announces

Russia to supply 300,000 tonnes of diesel immediately, followed by 1.5 million more, as prices soar amid the Iran war.

United States President Donald Trump said that Russia has agreed to supply 300,000 tonnes of diesel fuel to global markets amid discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“I have just concluded a highly successful discussion with President Vladimir Putin, of Russia, wherein it was agreed that Russia will immediately supply over 300,000 Tons of Diesel Fuel to the American and Global Marketplace, another 500,000 Tons during the month of November, and 1,000,000 Tons immediately thereafter,” Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform.

The president added that Russia would deliver an additional 3 million tonnes of fuel “within a short period of time”. He said that the country would supply 500,000 tonnes in November.

An envoy for Russian President Vladimir Putin, Kirill Dmitriev, praised cooperation between Russia and the United States on diesel and energy in a post on X shortly after.

“Russia-US cooperation on diesel and energy will benefit the world,” Dmitriev wrote on X.

Petrol price pressures

The deal comes despite Ukrainian air strikes, which have taken more than half of the country’s oil refining capacity offline, according to claims made by Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence on Sunday.

The latest announcement comes a week after the G7 countries agreed to release 100 million barrels amid pressure from the White House.

The move also comes as prices of diesel, used in agriculture, heating homes and trucking goods, are near record highs ahead of the November 3 congressional elections that will determine control of Congress.

Diesel prices have been elevated in recent months but have started to decline. The average price for a gallon is $6.27 ($1.66 per litre), according to the American Automobile Association (AAA), which tracks daily petrol prices. That’s down $0.10 from this time last week, but up $5.94 from this time one month ago.

Diesel prices, which can drive inflation, are up 70 percent since the US and Israel’s war on Iran began this year, despite two high-profile recent moves by Trump to boost supplies of the fuel: pressuring allies ‌to release emergency reserves and expanding access to tax-exempt red-dyed diesel, which is normally used for farm equipment.

The wars in Iran and Ukraine have triggered an unprecedented global fuel supply crunch.

NEARLY 30 new routes are being launched by Ryanair next summer.

The budget airline has revealed all of the new flights, and they start from £14.99.

While some of the destinations are between European airports, there are a number of new UK routes.

This includes Birmingham, Bournemouth, Newcastle and Leeds.

The full list of new UK routes are:

• Birmingham to Wroclaw
• Bournemouth to Porto
• East Midlands to Gdansk
• Exeter to Porto
• Leeds Bradford to Tirana
• Newcastle to Reus
• Newcastle to Rhodes

CHECK OUT

New Ryanair check in rules to launch next month – it’s bad news for late arrivals

TAKING OFF

Ryanair to launch 22 routes to Europe & Africa this winter with flights from £15

While none of the routes are new for Brits, more routes also mean lower prices.

The flights are already on sale, with the cheaper options if you book sooner rather than later.

Ryanair CMO Dara Brady, said: “These are the first of our new Summer 2027 routes to go on sale, with more exciting additions to be announced as Ryanair continues to expand Europe’s largest route network.

“Customers looking to secure the lowest fares for their Summer 2027 travel should head to the Ryanair app/website and book now to get ahead of the curve.”

Erewhon, the trendy L.A. health food chain and retailer, announced Monday that it will become a permanent fixture at Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s David Geffen Galleries after operating there as a pop-up since April. The cafe will join the new building’s yet-to-be announced restaurant, which is already holding private events including a recent unveiling of an Ed Ruscha-designed poster for Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s new film, “Digger.”

To celebrate its new status, Erewhon announced a LACMA smoothie created to resemble Alexander Calder’s fountain sculpture, “Three Quintains (Hello Girls),” which sits directly next to the cafe on the museum’s ground floor. The drink is made from pineapple, mango, strawberry, mandarin and lion’s mane (of course). It will be joined by limited edition merch, including a sweatshirt and a tote.

LACMA’s new Peter Zumthor-designed building opened to the public in April and was greeted with equal parts praise and controversy. Erewhon, which launched as a pop-up about a week later also elicited excitement and some griping, with critics saying the space would be better served by a less expensive option. (Erewhon is known for its high prices, with a typical smoothie costing $13 to $22.)

“We’re absolutely thrilled that Erewhon at LACMA is becoming a permanent fixture of the museum experience,” Michael Govan, LACMA’s president and chief executive, said in a news release. “Erewhon stands as a true family-owned local icon — one that champions creativity and well being while fiercely dedicating itself to its communities.”

The cafe will be open to non-ticketed guests, and is surrounded by a number of pieces of outdoor public art.

Sanchez calls early vote after Parliament rejected housing relief measures proposed by his minority government.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has announced a snap general election after Parliament rejected housing relief measures proposed by his minority government.

Sanchez said on Monday the vote would take place on November 29. “We need to renew people’s support,” he said in a televised address.

“We need to mobilise and win a much larger progressive majority in Parliament, one that will allow us to overcome vested interests, deliver new social advances and continue transforming Spain.”

He also acknowledged having made mistakes and falling short of previous campaign promises.

“I also know that part of that social majority is dissatisfied today,” Sanchez said.

The government’s defeat in Parliament on Friday was the latest in a series of political setbacks for the centre-left leader, followed by mass protests across the country over the housing crisis.

The government said more than 70,000 people took part in a housing protest in the capital, Madrid, on Saturday.

Anger had been building since late last month, when an 87-year-old woman, Marai del Carmen Abascal, was evicted from her home of 70 years in Madrid after an international investment fund bought her building and increased the rent.

Far right gains ground

But facing the electorate is a risky move for Sanchez. Opinion polls suggest that a coalition led by the conservative People’s Party (PP), with support from the far-right Vox party, is the most likely outcome in the election.

If they win, it would be the first time since the death of dictator Francisco Franco that a far-right party has entered central government.

If Sanchez loses the election, it would also mark the end of one of Europe’s last left-leaning governments as the far right continues to gain ground across the continent.

Sanchez has stood out worldwide for his strong stance on progressive ideas, from defending the rights of Palestinian people to defending multilateral institutions and cracking down on tech oligarchs.

The prime minister, who has never won enough votes to form a majority government, has brought together a series of fragile and seemingly impossible coalitions, ranging from the far left to the separatist right, to remain in power for three successive terms, lasting eight years.

The election was due next year before Sanchez brought it forward.

The British Museum has announced changes to how visitors see the Bayeux Tapestry exhibition after concerns over long queues and overcrowding.

The measures include plans for longer opening hours, as well as an audio guide, additional seating and clearer signage.

A museum spokesperson said the public response to the 11th Century embroidery had been “extraordinary”, but acknowledged that some visitors had waited longer than they would have wanted.

Some people reported waits of up to two hours, while hundreds of ticket holders were reportedly turned away due to backlogs when the museum closed early last week due to a private event.

Some ticket holders took to social media to complain about the disruption.

One disappointed visitor said the trip had been a “big event” they had looked forward to, while another wrote she had been waiting since she was seven to see the Bayeux Tapestry, and bought tickets only to be turned away after queuing.

The museum later apologised to those who had been unable to enter and said they would be issued refunds and priority booking slots for a rearranged time.

From Monday, visitors will be offered an audio guide with more information about the embroidery, while additional signage and seating will be provided for those queuing to reach the main exhibition.

The museum said it planned to introduce longer opening hours to prevent queues building during the day and allow people with later bookings more time to view the exhibition.

Details of the extended hours have not yet been disclosed.

President Trump is promising more payments to voters just ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections — this time, to more than 20 million seniors, who each would get $90 to help pay for Medicare premiums.

The announcement, made late Friday night by Trump on social media, comes after he said last month about 1 million people would get rebate checks of $500 for Affordable Care Act premiums. It also comes after his One Big Beautiful Bill Act last year slashed funding for Medicare, disqualifying thousands from eligibility and raising fees for the rest, and for the ACA, raising premiums for millions by eliminating tax credits.

Trump has also promised on the campaign trail to send every American adult $5,000 if Republicans retain control of the House and Senate in the midterm elections.

His latest promise — which, like the others, would require approval from Congress — would probably cost more than $1 trillion, adding to the ballooning deficit and worsening inflation.

Polls show Americans increasingly blame Trump for the high cost of gasoline and groceries, with just 17% approving of his handling of inflation. Rising healthcare costs are also a key component of the affordability struggles many face across the country.

The president has sought to shrug off concerns about affordability, claiming the economy is booming.

The White House said the $90 payments for seniors would come from the Medicare Improvement Fund, established by Congress in 2008 as flexible funding to improve program operations and payments to healthcare providers.

As proposed, Medicare Part B enrollees would receive a one-time payment in October, either through direct deposit or by check, the White House said. Total monthly costs for the program — which covers costs like doctor’s visits, ambulance services and lab tests — start around $200 and vary with income.

To be eligible, seniors must be living in the U.S. and not be already receiving premium assistance from Medicaid or paying adjusted monthly premiums based on income, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Seniors enrolled in Medicare Advantage, a private plan alternative to traditional Medicare coverage, would not be eligible for the payment. More than half of eligible Medicare beneficiaries have Medicare Advantage, according to healthcare research nonprofit KFF.

Previous administrations have not used the Medicare Improvement Fund in this way, although Congress has periodically taken out money from the fund to pay for other priorities, said Larry Levitt, KFF’s executive vice president for health policy. For example, $20.74 billion was used for the creation of the Affordable Care Act in 2010.

“The Medicare Improvement Fund language is quite broad and gives substantial discretion to the administration,” Levitt said.

Goldin writes for the Associated Press.

Best friends Jude and Sherry join tonight’s episode of Gogglebox and they have opened up about their 50-years of friendship ahead of the show

Gogglebox will be welcoming two new faces to Friday night’s show.

Best friends Jude, 76, and Sherry, 77, join tonight’s episode of the hit Channel 4 series. The duo are swapping their travels around the world for the Gogglebox sofa, bringing their unique friendship and plenty of stories along with them.

Jude and Sherry first met when their sons were born and have been best friends ever since. Tragically, back in 2009, the two friends were both widowed just a year apart.

Since the devastating loss of their partners, the two friends have become inseparable and in 2017 they started travelling the world together.

The duo have been to Sri Lanka, Mexico, Bangkok, Singapore, Penang and Malacca, and Goa. They’re aiming to visit Chile for their next adventure.

The duo, who have plenty of opinions, are aiming to put their 50-year friendship to the ultimate test on the Gogglebox sofa, including their impressive supply of chilled chocolate and wine.

Talking about joining the show, Sherry said: “I am really excited to be joining the Gogglebox ‘family’ and finding out how the whole process works and which new programmes we get to watch together. We are both very positive people and it is great to be doing something completely new together.”

While Jude added: “I am looking forward to the completely new experience at this stage of my life. A challenge definitely, but an exciting one.”

Talking about their 50-year friendship, Sherry said: “We have been close friends since we met at Queen Charlotte’s Maternity Hospital on the day our sons were born.

“There have been periods when we haven’t seen so much of each other, but since we have both been widowed, we have been together much more, especially since we started travelling together in 2017.”

Meanwhile, Jude added: “As Sherry said, we met 51 years ago, on the day after our sons were born, pushing them along the hospital corridor.

“Through the childhood years as we both went on to have two daughters and then a year apart in 2009 and 2010 we were both widowed, which is when we became even closer and our travels began.”

Watch brand-new Gogglebox on Friday 2 October at 9pm on Channel 4

MEGAN Thee Stallion has stripped down to a tiny black thong and bra top while announcing she’s performing at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.

The racy rapper, 31, will soon show her recent ex-boyfriend Klay Thompson, 36, what he’s missing when she performs at the very sexy fashion show.

“Hotties, my dream has finally come true,” Megan told fans Tuesday when announcing the news on social media.

She added: “I’m in thee Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.

“Tune in October 18 to see me get my wings.”

Fans can tune into the live fashion show on October 18 via YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram.

MEG-A SEXY

Megan Thee Stallion suffers wardrobe malfunction in completely see-through dress

In the video accompanying her announcement, Megan could be seen rocking black thong panties and white bra top as she danced around.

Reacting to Megan’s news of her VS Fashion Show performance, one person said: “REAL LIFE ANGEL IS GETTING HER WINGS.”

Another added: “Sexy & sensual moment.”

While a third wrote: “GO MEG.”

And a fourth said: “ITS BEEN OVER DUE QUEEN!!!! You’ve been on a run! Cultural ICON.”

Megan previously said she was keen to become a Victoria’s Secret angel.

Back in 2011, the rapper took to X, formerly Twitter, and penned: “I swear ima b a victoria secret model when I grow up.”

Megan is keen to show ex-boyfriend Klay what he is missing, following their recent break-up, which was plagued by cheating rumours on his part.

In June, the star took to Instagram and appeared to call out her unfaithful ex.

Megan wrote: “Cheating, had me around your whole family playing house… got ‘cold feet’.

“Holding you down through all your HORRIBLE mood swings and treatment towards me during your basketball season now you don’t know if you can be ‘monogamos’ ????

“B**** I need a real break after this one.. bye yall.”

Ahead of the government’s announcement, the lawyer for Maricarmen, who has become a symbol of Spain’s housing crisis, said she would be allowed to return to her home after reaching a deal with the company that owns it on Monday.

Abascal, who was admitted to hospital after being forcibly removed from the apartment on a stretcher, was unable to attend the meeting and is yet to sign the deal.

In the north-eastern city of Zaragoza, another woman’s eviction was temporarily suspended on Tuesday, the European Pressphoto Agency reported.

Esmeralda Tejero, 51, has lived in a flat in the city for eight years with her 11-year-old daughter, but stopped paying her rent some time ago as she could not afford it on top of her daily living costs, she told Catalan newspaper el Periódico on Monday.

Protests calling for housing relief measures broke out last week in Madrid and have spread to other cities including Barcelona, Seville, Malaga and Cadiz.

Thousands marched through the capital on Saturday demanding stronger protection for tenants in the face of a housing shortage and soaring rents.

They have warned that they would continue to protest if the government did not meet their demands.

The Bank of Spain estimates the country is short of 700,000 homes, based on the gap between demand and new construction.

House prices have risen by 12.2% in the past year, according to figures for the second quarter of 2026 from national statistics institute INE.

The shortage in rental housing means that costs rose by 8.5% in 2025, according to real estate firm Idealista, with Madrid alone seeing an increase of 9.7% in rents. It said Barcelona and Madrid were Spain’s most expensive cities to rent a home, at €23.8 per square metre and €22.7 per square metre respectively.

Amid tight Iowa midterm races, President Trump emphasises steel industry revival with project announcement.

Just weeks before the midterm elections, United States President Donald Trump has announced that a Minnesota-based steel manufacturer intends to build a $15bn steel mill project in Iowa, as the White House tries to highlight its focus on domestic manufacturing.

On Monday, joined by executives from Mesabi Metallics, which recently opened Minnesota’s first new iron ore mine in 50 years, Trump announced the project. It is expected to begin production in 2030 and could bring more than 1,700 jobs to the region, with an initial production capacity of 7.5 million tonnes per year.

The first phase of construction for the project will generate 5,000–6,000 construction jobs, a White House official told Al Jazeera.

The plant in Iowa will use iron ore from the Mesabi Iron Range in nearby Minnesota. Mesabi, which is owned by Indian conglomerate Essar Group, invested more than $2.5bn to build the mine in Minnesota.

“President Trump is delivering on his promise to rebuild American industry, re-shore manufacturing, and create new jobs. Today’s announcement underscores the president’s historic efforts to revitalize the US steel industry—supporting local communities, strengthening supply chains, and protecting our national security,” White House Spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said in a statement to Al Jazeera.

The steel industry has loomed over the first half of Trump’s second term in office. The president imposed 50 percent tariffs on steel and aluminium imports last year in an effort to boost domestic production, but also threatened to increase prices of products that use those materials, from soda cans to washing machines to cars.

“These are your 232 tariffs, the steel tariffs at work. Without those tariffs, this mine does not get built, and this steel plant does not get built”, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said in the Oval Office on Monday.

Trump also solidified the US government’s stake in US Steel, which was acquired by Japan’s Nippon Steel in June 2025. As part of the deal, the US government received a so-called “golden share”, which gives the president the authority to appoint a board member to weigh in on decisions that would impact domestic steel production.

Midterm stakes

The announcement comes a little more than a month ahead of the US midterm elections, and the economy is top of mind for US voters.

Among Republicans, Trump is losing steam on his handling of economic issues, with a new September 21 Ipsos poll finding that 56 percent approve of his handling of the economy, down from 80 percent.

Iowa is in play as a seat Democrats could flip in the midterm elections, with Republican Ashley Hinson facing Democrat Josh Turek in November and with polls suggesting a tight race.

Hinson joined the president in the Oval Office for the announcement.

A poll conducted by the Republican-aligned pollster the Trafalgar Group showed Hinson with a two-point lead, while an InsiderAdvantage poll, which is considered more nonpartisan, found Turek leading by two points.

BLUE singer Lee Ryan has revealed his wife Verity is pregnant with his seventh child in a super-sweet video.

The happy baby news comes after the All Rise hitmaker welcomed his sixth child, a little girl, in 2025.

Lee’s new social media video showed him donning a black hat as he danced around with his family.

Verity, sporting her own nude headgear and a brightly-patterned dress, was seen proudly holding a sonogram scan of their unborn tot.

The happy couple shared a kiss before the rest of their family joined them to celebrate.

In his caption, penned alongside a family day out, he wrote: “I am blessed by God for the family I have”.

STAR’S SHAME

Blue singer Lee Ryan faces jail for racially abusing BA cabin crew while drunk

baby joy!

Boyband star becomes a dad for the SIXTH time as wife gives birth

One fan wrote: “I remember you saying you always wanted kids in a programme years ago and now look what you have”.

Another added: “So happy for you and the fam”.

A third then put: “You are a Great Daddy enjoy life you’re completely right”.

Lee, 43, is best known for his role in the chart-topping boyband, famed for hits All Rise and Fly By.

Last September, he welcomed a little girl with wife Verity but did not reveal her name at the time.

She is Lee’s fourth child with his spouse, and he shares two other children with previous partners.

He is also dad to Bluebell, 16, with his ex-girlfriend Jessica Keevil and a son Rayn with former fiancé Samantha Miller, who was born in 2008.

Lee and Verity, an Ariana Grande lookalike, tied the knot in secret in May 2022 in Gibraltar.

He said at the time: “I met someone finally who loves and supports me in everything I do.

“Verity is a beautiful, strong and loving woman who I treasure.

“And I’m a lucky man to have such a wonderful mother for my child, and now wife, in her.

“I’ve never been more calm and grounded and I have Verity to thank for that.

“I’m the happiest I’ve ever been in my life because of the
wonderful family life I now have.”

Stunning Verity is a talented singer who appeared on X Factor in 2009 – and even turned her talent into a career when she worked as an Ariana lookalike and impersonator.

Macklemore says ‘being apolitical during a genocide doesn’t work’, promises to donate proceeds to Palestinian causes.

Grammy Award-winning rapper Macklemore has announced a string of shows in support of Palestine after he was controversially dropped from Ed Sheeran’s United States tour after speaking out against Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.

The 43-year-old American rapper, who has almost 40 million monthly listeners on Spotify, announced his Free Palestine Tour on Thursday, with shows set to take place in Dublin, Paris and London in late October.

Macklemore said he will be joined by other musicians and will announce their names soon. He added that US shows are currently being organised.

He said all proceeds raised from the tour will be donated to causes supporting the Palestinian people and the wider movement.

“If these last couple of weeks have shown us anything, it’s that something has shifted over the last three years,” Macklemore said in a statement.

“There has been a collective awakening around Palestinian liberation, the power of billionaires that try to censor that call, and what we expect from artists right now. It’s 2026. Being apolitical during a genocide doesn’t work anymore,” he continued.

“People are asking artists to show up, educate themselves and be in community. To use the stage for more than entertainment. To push back when the call for a Free Palestine is met with attempts to silence it.”

English punk rap duo Bob Vylan have expressed their support for the tour, responding to Macklemore’s Instagram post with a heart emoji. The British YouTuber and influencer known as Chunkz, who has more than four million followers on Instagram, also praised Macklemore.

Attempts to silence Macklemore

On September 4 at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium, Macklemore, who was one of Sheeran’s opening acts, expressed support for Palestine.

“A big part of the reason why I wanted to do this tour in the first place is so I could stand up in stadiums like this and say two words that are very near and dear to my heart: ‘Free Palestine’ … My message is for peace; love for all human beings to be treated with dignity, respect, and equality,” Macklemore told the audience at the time.

Soon after, the rapper announced that he had been dropped from the Sheeran tour.

Venue owner Robert Kraft later confirmed that Macklemore was barred from performing at his Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Kraft denounced what he described as the rapper’s “broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery” and argued that such actions led him to decide that allowing Macklemore to perform at his venue “would cross that line”.

Kraft is a Jewish-American billionaire and has donated to several Israeli causes. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is the subject of an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes and crimes against humanity, said in 2019 that Israel did not have a “more loyal friend” than Kraft.

Macklemore claimed Sheeran and his team removed him from the tour following pressure from Kraft.

He alleged that Kraft rallied the owners of the remaining stadiums that the tour would include and persuaded them not to allow him to perform. The rapper said that Kraft then told Sheeran the tour would not go ahead unless he was dropped.

Neither Kraft nor Sheeran have commented on Macklemore’s allegations that stadium owners were contacted by Kraft.

Versatile forward Nicolas Batum is retiring following an 18-year NBA career and a long stint with the French national team.

The 37-year-old Batum announced his retirement in a social media video with his son on Monday.

“I decided to retire from basketball for several reasons,” Batum told 10-year-old son, Ayden, in the video. “I want to come home and be with you. I’m going to take care of you and make room for others. I think I’ve done my time. My time with France ended two years ago. And the NBA is over too. You know, when you’ve played as much basketball as I have, at some point, you have to know when to stop. … I’ve done everything I needed to do.”

Batum played two seasons in the French league before being selected in the first round of the NBA draft by the Portland Trail Blazers. The 6-foot-7 forward spent seven seasons in Portland before playing the next six with Charlotte.

Batum spent most of his final six seasons with the Clippers, with a short stint in Philadelphia in 2023-24. He also was a stalwart on French national teams that won silver medals in the 2020 and 2024 Olympics.

Batum averaged 9.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists while shooting 37% from three-point range during his NBA career.

Faced with a growing threat to their bases and personnel from missiles and drones and some recent hard-learned lessons, two top Air Force officials on Monday announced plans to increase protection. The statements were made during the Air & Space Forces Air, Space and Cyber Symposium that TWZ is attending. They were delivered as the service is seeking to improve its organic ability to defend its bases and has developed new doctrine to do so. 

The war against Iran exposed gaps in how the U.S. can provide effective, sustained air defenses for its foreign installations and there are major concerns about a future fight against a peer competitor like China or Russia. Drone incursions at home have raised alarms about domestic base protection as has the war between Russia and Ukraine.

The following video shows a fatal Iranian attack on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan in July.

“For decades, American air and space power has often operated from a position of sanctuary. Those days are over,” Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Kenneth S. Wilsbach said during a keynote speech. “We can no longer treat point defense as a side hustle. We must make it a core function of air and space power.”

He acknowledged the widespread damage Iran caused to U.S. bases and suggested that lack of base defense played a large role.

“So, if we had more robust base defense, perhaps those bases wouldn’t have been as damaged as they were,” the general admitted. “Look at Israel; they have a significantly layered, very robust defense of their country, and they didn’t take that many hits. Very few, in fact, and that shows you what a good defensive system can do, which can help you to operate not quite with impunity, but almost, and you can just keep generating air power, and your defensive systems take care of the incoming.”

Wilsbach offered some concrete suggestions about how to make improvements. 

“First, we will establish the point defense weapon system, bringing together kinetic and non-kinetic capabilities to secure our air bases,” the general said. He did not offer any specifics. 

While Wilsbach offered no details about what a point defense weapons system would entail, we recently wrote that the Air Force is seeking an anti-aircraft gun system to help defend its air bases around the world from drones and cruise missiles. Introduced via a Request for Information (RFI) recently posted on the government’s contracting website, the gun system concept is part of a larger Air Force effort to play a greater role in air base defense via ground-based air defenses (GBADs). This role is largely performed by the U.S. Army, most notably with surface-to-air missile systems like Patriot and the Humvee-based Avenger system. The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system can also provide broader area defense against incoming ballistic missiles. Other short-range systems optimized to swat down drones and even incoming rockets include the Centurion Counter-Rocket, Artillery, Mortar (C-RAM) system, Coyote counter-drone interceptors and more.

The Air Force currently has no such systems. Now it is set on changing that.

The Air Force is also looking at directed energy weapons like lasers for force protection and especially for defending bases overseas. While gaining traction across the services due in large measure to the much lower cost of delivering effects, these systems are still works in progress.

It’s one thing to have equipment, but another to have experts that know how to use it, Wilsbach noted.

“Second, we have established a new career field of point defense airmen,” he added. “This new career field will be operational in two years. Together, these two new initiatives will strengthen our defenses, reinforce our ability to generate air and space power under fire, and protect our greatest advantage: our airmen and guardians.”

“Protecting the force and generating combat power are inseparable,” Wilsbach explained. “We need our airmen trained, equipped, and ready to fight from the opening moments of a conflict.”

“Don’t you think we ought to have them at every base?” he suggested when asked about point defenders during a media engagement at the symposium. “Because if every base is going to be threatened, we have to have somebody that knows how to defend it. So, obviously, that’s a long-term objective. But what I’ll tell you for right now is we’re going to develop the career field and push it forward to the critical bases that need protecting most, and then we’ll expand it beyond there.”

Though he wants the Air Force to come up with new defensive systems and personnel with the know-how to operate them, Wilsbach is not quite as sold on building out hardened aircraft shelters (HAS). This is his long-standing position that he reiterated on Monday.

“If you know where you’re going to fight from, hardened shelters aren’t that bad of an idea,” the general posited. “Deeply buried are even better. But if you are like us, and we don’t necessarily know where we’re going to fight from, if you build a hardened shelter and you don’t happen to be there, then you perhaps wasted that money.”

“So, given a resource-constrained environment, I would like to put my dollars in systems that can go anywhere in the world and protect you with basically the same level of security by shooting down incoming rounds versus making a hardened shelter that is impervious to an attack,” Wilsbach explained. “You have to put it 200 or 300 feet underground. Any hardened shelter that you show me that’s above the ground, I can blow up. So unless it’s really deeply buried, and then if it is, it’s expensive. And so that’s my logic: the best bang for the buck.”

To speed up the fielding of defensive systems, the service is interested in building out a procurement process specifically designed to develop weapons and other equipment needed to defend bases.

“How do you make sure that [airmen] have the kit they need to do the job?” Air Force Secretary Troy Meink asked rhetorically at a separate symposium session.

The Air Force, he said, is considering creating a new base defense Portfolio Acquisition Executive (PAE). The service created PAEs at the beginning of the year as part of an overhaul of its acquisition process ordered by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. 

“The creation of PAEs is a central element of that direction,” according to an Air Force memo on the topic. “By organizing acquisition leadership around portfolios of capability, rather than discrete programs alone, the Department seeks to improve integration, decision speed, and outcome-focused execution across the acquisition enterprise.”

Meink acknowledged that there are challenges to creating a new PAE, most notably the overhead cost of establishing a new office with its associated personnel and infrastructure.

“Probably not going to do it right away, but obviously I think we’re on a path to something like that in the future,” the secretary suggested. “But there definitely has to be a continually increasing focus on making sure we can defend our airmen and guardians wherever they are in the world. This is not just an overseas problem; it’s a U.S. problem as well.”

Though we have been raising the alarm for years about the need for domestic base protection, the issue came into sharp focus in December 2023 after Langley Air Force Base in Virginia was beset by mysterious drone incursions for much of that month. The nature of those flights, which we were the first to report, remains publicly unknown. Since then there have been incursions at several other bases in the U.S., including Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana, home of B-52 Stratofortress bombers and nuclear weapons storage facilities, and a key part of the airborne leg of America’s nuclear triad. There have also been numerous incursions over U.S. bases in Europe, many of which we were the first to report.

As we noted earlier in this story, the U.S. is already facing a challenge defending against Iranian threats. A war with China would be more devastating and, when it comes to the Air Force protecting its bases, require more robust defenses and a lot more of them at many more locations. At the same time, the Air Force is still very early in the process of taking on more responsibility for protecting its assets.

Meanwhile, the Army has its issues when it comes to air defense. Its existing Patriot battalions have already been shown to be worryingly inadequate to meet heavy existing operational demands, something TWZ has been calling attention to for years now. We have also been raising concerns for a long time about its lack of SHORADS.

For the Air Force, recognizing the problem and taking steps to fix it are important steps. Whether these are the right approaches is something we will keep an eye on.

Contact the author: howard@twz.com

Ismail Kartal resigned as head coach of Fenerbahce just minutes after the Turkish side’s 1-1 draw with Roma in the Champions League.

Kartal made the surprise announcement in his post-match news conference, stating he plans to never return to the club he previously served as a player and assistant coach.

He came back to Fenerbahce for a fourth spell as manager in June 2026, with the club returning to the Champions League for the first time in 18 years.

Now he departs with the team sitting ninth in the Turkish Super Lig after two wins and two defeats, and after only one Champions League match.

“I have been here three months. From the beginning of the season until today, the training sessions and camps we held with the players, and the efforts of our president, have been very helpful. Those were wonderful days,” Kartal said.

“As of this evening, I congratulate my players and resign from my position.

“I made this decision to pave the way for my club. We made this decision together as a team.

“From now on, to help Fenerbahce, my players and future coaches, I have resigned from my position, with the intention of never returning.”

Club president Aziz Yildirim has not accepted 65-year-old Kartal’s resignation.

Yildirim said in a statement released on Fenerbahce’s website, external: “Ismail Kartal is still in charge. The club should support our coach. Until I leave, Ismail Kartal is the head coach of Fenerbahce.”

EastEnders have announced that Amy Mitchell will become the victim of grooming as part of a harrowing new storyline and bosses have teamed up with various charities to highlight the important issue

EastEnders have announced that Amy Mitchell will become the victim of grooming as part of a harrowing new storyline.

The long-running BBC soap, which began in 1985, has never shied away from tackling tough topics and the latest in a long line of issue-based storylines will feature Amy, who is just weeks away from her 18th birthday, fall into an unhealthy relationship with corrupt police officer Craig Ingram.

With Amy (Ellie Dadd) having admitted responsibility for Joel’s attack, Craig gains Amy’s trust by agreeing to keep her confession a secret from the police. Unbeknownst to Amy, Craig has been suspended from public police duty following a series of complaints at work, and he uses his position of power to elicit control.

Believing Craig to be the only thing that stands between her and serious consequence for the attack on Joel, Amy is incrementally manipulated and groomed by Craig over a series of months and will eventually find herself in danger when Craig.

In upcoming scenes, Craig will create an environment where Amy believes he is the only person she can trust. Bosses of the soap have teamed up with Barnardo’s and End Violence Against Women Coalition to bring the storyline to the screen in the way they see fit.

Ben Wadey, EastEnders Executive Producer said: “When telling a storyline like Amy’s, we have a huge responsibility to highlight and raise awareness of the warning signs of grooming. We’re grateful to be working with Barnardo’s and End Violence Against Women to help us tell this story.”

Lynn Perry, Barnardo’s Chief Executive added: “We welcomed the opportunity to provide expert advice on this storyline – which is a powerful reminder that there is no stereotypical victim or perpetrator of grooming.

“Young people from all walks of life can be targeted and fall victim to controlling behaviour – and many are often unaware that they are being groomed. We hope this important storyline can highlight how subtle the signs of grooming can be and how it builds over time.

“To any viewers who recognise themselves in this story – who may be currently experiencing abuse or might have in the past – we hope this storyline shows you that the abuse was not your fault and we encourage you to seek support. We appreciate the writing team’s professional curiosity and determination to get this story right.”

Janaya Walker, Interim Director at End Violence Against Women Coalition added: “We’re proud to have worked with the EastEnders team on this storyline about grooming and police-perpetrated abuse, which has been delivered with sensitivity and care. On-screen portrayals like this have the power to shift attitudes and increase understanding of abuse across society.

“This storyline will help raise awareness about how those in a position of trust can abuse their power to target women and girls. We hope it can play an important role in making these experiences visible and help victims watching at home to understand that what happened to them was abuse, and to seek support.”

EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

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