fears

EastEnders’ Sam Mitchell actress Kim Medcalf has discussed her return to the BBC soap, involving a worrying new health storyline and a long-awaited reunion with Zoe Slater

It’s been almost two years since Sam Mitchell last graced our screens, fleeing EastEnders after severing ties with brother Phil and the Mitchell clan. But Sam may need her family now more than ever, when she returns to Albert Square as part of an important and emotional new storyline.

Sam faces a breast cancer scare after she discovers a lump. It’s her late mother Peggy Mitchell’s own battle with the disease, and her death in 2016, that leaves Sam convinced it’s serious.

Actress Kim Medcalf shared: “This is the second time Sam has found a lump in her breast and 20 years ago, she felt very lucky that it wasn’t anything serious. This time Sam assumes it’s going to be a different outcome because of Peggy’s history. Sam feels like the same thing is going to happen to her and so she’s putting her head in the sand.”

Hiding her turmoil from her loved ones and refusing to be checked by a doctor, Sam instead begs her brother Phil for money. Viewers will recall that the pair aren’t currently on good terms, given last year her dramatic exit saw her expose his affair with Emma Harding to the entire Square.

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“She’s nervous, especially how things were left with Phil!” Kim revealed. “But then again, Sam’s not the kind of person who spends a lot of time thinking about the past, she lives in the moment.”

Kim teased that Nigel Bates, who revealed his devastating dementia diagnosis earlier this year, soon gets caught up in Sam’s scheming too. As Sam attempts to steal money from Phil’s safe, Nigel lets her, after sadly mistaking her for his daughter Clare.

Of course scheming Sam avoids correcting him, but it’s not long before her brother realises the truth. Sam will attempt to flee once more with the cash, before confiding in former flame Jack Branning, son Ricky’s dad, about her health secret.

Kim hopes this will lead to Sam seeking help, as she shares the importance of getting checked early. “We all need to encourage each other to regularly check our breasts because if you can catch breast cancer early enough, it can make a big difference to the prognosis and treatment,” Kim said. “To be given a storyline where I can play a small part in raising awareness is a real privilege. As a woman in my 50s, it’s something me and my friends talk about because we all know people affected by breast cancer and it feels very relevant and important.”

Of course Sam’s long-awaited return to the soap will also see an exciting reunion fans have been desperate for, between herself and Zoe Slater. The last time they were onscreen together back in 2005, the pair, joined by Chrissie Watts, were involved in the brutal murder of Dirty Den, who was buried under the floor of The Queen Vic.

Sam was sent to prison over the death, while the pair believed Zoe killed Den during their violent showdown. She was soon released though when Chrissie’s guilt was unearthed, while Zoe fled Albert Square until her own comeback earlier this year.

It’s safe to say Sam isn’t thrilled by the reunion, and it will open up some old wounds for both characters that they would rather remain closed. Kim explained: “Coming face-to-face with Zoe is triggering for Sam and brings up a whole series of memories that she’d much rather forget.”

It leads to Zoe wondering if Sam is behind her ongoing stalker ordeal, and a showdown ensues. “You can’t blame Zoe for suspecting Sam, they’ve got history!” admitted Kim. “They both shared this terrible experience that traumatised them in their own different ways.”

Kim confirms though that her character has nothing to do with Zoe’s torment. “Sam is adamant that she’s got her mind on other, far more important things. I think Zoe is convinced by Sam’s protests, but Kat isn’t quite so sure about her.”

Kim has loved the chance to work with Michelle Ryan, who plays Zoe, again two decades on from their iconic plot. “It has had us taking a trip down memory lane to remember where our characters were when we were last in the show, and what was going on in our lives in Walford,” Kim shared. “Having this chance to reminisce together has been lovely.”

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Bangkok, Thailand – Stewed, seasoned with sugar and cloves, deep-fried or dished up in a zingy chilli mince – the diets of most Thais are incomplete without pork.

But a $3bn market – supplied nearly entirely by domestic pig farmers – may be about to face competition like never before from the giant hog farms of the world’s third-largest producer, the United States.

While the fine print of the Thai government’s preliminary trade deal with the US is yet to be revealed, some details have emerged.

Washington has a 10,000-item-long wish list of goods it wants to enter Thailand duty-free to reduce its $45.5bn trade deficit with the Southeast Asian country, an imbalance President Donald Trump says unfairly disadvantages US producers.

The list includes pork, corn, soya beans and some fruits.

Shortly after Trump met Thailand’s caretaker prime minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Malaysia last month, the White House revealed some of the many strings attached to its trade deal, which set the tariff rate for the kingdom’s exports to the US at 19 percent.

They include Thailand agreeing to “address and prevent barriers to US food and agricultural products in the Thai market”, according to the White House, and a commitment to “expediting access” for US meat and poultry products.

That has panicked Thailand’s pig farmers, who say the industry may not survive a flood of cheaper, subsidised US pork, which is fattened up on ractopamine, a livestock additive banned in many countries, including the kingdom.

If US pork is allowed into Thailand without duties, nothing less than the kingdom’s food security is at stake, according to Worawut Siripun, deputy secretary-general of the Swine Raisers Association of Thailand.

“Producers will not be able to survive and will stop raising pigs. But the risks are not only for farms facing falling pig prices,” Worawut, who has about 10,000 pigs, told Al Jazeera.

“Those who grow feed crops are also affected, as well as animal feed traders, animal feed producers, and veterinary drug sellers. Everyone in the production cycle is impacted.”

Trump had made trade talks with Thailand contingent on Bangkok signing an extended ceasefire agreement with Cambodia.

But in the weeks since meeting Anutin, Thailand has suspended truce talks over alleged Cambodian breaches of the terms of the agreement.

While there are conflicting signals over whether tensions with Cambodia have put Thailand’s trade negotiations with its biggest export destination on the back burner, farmers and livestock companies are bracing for intensified competition.

Thailand’s pork industry has weathered challenges ranging from outbreaks of swine flu to illegal imports from China and Vietnam.

But it faces high costs, largely as a result of government price controls on corn and soya used to feed pigs and other livestock – a measure intended to protect the country’s crop farmers, a key voting bloc.

And like most of Thailand’s agricultural producers, the country’s pig farmers deal with slim margins.

“Both imported and locally produced feed materials in Thailand are more expensive compared to the US, where feed is cheaper,” Worawut said.

Corn and other feed farmers are also bracing for tough times.

Thailand announced earlier this month that it would lift its annual corn import limit, from approximately 50,000 tonnes to 1 million tonnes, and scrap a 20 percent tariff to appease Washington.

Prime Minister Anutin is likely to dissolve parliament in the coming weeks and set a date for new elections.

He is angling to return to office in defiance of critics who say he has already given away too much to Washington before a comprehensive trade deal has been signed.

Trump officials have already announced a deal to gain preferential access to Thailand’s rare earths, the sale of billions of dollars of US-made aircraft and a promise by Bangkok not to tax US digital services companies.

Anutin’s bargaining position has been weakened by tough economic conditions.

On Monday, the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council trimmed its economic growth forecast for 2026 to 1.2 percent, down from an expected 2 percent expansion this year – by far the weakest performance among Southeast Asia’s leading economies.

With a third round of trade talks with the US under a cloud following the suspension of the Thailand-Cambodia peace deal, the main political opposition party has called on the government to pause the negotiations and consult with local stakeholders.

“This is a crucial moment,” said Weerayut Karnchuchat, deputy leader of the opposition People’s Party, Thailand’s largest in parliament.

“The minister of commerce has said negotiations will conclude by the end of 2025. That leaves around two months. The government should hold eight weeks of stakeholder hearings … especially groups directly affected, such as corn farmers.”

Thailand should take stock and assess if regional peers with full US trade deals – including Cambodia, Vietnam and Malaysia – are happy with the outcomes and “whether Thailand is offering too much”, he added.

For many midsized businesses, the return of Trump and his trade war has made for a difficult year, with demand depressed across countless supply chains exposed to the US.

Orders are retreating inside Thailand for everything from lightbulbs to electrical wires needed to run factories that export to the US.

Tipok Lertwattanaweerakul, a durian farmer and middleman, said he has seen his profit margins slashed.

Saudi Arabian buyers who sold durian to customers in the US had been Lertwattanaweerakul’s main source of business, but with the Arab country hit with a 10 percent tariff, “they are no longer purchasing from me at all,” he told Al Jazeera.

Nov. 22 (UPI) — Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was detained early Saturday in Brasilia because of a possible “attempted escape” to an embassy days before he was to begin his 27-year prison sentence for leading a coup attempt.

Brazil’s Supreme Court issued a preventive arrest warrant that had been sought by police for Bolonaro, 70, who had been under house arrest with an ankle monitor since early August.

Bolsonaro, Brazil’s president from 2019 to 2022, is being held in a Federal Police station in Brasilia and will undergo a custody hearing on Sunday, the BBC reported.

He is scheduled to begin serving his sentence as the court reviews his appeals.

There was the possibility of “relocation to embassies near the residence, considering that the investigations revealed a history of planning to request asylum through a diplomatic representation,” the court said.

In August, police obtained a document during a raid that Bolsonaro had planned to seek asylum in Argentina last year. And days after the operation, he spent two nights at the Hungarian Embassy in Brazil in an apparent bid for asylum.

Bolsonaro’s lawyers planned to appeal the arrest, denying that Bolsonaro was attempting to flee.

Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who wrote the order, said “new facts” had come to light about the far-right former president.

His intention was “to break the electronic ankle bracelet to ensure success in his escape” that would be “facilitated by the confusion caused by the demonstration called by his son” outside his apartment complex.

The judge described it as a “high possibility of an attempted escape.”

The vigil planned for Saturday night was organized by his oldest son, Flavio, a senator.

“Are you going to fight for your country or just watch everything on your phone on your couch at home?” he asked his followers in a social media video.

The court also said it was informed that there was a violation of Bolsonaro’s electronic monitoring equipment early Saturday.

“The information confirms the convict’s intention to break the electronic ankle bracelet in order to ensure the success of his escape, facilitated by the confusion caused by the demonstration,” the court said.

Bolsonaro’s sentence was to begin next week after all appeals were exhausted.

“The fact is that the former president was arrested at his home, with an electronic ankle monitor and under police surveillance. Furthermore, Jair Bolsonaro’s health is delicate and his imprisonment may put his life at risk,” his lawyers said in a statement.

And they noted the protest is protected by law.

On Sept. 11, Bolsonaro was sentenced and convicted in a plot to remain in power after losing the 2022 election to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Four of five justices convicted him on all five counts.

Aside from the coup attempt, Bolsonaro was found guilty of taking part in an armed criminal organization, attempting to abolish Brazil’s democratic order by force, committing violent acts against state institutions and damaging protected public property after his supporters stormed government buildings on Jan. 8, 2023.

He is barred from running for public office until 2060, eight years after his sentence would end, when he would 105 years old.

On Friday, Bolsonaro’s lawyers asked the Supreme Court to allow him to serve his whole jail sentence under house arrest with electronic monitoring. He would be able to leave for medical treatment, including for pulmonary infections and other ailments.

Earlier this month, high-ranking military officials and a federal police officer were sentenced to prison after the Supreme Court justices found them guilty of attempting a coup and plotting to kill Lula da Silva.

“The message to Brazil, and to the world, is that crime doesn’t pay,” Reimont Otoni, a Workers’ party congressman and backer of Otono.

Otoni noted Bolsonaro’s plot included a conspiracy to assassinate Lula.

Also, high court justices knew about plans to assassinate Lula’s vice presidential running mate, and to arrest and execute de Moraes.

The conspiracy failed to get the backing of the army and air force commanders, and Lula was sworn in on Jan. 1, 2023.

One week later, supporters stormed and vandalized government buildings in the capital, Brasilia.

Bonsonaro, who has been referred to as the “Trump of the tropics,” has contended it was a “witch hunt.” U.S. President Donald Trump also calls it a “witch hunt” and punished the nation for the “disgrace” of how Bolsonaro has been treated, as well as for an “unfair trade relationship.”

South Korean stocks closed sharply lower Friday, as renewed concerns over an artificial intelligence (AI) bubble weighed heavily on big-cap tech shares. The local currency fell to the lowest level in seven months against the U.S. dollar on massive foreign stock selling.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) tumbled 151.59 points, or 3.79 percent, to close at 3,853.26.

Trade volume was moderate at 307.95 million shares worth 14.02 trillion won (US$9.5 billion), with decliners outnumbering gainers 718 to 177.

Foreigners sold a net 2.83 trillion won worth of shares, while retail and institutional investors bought a net 2.29 trillion won and 495.46 billion won worth of shares, respectively.

According to the Korea Exchange, offshore investors’ net selling reached its largest level since Feb. 26, 2021, when they offloaded 2.83 trillion won worth of shares.

The index opened lower, tracking overnight losses on Wall Street, and further extended its decline as investors were wary of the valuation of AI-related shares and their aggressive investment plans.

Also affecting the sentiment was the Federal Reserve‘s monetary policy, as expectations for further rate cuts continued to wane.

“The market surrendered its gains from yesterday’s Nvidia earnings surprise. Following recent sharp gains, volatility appears to have persisted,” Han Ji-young, a researcher at Kiwoom Securities, said.

“But there remains ample potential for sentiment to reverse depending on upcoming key economic data and additional AI-related developments,” the analyst added.

Tech shares dipped following a rally in the previous session.

Market bellwether Samsung Electronics fell 5.77 percent to 94,800 won, and chip giant SK hynix plunged 8.76 percent to 521,000 won.

Major battery maker LG Energy Solution lost 3.51 percent to 425,500 won, and LG Chem dipped 5.53 percent to 367,000 won.

Nuclear power plant builder Doosan Enerbility sank 5.92 percent to 73,100 won, and defense giant Hanwha Aerospace shed 5.13 percent to 869,000 won.

Leading shipbuilder HD Hyundai Heavy skidded 4.8 percent to 555,000 won, and its rival Hanwha Ocean lost 4.16 percent to 119,800 won. No. 1 steelmaker POSCO declined 3.42 percent to 310,500 won.

Carmakers finished mixed. Top automaker Hyundai Motor retreated 0.95 percent to 259,500 won, while its sister affiliate Kia rose 0.53 percent to 114,000 won.

Leading financial group KB Financial decreased 0.58 percent to 120,500 won, while internet portal operator Naver surged 2.14 percent to 262,500 won.

The local currency was quoted at 1,475.6 won against the greenback at 3:30 p.m., down 7.7 won from the previous session.

It marked the weakest level since April 9, when it finished at 1,484.1 won. The April 9 figure was the lowest since March 12, 2009, when the won closed at 1,496.5 amid the global financial crisis.

Bond prices, which move inversely to yields, ended higher. The yield on three-year Treasurys fell 3.6 basis points to 2.872 percent, and the return on the benchmark five-year government bonds lost 3.9 basis points to 3.076 percent.

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By&nbspEuronews

Published on
19/11/2025 – 12:14 GMT+1

European stocks showed mixed signals on Wednesday, somewhat easing fears of a global market crash.

At around midday, Germany’s DAX was up less than 1%, while the UK’s FTSE 100 and Spain’s IBEX 35 also saw modest lifts.

Italy’s FTSE MIB dropped less than 1%, as did France’s CAC 40.

Both the STOXX 50 and the wider STOXX 600 showed minimal movement.

Investors kept an eye on data releases on Wednesday, with UK inflation easing to 3.6% in October, down from 3.8% in July, August, and September.

The annual inflation rate in the eurozone, meanwhile, came in at 2.1% in October, a confirmation of a preliminary reading. That’s down from 2.2% in September.

“Investors will breathe a sigh of relief that the market sell-off has lost momentum,” said Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell.

“It’s the good news everyone wanted. The key question is whether this is simply the calm before the storm.”

In Asian trading on Wednesday, markets were broadly in the red.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 0.34%, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was down 0.38%, South Korea’s Kospi slid 0.61%, while Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 slid 0.25%. China’s SSE Composite rose 0.18%.

After a day of losses on Tuesday, Wall Street showed signs of optimism on Wednesday.

Ahead of the opening bell, S&P 500 futures were up 0.30%, while Dow Jones futures increased 0.12%. Nasdaq futures were trading 0.37% higher.

Investors around the world are awaiting third-quarter results from chipmaker Nvidia, set for release later on Wednesday.

Nvidia’s performance matters disproportionately because its immense size means it’s the most influential stock on Wall Street. Its financial report will also influence the narrative around an AI bubble and fears that tech stocks may be overvalued.

“Nvidia reports tonight and the slightest bit of news to disappoint investors has the potential to whip up a tornado across global markets,” said Mould.

“Investors will be hanging on Jensen Huang’s every word and looking for clues that big investment in AI is worth it.”

Anya Garnis, who shares two young children with her husband Sunna Van Kampen, recently tried to rent a property in Devon, but she was rejected from doing so because of a Home Office blunder

Former Strictly star Anya Garnis fears she may be left homeless after a Home Office blunder rejected her right to live in Britain.

The Russian-born Latin dancer started dancing at the age of 10 and began competing professionally with her dance partner, Strictly’s Pasha Kovalev, in 1998. The pair moved to the US in 2001 to start her professional dancing career.

They reached the final of the US Open Ballroom Championship on a number of occasions and have also appeared in US series So You Think You Can Dance. Anya, who is a US citizen, has performed at the Emmys and the Oscars and even headlined the Broadway show Burn The Floor.

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The 43-year-old, who shares two young children with her husband Sunna Van Kampen, recently tried to rent a property in Totnes, Devon, but she was rejected from doing so because of a Home Office blunder.

Baffled by the situation Anya investigated and discovered the Home Office’s landlord checking system suggested she did not have permission to live in the country, despite being here since 2013.

The Home Office said her application for leave to remain may have been lost – rendering her ‘illegal’. Speaking to the MailOnline she said: “I was absolutely shocked and devastated. We have to leave the place we’re living now in a couple of weeks, but have been told we can’t rent or buy anywhere else.

“In effect, this will leave us homeless in Britain. If we leave the country, my visa application will be dismissed entirely, but we may have no choice.”

Anya came to the UK on a temporary UK visa in 2013 to work for Strictly. She married Mr Van Kampen in 2017 and they later had two children, now aged three and one.

Since 2013 Anya has lived in the UK on rolling temporary visas without any major issues until she applied to renew her permission last September.

After applying she heard nothing for months so chased her application up on the Home Office website which suggested her application was being processed. When she tried to call, they told her they couldn’t discuss individual cases on the phone.

Home Office guidelines state that applicants have automatic leave to remain while their applications are being processed, so she thought nothing of it. After applying again she was shocked to still be turned down by the LCS.

She said: “I can’t buy or rent a property, but I also can’t leave the country while I’m waiting for a decision. I know highly skilled Americans who have been forced to give up on a life in Britain and move back home because of this catch.”

The Home Office said it would not comment on an individual case.

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Loose Women star Kelly Brook is about to head into the I’m A Celebrity jungle but has admitted that she is afraid of just about everything prior to the show’s launch

Kelly Brook has sparked fears that she could quit I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! before the show has even started. The model, 45, is one of the famous faces gearing up to take part in Ant and Dec’s reality show and recently landed in Australia but recent admissions from her could mean that it’s all over before it has even begun.

The Loose Women star will have to live in the jungle with her fellow celebrities, which include big names like Emmerdale legend Lisa Riley, Spandau Ballet singer Martin Kemp and presenter Alex Scott amongst a host of others, and face all sorts of unpleasant things. Kelly discussed her phobias during an appearance on the How to Fail podcast – and it seems she may struggle.

Speaking to host Elizabeth Day, she admitted: “I’m even scared to get the Tube at Leicester Square… I wait for someone to be in front and behind me so I’m sandwiched. I’m scared of heights, snakes, spiders — all of those things.”

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Kelly previously claimed she would never take part in the survival reality show and had always ruled it out because of her fears, but, upon announcing that she has changed her mind, she admitted that she now “didn’t give a damn”.

She said: “What changed? Really good question. A friend of mine got asked to have a meeting with the producers of I’m A Celebrity and I said, You have to do it, I love watching it, what an incredible life experience… I was thinking, why can’t I give myself that advice? I realised it was basically out of fear, and I thought, it’s about time that I live my don’t give a damn era!”

Before flying out, Kelly was spotted at Heathrow Airport with husband Jeremy Parisi as she prepared to say goodbye to home comforts – and her beloved dog, Teddy.

She admitted: “I am going to miss my dog Teddy and my husband Jeremy.” According to insiders, Kelly went above and beyond to make sure her pampered pooch was well cared for during her time away.

A source told The Sun: “Kelly is besotted with Teddy and he is used to fine dining, so Kelly spent all hours making sure the freezer was piled high with his special dinners.”

They added: “There’s everything from poached salmon with cavolo nero cabbage through to venison steak with Chantenay carrots. She didn’t have much time to get everything sorted among all her work commitments but catering for Teddy was the priority.”

Reports also claim Kelly even labelled Teddy’s meals to stop her husband from accidentally eating them.

Kelly, who married Italian model in 2022, is said to have finally been convinced to enter the jungle after years of saying she’d never do it.

Back in 2018, she told The Sun: “I hate confined spaces. I don’t want to eat eyeballs or sheep testicles. Even if I had a huge tax bill I had to pay it urgently, I still wouldn’t do it.” Now, seven years later, Kelly has had a change of heart – and fans are eager to see how the glamorous TV personality copes with bugs, bushtucker trials and jungle life.

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As companies focused on buying bitcoin and major cryptocurrencies face challenges from market oversaturation and negative sentiment, new players are exploring less popular, riskier tokens, raising concerns about volatility. Following U. S. President Donald Trump’s supportive stance on cryptocurrencies and the success of Michael Saylor’s investment strategy, the number of public companies investing in cryptocurrencies has surged. By September, there were over 200 digital asset treasury (DAT) companies, primarily invested in bitcoin, with a total value of around $150 billion, tripling from the previous year according to DLA Piper.

Many new companies, often penny stocks looking for profit increases, are emerging daily. As bitcoin prices decline, these companies are turning to more volatile tokens to enhance returns, with firms like Greenlane, OceanPal, and Tharimmune announcing plans to invest in assets such as BERA, NEAR, and Canton Coin. This shift indicates a growing connection between the cryptocurrency market and traditional sectors, which could pose risks for investors. Moody’s analyst Cristiano Ventricelli warns that the move toward less stable cryptocurrencies could lead to higher risks, especially when markets decline.

Since April, many DAT companies have raised funds for token purchases through private placements (PIPEs), selling shares to private investors at discounted prices. Between April and November, more than 40 DATs collectively raised over $15 billion through these PIPEs, with only a handful focusing on bitcoin. Bitcoin itself saw its first monthly loss since 2018 in October. Notable crypto investors involved in these deals include Winklevoss Capital and Kraken. While some institutional investors can directly buy tokens, DATs provide regulated exposure to cryptocurrencies for more cautious investors. However, reliance on PIPEs can cause stock price fluctuations, particularly during market downturns.

This vulnerability was highlighted on October 10, when tensions between the U. S. and China caused market declines, leading to significant drops in share prices for companies like BitMine and Forward Industries. Peter Chung from Presto Research noted that while initial hype around DATs has decreased, there is potential for a rebound. Some companies, such as OceanPal, are promoting their token acquisitions for their technological advantages, while Greenlane chose not to comment.

Earlier this year, many DAT companies traded at higher prices than their crypto holdings, as investors believed they could leverage credit for more purchases. However, as bitcoin prices have diminished and competition from similar strategies has risen, some companies are struggling, with at least 15 trading below their assets’ net value. Retail investors incurred losses of about $17 billion from investments in these companies, while others face pressure to repurchase shares to support stock prices.

Overall, DATs hold 4% of all bitcoin, 3.1% of all ether, and 0.8% of all solana, which could significantly influence coin values. Analysts project further consolidation in the sector. Company executives emphasize the importance of making prudent investment choices to ensure long-term success. Companies like SUI Group are also diversifying by launching stablecoins to boost shareholder value, warning that merely acquiring tokens without strategic actions could lead to failures in the long run.

With information from Reuters

US senators reach stopgap deal to end government shutdown, raising hopes for end to six-week-long impasse.

Airlines in the United States have cancelled more than 3,300 flights amid a top transport official’s warning that air travel could “slow to a trickle” due to the ongoing government shutdown.

The cancellations on Sunday came as Republicans and Democrats reached a stopgap deal on ending the shutdown after the impasse over the passage of a funding bill dragged into its 40th day.

Travel disruption has been mounting since the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)  last week ordered reductions in air traffic amid reports of air traffic controllers exhibiting fatigue and refusing to turn up for work.

Some 13,000 air traffic controllers, who are deemed “essential” employees under US government rules, have been forced to work without pay since the start of the shutdown on October 1.

A total of 3,304 US flights were cancelled and more than 10,000 flights were delayed on Sunday, according to data from flight-tracking website FlightAware.

More than 1,500 flights were cancelled on Saturday, following the cancellation of about 1,000 flights on Friday.

Under the FAA’s phased-in reduction in air traffic, airlines were ordered to reduce domestic flights by 4 percent from 6am Eastern Standard Time (11:00 GMT) on Friday.

Flights are set to be reduced by 6 percent from Monday, 8 percent by Thursday, and 10 percent by Friday.

In media interviews on Sunday, US Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy warned that air travel could grind to a standstill in the run-up to the Thanksgiving holiday on November 27.

“As we get closer to Thanksgiving travel, I think what’s going to happen is you’re going to have air travel slow to a trickle, as everyone wants to travel to see their families,” Duffy told Fox News.

“It doesn’t get better,” Duffy added. “It gets worse until these air traffic controllers are going to be paid.”

The period around Thanksgiving is one of the busiest times for travel in the US calendar.

An estimated 80 million Americans travelled during the Thanksgiving period in 2024, with airports screening a record 3.09 million passengers on the Sunday after the holiday alone.

As fears of travel chaos mounted on Sunday, US senators said they had reached a compromise agreement to restore funding for government operations through the end of January.

In a late night session, the Senate voted 60-to-40 to break the filibuster and advance the funding package after a group of moderate Democrats joined Republicans to support the resumption of government funding.

The funding plan still needs to be approved by the Senate and the US House of Representatives, and then signed into law by US President Donald Trump, before the shutdown ends.

It is also unclear whether travel disruption could persist after the government reopens.

The FAA said last week that decisions on lifting its flight reductions would be “informed by safety data”.

Al Jazeera has contacted the FAA for comment.

Richard Aboulafia, managing director at the consultancy AeroDynamic Advisory, said that if air traffic controllers have been skipping work due to pay, the disruptions should quickly dissipate once the shutdown ends.

But there are also suspicions among aviation analysts that the flight restrictions are an “arbitrary” measure designed to raise political pressure for an end to the government shutdown, Aboulafia said.

“The decision to restrict capacity was understandable if the facts and data support it,” Aboulafia told Al Jazeera.

“Secretary Duffy says the data does indeed support it, but he has not shared any of that data. People are right to be suspicious, particularly in light of other unnecessary cuts by the administration.”

LOOSE Women star Ruth Langsford has revealed she gets ‘frightened’ over having ‘senior moments’ after losing her dad to Alzheimer’s.

The 65-year-old beloved television host has opened up about her health fears after her parents were both diagnosed with dementia and her dad died from complications of the disease.

Ruth’s father Dennis sadly died in 2012 from complications from dementia.

The TV star’s mother, Joan, 94, was also diagnosed with the disease. 

Because of the way in which Alzheimer’s is influenced by generics, Ruth has revealed her health fears after experiencing “senior moments”.

Speaking to The Mirror this weekend, Ruth got candid when she said: “All the time, literally all the time, if I ever have a senior moment where I go, ‘what’s her name again?’, somebody that I know quite well, and I have a complete and utter blank, it really frightens me.”

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She added: “I’m 65 now, my dad was officially diagnosed when he was 72.

“But looking back on it, we think he was displaying signs, we just didn’t know what they were – but he was in his late 60s and I’m 65.”

Ruth continued: “Of course I worry about it with both parents having had dementia, but I just think, what will be will be.”

Back in August of this year, Ruth opened up about her mother’s diagnosis and how she and her family found it “doubly hard”.

She told Hello! Magazine: “It’s very upsetting when your loved one is given that diagnosis.

“For my family, we found that doubly hard as my dad had Alzheimer’s, so we knew what was ahead for us and my mum.”

Ruth revealed at the time: “At the moment, mum knows who I am, she always recognises me and is very happy to see me.

“I know that that could change at any time, it did with my dad, and that is heartbreaking.”

Discussing her dad’s death in 2017 in an episode of Loose Women, Ruth said: “I was grieving and losing my dad but my mum was losing the love of her life, the man she married and had children with.

“They had years and years of memories.

“You don’t often hear people talking about that side of it.

“When my dad went into care, my mum was so distraught…

“I’m sorry,” she said, getting emotional and wiping a tear from her eye at the time.

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“You do hope, but you know they probably won’t get better.

“I’m sorry, sometimes I just can’t talk about it. It’s thinking about my mum, that side of it that gets to me.”

Tigray was the centre of a devastating two-year war that pitted the TPLF against Ethiopia’s federal army.

Ethiopia’s Afar region has accused forces from neighbouring Tigray of crossing into its territory, seizing several villages and attacking civilians, in what it called a breach of the 2022 peace deal that ended the war in northern Ethiopia.

Between 2020 and 2022, Tigray was the centre of a devastating two-year war that pitted the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) against Ethiopia’s federal army and left at least 600,000 people dead, according to the African Union.

In a statement released late on Wednesday, Afar authorities said TPLF fighters “entered Afar territory by force today”.

The group, which governs the Tigray region, was accused of “controlling six villages and bombing civilians with mortars”. Officials did not provide details on casualties.

“The TPLF learns nothing from its mistakes,” the Afar administration said, condemning what it described as “acts of terror”.

The conflict earlier this decade also spread into neighbouring Ethiopian regions, including Afar, whose forces fought alongside federal troops.

According to Afar’s latest statement, Tigrayan forces attacked the Megale district in the northwest of the region “with heavy weapons fire on civilian herders”.

The authorities warned that if the TPLF “does not immediately cease its actions, the Afar Regional Administration will assume its defensive duty to protect itself against any external attack”.

The renewed fighting, they said, “openly destroys the Pretoria peace agreement”, referring to the deal signed in November 2022 between Ethiopia’s federal government and Tigrayan leaders, which ended two years of bloodshed.

While the fragile peace had largely held, tensions between Addis Ababa and the TPLF have deepened in recent months. The party, which dominated Ethiopian politics from 1991 to 2018, was officially removed from the country’s list of political parties in May amid internal divisions and growing mistrust from the federal government.

Federal officials have also accused the TPLF of re-establishing ties with neighbouring Eritrea, a country with a long and uneasy history with Ethiopia. Eritrea, once an Italian colony and later an Ethiopian province, fought a bloody independence war before gaining statehood in 1993.

A subsequent border war between the two nations from 1998 to 2000 killed tens of thousands. When Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed came to power in 2018, he signed a landmark peace deal with Eritrea, but relations have soured again since the end of the Tigray conflict.

The U.S. Supreme Court’s skeptical questioning of former President Donald Trump’s global tariffs has fueled speculation that his trade measures may be struck down, potentially upending the already fragile trade landscape.

The case centers on Trump’s use of the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose sweeping tariffs on imports. The law grants presidents broad authority to regulate trade during national emergencies but makes no mention of tariffs, raising constitutional questions about the limits of executive power.

During oral arguments on Wednesday, justices across the ideological spectrum except Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas appeared doubtful that Trump had legal authority to levy such blanket global tariffs.

Trade experts now warn that if the court invalidates Trump’s tariff policy, it could trigger a new wave of economic uncertainty, as the administration is expected to pivot quickly to other trade laws to reimpose duties.

Why It Matters

The outcome of this case could reshape U.S. trade policy for years. Businesses have paid over $100 billion in IEEPA-related tariffs since 2025, and a ruling against Trump could open a complex refund battle or force the White House to seek alternative legal pathways for its protectionist agenda.

Corporate leaders, already weary of erratic trade shifts, say a ruling either way offers little stability. “Even if it goes against IEEPA, the uncertainty still continues,” said David Young of the Conference Board, who briefed dozens of CEOs after the hearing.

Trump Administration: Faces potential legal defeat but can pivot to Section 232 (Trade Expansion Act of 1962) or Section 122 (Trade Act of 1974), both of which allow temporary or national security-based tariffs.

U.S. Supreme Court: Balancing presidential powers with statutory limits on trade actions.

Businesses & Importers: Risk being caught in regulatory limbo over refunds and future duties.

Federal Reserve: Monitoring potential economic fallout from prolonged trade instability.

Refunds Could Get “Messy”

Justice Amy Coney Barrett raised concerns about how refund claims would be handled if the tariffs are ruled illegal, calling it “a mess” for courts to manage.
Lawyer Neal Katyal, representing five small businesses challenging the tariffs, said only those firms would automatically receive refunds, while others must file administrative protests a process that could take up to a year.

Customs lawyer Joseph Spraragen added that if the court orders refunds, the Customs and Border Protection’s automated system could process them, but he warned, “The administration is not going to be eager to just roll over and give refunds.”

Economic and Policy Repercussions

Analysts expect the administration to rely on alternative statutes if IEEPA tariffs are overturned. However, implementing new duties under those laws could be slow and bureaucratic, potentially delaying trade certainty until 2026.

Natixis economist Christopher Hodge said such a ruling would be only a “temporary setback” for Trump’s trade agenda, predicting renewed tariff rounds or trade negotiations in the coming year.

Meanwhile, Federal Reserve Governor Stephen Miran warned the uncertainty could act as a drag on economic growth, though it might also prompt looser monetary policy if trade instability dampens business confidence.

What’s Next

A Supreme Court ruling is expected in early 2026, leaving companies in limbo over the future of U.S. tariff policy.
If Trump’s powers under IEEPA are curtailed, analysts expect a new wave of trade maneuvers potentially invoking national security provisions to maintain his “America First” economic approach, prolonging the climate of global trade unpredictability.

With information from Reuters.

Nov. 5 (UPI) — ADP reported Wednesday that jobs growth for October provided better insight after fears of further decline after September’s report.

Some 42,000 jobs were added over the month in companies with at least 250 workers following September’s drop of around 29,000, according to Automatic Data Processing Inc. However, a revision showed 3,000 fewer jobs in September.

“Private employers added jobs in October for the first time since July, but hiring was modest relative to what we reported earlier this year,” said Nela Richardson, ADP’s chief economist.

ADP data showed that small business lost around 34,000 employees.

“Meanwhile, pay growth has been largely flat for more than a year, indicating that shifts in supply and demand are balanced,” Richardson said in a release.

Job categories in utility, transpiration and trade gained 47,000, which offset losses in other job areas. In addition, around 26,000 jobs were added in health and education services with 11,000 in finance.

A decline in some 17,000 roles in the area of information services was seen despite the ongoing boom in the artificial intelligence industry.

But the manufacturing sector continues to struggle in the growing aftermath of tax-like tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump in his bid to revive American manufacturing jobs.

Small business account for three of every four U.S. jobs, according to ADP.

ADP’s chief economist stated the shift away from growth in small business is noteworthy.

“While big companies make headlines, small companies drive hiring,” Richardson told CNBC.

“So to see that weakness at the small company level is still a concern, and I think that’s one of the reasons why the recovery has been so tepid.”

The payroll processing giant reported an average monthly growth of 60,000 jobs a month for the first half of the year, but that figure showed a decline in the year’s second half.

The historic ongoing shutdown by the Republican-controlled federal government resulted in a suspension in data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which typically is at the forefront of detailed job data. In addition, a temporary stop in SNAP benefits is poised to heighten food insecurity in the United States.

Alan Carr has fled the UK ahead of the final of The Celebrity Traitors, as he’s convinced he’s the ‘most hated man in the country’ after killing off his co-stars

Alan Carr has fled the country before The Celebrity Traitors finale, declaring: “I’m the most hated man in the UK.” The comedian brutally eliminated beloved actress Celia Imrie in full view during Thursday night’s episode, and revealed his backstabbing antics on the programme have left him deeply unpopular.

Nevertheless, the 49-year-old confesses he reckons his fellow celebrities are “thick” for failing to spot his obvious eliminations. Chatting whilst taking his nephew and niece to Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida, Alan said: “That’s why I’m in America.

“I’m the most hated man in the UK. I’ve had to come here to Orlando to get away from it all – everyone hates me. My Christmas card list is getting smaller and smaller.”, reports the Daily Star.

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Yet he reckons his showbiz mates should have spotted his blatant murders – particularly as he struggles to hide his reactions. Speaking to Heart radio in Orlando, Alan – who also eliminated his mate Paloma Faith on the programme – added: “I’ve got loads of celebrity friends, but are they thick?

“I’m giggling when people are murdered. When they don’t come down for breakfast, I just stick cheese in my mouth.” He went on: “It’s stressful murdering every day… I’m getting a taste for it.”

Fellow Traitor Cat Burns, 25, confesses the spotlight is all “a bit mad” and revealed she is managing it by “mainly just staying at home”. Meanwhile, recently eliminated star Kate Garraway has backed Alan to triumph in the competition.

The Good Morning Britain host declared: “I think he’s going to win. I don’t know. I’m going to say it now.” She revealed that his strategy has been to burst into fits of laughter during loyalty challenges, particularly whilst playing a round where contestants had to share two truths and one falsehood.

She explained: “The flaw in the plan was everybody slightly flickered, their eyes changed so when you say ‘are you a mother of five’ they just go yes because they’re relaxed about that. But on every single one Alan looked guilty, even on the ones that were true.

“So therefore I think his thing is that he looks guilty and the more he mucks up and the more he sweats and the more he can’t get out loud ‘I’m a Faithful’, then the more it plays in to ‘Alan’s just being Alan’. And I think that’s going to be the genius.”

The Celebrity Traitors finale broadcasts on Thursday at 9pm on BBC One.

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