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People who are planning to travel today (2 November) have been urged to check their train journey as major disruptions are expected following the stabbings on an LNER service to London

A ‘major incident’ has been declared after multiple people were stabbed on board a train heading towards London, resulting in severe travel disruptions.

The shocking incident took place on Saturday, 1 November, during the LNER Azuma 18.25 service from Doncaster, South Yorkshire, to London King’s Cross. Police were alerted at 7.39pm to reports that “multiple people had been stabbed on a train”, and the service made an unscheduled stop at Huntingdon station for assistance from armed police, paramedics, air ambulances and transport police.

British Transport Police confirmed that 10 individuals were transported to hospital, with nine thought to have sustained life-threatening injuries. There have been no fatalities, and two suspects have been arrested over the stabbings.

READ MORE: Cambridgeshire train stabbing: Details of ‘major incident’ as nine people left severely injuredREAD MORE: Huntingdon train passengers prepared to fight back with bottle of Jack Daniel’s

As a result of the horrifying attack, there is disruption to the LNER, which operates East Coast Mainline services in the UK, between London Kings Cross and Peterborough today (2 November). People who were planning to travel today have been advised to check before travelling as there may be “cancellations or alterations to the services”.

In an update on their website, LNER said: “The emergency services are continuing to deal with a major incident between Hitchin and Peterborough. Whilst they carry out their work some lines are still closed.

“Services between London Kings Cross and Peterborough may be cancelled, revised or delayed.

“Disruption is expected until the end of the day.

“Grand Central and Hull Trains services are not impacted.”

In an update on X, formerly Twitter, LNER also stated: “Customers booked to travel today, 02 November, can defer their travel up to and including the 07 November. Please check our website for the latest advice and updates.”

For the Great Northern and Thameslink services, LNER confirmed on their website: “Lines have reopened between Hitchin and Peterborough and trains which run between London Kings Cross and Peterborough will be able to run.

“However, Huntingdon station remains closed, if you wish to travel from Huntingdon, you will need to take a rail replacement bus to either St Neots or Peterborough and from there you can take a train service towards your destination. All buses are advertised on journey planners.

“If you are travelling to Huntingdon from the direction of London / Hitchin, please alight the train at St Neots where replacement buses are running. There are also rail replacement buses running from Peterborough to Huntingdon.

“Additionally, no trains in the direction of Peterborough will be able to call at Arlesey until at least 09:00.”

For more information, you can check the LNER website for updates here. Alternatively, you can check the Thameslink services here and the Great Northern lines here.

Following the incident, a spokesperson for LNER said: “We are concerned for everyone affected by the incident that occurred on the 1825 service from Doncaster to London King’s Cross on Saturday evening (1 November.)”

David Horne, Managing Director of LNER, said: “We are deeply shocked and saddened by this serious incident, and our thoughts are very much with everyone involved.

“I would like to thank the emergency services for their quick and professional response and the care they have provided to those injured. Anyone with information who hasn’t already spoken to police is urged to contact British Transport Police.

“The safety and wellbeing of everyone affected will remain our priority. We will continue to do everything we can to support our customers and colleagues during this difficult time.”

A spokesperson for the Rail, Maritime and Transport union also issued a statement: “We are horrified by the mass stabbing attack on an LNER train last night.

“Our thoughts remain with the train crew and passengers who were either at work or going about their business on a busy Saturday night during this awful incident.

“It is important we allow the emergency services and authorities to establish the full facts before commenting further.”

TORONTO — The Dodgers have forced a Game 7 in the World Series.

And Shohei Ohtani is expected to be their starting pitcher.

In what will be just four days removed from his six-plus-inning, 93-pitch start in Game 4 of this World Series, Ohtani will likely serve as the team’s opener in Saturday’s winner-take-all contest, according to a person with knowledge of the situation not authorized to speak publicly.

While Ohtani almost certainly won’t make a full-length start, he should be able to get through at least two or three innings (depending on how laborious his outing is). Four or five innings might not be out of the question, either, even in what will be only his second career MLB outing pitching on three days’ rest.

The only time Ohtani did so was in 2023, when he followed a rain-shortened two-inning start at Fenway Park against the Red Sox with a seven-inning outing four days later.

Saturday, of course, will come under entirely different circumstances, in what will be the first seventh game in a World Series since 2019.

By starting Ohtani, the Dodgers would ensure they wouldn’t lose his bat for the rest of the game, thanks to MLB’s two-way rules. If he were to enter in relief during the game, the only way he could stay in afterward is if he shifted to the outfield (since MLB’s rules stipulate that a team would lose the DH spot under such circumstances). Starting him also eliminates any complications that would come with trying to find him time to warm up if his spot in the batting order arose the inning prior — something that would have made it potentially more difficult for him to be able to close out the game.

Ohtani has completed six innings in each of his three previous pitching appearances this postseason, with a 3.50 ERA and 25 strikeouts in 18 innings.

The Dodgers should have options behind Ohtani. Tyler Glasnow will likely be available after needing just three pitches to get the save in Friday’s wild finish. Blake Snell also said he would be available after his Game 5 start on Wednesday.

In the bullpen, Roki Sasaki figures to be at manager Dave Roberts’ disposal, as well, despite throwing 33 pitches in one-plus inning of work on Friday.

Roberts said everyone short of Game 6 starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto would be available.

Oct. 24 (UPI) — The Bureau of Labor Statistics is set to release the Consumer Price Index report Friday, two weeks after calling back economists and other employees to prepare the document despite the government shutdown.

The CPI report was originally scheduled to be published Oct. 15, but the shutdown delayed work. However, federal law requires the Social Security Administration to make its cost-of-living adjustment annually based on inflation from the third quarter.

That adjustment, known as COLA, must be published by Nov. 1, though it was originally expected to be released in mid-October.

The BLS called back economists and IT specialists to prepare the report the second week of October.

Economic experts expect Friday’s report will show that inflation has risen to its highest level since May 2024 — 3.1%, ABC News reported. The Federal Reserve‘s target annual inflation rate is 2%.

NBC News reported the report is expected to be released at 8:30 a.m. EDT.

Thursday marked the 23rd day the government was closed for business pending the passage of a stopgap funding bill, making it the second-longest federal shutdown in U.S. history. Friday is Day 24.

Oct. 20 (UPI) — Immigrations and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol officials are expected to appear in court on Monday to after a judge last week demanded the agency answer questions about its operations in Chicago.

U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis for the Northern District of Illinois on Friday ordered ICE and Border Patrol officers to wear body cameras. They were expected in court to explain their tactics, including the use of tear gas, as officers and residents have clashed across the city.

The case was brought as Operation Midway Blitz has led to the arrest of more than 1,000 people in Illinois over the past month after the Trump administration sent federal forces there.

Ellis, who was nominated for the bench by former President Barack Obama, on Thursday ordered federal agents to stop dispersing crowds from places they are legally permitted to be, stop using tear gas on people who are not a threat and start wearing the cameras.

On Friday, she reiterated these orders to both agencies and noted that “that wasn’t a suggestion … it’s not up for debate.”

Plaintiffs in the lawsuit alleged that the tactics used by both agencies, which have included using pepper balls and pepper spray against people with no warning, are violating their constitutional rights — and the agencies continue to use them, despite Ellis ordering them to stop in early October.

Both agencies have not followed the judicial orders, and Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin went so far as to suggest they do not exist.

“There is currently no order requiring body cameras, and any suggestion to the contrary is false reporting,” she said, adding that “were a court to enter such an order in the future, it would be an act of extreme judicial activism.”

Garry Beach, in the north of the Isle of Lewis, has been named the most underrated beach in the whole of the UK by Boat Booker. Milo Boyd went to see what everyone has been missing

Milo Boyd is a Digital Travel reporter who covers aviation news, the environment, the cruise industry and much else including travel tips, bargain holiday suggestions and inspirational global trips.

Far, far away – perhaps as far away as you can get from Greggs in the UK – is the country’s most underrated beach.

The Outer Hebrides may not be home to a single outlet of the beloved sausage roll franchise, but it does have Garry Beach. It sits high up on the largest of the Western Isles, Lewis.

Garry has just been named the most underrated beach in the UK by Boat Booker. Studying Google Maps beaches tagged as “secluded” and “secret,” and then ranking those with fewer than 100 reviews, the firm highlighted those coastal spots with pristine waters and dramatic scenery where relatively few have trodden.

Scotland dominates the rankings, with six locations in the top 10. Spots on islands such as Mull and Barra are high up. Porth Trwyn in Wales is the highest-ranked non-Scottish beach, coming in at four.

OPINION

Milo Boyd

OPINION

Milo Boyd

It is easy to understand why the Hebridean seaside might be underrated, given how remote and difficult most of it is to get. And this particularly goes for Garry Beach.

I spent two days, about eight hours of driving, a three-hour ferry, and a five-hour train, getting to the Isle of Lewis, before another hour on the road north of Stornoway to Garry Beach. I did so in a hefty Range Rover which I borrowed from the kind people at Turo rental car.

If the journey 668 miles from London to Stornoway doesn’t put you off, then the 15 miles from Stornoway to Garry Beach might. I’d argue it’s among the dullest, bleakest stretches of countryside in the UK.

Sitting in the back of the spacious Sport 2020, my Swedish in-laws kept muttering about just how bleak a destination it was. But, when we arrived, North Lewis’s less fetching roads were quickly forgotten. The beach itself is lovely.

A small car park holding around five vehicles was situated a short two-minute walk from the water’s edge. From there, we wandered over a grassy knoll onto the sandy bay, which stretches several hundred metres on either side.

Like many of the more remote Scottish beaches – and particularly the sandy ones that can be found in the Hebrides and Shetland – the water is a brilliant blue that feels like it’s been lifted by a fire-fighting plane straight out of a rum advert filmed in the Caribbean and dumped several thousand miles away for the benefit of a handful of dog walkers and a lone fisherman.

The beach sits on the eastern edge of Lewis, meaning it is not treated to the dramatic waves and salty spray of the island’s Atlantic coast. Things are a little more gentle here. Rather than smashing them in a froth, waves lap around the intriguing rock formations that stick up from the sand. Several have been eroded to create excellent climbing platforms and archways into the surf.

Beyond the fact that the Isle of Lewis is miles away from all but the 20,000 or so people who live there, Garry Beach has another major issue: the weather.

The hottest temperature ever recorded on Lewis was 26.3 °C, back in 1999. Unless you’re incredibly lucky, this beach requires a serious raincoat and the ability to withstand Hebridean gales.

During the high season of July, sunseekers can expect 12 days of rain and the mercury to hit average highs of 16C. That is roughly 7C colder than the southern coast of England.

Unless you are made of incredibly stern stuff, this is not a beach for lounging on the sand for hours on end or frolicking in the waves. It is a beach that combines the beautiful and the bleak of the British Isles’ coastline in a way that few other places anywhere can.

If you like the sound of what Garry is offering, but don’t think you can face the mammoth journey, then there are some slightly closer options. One of my personal favourites is Sandaig, a beach several miles from the beautiful Scottish village of Glenelg.

The peaceful spot was immortalised as Camusfearna in ‘Ring of Bright Water’, a book written by Gavin Maxwell about his life living alongside pet otters.

Not only is the water sparkling and very tempting for those who can handle the intense chill of a Scottish sea loch, winding paths lined by little bushes and tree run between craggy rock towers, creating the perfect arena for a game of Flags or 40:40. If the weather does close in a little, then there’s plenty of driftwood lying around that can be used to warm a chilled party huddled in one of Sandaig’s natural rock alcoves.

NEW YORK — When a black teen-ager was killed in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn last summer after a run-in with a gang of whites, mayoral candidate David N. Dinkins made it clear what New York should expect from its top leader: “The tone and climate of the city does get set at City Hall.”

The perception that Dinkins could soothe racial tensions was probably the single biggest force behind his election as New York’s first black mayor. The last few weeks have brought a series of racial problems that have put the mayor under intense pressure to deliver on the expectations that he built.

“Though we cannot eliminate racial and ethnic friction overnight, we must take the first steps. Our beginning will, of course, be marked by small–sometimes indirect–steps. But even a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,” Dinkins said Monday.

But the mayor who exults in his city as a multi-ethnic “gorgeous mosaic” is feeling the cut of its sharp edges.

Each day seems to bring worse turmoil. Dinkins appears besieged, encircled by his detractors and undercut by the expectations that he himself raised. Some black leaders have gone so far as to publicly call him a traitor.

Dinkins faces two potentially explosive controversies in Brooklyn: As two juries have deliberated almost a week in the Bensonhurst slaying of Yusuf Hawkins, angry demonstrators have rallied each day outside the Brooklyn courthouse, and some of their leaders warn that violence is inevitable if the panels return anything less than a guilty verdict.

Meanwhile, blacks in Flatbush continue a four-month boycott of two Korean grocers that started with a dispute between one of the grocers and a black woman customer. While it is far from clear who was at fault in the original incident–the woman claims to have been beaten and the grocer contends that he merely pushed her to prevent her from shoplifting–it unmistakably tapped long-festering bitterness. Demonstrators have chanted such epithets as “Korean bloodsuckers” outside the stores, and have spat at customers who try to shop there.

A few blocks from the store, a group of more than a dozen blacks on Sunday beat three Vietnamese whom they apparently mistook for Korean.

Elsewhere in the city, smaller disputes add to the tension. A black City University professor is preaching black supremacy, while a white faculty member at the same school is saying that blacks are less intelligent and more prone to commit crime than whites. A group of white students at St. John’s University in Queens stands accused of raping a black woman. And Jimmy Breslin, one of the city’s most prominent columnists, has been suspended by New York Newsday after making racial comments about another staff member.

Dinkins’ low-key and cautious approach, which had initially seemed a soothing balm to the abrasion of former Mayor Edward I. Koch, now is being criticized as weakness and indecisiveness.

Roy Innis, national chairman of the Congress of Racial Equality, said in an interview Monday: “We’ve got to have a commitment to telling the hard truth. David Dinkins is not strong enough to do it.”

Innis accused Dinkins of “reverse racism” for failing to denounce the grocery store boycott that is “reeking with raw and naked, palpable racism.” He attributed Dinkins’ reluctance to the mayor’s association with Sonny Carson, the self-proclaimed “anti-white” leader of the boycott, who worked for the Dinkins campaign before being dismissed for anti-Semitic remarks.

Other blacks, however, have accused Dinkins of pandering to whites, particularly after the mayor made a rare foray onto prime-time live television last Friday to appeal for tolerance. “We must repress our rage,” the mayor said.

“He is a lover of white people and the system. And last night, he bashed black people,” said C. Vernon Mason, a lawyer who has been involved in a number of racial cases. “He ain’t got no African left in him. He’s got too many yarmulkes on his head.”

Mason made his comments at a rally Saturday, where he called the mayor “a traitor,” and some people in a crowd of hundreds chanted, “Judas, Judas.”

Many of Dinkins’ critics seem to suggest that as a black, he should automatically hold sway over New York’s black community–a view that does not recognize the diversity of opinion and outlook among blacks in the city.

One source in Dinkins’ Administration noted that the mayor has alienated some factions, who say they are disappointed in the number of blacks he has appointed to key posts at City Hall. Others have not forgiven Dinkins’ denunciation of the Rev. Louis Farrakhan, the black Muslim leader who once described Judaism as a “gutter” religion.

Dinkins’ Friday night address won high marks from many quarters, however. Former Mayor John V. Lindsay described it as “superb.”

Nonetheless, any hopes that it might have turned the tide were dashed less than 36 hours later, when the three Vietnamese were beaten by the group of blacks who thought they were Korean. Police on Monday arrested two people in connection with the assault, which Police Commissioner Lee Brown said was not related to the boycott.

Dinkins and several state legislators Monday held a news conference to announce state legislation aimed at crimes committed by groups, and to make a new push for a bill to stiffen penalties for crimes that are motivated by bias.

A team in need of a savior found one in the unlikeliest of places and most familiar of faces.

Jerry Neuheisel, the UCLA tight ends coach who was elevated to playcaller only four days before his winless team faced a top-10 opponent, dialed up an offensive plan that produced points on each of the Bruins’ first five drives.

The fun let up only momentarily on the way to UCLA’s stunning 42-37 victory over No. 7 Penn State on Saturday afternoon at the Rose Bowl, fans providing their giddy verdict with a chant they unleashed from the opening drive through the fourth quarter.

“Jerry! Jerry! Jerry!”

The game turned tense late, requiring a defensive stop after UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava was stuffed on fourth down, giving the ball back to Penn State at the Bruins’ 32-yard line with two minutes left.

The Nittany Lions reached the nine before UCLA defensive back Scooter Jackson surged into the backfield and dropped quarterback Drew Allar for a three-yard loss with 37 seconds left.

UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava (9) evades Penn State defensive end Chaz Coleman (19) to scramble for a gain on Saturday.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

After Bruins punter Will Karoll intentionally stepped out of the back of the end zone for a safety to pull Penn State within five points, the Nittany Lions could not cross midfield before the game ended.

After the final play, Neuheisel was hoisted into the air by his grateful players, winless no more.

“He puts that belief in us that we can go out there and execute,” Iamaleava said after accounting for five touchdowns, “and he put together a great game plan for us.”

The question remains of whether this was a turning point or a temporary reprieve in a lost season, but at least for the moment everyone associated with the team could deeply exhale.

Neuheisel said he found out he would be calling plays at 5 p.m. Tuesday. He estimated that he’s had three hours of sleep since then, the Bruins still conducting walk-throughs to master the offense Saturday morning.

“We had two days to practice the new game plan,” Neuheisel said, and all they did was believe.”

Masterfully running the Neuheisel‘s offense was Iamaleava, who finally had something to show for his cross-country move from Tennessee that made him the talk of the offseason in college football.

“Big-time players make big-time plays, and that’s what he did out there,” UCLA interim coach Tim Skipper said while clutching the game ball.

UCLA wide receiver Kwazi Gilmer (3) celebrates with teammate Titus Mokiao-Atimalala (2) after making a touchdown catch against Penn State in the fourth quarter.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Iamealeava ran for three touchdowns and passed for two more as the Bruins (1-4 overall, 1-1 Big Ten) nearly doubled their previous high point total this season. Facing third and goal midway through the fourth quarter, Iamaleava dropped back before taking off and racing into the front right corner of the end zone. He then zipped a two-point conversion pass into the back of the end zone to Kwazi Gilmer that gave UCLA a 42-28 advantage.

In what might have qualified as his best day as a college player, Iamaleava completed 17 of 24 passes for 166 yards and ran 16 times for 128 yards, including a nifty 52-yard gain in which he spun away from a defender.

Given the circumstances, Neuheisel’s playcalling debut might have been a more valiant effort than his coming off the bench as UCLA’s quarterback in 2014 to lead his team to a comeback victory over Texas.

Remember, those Bruins were nationally ranked.

This version had been nationally lampooned while averaging 14.2 points a game on the way to four consecutive losses that led to the departures of coach DeShaun Foster, defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe and offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri. Sunseri’s leaving prompted the Bruins to elevate Neuheisel and bring in Noel Mazzone, his old UCLA offensive coordinator and boss for one season at Texas A&M, as an analyst and advisor to his old protege.

Together they devised a scheme that helped the Bruins roll up 446 yards of offense.

“Nobody in the world expected us to win, let’s be honest here,” UCLA safety Key Lawrence said.

The celebrating started at halftime, UCLA players leaping excitedly and flapping their arms as they ran toward the locker room after Mateen Bhaghani’s 54-yard field goal gave the Bruins a stunning 27-7 lead.

To that point, UCLA’s domination was as complete as its failures had been in losing its first four games. The Bruins scored on all five first-half drives, recovered an onside kick and outgained the Nittany Lions, 285-92, in total yardage.

UCLA wide receiver Kwazi Gilmer dives into the end zone on an 11-yard pass in the first half against Penn State.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Signs of what was to come started on the opening drive.

After winning the coin toss and electing to receive, UCLA quickly marched for a score on its opening drive. Gilmer took a short pass from Iamaleava and extended the ball across the goal line for an 11-yard touchdown that gave the Bruins a 7-0 advantage.

Those chants of “Jerry! Jerry! Jerry!” filled the stadium after UCLA took its first lead of the season after 244 minutes 34 seconds of football.

The fun was just getting started for the Bruins. Bhaghani immediately unfurled an onside kick that Kanye Clark recovered, leading to a field goal and a 10-0 cushion on a day that belonged to the blond-haired coach and lifelong Bruin whose debut as a playcaller figures to lead to many new opportunities.

“Just a special, special day,” Neuheisel said. “I don’t know where it would rank, I don’t know how to really put it into words, I just am glad I’m the one who gets to be in it right now.”

Sept. 23 (UPI) — U.S. President Donald Trump has said he plans to address “the good and the bad” across the globe as one of the first speakers when the U.N. General Assembly’s annual general debate opens Tuesday in New York City.

Specifically, he’s expected to speak about his own accomplishments handling conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, White House press secretary Caroline Leavitt said ahead of his appearance.

Trump touted his role in negotiating peace across the globe Friday while making remarks on an executive order on H-1B visas.

“Nobody’s done a better job than I’ve done on world peace. Nobody’s settled so many wars as I have,” he said, claiming to have “settled” seven conflicts.

Trump spoke about the two ongoing wars in Gaza and Ukraine as well as his upcoming U.N. appearance to reporters Sunday.

“The hatred between [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelensky is very substantial,” Trump said, according to CBS News. “There’s a lot of bad blood.

“And, course, Gaza is a basic disaster. We’ve got to get that taken care of. But the big thing will be that I’m going to be speaking at the United Nations, and I hope to do a good job.”

Trump is likely to touch on some of the bigger news coming out of meetings on the sidelines of the general debate — the recognition by several countries of an independent Palestinian state.

At an international peace summit hosted by France and Saudi Arabia on Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron formally recognized Palestine. His announcement was joined by the countries of Andorra, Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta and San Marino, and Australia, Britain and Canada made their own declarations Sunday.

“The time has come for Israel to live in peace and security,” Macron said, sharing his support for a two-state solution to the conflict. “The time has come to give justice to the Palestinian people and to recognize the state of Palestine.”

Sept. 22 (UPI) — President Donald Trump likely will announce Monday that use of Tylenol in pregnancy causes autism, according to media reports.

Trump told reporters Sunday night that he believed Tylenol was “a very big factor” in autism risk, despite a recent study finding that taking acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, during pregnancy was not tied to autism spectrum disorder.

When asked to confirm reports that he planned to tie Tylenol to increased risk of autism, Trump said, “We’re going to see tomorrow. We’re going to do it tomorrow, but I think it’s a very big factor.”

An announcement is scheduled for 4 p.m. EDT with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Tylenol maker Kenvue disputes the tie to ASD.

“We believe independent, sound science clearly shows that taking acetaminophen does not cause autism,” Kenvue said in a statement. “We strongly disagree with any suggestion otherwise and are deeply concerned with the health risk this poses for expecting mothers.”

“The facts are that over a decade of rigorous research, endorsed by leading medical professionals and global health regulators, confirms there is no credible evidence linking acetaminophen to autism,” the statement said.

Trump also criticized vaccines.

“Vaccines are very interesting,” Trump told reporters. “They can be great, but when you put the wrong stuff in them, and, you know, children get these massive vaccines, like you’d give to a horse, like you’d give to a horse. And I’ve said for a long time, I mean, this is no secret.”

Autism diagnoses in the United States have increased significantly since 2000. By 2020, the U.S. autism rate in 8-year-olds was 1 in 36, or 2.77%, up from 0.66% in 2000, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Research spanning decades hasn’t found firm answers on what contributes to autism, but many scientists believe genetics and environmental influences play a role. Kennedy has argued the country has an “autism epidemic” fueled by “environmental toxins.”

Sept. 17 (UPI) — Tropical Storm Gabrielle is strengthening and is expected to reach hurricane status either Saturday night or Sunday, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The storm’s center was located about 575 miles north-northeast of the Leeward Islands and about 500 miles south of Bermuda with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph, while moving northwesterly at 10 mph, the NHC said during its 5 p.m. AST advisory.

Tropical storm-force winds extend up to 140 miles outward from the storm’s center and mostly to the east.

The NHC expects Gabrielle to continue on its current track through Saturday night, followed by a turn toward north-northeast on Sunday.

Forecasters predict the storm will continue gaining strength and as it passes east of Bermuda on Sunday night or early Monday.

Gabrielle likely will make another turn to the north and northeast on Monday or Monday night.

Forecasters earlier in the week called Gabrielle a “poorly organized” tropical storm as it continued to form over the Atlantic Ocean.

Gabrielle sat just over 900 miles from Bermuda on Friday, and local news outlets on the island were warning of the potential impact, although there were hopes the storm could pass around 200 miles east of the island.

Gabrielle is the seventh named storm of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season.

Last month, Erin became a Category 5 Hurricane with 160-mph winds spreading over 500 miles.

Sept. 17 (UPI) — Tropical Storm Gabrielle is strengthening and expected to reach hurricane status this weekend, the National Hurricane Center said in its latest update Friday.

Maximum sustained winds were at about 50 mph, with higher gusts, as of the latest update issued at 11 a.m. AST.

The storm is moving at about 12 mph and is expected to continue in a northwest direction through Saturday.

Forecasters earlier in the week called Gabrielle a “poorly organized” Tropical Storm as it continued to form over the Atlantic Ocean.

“A gradual turn towards the north-northwestward is expected by Saturday night, followed by a northward motion by Sunday night,” the weather center said in the update.

“On the forecast track, the center of Gabrielle is expected to pass east of Bermuda Sunday night and Monday.”

Gabrielle sat just over 900 miles from Bermuda on Friday, and local news outlets on the island were warning of the potential impact, although there were hopes the storm could pass around 200 miles east of the island.

Tropical-storm-force winds were extending around 150 miles from the storm’s center on Friday.

“Swells generated by Gabrielle are expected to reach Bermuda tonight and build through the weekend. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions,” the National Hurricane Center said in its update.

Gabrielle is the 7th named storm of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season.

Last month, Erin became a Category 5 Hurricane with with 160-mph winds spreading over 500 miles.

Sept. 17 (UPI) — The Federal Reserve on Wednesday is expected to announce fresh rate cuts in the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump‘s demands to do so amid ongoing tariff worries and its impact on the American economy.

The central bank has not lowered interest rates since December and the Federal Open Market Committee is widely expected to lower rates by a quarter percent at its next meeting around 2 p.m EDT. It comes in an ongoing feud with White House that’s infuriated the president as the bank has been targeted by the Trump administration as it seeks to consolidate greater federal control under the executive branch.

On Monday, Trump’s newly appointed member to the Federal Reserve Stephen Miran was confirmed by the GOP-controlled Senate in a 48-47 vote.

It’s been suggested that Miran will dissent from the anticipated Fed decision as the administration seeks a higher rate reduction.

The Fed opted to take a “wait and see” approach on rates as the economy shifted under the aggressive economic and tariff policies implemented by Trump.

Trump for months has been vocally critical of Fed Char Jerome Powell and the independent board in his demands to lower interest rates as the president has recently attempted to illegally remove Fed Governor Lisa Cook from her role.

Powell did not give clear indications of the FOMC’s plan for Wednesday in a speech at the end of August to the annual Economic Policy Symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

On Monday, Trump said in a social media post in all caps the FOMC “must cut interest rates, now, and bigger than (Powell) had in mind.”

“In terms of the Fed’s dual-mandate goals, the labor market remains near maximum employment, and inflation, though still somewhat elevated, has come down a great deal from its post-pandemic highs,” Powell said in Wyoming.

“At the same time, the balance of risks appears to be shifting,” he said on August 22.

But a Goldman Sachs economist said Tuesday the “key question” for the September FOMC meeting was whether it will “signal that this is likely the first in a series of conservative cuts.”

“We expect the statement to acknowledge the softening in the labor market but do not expect a change to the policy guidance or a nod to an October cut. However, Chair Powell might hint softly in that direction in his press conference,” David Mericle wrote to CNBC in a note.

Meanwhile, a separate economist suggests that “such an emergency-sized move” that Trump envisions “is not justified by the current data.”

“Any decision to cut by 50 basis points at this stage would appear to be driven more by political pressure than economic necessity,” Seema Shah, chief global strategist at Principal Asset Management, told CNN.

Iran’s president has urged Muslim nations to sever ties with Israel – although it remains unclear whether the summit’s measures will go that far.

Doha, Qatar – Foreign dignitaries from across the Arab and Muslim world have gathered in Doha, and observers are expecting them to deliver a decisive response to Israel after its attack on Qatar.

The emergency summit of the Arab League and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) opens on Monday, a day after foreign ministers from the participating states met behind closed doors in Doha to hammer out a draft resolution proposing concrete measures against Israel.

Fury has swept across the region since Israel’s strikes on Tuesday, which killed five Hamas members and a Qatari security officer, missing a Hamas negotiation team that was meeting in Doha to weigh a United States proposal to end Israel’s genocidal two-year war on Gaza.

At the session on Sunday, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani slammed Israel’s attack, noting that he had regional support for taking measures to protect Qatar’s sovereignty.

“We appreciate the solidarity of brotherly Arab and Islamic countries and friendly countries from the international community that condemned this barbaric Israeli attack,” Mohammed said, adding that Qatar intended to take “legitimate legal measures … to preserve the sovereignty of our country”.

Possible avenues of action

Pakistani Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar underlined the importance of the summit reaching a “clear roadmap … to deal with this situation”, telling Al Jazeera’s Osama Bin Javaid that the world’s Muslims “would be all eyeing this summit, waiting to see what comes out of it”.

Two days after the Israeli attack on Doha, Pakistani Defence Minister Muhammad Asif warned that firm action was required in response to Israel and no country should think it would remain untouched by the Gaza war.

Speaking to Bin Javaid, Ishaq Dar echoed the sentiment, criticising the lack of results from United Nations Security Council discussions.

Asked what practical measures could be pursued, he said: “I think they’ve [Arab countries] already talked on these lines. It’s a sort of combined security force type,” adding, “A nuclear-powered Pakistan obviously would stand as a member of the Ummah [community of Muslim believers]. It will discharge its duty.”

For his part, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian called on Muslim nations to sever ties with Israel.

“Islamic countries can sever ties with this fake regime and maintain unity and cohesion,” Pezeshkian said before departing for Doha, adding that he hoped for a decision on measures against Israel.

Some analysts said the summit, which ends on Monday evening, could yield concrete measures against Israel for the first time.

New York, USA – Next week, the United States Federal Reserve will hold a two-day policy meeting to decide whether to lower interest rates.

The meeting follows a months-long pause in rates and comes amid heightened pressure on the central bank.

US President Donald Trump recently dismissed Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook on allegations of mortgage fraud, which she is contesting in court, and has escalated his loud and repeated criticism of Fed Chair Jerome Powell.

The Fed, which emphasises its independence from political influence, will weigh new economic data as it considers its next move. The benchmark interest rate has remained at 4.25 percent – 4.50 percent since December.

So far, the Fed has held rates steady, saying the stance preserves flexibility to respond to economic shocks tied to shifting trade policy. But many economists now believe a rate cut is imminent.

They point to signs of a cooling labour market and tariff-related pressure on inflation as factors that could support lowering rates, not political pressure.

“I think that the Fed has made it pretty clear that they’re going to cut rates in September, and the market certainly expects that,” Daniel Hornung, policy fellow at Stanford Institute of Economic Policy Research and former deputy director of the National Economic Council, told Al Jazeera.

CME FedWatch, which tracks the probability of Fed policy moves, puts the likelihood of a quarter of one percentage point cut at 94.5 percent, echoing research from JPMorgan last month.

“For Fed Chair Jerome Powell, the risk management considerations may go beyond balancing employment and inflation risks, and we now see the path of least resistance is to pull forward the next cut of 25 basis points to the September meeting,” Michael Feroli, chief US economist at JP Morgan, said at the time.

Prices jump

Consumer prices rose 0.4 percent in August from the previous month, the sharpest increase in seven months, according to the Labor Department’s consumer price index (CPI) report released on Thursday.

The gain followed a 0.2 percent rise in July. Economists surveyed by Reuters had forecast a 0.3 percent monthly increase in core CPI.

Energy costs climbed 0.7 percent, fueled by a 1.9 percent jump in gasoline. Airfares climbed 5.9 percent, apparel prices rose 0.5 percent, shelter increased 0.4 percent, grocery prices were up 0.6 percent, and restaurant meals rose 0.3 percent.

Some goods saw particularly steep increases. Coffee prices jumped 3.6 percent on the month as Brazil, the world’s top coffee exporter, redirected shipments away from the US following new tariffs.

The Producer Price Index (PPI), which tracks prices businesses receive for goods and services, showed coffee up nearly 7 percent from July and more than 33 percent over the past year.

There is a comparable phenomenon with beef, for which the US relies heavily on Brazil.  CPI data showed a 2.7 percent increase, while the PPI measured a 6 percent monthly rise and a 21 percent yearly increase.

Overall, the PPI slipped 0.1 percent, suggesting some businesses are absorbing tariff costs rather than passing them to consumers. Service prices fell 1.7 percent, driven by a 3.9 percent decline in margins for machinery and vehicle wholesalers, which offset a 0.1 percent increase in goods prices. That came after wholesale inflation was revised higher to 0.7 percent in July, which was well above economists’ forecasts.

Even so, companies are beginning to warn that they cannot continue absorbing higher costs. In recent weeks, Campbell’s Co, which makes Campbell’s Soup and Goldfish crackers, and Procter & Gamble have both said they plan to raise prices on consumer goods in the months ahead as tariff pressures persist.

Labour market tumbles

The US labour market, a key factor in the Federal Reserve’s interest rate decisions, has cooled sharply.

Approximately 263,000 people submitted initial jobless claims last week, the most in four years, Department of Labor data released on Thursday showed.

On Tuesday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics also revised down job gains over the past few months, as well as between April 2024 and March 2025, when the US economy added 911,000 fewer jobs than had been previously reported.

All of that is echoed by poor jobs numbers last week. In August, the economy added only 22,000 jobs, with gains concentrated in healthcare (which added 31,000 jobs) and social assistance (which added 16,000). The unemployment rate climbed to 4.3 percent, the Labor Department reported.

Revisions showed July job growth slightly stronger at 79,000, up from 73,000, while June was cut from a modest gain to a loss of 13,000.

“The recent job numbers were really, especially the revision of the earlier numbers, were really kind of problematic for the economy,” Michael Klein, professor of International Economic Affairs at the Fletcher School at Tufts University, told Al Jazeera.

Job openings and turnover also declined, leaving more unemployed workers than available positions for the first time since April 2021.

A report from Challenger, Gray & Christmas highlighted the strain, noting a 39 percent jump in job cuts between July and August. Private payroll growth slowed as well, according to the ADP National Employment Report, which showed just 54,000 jobs added, down from 106,000 the prior month.

Competing forces

Typically, high inflation prompts higher interest rates, which discourage borrowing and spending and help rein in prices.

“The Fed is in a very difficult position right now because there is both a weakening labour market and evidence of higher inflation. Typically, if the Fed is facing a weaker labour market, it would want to lower interest rates. And if it’s facing higher inflation, it would want to raise interest rates. But we’re in a situation now where there are countervailing forces,” Klein said.

The labour market is already weighing on consumer spending. Rising layoffs and slower hiring have made shoppers cautious, and the latest consumer confidence index shows plans to buy big-ticket and discretionary items are slipping.

With Trump’s shifting tariffs and hardline immigration policies, businesses are stuck in a “wait-and-see” mode, increasing uncertainty.

“We are seeing immigration and tariff policies that have the simultaneous effect of raising prices and slowing growth in the labour market,” Hornung said.

There’s no denying the trajectory of artificial intelligence (AI) over the past few years. Many of the companies that have pivoted to adopt this game-changing technology have ascended the ranks of the world’s largest companies when measured by market cap. When the stock market closed on Tuesday, there were 11 members of the vaunted $1 trillion club, the vast majority of which have significant ties to AI.

After the market close, industry stalwart Oracle (ORCL 1.37%) reported its recent quarterly results, and despite missing Wall Street’s expectations, the stock surged higher and never looked back. Why? In a stunning turn of events, the company signed numerous multibillion-dollar contracts that kicked its future growth potential into overdrive.

Given the magnitude of these deals, it seems the writing is on the wall for Oracle to join this elite fraternity. The company’s growth is at a tipping point, and management’s commentary suggests the company has a long AI-centric runway for growth ahead.

Image source: Getty Images.

A trusted partner

Oracle holds a coveted place in the technology community, as roughly 98% of Global Fortune 500 companies make up its customer rolls. The industry stalwart provides its customers with a strategic combination of cloud, database, and enterprise software. Naturally, when the shift to AI began in earnest, this captive audience began to turn to Oracle for its expanding collection of cloud and AI solutions.

The company’s growth has been uneven, but the future looks bright. During Oracle’s fiscal 2026 first quarter (ended Aug. 31), total revenue grew 11% year over year to $14.9 billion, while its adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $1.47 grew by 6%. Both numbers accelerated compared to Q4, but missed Wall Street’s consensus estimates, which called for revenue of $15 billion and adjusted EPS of $1.48.

However, that wasn’t the headline. Last quarter, CEO Safra Catz noted that the company had reached a “tipping point,” noting that revenue growth was accelerating, “and it’s only going up from here.”

That turned out to be an understatement. Oracle reported explosive growth in its remaining performance obligation (RPO) — or contractual obligations not yet included in revenue — which skyrocketed 359% year over year to $455 billion, up from $138 billion in Q4.

Catz explained, “We signed four multibillion-dollar contracts with three different customers in Q1,” calling the results “astonishing.” He went on to say that demand for Oracle Cloud “continues to build.” The company expects to sign “several additional multi-billion-dollar customers and RPO is likely to exceed half a trillion dollars.”

Looking to the future, Oracle is forecasting Oracle Cloud Infrastructure revenue to grow 77% to $18 billion this year — but that’s just the beginning:

• Fiscal 2027 cloud revenue of $32 billion, up 78%.
• Fiscal 2028 cloud revenue of $73 billion, up 128%.
• Fiscal 2029 cloud revenue of $144 billion, up 97%.

Mind you, this is just Oracle Cloud Infrastructure revenue, and Catz noted that “most of the revenue in this five-year forecast is already booked in our reported RPO.” That means that any future contracts will probably increase those growth targets.

The path to $1 trillion just got much shorter

Oracle is leveraging its position as a trusted partner to help customers choose suitable AI and cloud solutions and profit from the growing adoption of generative AI.

Before today’s results, Wall Street was expecting Oracle to generate revenue of $66.75 billion in its fiscal 2026 (which began June 1), giving it a forward price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of about 10. Assuming its P/S remained constant, Oracle needed to generate revenue of approximately $98 billion annually to support a $1 trillion market cap. Given those figures, Oracle could have achieved a $1 trillion market cap before 2028.

Wall Street hasn’t yet had time to update its models, but given the magnitude of the company’s results, previous forecasts are out the window. Barring unforeseen circumstances, I predict Oracle will join the $1 trillion club within the next 12 months.

Estimates regarding the market potential of generative AI continue to ratchet higher. Big Four accounting firm Price Waterhouse Coopers (PwC) calculates the opportunity could be worth as much as $15.7 trillion annually by 2030, which illustrates the magnitude of the opportunity.

Given the recent contract wins, Oracle has proven that it is leveraging its experience to profit from this windfall. The writing is on the wall, and Oracle is poised to join the fraternity of trillionaires in short order.

Sept. 2 (UPI) — Tropical Storm Kiko is expected to strengthen into a hurricane in the next 24 hours, forecasters said.

Tropical Storm Kiko was located about 1,880 miles east of Hilo, Hawaii, with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph, while moving west at 7 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center’s 5 p.m. HST update.

“Steady strengthening is forecast during the next couple of days, and Kiko is expected to become a hurricane by tonight,” the NHC said.

Tropical storm-force winds extend 45 miles from the storm’s eye.

The NHC predicts the storm system will continue on its westerly track on Tuesday and move away from North America.

There were no weather watches or warnings in effect.

“Despite somewhat drier mid-level conditions along its forecast track, the combination of light vertical wind shear, warm sea surface temperatures and Kiko’s small compact core should allow for strengthening in the short term,” the NHC forecast said during its 11 a.m. update on Monday.

The storm formed on Sunday, making it the 11th named storm in the Eastern North Pacific this year.

Gibraltar has long been a firm favourite with Brits looking for a sun-soaked holiday that doesn’t involve a long flight – but one writer was surprised by what was on offer when they arrived

Stepping on to the baking airport Tarmac, I glance over my shoulder to get my first look at the Rock of Gibraltar. Dramatic and dominating, the great monolith of limestone and shale looms 1,400ft above us, dwarfing even my accommodation here – a 465ft long, 189-room five-star superyacht-hotel.

Lovingly called Gib by the locals, the peninsula is located at the entrance to the Mediterranean, on the southern tip of Spain. Its strategic position has shaped its complex and fascinating history, through the changing hands of multiple nations – it was ceded to Britain in 1713 – and as a vital Second World War Allied stronghold.

Today, Moorish, British, Spanish and Jewish influences come together to create a unique aesthetic, while almost 40,000 locals, many of whom speak a Spanish-English hybrid language called Llanito, live alongside Barbary macaques, Europe’s only wild monkeys.

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We are lucky enough to be staying at the Sunborn Yacht Hotel in the lively Ocean Village Marina, a stone’s throw from the busy town centre.

Azure waters teeming with little fish lap at the moored boats, while holidaymakers chill outside British pubs showing the football highlights. Across the water, almost close enough to touch, and with the airport runway between us, is Spain.

A backdrop of cranes and building sites are evidence of the forward charge of development, with land reclamation around the harbours a huge part of the progress. No time to stop for too long, though, as there’s so much to do on the peninsula – now linked directly to Birmingham with a new easyJet flight – that within a couple of hours of landing we’re on a yellow boat in the nine-mile-wide Strait, between the Rock and the Rif Mountains, ­watching a friendly pod of dolphins play and leap around us while our tour guide points out the calves.

Dinner that evening is at a popular spot called Bianca’s, only a few feet from where the Dolphin Adventure vessel is moored. We are delighted to tuck into pil pil gambas and a dish called The Swimming Cow – surf and turf, Gibraltar style.

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Following a buffet breakfast the next morning, we head up the winding roads to St Michael’s Cave, in the Upper Rock Nature Reserve. Our jaws hit the floor and we enter the magnificent grotto, gazing awestruck at the enormous stalactites and stalagmites that dominate the vast cavern, illuminated by a multicoloured light show.

Long imagined to be bottomless, the Ancient Greeks believed these cathedral-like halls to be the entrance of Hades, while a popular Gibraltar legend tells that the caves connected Gibraltar to Africa, allowing underwater passage to the famous macaques.

Emerging blinking and stunned, we venture to the World War II Tunnels, a tourist experience that takes us right into the heart of the Rock, meandering through winding passages that were carved into the limestone by the military. The instant emotional wallop of the soldiers’ graffiti etched into the rock leaves me with a lump in my throat.

A hefty £3million private investment has allowed head of development Christian Wright to vastly improve the experience, making it more accessible, dynamic and interactive. Wright is personally committed to ensuring that the overlooked story of his fellow Gibraltarians is told, using local artefacts, accounts and photos. Referenced along the way, in a recognition that truth is stranger than fiction, is James Bond creator Ian Fleming who played a role in Operation Goldeneye – a plan to secure communication and ­intelligence in Gibraltar.

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Up the cable car we go next for a six-minute ascent, this time bound for the impressive Skywalk, which is great for monkey lovers. The macaques are synonymous with Gibraltar and the 10 groups are managed with love and respect.

But tourists be warned: they can be aggressive and will snatch a snack (first hand witness here), so keep it well hidden. Feeding the monkeys is punishable with a substantial fine, so don’t be tempted.

We learn even more about our primate cousins when we meet with primatologist Brian Gomila of Monkey Talk – Gibraltar for a fascinating in-depth study of monkey behaviour, lucking out when we see a week old baby, clinging to its mum.

Dinner is at The Lounge on the Queensway Quay Marina later, which offers a gorgeous setting and classic, elegant dishes.

A private tour of the derelict Northern Defences, used as a fortress in the war, is an eye-opening exploration led by architect Carl Viagas. Carl, whose passion for the project is clear, is renovating the labyrinth of caves into a considerably impressive visitor attraction – in his words he’s “defending the defences”. The attraction is set to open in summer 2026.

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Gibraltar Museum provides further insight into the multilayered history of the peninsula, particularly “Nana and Flint”, a Neanderthal grandma and her grandson, tenderly portrayed via two life-sized forensic reconstructions.

Some of the last people of these archaic humans occupied the Goram’s cave complex on the southeastern side of the peninsula, and the caves are considered of such great importance that they are now combined into a Unesco World Heritage site.

Gin tasting rounds off day three at award-winning Spirit of the Rock’s microbrewery, with seven gins to taste (hic) and a romp through the history of the spirit to boot.

Thankfully clear headed for our final day, we embark on an extremely fun e-bike tour of the Lower Rock. The route sees us pass a beach where the sand was imported from the Sahara, visit the Botanical Gardens where we see ancient dragon trees, ride by an impressive mosque donated by King Fahd of Saudi Arabia, pass in and out of the ever-present Rock through various winding tunnels, and, thrillingly, cross the airport runway, bringing our ­exploration of Gibraltar to a close.

Was Gibraltar what I expected? The answer, unequivocally, is certainly not. Despite its small size, it delivers some memories.

Book the holiday

• easyJet flies from Birmingham to Gibraltar starting at £26.99 one-way. easyjet.com
• easyJet holidays offers four nights’ B&B at the Sunborn Gibraltar yacht-hotel from £584pp with Birmingham flights on October 12. easyjet.com/en/holidays
• More info at visitgibraltar.gi

Do you have a holiday story that you want to share with us? Email us at [email protected].

Millions of dollars worth of political TV ads are expected to start airing Tuesday in an effort to sway Californians on a November ballot measure seeking to send more Democrats to Congress and counter President Trump and the GOP agenda, according to television airtime purchases.

The special-election ballot measure — Prop. 50 — will likely shape control of the U.S. House of Representatives and determine the fate of many of Trump’s far-right policies.

The opposition to the rare California mid-decade redistricting has booked more than $10 million of airtime for ads between Tuesday and Sept. 23 in media markets across the state, according to media buyers who are not affiliated with either campaign. Supporters of the effort have bought at least $2 million in ads starting on Tuesday, a number expected to grow exponentially as they are aggressively trying to secure time in coming weeks on broadcast and cable television.

“This early start is a bit stealthy on the part of the no side, but has been used as a ploy in past campaigns to try to show strength early and gain advantage by forcing the opposing side to play catch up,” said Sheri Sadler, a veteran Democratic political media operative who is not working for either campaign. “This promises to be an expensive campaign for a special election, especially starting so early.”

Millions of dollars have already flowed into the nascent campaigns sparring over the Nov. 4 special-election ballot measure that asks voters to set aside the congressional boundaries drawn in 2021 by California’s independent redistricting commission. The panel was created by the state’s voters in 2010 to stop gerrymandering and incumbent protection by both major political parties.

The campaign will be a sprint — glossy multi-page mailers arrived in Californians’ mailboxes before the state Legislature voted in late August to call the special election. Voters will begin receiving mail ballots in early October.

Redistricting, typically an esoteric process that takes place once a decade following the U.S. Census, is receiving an unusual level of attention because of partisan efforts to tilt control of Congress in next year’s midterm election. Republicans have a narrow edge in the U.S. House of Representatives, but the party that wins control of the White House often loses congressional seats in the following election.

Earlier this summer, Trump asked Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to redraw his state’s congressional districts to add five GOP members to the House, setting off a redistricting arms race across the nation. California Gov. Gavin Newsom launched a campaign to redraw the state’s congressional districts in an effort to boost the number of Democrats in Congress, negating the Texas gains for Republicans, but it must be approved by voters.

The coalition opposing the effort is an intriguing mix: former Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, wealthy Republican donor Charles Munger Jr., former GOP House Speaker Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield, Assemblyman Alex Lee (D-San Jose), the chair of the Legislative Progressive Caucus, and Gloria Chun Hoo, president of the League of Women Voters of California.

Many partisans — in both political parties — opposed independent redistricting when it was championed by Schwarzenegger and Munger in 2010.

Jessica Millan Patterson, the former state GOP chairwoman who is leading McCarthy’s effort to oppose new congressional boundaries, demurred when asked about the dissonance. Voters, she said, made their choice clear at the ballot box about their preference to have an independent commission draw congressional districts rather than Sacramento politicians.

“The people of California have spoken,” she said, adding that most voters agree that an independent commission is preferable to partisan politicians drawing districts.

The “Stop Sacramento’s Power Grab” committee that Patterson leads plans to focus on conservative and right-of-center voters, and will be well-funded, she said.

McCarthy was a prodigious fundraiser while in Congress and his long-time friend, major GOP fundraiser Jeff Miller, is raising money to oppose the ballot measure.

Schwarzenegger is not part of the McCarthy effort, instead backing the good-government message of the Munger team. Patterson argues that anything the former governor does only brings more attention to their shared goal, even if he isn’t part of their effort.

“Gov. Schwarzenegger is Gov. Schwarzenegger,” Patterson said, pointing to an X post of the global celebrity wearing a T-shirt that said “Terminate Gerrymandering” while working out on Aug. 15. “He is a celebrity, a box-office guy. He’s going to make sure reasonable people know that we don’t want to put this power back in Sacramento. He will bring the glitz and glamour, like he always does.”

Schwarzenegger has long championed political reform. During his final year as governor, he prioritized the ballot measure that created independent congressional redistricting. Since leaving office, he made good governance a priority at his institute at the University of Southern California and campaigned for independent redistricting across the nation.

“Here are some of the things that are more popular than Congress: hemorrhoids, Nickelback, traffic jams, cockroaches, root canals, colonoscopies, herpes,” Schwarzenegger said in a 2017 Facebook video. “Even herpes, they couldn’t beat herpes in the polls.”

The former governor is reportedly backing the effort by Munger, the son of a billionaire, who bankrolled the ballot measure that created independent congressional redistricting in 2010. Munger has donated more than $10 million to an effort opposing the November ballot measure; the organization he funded has booked more than $10 million in television spots through Sept. 23.

“These ads are the start of our campaign’s effort to communicate directly with voters about the dangers of allowing politicians to choose their voters and abandoning our gold standard citizen-led redistricting process,” said Amy Thoma, a spokesperson for the Munger-backed Voters First Coalition.

Supporters of the effort to redraw the districts argued that Republicans are trying to cement GOP control of the nation’s policies.

“Trump cronies … are spending big to defeat [Prop.] 50 and help Trump rig the 2026 election before a single person [has] voted,” said Hannah Milgrom, a spokesperson for the campaign. “They are spending big — and early — to trick California voters into allowing Trump to keep total control over the federal government for two more years.“