait of Bab al-Mandeb while also bombing Saudi oil facilities.

Dozens of commodity vessels have still continued their transit through the strait, including Chinese supertankers, but war-risk premiums have increased, raising import and insurance costs for all.

Saudi authorities, who lead a coalition backing Yemen’s internationally recognised government against the Houthis, have responded by launching major air attacks across Yemen.

And farther north, Ukraine has confirmed that it struck a vessel in the Caspian Sea with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy alleging it was carrying Iran-linked military cargo.

Iran’s authorities said it was a commercial vessel importing iron from Astrakhan, a port on the Volga River in Russia, and bound for Bandar Anzali in northern Iran. They said one sailor was killed and three were wounded.

The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Kyiv’s charge d’affaires in Tehran to deliver a strong protest and a warning that “the act will not go unanswered”.

The incident has raised concerns that the Caspian Sea, a waterway previously used safely for trade, could also become the scene of more military confrontations.

Iran’s Caspian trade is primarily with Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan. It imports essential goods, such as wheat and other grains, corn, barley and animal feed as well as timber and fertiliser.

The country’s exports through the northern maritime route include construction materials, steel products, agricultural goods and some refined petrochemical products.

The war’s expanding disruptions have only prompted hardline state-linked analysts to advocate closer strategic partnerships with China and Russia.

“We can now say that the two war fronts in the Middle East and Ukraine are increasingly intertwined,” Mahdi Kharratiyan, a political analyst linked with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, wrote on X on Sunday.

WITH the summer holidays in full swing, travellers would do well to be wary of scammers spoiling their trips abroad.

A British tourist was recently charged £490 for an £8 taxi fare in Paris after a cabbie got her out of his car, claiming his internet connection was poor, changed the amount on the card reader, then got her to pay through the window.

In-person payments like this don’t offer the same automatic protection against fraud as bank transfers.

Around one in every 20 British holidaymakers falls victim to some sort of physical or digital scam while travelling overseas, and more than 9.4million have been caught out over the past five years.

Graeme Buck, Abta’s director of communications, said: “Always apply the same personal safety rules that you would at home, and read the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office travel advice for the destination you are travelling to.”

With millions of us jetting off this month and next, we reveal tricks con artists use to target you, as well as tips on how to keep your hard-earned holiday cash safe.

CLEAN BANDITS

IF you suddenly find an “accidental” dollop of ketchup, spilt coffee or fake bird droppings on your jacket or bag and an over-friendly local steps in to dab it off with tissues, keep your wits about you.

While you are distracted by the person cleaning you, their accomplice will rifle through your pockets and help themselves to valuables.

BED RECEPTION

TIRED after a long day travelling, you check in at your hotel and head off to bed.

Then someone claiming to be from reception calls to explain there is a glitch with the card you have just used, and they ask you to verify again your payment details over the phone.

But it could be a scammer after your money.

Never give card details over the phone. Go down to the desk to verify what the caller said.

JUICE JACKING

SNAPPING holiday photos can drain your phone’s batteries.

Exploiting this vulnerability, scammers tamper with public USB charging ports in hotels, cafes and aiports to steal data such as bank information, or to infect your mobile with malware.

Plug your own charger into a standard wall outlet or use a USB data blocker (an adapter that cuts off data transfer).

Or safer still, invest in a portable power bank.

Always tap “don’t trust” if a pop-up asks to share data.

FREE GRIFT

Couples tend to be a magnet for this sort of con in Paris, Milan, Rome and other European cities.

A stranger hands you a flower or ties a bracelet to your wrist, then demands a large cash payment — or the fake act of kindness is a distraction technique for pickpocketing.

Refuse the item and walk away.

THE SELFIE STEAL

WOMEN are mostly the target for this scam.

A random friendly couple asks you to take their photo.

The request might seem harmless — but do not oblige if they then ask you to join them for a selfie.

Once up close they’ll grab your purse, phone, watch and jewellery — and because they’re experts at what they do, you won’t feel a thing.

THE FRIENDLY WAITER

WHILE out sightseeing, you bump into a waiter who claims to recognise you and says: “I served you last night at dinner at your hotel. Don’t you remember?”

This is a red flag. Unsuspecting holidaymakers have told how they were conned into a “cheaper tour” by someone pretending to be their waiter, and intimidated into buying items from their friends’ shops — only to discover the conman didn’t work in their hotel at all.

Scammers can know where you are staying just by looking at your wristband, so turn it inside out when venturing outside the hotel.

PEA & CUP GAME

THE trickster lines up cups, hides a pea under one and moves them around.

You’re encouraged to bet on which one contains the pea.

A couple who are in on the scam get it right — and because you can see where the pea is, you then take a risk.

You win the first round but lose the rest.

One victim explained: “They won’t let you get away until you’re skint, and you’ll find it very intimidating. Just walk on by.”

TAKEN FOR A RIDE

A taxi driver insists the meter is broken, takes longer routes or charges hidden fees for the ride.

Or, upon picking you up from the airport or station, they claim your booked hotel is closed, under renovation or in a dangerous location.

The driver offers to take you to a better hotel where they get a commission for your new booking.

Always ensure the meter is running, use trusted apps such as Uber, Bolt or Freenow, or pre-book air-port transfers before your trip via a trusted site.

There’s a tourist Facebook site for many destinations, so head to the relevant one for transfer recommendations.

WHATSAPP TRAP

Scammers hack legitimate hotel and Airbnb messaging accounts so they can message guests shortly before arrival.

The con artists claim your booking will be cancelled unless you re-enter your card details, often via a WhatsApp or phishing link.

Never pay or click links outside the official app platform.

JUST SIGN HERE

TRICKSTERS — usually groups of young people — approach British tourists near major sights asking them to sign an English petition for a deaf charity or human rights cause.

While you are holding the board to read the details or sign, they pressure you for cash or pickpocket you.

TICKET TRICK

Hanging around busy stations such as Paris Gare du Nord or Rome Termini, swindlers posing as transit staff or helpful locals offer to assist you with the complicated ticket machines.

They will overcharge you, snatch your change or sell you cheap child-fare or invalid tickets.

One of the most entertaining riders in the race was Ecuador’s Richard Carapaz of EF Education-Easypost. He toiled earlier in the race before coming into great form to claim the king of the mountains’ polka dot jersey.

He won stage 18 and Saturday’s stage 20 after topping the race’s highest point first and after 5,450km of climbing.

The green points jersey was awarded to Pedersen of Lidl-Trek, after tenacious riding on climbs he is not typically strong on to hoover up mid-stage points, alongside winning stage four.

He beat a number of sprinters to the jersey, including Japser Philipsen of Alpecin-Premier Tech. Philipsen won stage 17 and fellow Belgian Tim Merlier of Soudal-Quick Step won three bunch sprint stages.

Tour de France stage 21 results

1. Mathieu van der Poel (Ned/Alpecin-Premier Tech) 1hr 58mins 49secs

2. Jasper Philipsen (Bel/Alpecin-Premier Tech) same time

3. Mads Pedersen (Den/Lidl-Trek)

4. Max Kanter (Ger/XDS-Astana)

5. Olav Kooij (Ned/Decathlon-CMA CGM)

6. Matej Mohoric (Slo/Bahrain-Victorious)

7. Rick Pluimers (Ned/Tudor Pro-cycling)

8. Anthony Turgis (Fra/Total Energies)

9. Milan Fretin (Bel/Cofidis)

10. Clement Russo (Fra/Groupama-FDJ United)

Tour de France general classification after stage 21

1. Tadej Pogacar (Slo/UAE Team Emirates-XRG) 73hrs 56mins 26secs

2. Remco Evenepoel (Bel/Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) +6mins 26secs

3. Isaac del Toro (Mex/UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +9mins 42secs

4. Paul Seixas (Fra/Decathlon-CMA CGM) +11mins 56secs

5. Lenny Martinez (Fra/Bahrain-Victorious) +13mins 2secs

6. Mattias Skjelmose (Den/Lidl-Trek) +14mins 59secs

7. Juan Ayuso (Spa/Lidl-Trek) +17mins 48secs

8. Richard Carapaz (Ecu/EF Education-Easypost) +20mins

9. Tom Pidcock (GB/Pinarello-Q36.5) +29mins 28secs

10. Jordan Jegat (Fra/Total Energies) +33mins 21secs

The summer sun has set on “Love Island USA” fan favorites Olandria and Nic Vansteenberghe‘s romance, a year after their time on the hit series.

People, citing an unnamed source, reported on Wednesday that the pair of reality TV stars — known among fans as “Nicolandria” — agreed to go their separate ways. The outlet reported that the amicable split comes as “the distance between them and their busy schedules made it challenging to maintain their connection.” The “Love Island USA” Season 7 stars remain friends and “will always support one another.”

Neither of the stars have publicly addressed their separation on social media.

Olandria and Vansteenberghe entered the “Love Island USA” villa in Fiji in June 2025 and officially coupled up weeks into the production. “Love Island USA,” the American version of the U.K. series, streams on Peacock and follows a cast of singles as they search for love and test their connections. Olandria and Vansteenberghe were among a handful of day-one contestants who advanced to the competition’s final episode.

The pair were runners-up to winners Amaya Espinal and Bryan Arenales.

Since leaving the villa together, “Nicolandria” have taken their relationship into the real world, to Glamour Magazine and to numerous brand deals. Olandria has become a staple at red carpet events including the VMAs, CFDA Fashion Awards and the Golden Globes.

Amid their post-”Love Island USA” fame, Olandria and Vansteenberghe spoke candidly to Glamour about handling the newfound deluge of popularity, demand and fan love — and how they support each other through it.

“It’s so draining. We always have check-ins, like, ‘How’s your mental? How are you today? I’m always here,’” Olandria recalled to the magazine. “I wish we didn’t have to do that as much as we had to. Thank God we’ve got each other, because I don’t know what we would do without each other, literally, when it comes to that.”

Vansteenberghe said elsewhere in the interview: “Everything that came from [“Love Island USA”] is so beautiful and amazing. I feel like that’s why we did well. We enjoyed ourselves and had fun with it.”

“Love Island USA” crowned its latest winning couple earlier this month. Fan favorites and day-one contestants Bryce and Trinity were declared winners and won the $100,000 grand prize, after a season rocked by racial-slur scandals and with local roots in a surf and coffee shop in Mar Vista.

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Barack Obama romped to victory Saturday in the South Carolina Democratic primary, a landslide powered by African American voters energized by a chance to elect the nation’s first black president.

The win, the most lopsided of the campaign, gives the Illinois senator a big lift heading into the coast-to-coast balloting Feb. 5. He once more demonstrated strong support among young and change-minded voters, who helped set another record turnout.

“The choice in this election is not between regions or religions or genders,” Obama told a boisterous crowd in Columbia that repeatedly interrupted his remarks with cheers. “It’s not about rich versus poor, young versus old, and it is not about black versus white. This election is about the past versus the future.”

The outcome of the Democratic contest, after a week of racially charged campaigning, also suggested divisions that flew in the face of Obama’s message of unity. The Illinois senator won 4 out of 5 black votes in the state Saturday versus 1 out of 4 white votes, according to exit polls.

Hillary Rodham Clinton and John Edwards, who split most of the white vote, finished second and third, respectively. Clinton and Edwards ran even among white women; Edwards, a former North Carolina senator and a South Carolina native, carried a plurality of white men.

Obama made significant inroads with one group of white voters: He carried half those younger than 30.

He also fared well on issues. Half of voters cited the economy as the major problem facing the country; Obama was that bloc’s clear favorite. He enjoyed an even bigger edge among voters naming healthcare or the war in Iraq as the country’s biggest problem.

Clinton left the state about the time the polls closed at 7 p.m., but called Obama from her plane to congratulate him before taking off. Nearly final returns showed Obama with 55% of the vote, Clinton with 27% and Edwards with 18%.

Appearing hours later in Nashville, Clinton thanked South Carolina residents, then talked about the landslide of votes coming Feb. 5, when voters in more than 20 states — including California — will go to the polls.

“I want to tell you how excited I am that the eyes of the country turn to Tennessee and the other states that vote on Feb. 5,” the New York senator told a crowd of several hundred at Tennessee State University. “Millions and millions of Americans will have the chance to have their voices heard and their votes counted.”

Edwards, who carried South Carolina in his 2004 bid, vowed Saturday night to stay in the race “to give voice to millions of Americans who have absolutely no voice in this democracy.” He planned to campaign today in several states with Feb. 5 contests.

For months, Clinton was the leader in South Carolina polls, but that began to change as Obama’s campaign gathered strength. His support among black voters exploded after his Jan. 3 victory in the Iowa Democratic caucuses, and his win Saturday was bigger than many analysts had expected.

Speaking at a victory rally at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center, Obama declared: “After four great contests in every corner of this country, we have the most votes, we have the most delegates and the most diverse coalition of Americans that we’ve seen in a long, long time.”

Sounding themes similar to the speech delivered after his Iowa triumph, Obama decried a politics that foments division. “I did not travel around this state over the last year and see a white South Carolina or a black South Carolina,” he said. “I saw South Carolina.”

Giddy, the crowd chanted, “Yes, we can!” and “Race doesn’t matter!”

But at the same time, Obama took veiled swipes at Clinton and her husband, the former president, over the acrimony of the last week, saying, “We are up against the idea that it is acceptable to say anything and do anything to win an election.”

South Carolina, which was given the privilege of an early-voting slot to promote diversity in the Democratic race, was the first contested state with a large black population. Exit polls indicated that more than half of those who turned out Saturday were African American, up slightly from four years ago, and many had an eye on history.

About noon Saturday, 17 consecutive African Americans leaving a polling place in working-class Orangeburg said they had voted for Obama.

“It tells me that people and times are changing,” said Sarah Favors, who has taught for 25 years at historically black South Carolina State University. “And to see it happening here in South Carolina tells me that things are really changing, because people here like things to stay the same.”

There were 45 pledged national delegates at stake in Saturday’s voting, with Obama projected to win the most. But more significant was the momentum that comes with victory, which has gone back and forth between Obama and Clinton on virtually a weekly basis since his strong opening win in Iowa’s caucuses.

The two can now claim a pair of victories.

“This was a big win for Obama,” said John Anzalone, a Democratic pollster who is not affiliated with a campaign. “It shows this is going to be competitive all the way to the end.”

It could be ugly, too. South Carolina, a state with a history of incendiary elections, is where an already nasty contest turned raw and racial.

Obama and Clinton clashed in the harshest debate of the campaign: He derided her service “as a corporate lawyer sitting on the board of Wal-Mart,” she accused him of doing the legal bidding of a Chicago slumlord. Their venom carried over to the airwaves.

The Clinton campaign broadcast a radio spot suggesting Obama was at heart a Reagan Republican. Obama responded with an assertion that Clinton would “say anything to get elected.”

Clinton left the state for two days midweek and placed her campaign in the formidable hands of her husband, who won South Carolina in his 1992 White House run. Critics accused the former president of injecting race into the contest through a series of veiled remarks; he angrily denied the assertion, and campaign strategists said they were pleased with his prominent role.

But interviews with voters leaving their polling places Saturday suggested a backlash. About 6 in 10 said the former president’s campaigning was important in shaping their decision; of those, nearly half went for Obama, according to the survey conducted for television networks and the Associated Press.

Moreover, Obama handily defeated Clinton among those who made their minds up in the final three days of the campaign, when coverage of the former president dominated the news.

“It was a choice between old and new, and people wanted new,” said Dick Harpootlian, an Obama supporter and former state Democratic Party chairman.

But aides to candidate Clinton said Saturday that the former president would continue to campaign on his wife’s behalf as the race shifts to what is in effect a national presidential primary.

Up to now, the nominating fight has been a series of single-state battles in discrete regions: Iowa in the Midwest, New Hampshire in the Northeast, Nevada in the West and South Carolina below the Mason-Dixon line.

Florida Democrats vote Tuesday, but that contest has been diminished by a candidate boycott stemming from its violation of party rules forbidding such an early vote. The focus from here out is Feb. 5, when more than 20 states hold nominating contests. At stake will be nearly 1,700 national convention delegates, well over half the number needed to secure the nomination.

Despite cloudy, chilly weather, South Carolina Democrats posted a record turnout Saturday — more than 532,000 voters — continuing a pattern in this election season.

Unlike the race in Iowa, a mostly positive contest that buoyed many Democrats, South Carolina left a sour tang.

“A tough competition is good,” said Jenny Backus, a Democratic consultant watching from the sidelines. “But we have to come together in the general election. There are three qualified candidates. We would be better off debating their different leadership styles than ripping each other’s faces off.”

—

mark.barabak@latimes.com

—

Times staff writers Maria L. LaGanga in Columbia, S.C., James Rainey in Orangeburg, S.C., and Peter Nicholas in Nashville contributed to this report.

—

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

S. Carolina results

Democrats

Barack Obama … 55%

Hillary Rodham Clinton … 27%

John Edwards … 18%

99% of precincts reporting

Worcestershire appeared to be cruising towards victory when Hampshire, chasing 308, needed 48 runs to win with 21 balls remaining and one wicket in hand.

Some big hitting from Andrew Neal took Hampshire to the brink of an astonishing success but, requiring five more off the final three balls, he edged spinner Fateh Singh behind to fall for 48 off 22 balls.

The late drama at New Road was in sharp contrast to events earlier in the day at Radlett, where Middlesex made short work of Glamorgan’s batting line-up.

Naavya Sharma (4-29), Toby Roland-Jones (3-35) and Noah Cornwell (3-1) were the only three bowlers used as Glamorgan, who were 44-1, lost their final nine wickets for 22 runs.

Josh de Caires hit 10 fours in his 45 not out as the hosts completed victory within three hours of the match starting.

At Hove, an early rain shower meant a slightly reduced match of 48 overs per side.

Opener Will Luxton made 117 in Yorkshire’s 325-7 and Coad’s four wickets with the new ball left Sussex on 21-5 as they chased a revised target of 325.

Coad ended with 5-12 from seven overs as Sussex were bowled out for 140 to lose by 184 runs on the Duckworth-Lewis (DLS) method.

Essex beat Derbyshire by nine runs at Chelmsford in the other match in Group B, with both captains leading their sides’ respective batting causes.

Westley, making his 500th career appearance in all formats, scored 102 off 97 balls in the hosts’ 257-7.

Harry Came (97) shared an opening stand of 113 with Martin Andersson but the match looked in the balance when Derbyshire needed 100 more with five wickets in hand.

Charlie Bennett (3-32) broke a seventh-wicket partnership worth 45 between Ross Whiteley and Nick Potts, which proved crucial.

The island has weathered a US oil embargo since January and is enduring one of its worst economic crises ever.

Cuba’s president has accused the United States of carrying out “genocide” against his people and seeking to seize the Caribbean island nation.

President Miguel Diaz-Canel lashed out during a rally on Sunday commemorating the start of the Cuban Revolution in 1953. His anger was a reaction to Washington’s continued pressure, which has included a crippling oil embargo that has produced regular blackouts and economic hardship.

“I denounce that Cuba is the victim of a cold-bloodedly calculated genocide,” Diaz-Canel said in Pinar del Rio at the event marking the 73rd anniversary of the uprising against former dictator Fulgencio Batista.

US relations with the communist-led island have long been tense, but have deteriorated further under US President Donald Trump.

Washington imposed an oil embargo on Cuba on January 29, causing daily blackouts of more than 20 hours.

The US, Diaz-Canel said on Sunday, was engaged in “economic strangulation” through its actions.

Employers have been forced to reduce workdays, industrial production has stopped, and water and medicine shortages are hitting a country already suffering from previous US sanctions and financial reforms that caused inflation.

Payment companies Visa and Mastercard, Spain’s Melia hotel chain, and Air Canada and Air France have all exited the country amid the crisis.

“Cuba is today waging a historic battle … against the walls of a genocidal policy whose objective is to suffocate an entire people in order to appropriate the country,” Diaz-Canel said.

Trump said he would “take over” Cuba, following the US abduction of former Venezuelan president and Cuban ally Nicolas Maduro in January.

Last week, a US State Department report accused Cuba’s government of running an espionage and influence network against Washington and Latin American neighbours.

In May, the US indicted former president and revolution leader Raul Castro – brother of Fidel – of murder and other crimes for his alleged part in the downing of two civilian airplanes operated by Miami-based exiles off the Cuban coast in 1996.

Cuba’s government has rejected the accusations and denounced Trump’s rhetoric. Talks between the two countries have largely stalled, Cuban officials said in June.

The Cuban Revolution, led by brothers and later leaders Fidel and Raul Castro, culminated in the Batista government’s fall in 1959. Former President Raul, 95, was unusually absent at Sunday’s rally.

During a recent tour TWZ took of the RTX-owned Pratt & Whitney’s jet engine assembly plant in Middletown, Connecticut, nearly everything was quiet on the line following a major push to complete outstanding deliveries by the end of the second quarter on July 1. But the Bearing Automation Robotic Builder – known familiarly as BARB – remained calmly at work, completing assembly processes for the #2, #5, and #6 bearings on the company’s commercial 1100G – one of the company’s GTFs, or geared turbofan engines, powering several Airbus and Embraer fleets.

While robotic assembly machines are a commonplace sight on factory floors building everything from cars to electronics, Pratt & Whitney’s assembly lines are still largely human-dependent. That’s a function, in part, of the exacting and unforgiving work of building jet engines, which require a carefully policed logbook of production steps executed to keep the process error-free. Throughout the factory floor, “Foreign Object Debris” bins remind workers to keep areas clear of any loose materials, from stray threads to gum wrappers. Even small pieces of detritus can become deadly if they end up in a jet intake. Company staff stressed that ensuring a machine could operate error-free in a range of conditions was a time-consuming and critical prerequisite for embracing automation.

BARB, which fits the mold of a factory robot out of central casting with its upright stance and long yellow arms, is the product of a $20 million investment the company has made into automation. It’s a modest first step at integrating automation more fully throughout jet engine assembly – both on the civilian side and in the somewhat more complex military engine business on a parallel production line in the same facility.

According to Ted Sluis, vice president and manager of Product Delivery Centers at Pratt & Whitney, BARB arrived in Middletown around late 2024, but only came online this spring after extensive testing that ensured the robot’s cameras and sensors could reliably identify parts and consistently perform the correct operations.

“There is a visual inspection aspect of it, and when we were doing the initial trials of the parts, we were using scrap parts,” Sluis said. “But the scrap parts were old, and we went to make production parts on it, those were new and shiny. The vision system started having issues because it wasn’t used to shiny parts; it was used to like the old parts … little things like that, that we had not anticipated. And so a lot of learning meant that it took us all the way through last year, into the beginning of this year to get it to where it could repeatedly get through the entire cycle without a person intervening to do something.”

According to public production and training manuals, the 1100 engine, which is assembled in a horizontal position, has seven total bearings requiring assembly. The #2 bearing is a ball bearing that supports the front of the low-pressure (LP) rotor, which extracts energy to power the engine fan and reaches maximum speeds above 10,000 RPM. The #5 and #6 bearings are rear roller bearings.

Sluis said engine assembly involves bearing sub-assembly, including the bearing, housing components, and affiliated seals and covers. 

“So it’s a handful of parts that you have to get put together into a sub-assembly,” he said. “With the types of operations that we’re doing, different parts have different clearances. And so to get them to go together, you have to heat one part and cool another part, and you have to orient those in the right way, press them together, let it normalize, inspect it to make sure that it actually meets the right dimensional requirements.”

In the traditional engine assembly process, he said, a mechanic would sign a record at every stage verifying the prescribed action had been completed in the correct order. Integrating the assembly robot into the record-keeping process has been another deliberate effort, Sluis said.

“If a person is doing that work, they would be signing with their badge all the different sequences to say ‘I completed this work..’ In this case, the mechanic is basically signing, saying, ‘I provided the parts to the machine, the machine is tracking, I did this, I did this, I did this,’ and that’s going to be part of the engine build record. The mechanic signs, saying, ‘I received the assembly from the automation machine, and I’m going back to the normal process.’”

While the approach to integrating automation into an exacting assembly process has been small-scale to start, Sluis said the benefits in efficiency have been immediately clear, with an 80% reduction in ‘touch time.’ When reporters visited the production line July 1, the robot appeared still, but it was in reality actively supervising the heating of parts in an oven while standing by to complete the next assembly steps. But the biggest benefit to bringing BARB online, Sluis said, has been the proven error-free repeatability.

“If you look at the yield of that sub-assembly, it’s essentially 100%,” he said. “I think that, of all the ones that we’ve made since we went into serial production with it, we had one that had an issue and it was something that had to do with the part going in, as opposed to what the machine was doing with the parts.”

That deliberate work has taken place in parallel with Pratt & Whitney’s efforts to integrate AI into engine production. It recently debuted an AI-assisted borescope inspection software for its powerful commercial V2500 engine and has already completed pilot test cycles on both the GTF commercial engines and the F135 engine, which powers all variants of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. 

The AI support tool purports to help human inspectors by applying trained analysis to video of the borescopes to identify any variations more quickly and consistently. 

“Broadening the integration of AI-assisted inspection capability strengthens our ability to detect issues earlier, improve turnaround times, increase time on wing and reduce operational disruption for our customers,” Rob Griffiths, senior vice president of Commercial Engines Operations, said in a released statement. “It will fundamentally reshape how engines and components are inspected, maintained and supported throughout their lifecycle, as we increase its application across Pratt & Whitney.”

The notion behind both technology applications is that a meticulously trained robot will beat even a seasoned human inspector for accuracy and consistency.

“I think our biggest benefit will actually be in the quality signature,” Sluis said.

The multi-year plan for automation will gradually branch out to more complex automation applications, Sluis said, moving next to “small modules that do not have rotating parts” before moving to those that do have moving components.

The next spot for an automation machine has already been chosen: it will be the 1100G’s central diffuser module that has fuel nozzles mounted to it and is positioned in front of the high-pressure turbine. Pratt & Whitney is currently building a 2,600-square-foot site where the robotic assembly can take place, Sluis said, with a robot six times as large as the roughly human-sized BARB. The company expects it to be up and running on the line a lot sooner after delivery than its first robot.

“Our lead time from when it arrives to when we’re making modules off of it should be much, much shorter than we experienced with BARB,” Sluis said.

Military customers, company execs said, have already expressed “tremendous interest” in building automation into their engine assembly plans. Sluis and Chris Olivo, the Middletown product delivery center customer and event manager who led the production line tour, said the long-term goal saw every line benefiting from BARB-like robots. 

One hurdle is the way the engines are assembled. While the 1100G and F139 engines, the latter used for the Air Force’s KC-46 Pegasus, both tip horizontally for assembly, the F135 is assembled vertically in pits on the floor. This makes it more difficult for a non-human operator to isolate and access some assembly processes. 

Then, Sluis said, the higher dexterity needed for a lot of engine assembly processes required additional testing and development. He cited, in particular, fixing nuts and bolts onto assemblies as processes conducive to human dexterity. Once those issues are solved, dissemination of jet-assembly automation technology could move quickly.

“From there, it all depends on volume, business case or interest,” Sluis said. “But at least the capability will be foundationally established.”

Contact the editor: Tyler@twz.com