Walt Disney Co. laid off nearly 300 workers this week, the latest wave in an industry-wide consolidation that continues to reverberate throughout Southern California.
Several people close to the Burbank entertainment giant confirmed this week’s cuts, which came as Disney separately offered early retirement packages for older workers. The voluntary separation program is underway, and the number of executives who will exit later this year has not been determined, one of the knowledgeable sources said Friday.
The layoffs this week largely affected the human resources and the technology divisions — a belt-tightening that comes as Disney Chief Executive Josh D’Amaro seeks to put his imprint on the sprawling company and sharpen its focus.
D’Amaro took the reins from former CEO Bob Iger in March, and the former parks chief has begun to organize the company around a “One Disney” approach to break down corporate silos that sprouted with each large acquisition, including Disney’s 2019 takeover of much of 21st Century Fox.
Disney also has been working for the past year to make Disney+ the company’s central streaming hub. As part of that effort, executives have begun to diminish the Hulu service and brand, which sprung to life nearly 20 years ago.
Disney employees are bracing for further cuts. Many expect a significant television division restructuring early next year, which could result in hundreds of layoffs, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Disney’s legal government affairs department also will be downsized, according to a recent internal memo Disney Chief Legal Officer Horacio Gutierrez.
A Disney spokesperson declined to comment.
Disney President Dana Walden, during a Thursday appearance at Bloomberg News’ Screentime media conference in Hollywood, acknowledged the industry turmoil.
Traditional studios and TV networks have shed tens of thousands workers in recent years after the streaming bubble burst and twin labor strikes paused projects.
Production workers in Los Angeles have felt a double-whammy as other states and countries have offered generous tax subsidies that have pulled productions from L.A.
Separately, Warner Bros. Discovery workers are anxious that David Ellison’s planned takeover of their company next week will ultimately result in hundreds of layoffs as the tech scion and his team hunt for $6 billion in cost cuts that they promised investors and prospective debt holders.
The merger will leave the combined company, which will go by the name Skydance, with more than $80 billion in debt.
Walden suggested her company’s cuts would be more modest. She said restructurings were necessary as companies adapt to changing consumption patterns, which have eroded the more lucrative TV economics of yesteryear.
“There is a need to constantly evaluate how you’re structured,” Walden said. “It is extremely painful. We’ve exited colleagues who I’ve worked with for most of my career and it is, in many ways, a harsh reality.”
She described Disney’s voluntary retirement program as a “generous” program to give “long-tenured executives agency and the opportunity to make their own decisions around whether the timing was right to leave.”
“This evolution, it will never stop,” Walden added. “Technology set their sights on our business, and we must survive, and thrive and grow. And that’s what we’re going to do.”
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth says he’s firing 20% of the military’s generals and admirals, as part of his ‘anti-woke’ overhaul. He also announced a new technology-focused warfare division co-led by Elon Musk.
Published On 1 Oct 20261 Oct 2026
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By Konstantin Toropin and ben Finley
QUANTICO, Va. — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed Wednesday that the U.S. military will cut 20% of its generals and admirals as he delivered what he is calling his “State of the Force” address.
Hegseth was speaking to junior officers and enlisted leaders at the Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia, the second year in a row that he has given such an address. This time, the U.S. military is seven months into a war with Iran with no clear end in sight, has captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and killed more than 200 people in strikes on alleged drug trafficking boats in Latin America, among other actions worldwide.
The speech is not a usual fixture among Pentagon leaders. While Hegseth’s predecessors regularly addressed troops and top officers, they traditionally have done so in small or private settings.
The Pentagon chief, however, again focused on how he has drastically retooled the U.S. military by targeting what he calls “woke” culture — through a rollback of diversity programs, a review of ground combat units with female troops and a new screening program for “testosterone deficiency” among male personnel.
Pentagon officials had previewed that Hegseth would announce more cuts to the number of generals and admirals. He directed all military services to double the 10% reduction he ordered last spring for roughly 800 flag and general officer positions, making it a total 20% decrease to be completed by Jan. 1.
“I call it accountability and long overdue,” he said.
Several senators viewed Hegseth’s move as nothing short of a “purge” of the military’s top ranks that will take years to rebuild.
“He’s got some kind of like deep-seated grievance about leadership in the military,” said Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., the former Navy combat pilot and NASA astronaut, who has been critical of Hegseth. “He’s purging a generation of great leaders of the military, and it’s going to take a generation to recover from it.”
Republican Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he wanted to understand Hegseth’s reasoning behind the decision.
“If it’s simply a matter of eliminating a very heavy top, there may be some validity to it, but I want to see it first,” Rounds said.
Hegseth and President Trump already have fired or pushed to retire more than two dozen military leaders since taking office, including the Army’s top uniformed officer, Gen. Randy George, a move that angered both Republicans and Democrats in Congress. The purge also has included a number of senior officers who are women or people of color.
Previous leaders who were ousted include Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. CQ Brown; Chief of Naval Operations Lisa Franchetti; and Vice Adm. Shoshana Chatfield, the U.S. military representative to the NATO Military Committee.
Although Hegseth never gave specific reasons for those firings, most were tied to the belief that they endorsed or spoke openly in support of diversity, equity and inclusion programs, which have been targets of Hegseth and Trump.
As part of last year’s cuts, Hegseth also ordered the active duty military to shed 20% of its four-star general officers — the highest-level leaders — and the National Guard to shed 20% of its top positions, but it is unclear if all those cuts have been made. The new cuts could include any one-star general or above, or an officer of equivalent Navy rank.
When Hegseth first announced the effort to trim the highest levels of the military ranks, he argued it was intended to remove “redundant force structure to optimize and streamline leadership.” In a memo released in May 2025, he said the aim was to free the military from “unnecessary bureaucratic layers.”
The number of general officer positions in the military is set by law, but it is possible to let positions remain unfilled by not submitting replacements to Congress.
Hegseth’s efforts have extended well beyond personnel changes among the top ranks. He oversaw Trump’s ban on transgender troops while announcing new directives for “gender-neutral” or “male-level” standards for physical fitness.
Toropin and Finley write for the Associated Press. AP writers Lisa Mascaro and Meg Kinnard contributed to this report.
Pentagon official says the plan will be announced in the defence secretary’s ‘State of the Force’ address in Virginia.
Published On 30 Sep 202630 Sep 2026
United States Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will cut the number of positions reserved for generals and admirals by 20 percent, a Pentagon official has told Al Jazeera, in a change that will affect leadership across the Army, Navy and Air Force.
Hegseth is expected to announce the decision on Wednesday during a visit to the Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia, where he will deliver his “State of the Force” address in front of junior officers and enlisted officials, the official said.
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The Associated Press news agency, citing Pentagon officials, reported that Hegseth will direct all the military services to double the 10 percent reduction that he ordered last year to the roughly 800 flag and general officer positions. This would make it a 20 percent total decrease and is to be completed by January 1, 2027.
Fox News reported the new reductions could include any one-star general or above or officer of equivalent Navy rank.
The Washing Post reported that the cuts could affect the careers of “hundreds of current and rising military leaders following scores of firings and denied promotions”.
US President Donald Trump or Hegseth have fired, or pushed into retirement, more than two dozen military leaders since taking office in January 2025, including the Army’s top uniformed officer, General Randy George, in April.
The administration also fired the only two women serving as four-star officers, along with several other senior female officers. Other top officials have left through retirements and resignations, including the Army secretary, Dan Driscoll, who resigned this month after repeated clashes with Hegseth.
When the defence secretary first announced the effort to trim the highest levels of the military ranks, he argued it was intended to remove “redundant force structure to optimise and streamline leadership”. And in a memo released in May 2025, he added that his aim was to free the military from “unnecessary bureaucratic layers”.
At this time last year, Hegseth also declared an end to “woke” culture and announced new directives for troops that included “gender-neutral” or “male-level” standards for physical fitness.
Senator Jack Reed, a Rhode Island Democrat and ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, expressed concern over Hegseth’s latest move in a statement. He said eliminating senior leadership positions must be done in consultation with Congress and warned that the planned cuts “should alarm every American”.
“Congress has been clear with the Secretary that he must consult this body and explain his reasoning for senior officer removals and promotion holds. To date, we have not received satisfactory answers,” Reed said.
“Our military is conducting major operations around the world, and the force is already under strain,” he added.
The number of general officer positions is set by law, but positions can be left unfilled if the administration does not submit nominees to Congress.
ONE in five early holiday bookers have been left out of pocket after seeing prices for their trip plummet as the departure date approaches.
Researchers explored whether travellers are more likely to identify with a traditional, take-charge Type A personality (54 per cent), or a laid-back Type B approach (31 per cent), when booking and enjoying a holiday.
Type A travellers prefer to meticulously plan every detail of their trip well before setting off, while Type Bs would rather go with the flow and embrace the unexpected when away.
However, the study of 2,000 adults who have travelled abroad in the last three years found 20 per cent of Type As later spotted the exact flight or hotel they had spent weeks researching available for significantly less.
Another 10 per cent of these travellers have lost money trying to amend or cancel rigid bookings when their plans changed.
Yet 73 per cent of Type As believe booking a holiday just a week before departure feels too risky.
But 36 per cent of their Type B counterparts feel confident there is little risk of missing out on their dream destination, even without planning months in advance.
The research was commissioned by lastminute.com to mark the launch of its ‘Travel Bgents’ platform, a hub that rewards Type B bookers with extra discounts.
Zoë Fidler, from the holiday firm, said: “There’s a common misconception that Type B travellers are just unstructured non-planners who leave things to chance. In reality, they are the savviest bookers in the game.
“Type B travellers have simply realised that holding off on pressing ‘book’ is the smartest move you can make, knowing they can get what they want and at a great price.”
Yet a quarter (25 per cent) admitted they wish they could embrace this more spontaneous approach and have the confidence to book a trip without overthinking.
With 30 per cent of Type B travellers assured that they could change plans on a whim when leaving it late to lock in their trip.
It’s not just saving money and planning time as 42 per cent of Type B travellers agreed that spontaneous adventures while on holiday create lasting memories, whereas this was true for just 20 per cent of Type A travellers.
With Type B travellers revealed to be more likely to stumble across hidden gems (36 per cent v 28 per cent) or enjoy unexpected moments (42 per cent v 20 per cent).
Zoe Fidler, from lastminute.com, added: “By holding out for the right moment, Type B’s unlock premium trips at a fraction of the cost, without the over-planning.
“Leaving it to the last minute isn’t about compromising or settling for leftovers; it’s an intentional, high-reward strategy.”
By Kevin Freking and Jonathan J. Cooper
WASHINGTON — President Trump is canceling nearly $1 billion in spending approved by Congress, the White House announced Friday, using a rare and contested power to axe funding for immigrant services and diversity-focused initiatives.
Trump’s Office of Management and Budget described the funding cut as focused on “the most harmful government spending.”
Most of the cuts are focused on Health and Human Services programs that serve refugees and unaccompanied minors accused of being in the country illegally. The administration says the funds are no longer necessary because illegal border crossings have diminished considerably.
Also targeted for cuts were a Department of Education program for migrant students, a Department of Justice office focused on reducing racial tensions, a business development initiative for minority entrepreneurs, housing counseling services from the Housing and Urban Development Department and a series of grants from the Health and Human Services Department that the administration called “outright harmful and blatantly ideological.”
A White House news release announcing the funding rescission notes that some of the organizations are led by people who worked in the Obama administration.
Trump’s move was condemned by Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, a Republican in a tough reelection campaign and chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Collins said in a statement that the action came without warning or consultation. She also said she would work to address with colleagues “these illegal actions.”
“Not only is the delay itself an impoundment that was not reported to Congress, but also it is a usurpation of Congress’s appropriations powers,” Collins said. “OMB is an agency of the executive branch. It does not get to decide which programs are worth funding.”
Under federal law, Congress has 45 days to review the president’s proposed spending cuts before they take effect. But Trump made that all but impossible by announcing them with just five days left in the federal fiscal year and the House out of session through the November election. The Government Accountability Office, which is an arm of Congress, says the maneuver known as a “pocket rescission” is illegal.
Collins called it the latest attempt by OMB to “undermine Congress’s Constitutional power of the purse.”
A year ago, Trump issued a pocket rescission for the first time in nearly 50 years by blocking $4.9 billion in congressionally approved foreign aid. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to block that rescission, saying that Trump’s authority over foreign affairs weighed heavily in its decision. This year, Trump is targeting domestic spending.
The use of a pocket rescission fits into a broader pattern by the Trump administration to exert greater control over the U.S. government, eroding Congress’ power.
What was essentially the last pocket rescission occurred in 1977 when President Carter rescinded it, and the Trump administration argues it’s a legally permissible tool, despite some murkiness, since Carter had initially proposed the claw-back well ahead of the 45-day deadline.
The administration has also fired federal workers, imposed a historic increase in tariffs, and started the war in Iran without going through Congress, putting the burden on the judicial branch to determine the limits of presidential power.
Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, the lead Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, described the White House action as “theft from the American people, plain and simple.”
“These are funds Congress has delivered on a bipartisan basis and should be helping people — not cut off by a president more focused on building a ballroom than investing in families,” Murray said.
Murray said that in recent spending negotiations, Democrats fought to include language to prevent the administration from usurping Congress’ power on spending decisions, but Republicans have declined to go along.
“While Trump spends tax dollars on ads promoting himself” — a reference to a taxpayer-paid TV spot that has drawn bipartisan rebuke — “Congress needs to reassert its powers to help people, and it’s past time Republicans join us in that fight,” she said.
In addition to immigrant services, the White House said it was rescinding $70 million for what it called “woke” international education programs, $28 million in grant funding for Health and Human Services research programs, and $9 million in debt relief for foreign countries that fund climate change policies. An additional $10 million was being withheld from a minority business development program.
Freking and Cooper write for the Associated Press.
Many of the front pages focus on the Conservative party’s promise to prevent long-term jobless benefit claimants from spending their welfare payments on alcohol, cigarettes and betting. The Daily Mail’s headline is “Kemi’s ruthless crackdown on benefits street”, external. The Daily Telegraph says the Tories want to stop joblessness being what is referred to as a “lifestyle choice for those who can’t be bothered”, external.
The front page of the Daily Mirror carries a photograph of the moment two RAF pilots ejected from a jet before it crashed on Anglesey in North Wales, external. They were taking part in a training exercise when they were forced to parachute from the plane – which, the paper reports, then “plummeted nose-first into a field” and caused a “huge fireball”. The paper’s headline is “Miracle no one was killed”.
According to the Daily Telegraph, talks about the future of the Elgin marbles have collapsed, external. Greece reopened negotiations with the British Museum in 2021 as part of efforts to repatriate the ancient sculptures. But the paper says “it is understood negotiations are effectively over” as Greek representatives are frustrated by a lack of progress.
The Times says mounted cavalry might have an advantage in modern warfare, external, a century on after tanks replaced horses on the battlefield. Last year, a Ukrainian infantry company in Donetsk reported that Russian forces had started to use horses and donkeys to carry soldiers and supplies to avoid detection by drones. And the paper says the UK’s Household Mounted Cavalry regiment conducted trials over the summer, with officials saying in some situations, such as woodland, there’s a better chance of getting from A to B with a horse, than with a Challenger 2 tank.
And the boss of Timpsons says his company has seen a 680% increase in people asking for extra holes in their belts this year,, external reports the Daily Mail. He believes the demand is down to the popularity of weight loss jabs.
AndreyPopov/iStock via Getty Images
Rollins Inc. (ROL) was cut to neutral from overweight at Piper Sandler due to agentic AI and private equity investment in the pest control space.
Agentic AI search appears to favor small/local pest control providers over national companies, Piper Sandler analyst
Hundreds of flights have been delayed at major airports in the US after construction workers accidentally cut a cable needed for air traffic control.
Ground stops and delays were issued on Monday afternoon for airports in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Massachusetts.
Hours later, US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the cable had been repaired and airports would resume normal operations, though delays were still expected.
The major east coast disruption came ahead of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York City on Tuesday, which is expected to be attended by scores of world leaders arriving into New York-area airports.
That includes UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who managed to board his flight before the delays began and was expected to arrive on time.
The delays happened after the damaged cable impacted the Terminal Radar Approach Control system, which is used to guide planes during takeoff and landing, transport officials said.
New Jersey public transportation agency NJ Transit told CBS News, the BBC’s US partner, that its construction workers had accidentally severed the line and that markers had been wrongly placed at the digging site.
The BBC has reached out to NJ Transit for comment.
Duffy earlier said the damage was caused by workers from Amtrak, the US national operator of intercity railroad service, who were doing the construction work. This “caused a telecom outage” which forced the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to ground flights, Duffy posted on X.
An Amtrak spokesperson said in a statement, reported by US media, that the incident involved a NJ Transit contractor. Telecommunications company Verizon, which owns the cable, also said it was not responsible.
The severed cable was actually a backup network, and the error was only discovered after the primary circuit failed, according to the head of the FAA, Bryan Bedford.
Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey – one of the three major airports that services New York City – was the most heavily impacted by today’s air traffic control disruptions, according to flight-tracking website FlightAware.
It reported that 267 departing flights were delayed today, while a further 257 flights destined for Newark were also delayed.
John F Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport, both in New York, were also affected, as was Philadelphia International Airport.
One passenger, Douglas Tewnion, said he boarded a flight to New York from Edinburgh and that his plane had been diverted to Boston, Massachusetts instead.
He told the BBC that, two hours after his flight was due into New York, he and the other passengers were still “sitting on the same plane, on the tarmac at Boston with no information”.
Though “everyone is in good spirits”, Tewnion said “it’s just a pain” to see two more hours waiting added onto a lengthy flight.
Additional reporting by Ione Wells
Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman has returned to Chicago a day after being hit in the face by a foul ball while standing in front of the on-deck circle during a road game against the Cincinnati Reds.
Bregman shared that information — as well as a photo that appears to show that his left eye remains swollen shut — Monday morning on his Instagram Stories.
“Back in Chicago,” wrote Bregman, who also appeared to have a cut and bruising near his left cheekbone where the ball off teammate Michael Busch’s bat made contact during the fourth inning of the Cubs’ 9-1 victory.
It was the second photo and update posted by Bregman since the gruesome injury occurred. On Sunday evening, the three-time All Star shared a photo that appeared to have been taken in the team’s clubhouse. In addition to his eye being swollen shut and cheek cut, Bregman also has gauze inserted in his left nostril, where some bleeding had occurred.
“Thanks for the messages yall,” Bregman wrote. “I’ll be back.”
Before the incident occurred, Bregman hit a run-scoring single in the first inning and walked and eventually scored in the third. He was standing several feet in front of the on-deck circle when Busch fouled off a pitch by Cincinnati’s Luis Mey on a checked swing.
Bregman lost his bat but maintained his footing as the ball struck him. He covered his face with his left hand and was able to jog toward the Cubs dugout, where a trainer helped him down the steps and into the clubhouse. The 11-year veteran was taken to a hospital for testing.
“It’s a terrible, terrible accident,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said after the game. “We hope he’s OK.”
Bregman is batting .262 with 26 home runs and 89 RBIs in his first season with the Cubs. He is probably best known to Los Angeles fans as a member of the Houston Astros team that defeated the Dodgers in the 2017 World Series and were later found by MLB to have illegally used technology to steal signs during that season. Bregman and the Astros also won the 2022 World Series.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
KIM Kardashian turned heads at the opening party for SKIMS’ flagship shop in London last night as she poured her curves into a daring low cut dress.
The American reality star shocked fans with three outfit changes in one night.
She arrived at her SKIMS event on Regent Street looking very glamorous in a nude gown.
The 45-year-old was seen beaming and waving to fans as she posed up outside the bustling shop.
Her plunging dress was embroidered with silver sequins, which showed off her curve appeal.
Later on, Kim was snapped in another incredible ensemble as she made her entrance at the SKIMS afterparty, which was held in lavish private members club Maison Estelle.
Read more on Kim Kardashian
The businesswoman’s boobs were barely contained in a brown leather corset, which she paired with a floor-length skirt.
She was seen fixing her hair as she strutted into the building, ready for a night of celebration.
Later on, Kim put on a sexy display as she left the venue in her third and final dress of the night.
The model and actress donned a tight-fitting nude two-piece, which showed off her rock hard abs.
Kim was this week awarded a symbolic one euro in compensation after she was robbed at gunpoint at a Paris hotel in 2016.
The award is reported to match what she asked for.
Kim and stylist Simone Harouche, also present during the robbery, said they “hope to now move forward”.
Kim, 45, had been staying at the five-star Hôtel de Pourtalès on October 2, 2016 when armed robbers stormed her suite and bound her with zip ties.
Among the jewellery stolen was a £3million engagement ring from her ex-husband, rapper Kanye West.
Most of the valuables, including the ring, were never recovered.
Tone Capone, the Bay Area producer whose smash hit “I Got 5 On It” for Luniz defined his region’s hip-hop sound, has died. He was 59.
The producer’s death was first reported by KQED. Capone had most recently lived in Las Vegas. No cause of death was given.
Capone, born Anthony Douglas Gilmour in Berkeley, learned to DJ while attending Berkeley High School. He often performed at college and house parties with his close friend Nick Peace, who became an accomplished hip-hop producer as well. While Bay Area hip-hop was famously independent and insular, Capone produced singles for major-label groups like the R&B combo SWV and the Oakland group Capital Tax, rooted in his love of ‘70s soul and hard-edged funk.
His sound — soulful yet martial, with a distinct, emphatic downbeat — yielded some of the region’s most beloved and distinct hip-hop hits, including Mac Dre’s “Fire” and “Not My Job,” E-40’s “Ring It,” 3xKrazy’s “Keep It on the Real” and cuts by Celly Cel, Andre Nickatina and countless others.
He’ll be best known for Luniz’ 1995 hit “I Got 5 On It,” a slinky, spooky track riffing on the Club Nouveau song “Why You Treat Me So Bad,” which entered the canon of ageless west coast hip-hop. The song hit the Billboard top ten, and recently resurfaced in a slow, eerie remix for Jordan Peele’s 2019 horror film “Us.”
Capone’s slow-rolling sound also traveled well to Houston, he worked with Scarface, Devin the Dude and more. His productions on Scarface’s 1997’s “The Untouchable” helped it go platinum, with “Smile” sporting one of the last verses recorded by Tupac Shakur.
Sydney: Australia will reduce migration by curbing “visa hopping”, tightening rules on students and working holiday makers as well as cracking down on overstayers, its interior minister said Thursday, as the far-right surges in the polls.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke told the National Press Club in Canberra that immigration was “fundamentally a strength” for Australia, but accepted that housing pressures required changes.
He denied his ruling Labor party was tightening visa rules in response to the rise of One Nation, which has become one of the country’s most popular parties this year with pledges to drastically slash migration. Business groups warned such cuts would cause economic damage.
“We need immigration to soften enough that housing has a chance to catch up,” he said, while stressing the housing shortage was not caused by migrants.
Net overseas migration – the net gain or loss to the population through movement to and from Australia – reached a peak of 538,000 in 2022 after a surge in arrivals when borders re-opened after the Covid-19 pandemic.
Numbers fell to 292,100 in the year to March, data on Thursday showed.
Burke said this was 47 percent below the post-Covid peak — and that policy changes would help to reach a target of 225,000 for next year.
Australians want to know the government was “taking control” of migration but also “being decent about it”, he said.
Students are the largest group of arrivals, with 753,000 international students in Australia, most from China and India, data shows.
Under the new rules, family members seeking to join students in Australia will face new curbs and it will become harder for students to move between courses to extend their stay, Burke said.
A backlog of applications from the UK for working holiday visas would continue to be processed slowly after a record 80,000 applications — a matter that is under discussion with the UK government, he said.
Working holiday makers in rural areas will enter a ballot to stay for a second or third year, with just 5,000 visas available for the latter.
Family members seeking to visit Australians will have “no further stay” conditions attached to their temporary visas.
Migrants with construction and housing skills will be prioritised for visas, he said.
Australia would return to a policy of a decade earlier in which visa overstayers were given two weeks to leave the country or face detention and deportation, he said.
An additional 100 compliance officers and 250 more beds in immigration detention centres would show there are consequences to overstaying a visa, he said.
But he stressed “this is not the sort of operation that some people have seen on TV happening in other countries” — a nod to hardline immigration policies in the United States.
A third of Australia’s resident population of 27.6 million was born overseas, the latest census data shows.
The Trump administration has cut or frozen up to $177 billion in federal grants since the president took office for his second term, according to a tracking tool released Wednesday by a pro-democracy nonprofit and a group of researchers and scientists.
The cuts affected all 50 states and the District of Columbia, with health, nutrition, the environment and disaster relief making up the largest share of cuts, the States United Democracy Center and Grant Witness organization found.
Among the grants that were eliminated, frozen or delayed were ones related to maternal health in Michigan, education research in Mississippi and assistance to minority farmers in Iowa, the researchers found. California, Texas, New York, Illinois and North Carolina saw the highest amounts of interrupted grant money. The tracking tool is called Lost Funds.
“By bringing thousands of funding disruptions from the Trump administration together in a publicly accessible, verified database, Lost Funds puts the magnitude of their impact on full display,” Scott Delaney, co-founder of Grant Witness, said in a statement.
The $177 billion finding represents nearly 10% of federal discretionary spending, the groups said.
The tracker’s organizers said the disrupted grants were beyond the kind of cuts that typically happen when administrations change.
“Lost Funds shows the extraordinary scale and real human impact of these disruptions, and how states are once again on the front lines protecting their residents,” said Kelly Rader, States United Democracy Center’s research director.
In some cases, courts have ruled against the administration’s grant funding cuts.
The new tool, which is being made available for public use, relies on data from USASpending.gov, an open data source of federal spending information, according to the groups’ methodology. They said the tracker would be updated regularly as the administration takes new action and lawsuits move through the courts.
States United bills itself as a nonpartisan group dedicated to the rule of law and free, fair, secure elections. It was co-founded by Norm Eisen, an attorney who has been involved in prominent lawsuits against the Trump administration, including over the Kennedy Center. Eisen left States United in 2021.
Grant Witness is a group of scientists, researchers and attorneys who document how funding is changing under President Trump’s administration.
A message seeking comment on the analysis was sent to the White House.
Catalini writes for the Associated Press.
WAUSAU, Wis. — U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, the Republican nominee for Wisconsin governor, wiped away tears and laughed while sharing how thankful he was Sunday to survive a harrowing late-night emergency landing into a lake of the small plane he was riding in.
The pilot “said we are going down,” Tiffany told reporters at a downtown Wausau firehouse. “‘Pull your seat belt tight.’ I gave it a yank and pulled it good and tight. It was probably about 10 seconds later … we hit the water.”
Tiffany said he and the pilot, Leonard Boltz, remained on top of the plane in Lake Wausau until it began sinking. They decided on swimming to shore. He said they swam about 100 to 150 feet until they reached water shallow enough to stand in.
“We’re really fortunate that God was looking after us last night,” said Tiffany, 68.
The Marathon County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement that the emergency landing happened just before 9 p.m. Saturday. Boltz called 911 after the pair got out of the plane. They were rescued by emergency responders in a fire department airboat just after 9 p.m.
“The gravity of this is probably just hitting me at this point,” Tiffany said Sunday. “We were making jokes every step of the way last night. Though we knew it was a serious situation, we tried to keep it light through the whole thing.”
David Crowley, the Democratic gubernatorial nominee, wished Tiffany a “quick recovery” in a post on X and lauded the “heroism of the pilot.”
Tiffany said he was returning from the La Crosse County Lincoln Day Dinner when the single-engine, four-seat Beechcraft Bonanza aircraft lost power as it approached Wausau Downtown Airport.
Tiffany said he had a cut above his right eye that required 12 stitches. Boltz, who Tiffany said is a retired Air Force pilot, also suffered cuts and received four stitches.
Tiffany said the incident will not affect his gubernatorial campaign.
A no-wake buoy was placed near the plane, which remained in the lake, and boaters were asked to avoid the area until the aircraft can be removed, the sheriff’s office said.
A Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson said the agency would investigate the incident. A National Transportation Safety Board spokesperson said that agency is waiting for the FAA to assess the plane as to whether the damage was substantial enough for it to get involved.
New fuel pricing targets consumption above 110 litres monthly, doubling costs to 100,000 riyals per litre.
Published On 8 Sep 20268 Sep 2026
Iran has raised petrol prices for motorists again as the government struggles to manage declining revenues and sustain a costly subsidy regime.
The price of petrol will remain the same for the first 60 litres (16 gallons), state media reported, but there will be a higher price bracket for the next 50 litres (13 gallons). Prices will double from 50,000 riyals to 100,000 riyals ($0.07) per litre (0.3 gallons) for motorists who consume more than 110 litres (29 gallons) a month.
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Iran has some of the lowest petrol prices in the world, but due to ongoing economic difficulties amid the war with the US, including punishing sanctions and a siege on Iranian ports by US forces, Iranian officials have for months considered adjusting fuel subsidies to make up for lost revenues.
“If we consume it properly, we can manage with the amount of gasoline we produce in the country,” Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, speaker of the Iranian parliament, said in a TV address earlier this month. “What is clear is that we need to save gasoline in our consumption. Of course, part of the responsibility for this high consumption does not lie with our people; it lies with our industry.”
Iran depends on oil exports for about 90 per cent of its budget, but these have declined from about 4 million barrels per day (bpd) to about 2.2 million bpd in August. The country is also consuming more oil than it produces domestically.
In a sign of the energy crisis, videos circulating on social media reportedly show long queues at petrol stations in Tehran.
It is the second time petrol prices have increased since December, with concerns about further increases prompting unrest.
Huge antigovernment protests in 2019 started after anger over fuel price increases. Iranians are already feeling the impact of a downturn in economic activity, high inflation, and a drop in the value of the rial.
THE budget airline will axe two million seats across its 2026 winter schedule.
Ryanair cited high jet fuel costs as the reason for the reduction – and it has warned of rising prices too.
The airline announced that it has cut estimates for the expected number of passengers it will carry between April 2026 and March 2027.
The number has dropped from 216 million to 214 million.
In a statement, the airline explained that it was “sensible to strategically reduce the group’s exposure to unhedged jet fuel during the unprofitable winter schedule.”
It continued: “Subject to pricing and passenger demand, Ryanair expects this one-off winter schedule cut to reduce [November 2026 – March 2027 losses] by €70 million to €100 million (£85.8million).”
It won’t be the first time Ryanair has cut flights.
As a result of rising air tax, budget-friendly Ryanair has cut a huge amount of routes over the last year.
Lots of the axed routes affected Spain with flights to Vigo, Valladolid, Jerez and Tenerife (North) stopped.
Other places that lost connections through Ryanair were to the Azores in Portugal and Thessaloniki in Greece where the airline closed its base.
At the same time, the airline announced it would be scrapping off-season flights to Chania and Heraklion in Crete and will reduce its Athens services too.
All of this will result in 700,000 fewer seats on sale this winter.
In 2025, France lost 25 routes and some 750,000 seats last winter from and completely stopped services completely to Strasbourg and Brive.
In Brussels, Ryanair has axed 20 routes and cut one million seats across Brussels-Zaventem and Brussels South Charleroi airports.
The budget airline also warned that the prices of tickets could rise next year.
Conflict in Iran has caused jet fuel costs to climb due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and it will continue to affect holiday prices.
In a statement, Ryanair said: “If high oil prices continue through to S.27 (summer 2027), Ryanair believes short-haul airfares in Europe will increase materially to reflect higher oil prices as some less well-hedged competitors will struggle to maintain capacity or even survive this coming winter season.”
Ryanair said it currently hedges fuel (which means it pays a set price).
The airline added that 80 per cent of its jet fuel is hedged through March 2027 at about $67 (£50) a barrel.
The price of jet fuel is around $140 (£103) a barrel.
AN emotional Michael Owen has revealed his son’s eye condition has left him so blind he has to ‘cut his food for him’.
The former England footballer has four children with his wife Louise, including son James, 20.
James was diagnosed with Stargardt disease – a degeneration of his retina, and in 2019, Michael revealed his son was “clinically blind”.
During an appearance on the Great Company podcast this week, Michael, 46, opened up to Jamie Laing about James and his condition.
He said: “I look at it and think, do you know what, every time we sit at a restaurant, he’s by my side.
“Because I read him the menu and I need to cut his food, because he can’t.
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“Whenever we’re watching racing, he’s by my side because I’m giving a commentary.
“Whenever he wants to go…he needs his dad to take him. I’m his taxi driver.”
Michael continued: “I get to spend three times more time with my lad because he’s got an eye condition.
“Now I might be a selfish b*****d but I think that is…I love it and I wouldn’t want it any different.
“And of course I’d give my eyes to him in an instant, if we could swap, of course I would. But let’s take the positive, he is so bright, he just doesn’t sit back and pity himself.
“In fact it’s quite the opposite, he gets out there and he laughs at himself.”
While Michael is clearly proud of James and his other children, daughters Gemma, Jessica and Emily, he also admitted on the podcast that he doesn’t tell them he loves them.
He said: “I never ever tell my kids I love them. I don’t say anything like that.
“I just assume my actions would show them that I love them. It’s a bad thing. I think most of us are like that.”
Volkswagen said Thursday it would cut another 50,000 jobs as it restructures due to competition from China, high energy prices, and a costly transition to electric vehicles. File Photo by Focke Strangmann/EPA-EFE
Sept. 3 (UPI) — Volkswagen said Thursday it would cut 50,000 more jobs as the German auto giant faces surging competition from China, high energy prices, and an expensive transition to electric vehicles.
“This is a strong signal for the future of the Volkswagen Group,” Chief Executive Oliver Blume said in a statement after a meeting of the company’s supervisory board. Volkswagen had been at loggerheads with unions that represent its workers, which are more 650,000 around the world.
However, union leaders on Thursday backed the plan.
“In this crisis situation, we fought hard for good solutions,” Christiane Benner, president of the union IG Metall, said in Volkswagen’s statement. “The executive board now has the foundation to tackle the major tasks ahead.”
The latest job cuts are on top of the 2024 deal Volkswagen made with union leaders to cut more than 35,000 jobs at its German plans by 2030.
The company said its factories in Europe have the capacity to produce 500,000 more vehicles than current demand. The future for production at its Emden, Zwickhau, Hanover, and Neckarasulm factories in Germany will be uncertain from 2031 to 2034. It said it is contemplating other uses for the facilities.
The company called the 12-part “Future Plan 2030” restructuring plan the “most extensive transportation program” in its history.
Volkswagen said a “fundamental adjustment” of its worldwide workforce, including management, was needed beyond current cost-cutting efforts.
No further details about where the cuts would be made, when they would happen, or if they would be achieved through layoffs, buyouts or attribution were disclosed.
Volkswagen also plans to cut its model portfolio in half by 2025 as well as the complexity of its offerings by around 75%. It is aiming to sell about 9 million vehicles per year and achieve a 9% operating margin by 2030.
