weapon

There’s a good chance that a horror movie will be nominated for the 2025 best picture Oscar.

And if Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners” or Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein” make the cut, it will be the first time in the Academy Awards’ 97-year history that a fright film has been nominated in consecutive contests.

It’s long overdue. And if you believe part of Oscars’ purpose is to promote the industry and celebrate its achievements, there’s no better time for the academy to get over its traditional disdain for cinematic monstrosities.

As most other sectors of Hollywood’s film business look precarious — adult dramas, the traditional awards season ponies, are dropping like dead horses at the box office, while attendance for the once-mighty superhero supergenre continues to disappoint — horror has hit its highest annual gross of all time, $1.2 billion, with a good two months left to go.

“Sinners,” released in April, remains in fifth place on the domestic box office chart with $279 million. Its fellow Warner Bros. offerings “The Conjuring: Last Rites,” “Weapons” and “Final Destination: Bloodlines” occupied slots 12 through 14 as of mid-October.

Mia Goth as Elizabeth and Oscar Isaac in “Frankenstein.”

(Ken Woroner / Netflix)

“Horror has been, historically, the Rodney Dangerfield of genres,” notes Paul Dergarabedian, head of marketplace trends for global media measurement firm Comscore. “It can’t get no respect.

“But horror is very important to the industry on so many levels now,” he continues. “We have four horror movies in the top 15 this year, all of those generating over $100 million in domestic box office. And to make a significant scary horror movie, you don’t have to break the bank. Look at [‘Weapons’ filmmaker Zach Cregger’s 2022 breakout feature] ‘Barbarian’; half of that was shot in a basement.” Similarly, compare “Sinners’” $90 million price tag to “Black Panther’s” $200 million.

Horror’s popularity has gone in cycles since Universal’s run of classic monster movies in the early 1930s. But profitability has been a reliable bet more often than not — and Karloff’s “Frankenstein” and Lugosi’s “Dracula” still resonate through pop culture while most best picture winners of the same era are forgotten.

Still, it wasn’t until 1974 that “The Exorcist” received the first best picture nomination for a horror film, and ahead of the success of “The Substance” at the 2025 Oscar nominations the genre’s fortunes had only marginally improved. Indeed, many of the titles usually cited as a mark of horror’s growing foothold in awards season — “Jaws,” “The Sixth Sense,” “Black Swan,” 1991 winner “The Silence of the Lambs” — are arguably better characterized as something else entirely, or at best as hybrids. (To wit, the sole monster movie that’s won best picture, Del Toro’s 2017 “The Shape of Water,” is primarily considered a romantic fantasy.)

Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners.”

(Warner Bros. Pictures)

Fright films’ reputation for delivering cheap thrills to undiscerning audiences was often deserved, but there were always stellar horror films that the academy overlooked. And more recently, films such as “The Substance,” “Sinners” and Jordan Peele’s 2017 nominee “Get Out” have pierced ingrained voter prejudices against the genre by adding social commentary and undeniable aesthetic quality without compromising gory fundamentals.

“The horror genre really does seem to be attracting great directors who are immersed in it, have a real auteur point-of-view and make interesting movies that have horror elements but explore other themes as well,” notes The Envelope’s awards columnist, Glenn Whipp. “‘Sinners’ is Ryan Coogler’s vampire movie, but it’s also about the Jim Crow South and American blues music. How can you resist that if you’re an academy voter?”

And with horror packing in filmgoers like no other genre, high-profile nominations could help the Academy Awards broadcast attract the bigger ratings its stakeholders have been desperately seeking at least since “The Dark Knight” failed to make the best picture cut in 2008.

Austin Abrams in “Weapons.”

(Warner Bros. Pictures)

“That was the whole reason we went to 10 potential nominees,” Dergarabedian recalls. “We wanted to have more blockbuster representation at the Oscars. This may be the perfect storm. If I were an academy voter, I would vote for ‘Sinners’ and ‘Weapons.’ I don’t think that’s an overstatement, given the films that have come out this year.”

Even beyond this “perfect storm,” though, Whipp sees a sea change afoot.

“Everything’s an Oscar movie now if it’s well made,” he says. “Studios aren’t really making traditional, grown-up dramas and the academy can only nominate what’s in front of them. Horror is being produced at a rate that is greater than it used to be, and at least two of these Warner movies really landed with audiences and critics. The genre is attracting some of our top filmmakers right now, and that’s something that will trickle down to the Oscars.”

“This is not a blip,” Dergarabedian concludes. “It’s a trend that feels like it’s happened overnight but it’s been a long time coming. Back in 2017 we had our first $1-billion-plus horror movie box office. If they stop making good horror movies it might be a blip, but I think Hollywood should take this and bloody run with it.”

GYEONGJU, South Korea — The United States will share closely held technology to allow South Korea to build a nuclear-powered submarine, President Trump said on social media Thursday after meeting with the country’s president.

President Lee Jae Myung stressed to Trump in their Wednesday meeting that the goal was to modernize the alliance with the U.S., noting plans to increase military spending to reduce the financial burden on America. The South Korean leader said there might have been a misunderstanding when they last spoke in August about nuclear-powered submarines, saying that his government was looking for nuclear fuel rather than weapons.

Lee said that if South Korea was equipped with nuclear-powered submarines, that it could help U.S. activities in the region.

U.S. nuclear submarine technology is widely regarded as some of the most sensitive and highly guarded technology the military possesses. The U.S. has been incredibly protective of that knowledge, and even a recently announced deal with close allies the United Kingdom and Australia to help the latter acquire nuclear submarine technology doesn’t feature the U.S. directly transferring its knowledge.

Trump’s post on social media comes ahead of his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, whose country possesses nuclear submarines, and after North Korea in March unveiled for the first time a nuclear-powered submarine under construction. It’s a weapons system that can pose a major security threat to South Korea and the U.S.

As Trump visited South Korea, North Korea said Wednesday it conducted successful cruise missile tests, the latest display of its growing military capabilities.

Pentagon officials didn’t immediately respond to questions about Trump’s announcement on sharing the nuclear sub technology with South Korea.

Megerian and Boak write for the Associated Press. Boak reported from Tokyo. AP writer Konstantin Toropin contributed to this report from Washington.

SACRAMENTO — Gun rights organizations filed a lawsuit Tuesday challenging a new California law that bans certain types of Glock-style semiautomatic firearms.

The law, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom last week, prohibits the sale of semiautomatic pistols with a “cruciform trigger bar” — a feature that allows gun owners to attach a device, commonly called a switch, that boosts the weapon’s firepower and converts it into a machine gun capable of spraying dozens of bullets in a fraction of a second.

“Newsom and his gang of progressive politicians in California are continuing their crusade against constitutional rights,” John Commerford, executive director of the National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action, said in a statement. “They are attempting to violate landmark Supreme Court decisions and disarm law-abiding citizens by banning some of the most commonly owned handguns in America.”

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, alleges the law violates the 2nd Amendment. Plaintiffs include the NRA, Firearms Policy Coalition, and the Second Amendment Foundation, as well as some individuals and smaller businesses.

The legal action alleges that California’s new law essentially bans the sale of certain Glock-brand handguns and others with similar features that allow modification by owners.

“A law that bans the sale of — and correspondingly prevents citizens from acquiring — a weapon in common use violates the Second Amendment,” the lawsuit states. “Semiautomatic handguns with cruciform trigger bars are not different from any other type of semiautomatic handgun in a constitutionally relevant way. The Supreme Court has already held that handguns are in common use and cannot be banned.”

The lawsuit states the only justification for banning a firearm is when the weapon is “dangerous and unusual” and argues that semiautomatic pistols are neither.

“They are also unquestionably in common use for lawful purposes,” the lawsuit states. “In fact, they are among the most popular handguns in the nation.”

Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel, who introduced Assembly Bill 1127, said his bill was intended to help protect communities from gun violence.

“Automatic weapons are exceptionally lethal and capable of firing hundreds of rounds per minute; they are illegal in California,” he told the Senate Public Safety Committee in July. “Unfortunately, some semiautomatic firearms feature a dangerous design element allowing them to be converted to automatic weapons through the attachment of an easy-to-use device known as a switch.”

Over the last few years, handguns retrofitted with switches were used in several prominent shootings in California, including the 2022 mass shooting in downtown Sacramento that left six people dead and a dozen injured.

Machine gun conversion switches are illegal in the United States and are mostly manufactured overseas. They also can be built at home using 3D printers. Instructions for installing one on a firearm can be found online and require little to no technical expertise.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives reported a 570% increase in the number of conversion devices collected by police departments between 2017 and 2021, according to the Associated Press.

WASHINGTON  — The Supreme Court agreed Friday to decide if licensed guns owners have a right to carry their weapons at public places, including parks, beaches and stores.

At issue are laws in California, Hawaii and three other states that generally prohibit carrying guns on private or public property.

Three years ago, Supreme Court ruled that law-abiding gun owners had a 2nd Amendment right to obtain a permit to carry a concealed weapon when they leave home.

But the justices left open the question of whether states and cities could prohibit the carrying of guns in “sensitive locations,” and if so, where.

In response, California enacted a strict law that forbids gun owners from carrying their firearm in most public or private places that are open to the public unless the owner posted a sign permitting such weapons.

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals struck down that provision last year as going too far, but it upheld most of a Hawaii law that restricted the carrying of guns at public places and most private businesses that are open to the public.

Gun-rights advocates appealed to the Supreme Court and urged the justices to rule that such restrictions on carrying concealed weapons violate the 2nd Amendment.

The court agreed to hear the case early next year.

Trump administration lawyers urged the justices to strike down the Hawaii law.

It “functions as a near-complete ban on public carry. A person carrying a handgun for self-defense commits a crime by entering a mall, a gas station, a convenience store, a supermarket, a restaurant, a coffee shop, or even a parking lot,” said Solicitor General D. John Sauer.

Gun-control advocates said Hawaii had enacted a “common sense law that prohibits carrying firearms on others’ private property open to the public.”

“The 9th Circuit was absolutely right to say it’s constitutional to prohibit guns on private property unless the owner says they want guns there,” said Janet Carter, managing director of Second Amendment Litigation, at Everytown Law. “This law respects people’s right to be safe on their own property, and we urge the Supreme Court to uphold it.”

South Korea reports Pyongyang building up enriched uranium supplies, insists ‘stopping’ its nuclear development ‘urgent’.

North Korea is believed to have accumulated large quantities of weapons-grade uranium, according to South Korea.

Seoul’s Unification Minister Chung Dong-young on Thursday cited an assessment that Pyongyang possesses 2,000kg (about 4,400 pounds) of highly enriched uranium “at a purity of 90 percent or higher”.

If confirmed, the amount would also signal a sharp increase in North Korea’s stockpile of nuclear material.

Intelligence provided by civilian experts reveals that North Korea is operating four enrichment plants, he added.

“Even at this very hour, North Korea’s uranium centrifuges are operating at four sites,” Chung told reporters, only mentioning the known site of Yongbyon, which Pyongyang purportedly decommissioned after talks but later reactivated in 2021.

Foreign experts believe North Korea has built additional uranium-enrichment sites as leader Kim Jong Un has been pushing hard to expand his nuclear arsenal.

The North has long been known to hold a “significant” amount of highly enriched uranium, the key material used to produce nuclear warheads, according to South Korea’s defence ministry.

Enrichment must be pushed to more than 90 percent, the concentration termed weapons-grade, to ensure that the critical mass sets off the chain reaction leading to a nuclear explosion.

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), 42kg (92.6 pounds) of highly enriched uranium is needed for one nuclear weapon; 2,000kg would be enough for roughly 47 nuclear bombs.

Chung said “stopping North Korea’s nuclear development is an urgent matter”, but argued that sanctions will not be effective and that the only solution lies in a summit between Pyongyang and Washington.

International diplomacy on ending North Korea’s nuclear programme has stalled since 2019, when high-stakes summitry between Kim and United States President Donald Trump fell apart without any agreement.

Kim said recently that he was open to talks with the US as long as the demand that the North surrender its nuclear arms remains a condition.

North Korea, which conducted its first nuclear test in 2006 and is under a raft of United Nations sanctions for its banned weapons programmes, has never publicly disclosed details of its uranium enrichment facilities.

South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung, who took office in June, has promised a more dovish approach towards Pyongyang compared with his hawkish predecessor, Yoon Suk-yeol, saying he will not seek regime change.

Chung said, by designating Pyongyang as the “main enemy” and insisting on denuclearisation first, the previous administration had effectively allowed North Korea’s nuclear capabilities “to expand without limit”.

AFTER a roller coaster few weeks, which saw her publicly battle her ex-husband while enjoying unexpected chart success, Katie Price has found comfort in her large entourage of friends.

Amid her devastating feud with Peter Andre over the welfare of their children, Junior and Princess, she’s continued to tour with pal Kerry Katona, partied with Chloe Ferry and celebrated her single, I Got You, topping the charts with a young group of up-and-coming collaborators. But there’s one person Katie secretly relies upon more than anyone else.

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And that’s her best pal of over twenty years and the woman whose influence in Katie’s life is slowly but steadily becoming more apparent. 

Despite referring to Louisa Anderson-Roy as “extended family”, not a lot of people are aware of just how inseparable the ladies are. And in recent times, fiercely loyal Lou, an aesthetics practitioner and CEO of the LA Hair Skin and Beauty salon, has been working closely with Katie in a bid to overhaul her image and get her public persona back on track. 

Not only has she styled Katie in a series of “classy” ensembles for Katie and Kerry’s ‘Evening With’ tour, Lou was also responsible for connecting Katie with SHAYE, a producer who’s working with her on brand new music. She’s also been attending professional jobs with Katie, including a recent recording alongside Olivia Attwood.

Kate and Lou have been friends forever, and while a lot of people have betrayed her, Kate knows Lou genuinely has her back

Lou’s efforts come after Peter, 52, publicly slated Katie, accusing her of telling “lies and baseless accusations” and claiming their children were placed in his care “for their safety” years before. 

Katie, 47, hit back, saying she “refused to be gaslit” by her former husband – but the damage was done and the former glamour model didn’t come out of the public slanging match very well.

Now sources have revealed just how much of a “secret weapon” mum-of-six Lou is, and why she’s one of only a few people that Katie genuinely listens to. 

“Kate and Lou have been friends forever, and while a lot of people have betrayed her, Kate knows Lou genuinely has her back,” a pal revealed. 

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“But more than anything, Kate trusts Lou’s opinions and judgement. Lou is incredibly influential. She’s been there for all the drama in Kate’s life and she seems to have an instinct for what’s right for Kate.

“Obviously the Pete stuff really p**sed Lou off – she immediately felt protective over Kate and has vowed to step up and help her friend shine. Kate really does see her as a secret weapon – somehow she’s stronger when Lou’s around.”

Indeed Lou has been extremely defensive of her bestie of late. After sharing a picture of them together on social media, a handful of Lou’s followers bodyshamed Katie for her recent weight loss, which some assume to be the result of Ozempic. 

It led Lou to clap back in a lengthy rant. 

“Anyone commenting on any of my posts or pictures with my friend re weight.. Whether it be about someone gaining or losing weight, I really don’t care, but you will be removed..,” she wrote. “You do not know reasons as to why anyone may lose or gain or what’s going on in people’s worlds so don’t be so nasty to point out weight changes! Women should support women.” 

Lou is incredibly loyal…Kate will be grateful for the support.

Our source explained why a message like this would be so important for Katie. 

“Lou is incredibly loyal and won’t stand for any hate on her socials, but more than anything she’s trying to protect Kate,” they said.  “And it won’t go unnoticed. Kate will be grateful for the support. Especially when she’s trying so hard to turn public opinion around in the wake of the Pete mess.” 

Last week Lou reassured Katie’s fans that she would “never do anything for my mate for any kind of recognition or financial gain – never have and never will” and gave a telling insight into their friendship. 

“Its one that’s always been based on total honesty and loyalty to one another and realness throughout some of the toughest moments we have equally both faced in our lives,” she shared on Instagram. “I’ll always support people I love, especially when I see they don’t deserve hate.”

When a follower replied, “I know you have a deep fondness and love for Katie”, Lou responded, “I really do care for those I love.”

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In response to another comment Lou admitted she got “a fair bit of hate” for supporting Katie but added, “I let it go over my head.”  

Lou has been at Katie’s side for many years, staying out of the spotlight to work as a hairdresser, although she has appeared in Katie’s various videos and social media posts. 

‘Fair bit of hate’

One infamous moment in 2020 saw Katie coughing on a pizza to stop Lou from having any of it. Following backlash from disgusted fans, a spokesperson for Katie insisted at the time, “Lou is deemed as extended family – Katie pretending to cough on her pizza is simply making light of life and highlights the sisterhood shared between the pair. It’s not uncommon behaviour when they’re larking about.”

It looks like Katie will need Lou’s shoulder to lean on again this week, following fan backlash when it was revealed she had pulled out of a charity event in order to attend Geordie Shore star Chloe Ferry’s birthday party at the weekend. 

While claiming she was too busy ‘filming’ to attend Milton Keynes Pride last Saturday, the mum of five was instead seen living it up in Newcastle where she was filmed dancing with Chloe and pals. 

Everything you need to know about Katie Price

Step inside the life of former glamour model Katie Price

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The blow comes after a spell of good news for Katie. Not only did her single end up at number one in the iTunes charts following a fan campaign, it’s also been reported that her two youngest children, Jett and Bunny, will move back in with her in November. The pair had been living with their father, Katie’s third husband Kieran Hayler, since 2022.  

As well as that, Katie’s been getting decent reviews for her tour with Kerry, with one punter saying they “loved every minute of the show”. 

This, despite several hiccups, including backlash for vaping on stage, reportedly missing the first half of one show last week and landing herself in hospital after she “accidentally stabbed” herself with a knife while making a curry. 

But one thing is certain, despite all the ups and downs, loyal Lou will be at Katie’s side regardless. 

A very large directed energy laser weapon was among the new capabilities officially rolled out for the first time at a massive military parade in China. Called the LY-1, the laser has so far been described as primarily intended for shipboard self-defense, but was shown at today’s event in a form that also points to land-based applications.

Today’s parade in Beijing was months in the making, and new drones, missiles, and other systems had already emerged during the preparations. The event marked the 80th anniversary of what was then the Republic of China’s victory over Japan during World War II.

Despite its official unveiling today, much about the turreted LY-1 laser, including its power rating, remains unknown. It has a single very large circular aperture for its beam director. There are also multiple smaller circular apertures, some of which would be tied to electro-optical and/or infrared cameras used for target acquisition and tracking. A box-like structure on the right side of the turret (left when viewed from the front) might hold an additional sensor, such as a radar or passive radio-frequency sensor, or other components of the system.

“The LY-1 has sufficient space for power units, meaning that it could have higher power, enabling it to be capable of intercepting not only attacks from unmanned equipment, but also anti-ship missiles, with very low-cost for each interception,” according to a report today from China’s Global Times newspaper, an outlet run by the ruling Chinese Communist Party, citing an independent expert. “Shipborne laser weapons can effectively damage the optical sensors of enemy weapons and equipment.”

“Parade narrators for CGTN, China’s English-language state media outlet, said the LY-1 is capable of ‘precision destruction and consistent strike,’” Business Insider has also reported.

Laser directed energy weapons known to be in development globally typically fall into two categories: so-called dazzlers designed to blind optics, including optical seekers on incoming missiles, and higher-powered designs capable of physically damaging or destroying a target. A high-power type could also be designed to incorporate a low-power capability. The LY-1’s size and configuration, together with the descriptions above, put it firmly in the higher-powered category, and with a primary focus on protecting ships from incoming aerial threats like drones and missiles.

How close the LY-1 might be to entering operational service, and in what form, is also unknown. What looked to be a laser directed energy weapon with a configuration very similar to the LY-1 had been spotted on a Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Type 071 amphibious warfare ship last year, as you can read more about here. Back in 2019, China’s state-run CCTV-7 television network had also broadcast imagery of a laser directed energy weapon with a similar, but more simplified design that was said to be under development for the PLAN.

Shipboard self-defense is a major focus of laser directed energy developments worldwide, including in the United States. In broad strokes, the LY-1 is similar in configuration and size to laser weapons the U.S. Navy has been working to field in growing numbers in recent years, especially the High-Energy Laser with Integrated Optical Dazzler (HELIOS). The system seen on the PLAN Type 071 last year also featured a retractable protective dome to help shield it from the elements when not in use. A laser weapon system that the U.S. Navy tested on the Arleigh Burke class destroyer USS Dewey in 2012 had a similar enclosure. Another laser was also notably tested on the USS Portland, a San Antonio class amphibious warfare ship, which is roughly analogous to the Type 071.

Broadly speaking, laser weapons hold the promise of largely unconstrained magazine depth, as long as there is sufficient power and cooling. While a single laser can only be focused on one point at a time, a turreted beam can also be readily redirected from one target to the next after the laser has effected its target in a satisfactory manner.

It is worth noting that lasers, in general, are sensitive to environmental factors, including smoke, clouds, rain, or other particles in the air, all which can break up a beam and reduce its effectiveness. The power of that beam already drops as it propagates through the atmosphere and gets further away from the source. When developing a practical and reliable laser weapon system that can stand up to real combat use, especially being battered at sea for months at a time and exposed to salt water spray, the delicate nature of their adaptive optics presents further challenges.

The capabilities laser weapon systems are designed to offer are in high demand for ships, especially amid ever-growing drone and missile threats. Even advanced warships with deeply-layered defensive capabilities are among the most protected but threatened objects on earth. Adding a laser layer for close-in defense is seen as highly adventurous. Shipboard applications also offer their own challenges when it comes to meeting the significant power and cooling, as well as physical space demands.

The benefits that high-power laser directed energy weapons offer, at least in principle, are also relevant in the land and air domains, and the LY-1 could also be intended for use in a ground-based configuration. At today’s parade, the laser weapons appeared in what looked to be a very purpose-built eight-wheeled road-mobile format. As a comparison, HQ-10 naval surface-to-air missile launchers, or mockups thereof, were also paraded, but in a configuration more clearly intended for display, rather than operational use.

There is precedent for adapting naval weapon systems, especially those intended for close-in defense, for use ashore. The U.S. Army’s Centurion, a ground-based version of the 20mm Vulcan cannon-armed Phalanx Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) found on various U.S. Navy and foreign warships, is a prime example. China has also previously developed versions of its own naval gun-armed CIWS systems for applications on land.

A land-based version of the LY-1 could provide an additional layer of defense against drones, cruise missiles, and even helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, depending on its real-world effective range and power rating. If the system is self-contained, it might have some capability to engage targets on the move, as well.

As noted, there are still questions about how close the LY-1 might be to entering operational service in any domain. In the United States, laser directed energy weapon development has faced repeated setbacks, especially due to power and cooling challenges, as well as making systems rugged enough for actual combat use, as you can read more about here. While the U.S. Navy has made more visible progress on this front than other branches of America’s armed forces, the service’s senior leaders have still expressed frustration with the pace of actually fielding these capabilities.

At the same time, China has clearly been making significant investments in operationalizing various tiers of laser and high-powered microwave directed energy weapons. This includes higher-end ground-based lasers designed to at least disrupt the operation of orbiting satellites. There are also smaller land-based laser weapons primarily intended for the counter-drone role, some of which were also showcased at today’s parade. Chinese firms have already succeeded in securing at least limited export sales of systems in that general category, including to Saudi Arabia and Iran, and reportedly Russia.

China showcases a counter-drone formation featuring interceptors, anti-drone swarm barrage weapons, high-energy lasers and microwave weapons intended to disable hostile aircraft during the military parade in Beijing on Sep 3. pic.twitter.com/X1SJg3mjhI

— Byron Wan (@Byron_Wan) September 3, 2025

🇨🇳PLAAF/PLA/PLARF Anti-swarm Formation

No Details of Designation Given out

“OW5-A10” Laser Mengshi
“PLB-625” 6x25mm
30mm Cannon Gun “FK-3000” CUAV Mini Dome
“OW5-A50” Laser HMV3 pic.twitter.com/iLZEXcm46Y

— David Wang (@Nickatgreat1220) September 3, 2025

A massive high-powered microwave weapon called the Hurricane 3000, which is mounted on a modified Shacman SX2400/2500-series 8×8 truck, was also on display at the event today in Beijing. That particular system had previously been showcased publicly at last year’s Zhuhai Airshow, as you can read more about here.

🔴 BREAKING: China has unveiled its ultimate anti-drone weapons 🇨🇳

It’s not a missile.
It’s not a traditional gun.

It’s OW5-A50 Laser HMV3 and “Hurricane 3000” Microwave System ⚡

One blast = dozens of drones disabled mid-air.
No ammo. No reload. Just pure energy.

Built for… pic.twitter.com/QhvVN8qpUv

— Defence Index (@Defence_Index) September 3, 2025

While more remains to be learned about the LY-1 and China’s plans for it, it is the latest reflection of the country’s push to develop and field laser and other directed energy weapons for use in multiple domains.

Contact the author: [email protected]

CAPTAIN hook Dillian Whyte faces being stripped of his best punch against Moses Itauma – so he will have to come armed with a different weapon.

Whyte takes on red-hot 20-year-old prospect Itauma in the sizzling Saudi heat on Saturday – live on DAZN PPV.

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And astonishingly, it will be on the SECOND time Whyte has ever faced a southpaw opponent in his 34 professional fights so far.

The last time he did was against journeyman Tomas Mrazek at the Camden Centre in Kings Cross – which has a capacity of around 1,000.

Since then, Whyte has earned millions from boxing while challenging for the WBC world title in 2022, losing by knockout to Tyson Fury.

The Body Snatcher – as he is affectionately known for his work to the midsection – has also developed one of the most dangerous left hooks in that time.

But the punch – especially as a counter while catching the opponent’s shot on the gloves – is harder to land on a southpaw due to the angle of stances.

Trainer Mark Tibbs – who had four years and 11 fights with Whyte before their split in 2020 – recognises his former boxer is at risk of being debilitated against leftie Itauma.

Tibbs said on SunSport’s No Glove Lost episode: “Unless Moses is throwing a big hook, catch and whip, Dillian loves doing that, catching the shot and whipping the hook. 

“But, he’s got to get the right hand off as well, in my opinion.” 

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MOSES ITAUMA VS DILLIAN WHYTE: ALL THE DETAILS YOU NEED AHEAD OF HUGE HEAVYWEIGHT BOUT

WATCH ITAUMA VS WHYTE LIVE ON DAZN

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Moses Itauma vs Dillian Whyte – all the info

One of the biggest fights of the year has arrived

The highly-touted Moses Itauma faces the biggest test of his fledgling career as he steps into the ring with Dillian Whyte on Saturday night.

Itauma, 20, has great expectations on his shoulders – he has been compared to Mike Tyson and is expected by many to dominate boxing’s heavyweight division over the next decade.

But the Slovakian-born star – who sits at 12-0 (10KOs) is yet to face a test anywhere close to what Whyte can offer.

The Body Snatcher is now 37 and has not looked great in his last couple of fights, but the former world title challenger knows an upset win would catapult him right back to the top table.

Watch Itauma vs Whyte LIVE on DAZN

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the fight…

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Anthony Yarde – who lost in his two brave light-heavyweight titles challenges to Sergey Kovalev and Artur Beterbeiv – was in agreement.

And he looked to fellow guest on the panel, Derek Chisora, as an example of how Whyte should approach the bout against Itauma.

Yarde, 34, said: “For him to be catching and countering Moses, it has to be fast.

“For him to give Moses trouble or upset Moses, I personally think he’s just got to be a veteran. 

“Derek will now, you drag them down. Even (Chisora’s) last fight against Otto (Wallin) I was thinking, is that Derek? Because he put it on him. 

“Every time it was, bap, bap, bap, let him have it! Take that and see how you like it. It’s calculated.”

With Whyte’s famous left hook potentially being nullified – Tibbs believes the right hand will need to be more deadly than ever before.

He said: “I’d like Dillian to try get his lead foot on the outside the best he can and get his right hand off because he’s fighting the southpaw. 

“But he will have to use that left hand as a bit of a shield and get in mid range as early as possible. 

“They don’t call him The Body Snatcher for nothing, so we’re going to have to get round that body and try and unsettle and not let Moses be pretty. 

“But Moses is fleet-footed, it’s a difficult task but Dillian’s got the experience, I’m sure he’s got the desire and he’s a fighting man. 

“Unless Moses is throwing a big hook, catch and whip, Dillian loves doing that, catching the shot and whipping the hook. 

“But, he’s got to get the right hand off as well, in my opinion.” 

Tibbs – who never cornered Whyte against a southpaw – called on him to try and drag Itauma into a fight the youngster has never experienced before.

The trainer said: “He’s got a difficult task but if I was Dillian, he’s got to do his utmost to edge him back and put him on his heels. Not too many men can fight on their heels. 

“But Moses, like Derek says, is a fresh, fresh lion. He’s a sharp shooter, a great counter puncher, but it’s a cracking match. 

“Moses needs a Dillian Whyte right now to see where he’s at. The fans need to see where he’s at, we need to see where Moses is at. 

“He’s 12 fights in, it’s not a great deal. It’s a cracking match and what makes it a cracking match is Dillian’s mentality – like I’ve said before – and equally Moses’ mentality.”  

4

4

This summer in Western Europe, there is constant talk of “unprecedented heatwaves”. According to the media, authorities are working hard to help people cope with and protect themselves from the adverse effects of sweltering temperatures.

As someone in Gaza, it is hard not to be grimly amused by this panic.

After all, as temperatures began to rise, my homeland – at least what remains of it – has been transformed into an open-air furnace.

Now, in the middle of another hot, humid Mediterranean summer, we don’t even have the bare minimum to shield ourselves from the heat. I read report after report advising Europeans to stay indoors, stay hydrated, use sun cream and avoid strenuous outdoor activity. Meanwhile, we in Gaza have no homes, no water, no shade and no escape.

We cannot “limit outdoor activity” because everything we need to survive is outside: water trucks that may come twice a week if we’re lucky, food distributions, firewood to scavenge. We cannot “stay hydrated” because water is scarce, rationed and often polluted. And sunscreen? We would sooner find medicine on Mars.

Summer in Gaza used to be a season of joy with beach days, courtyard gardens, a breeze under the trees. But the ongoing Israeli onslaught has turned it into a season of torment. The beaches are blockaded. The courtyards are rubble. The trees are ash. Israel has flattened most of Gaza, turning soil into dust, parks into deserts and cities into graveyards. Gaza is now a shadeless city.

The heat itself has become a silent killer. But Gaza’s deadly summer is not natural. It is not just another consequence of climate change either. It is Israel’s making. The endless bombing has created greenhouse gas emissions and thick layers of dust and pollutants. Fires burn unchecked. Garbage piles rot in the sun. Farmland is razed. What was once a climate crisis is now climate cruelty, engineered by military force.

The irony is bitter: Europe blames its heatwaves on a meteorological “heat dome”, a bubble of trapped hot air. But Israel has trapped us in another kind of dome: overcrowded nylon tents that act like ovens in the sun. These camps are not shelters – they are slow-cooking chambers. They trap heat, stink, fear and grief. And we, the displaced, have nowhere else to go.

Summer is no longer a season I look forward to. It is a dilemma I endure. The sun hangs overhead like a sentence. It scorches the ground beneath my feet so that even my slippers burn. I cannot stay inside the tent during the day. It is too hot to breathe. But I cannot be outside for long either. I must go. I must wait in long lines for water, then again for food – under a sun so punishing I fear sunstroke as much as starvation.

We are told to queue with discipline, but how can you queue when your body is faint and your child is hungry? I push forward through crowds, not out of greed, but desperation. I scavenge for fuel – wood, plastic, anything to burn. I return to my tent only to collapse into more heat.

The nights offer no mercy. With most of Gaza’s population now crammed near the coastline, the tents radiate heat back at each other. Unlike the earth, they do not cool after sunset. They store the suffering. I feel my neighbours’ breath, their sweat, their sorrow as if the heat itself is contagious. Insects swarm us in waves, drawn to the warmth. My mother and sister swat them away as if they were the bombs we can still hear in the distance.

Living in a tent for a second summer should make it easier. It doesn’t. It makes it worse.

Last summer, after being displaced from our home in eastern Khan Younis, we at least had some food variety. There were still deliveries of aid. We could still cook. But since March 2 when Israel blocked humanitarian aid again, we have descended into engineered starvation.

The United States and Israel now stage a grotesque theatre called the “Gaza Humanitarian Foundation” to distribute flour. They place sacks of flour inside metal cages as if we are livestock. People are forced to queue for hours under an open sky, stripped of shade and dignity. Soldiers scream at them to take off their hats, lie face down on blazing asphalt, crawl for food. After all that, you might still leave empty-handed – if you’re not shot first.

They have lowered the bar of our existence. We no longer ask for safety or shelter. We ask only: Do we have enough food to last the day?

Israel has combined every tool of deprivation: heat without shade, thirst without water, hunger without hope. There is no electricity to run desalination or pumping stations. No fuel to chill the little water that comes. No flour, no fish, no markets. For many of us, this summer could be our last.

This is not a climate crisis. This is weather used as a weapon – a war waged not only with bombs and bullets but also with heat, thirst and slow death. Gaza is not just burning – it is being suffocated under a man-made sun. And the world watches, calls it a “conflict” and checks the forecast.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial stance.

WASHINGTON — The United States is selling weapons to its NATO allies in Europe so they can provide them to Ukraine as it struggles to fend off a recent escalation in Russia’s drone and missile attacks, President Trump and his chief diplomat said.

“We’re sending weapons to NATO, and NATO is paying for those weapons, 100%,” Trump said in an interview with NBC late Thursday. “So what we’re doing is, the weapons that are going out are going to NATO, and then NATO is going to be giving those weapons [to Ukraine], and NATO is paying for those weapons.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday that some of the U.S.-made weapons that Ukraine is seeking are deployed with NATO allies in Europe. Those weapons could be transferred to Ukraine, with European countries buying replacements from the U.S., he said.

“It’s a lot faster to move something, for example, from Germany to Ukraine than it is to order it from a [U.S.] factory and get it there,” Rubio told reporters during a visit to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Ukraine badly needs more U.S.-made Patriot air defense systems to stop Russian ballistic and cruise missiles. Trump’s Republican administration has given conflicting signals about its readiness to provide more vital military aid to Ukraine after its more than three years of fighting Russia’s invasion.

After a pause in some weapons shipments, Trump said he would keep sending defensive weapons to Ukraine. U.S. officials said this week that 155 mm munitions and precision-guided rockets were on their way.

Ukraine is seeking more coveted Patriot air defense systems

Germany, Spain and other European countries possess Patriot missile systems, and some have placed orders for more, Rubio said.

The U.S. is encouraging its NATO allies “to provide those weapons, systems, the defensive systems that Ukraine seeks … since they have them in their stocks, and then we can enter into financial agreements with them, with us, where they can purchase the replacements,” Rubio said.

Ukraine has asked foreign countries to supply it with an additional 10 Patriot systems and missiles, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday. Germany is ready to provide two systems, and Norway has agreed to supply one, he said.

Russia has recently sought to overwhelm Ukraine’s air defenses by launching major aerial attacks. Earlier this week, Russia fired more than 700 attack and decoy drones at Ukraine, topping previous nightly barrages for the third time in two weeks.

At the same time, Russia’s bigger army is pressing hard on parts of the 620-mile front line, where thousands of soldiers on both sides have died since the Kremlin ordered the invasion of neighboring Ukraine in February 2022.

Impact of the latest Russian attacks

In the latest attacks, a Russian drone barrage targeted the center of Kharkiv just before dawn Friday, injuring nine people and damaging a maternity hospital in Ukraine’s second-largest city, officials said.

Mothers with newborns were being evacuated to a different medical facility, Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov wrote on Telegram. He didn’t say whether anyone at the hospital was among the injured.

Also, a daytime drone attack on the southern city of Odesa injured nine people.

“There is no silence in Ukraine,” Zelensky said after the Kharkiv bombardment. Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, has endured repeated and intensifying drone attacks in recent weeks, as have many other regions of the country, mostly at night.

June brought the highest monthly civilian casualties of the last three years, with 232 people killed and 1,343 wounded, the U.N. human rights mission in Ukraine said Thursday. Russia launched 10 times more drones and missiles in June than in the same month last year, it said.

Other weapons sought by Ukraine

Zelensky urged Ukraine’s Western partners to quickly enact pledges of help they made at an international meeting in Rome on Thursday.

Ukraine also needs more interceptor drones to bring down Russian-made Shahed drones, he said, adding Moscow plans to manufacture up to 1,000 drones a day.

Zelensky said Thursday that talks with Trump have been “very constructive.”

After repeated Russian drone and missile onslaughts in Kyiv, authorities announced Friday they are establishing a comprehensive drone interception system under a project called Clear Sky.

The project includes a $6.2-million investment in interceptor drones, operator training and new mobile response units, according to the head of the Kyiv Military Administration.

Zelensky appealed to foreign partners to help Ukraine accelerate the production of the newly developed interceptor drones, which have proved successful against Shaheds.

“We found a solution, as a country, scientists and engineers found a solution. That’s the key,” he said. “We need financing. And then, we will intercept.”

Associated Press writer Matthew Lee contributed to this report from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

United States immigration agents have detained prominent Mexican boxer Julio César Chávez Jr. and are working to deport him, with officials saying he has “an active arrest warrant in Mexico for his involvement in organized crime and trafficking firearms, ammunition, and explosives.”

Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials arrested Chávez, 39, in Studio City on Wednesday and are processing him for expedited removal from the U.S., according to the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE.

A Homeland Security news release said Chávez had been flagged as a public safety threat, but “the Biden administration indicated in internal records he was not an immigration enforcement priority.”

Last year in January, officials said, the Los Angeles Police Department arrested Chávez and he was charged with illegal possession of an assault weapon and manufacture or import of a short barreled rifle. He was later convicted of the charges.

Chávez’s manager, Sean Gibbons, told The Times they are currently “working on a few issues” following the boxer’s arrest but had no further comment.

Michael A. Goldstein, a lawyer who has worked with Chávez in previous cases, said his client “was detained outside of his residence by 25 or more ICE and other law enforcement agents.”

“They blocked off his street and took him into custody leaving his family without any knowledge of his whereabouts,” Goldstein said. “The current allegations are outrageous and appear to be designed as a headline to terrorize the community. Mr. Chavez is not a threat to the community.”

The son of Mexican boxing legend Julio César Chávez, widely regarded as the greatest boxer in his country’s history, Chávez Jr. faced off on Saturday against influencer-turned-fighter Jake Paul and lost.

Two weeks before the Anaheim bout against Paul, Chávez held a public workout in Maywood, where he spoke to The Times. He revealed that one of his trainers had skipped the training session out of fear of immigration enforcement.

“I was even scared, to tell you the truth. It’s very ugly,” Chávez said. “I don’t understand the situation — why so much violence? There are a lot of good people, and you’re giving the community an example of violence. I’m from Sinaloa, where things are really ugly, and to come here, to such a beautiful country with everything… and see Trump attacking immigrants, Latinos, for no reason. Not being with God makes you think you know everything. Trump made a bad decision.”

He added: “After everything that’s happened, I wouldn’t want to be deported.”

When U.S. officials announced the arrest Thursday, they referred to Chávez as an “affiliate of the Sinaloa cartel.” The Trump administration has designated the Mexican drug trafficking group as a “Foreign Terrorist Organization.”

“Under President Trump, no one is above the law — including world-famous athletes,” DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.

According to the Homeland Security news release, Chávez entered the country legally in August 2023, with a B2 tourist visa that was valid until February 2024. He had filed an application for lawful permanent resident status last year in April, officials said, based on his marriage to Frida Muñoz, a U.S. citizen, who U.S. officials said “is connected to the Sinaloa cartel through a prior relationship with the now-deceased son of the infamous cartel leader Joaquin ‘El Chapo’ Guzman.”

El Chapo, a known fan of Chávez Sr. during his fighting days, is now serving a life sentence in U.S. federal prison after a 2019 conviction for his leadership role in the Sinaloa cartel.

Muñoz was previously in a relationship with Edgar Guzmán Loera, El Chapo’s eldest son, who was killed in Sinaloa in 2008.

The couple had a daughter, Frida Sofía Guzmán Muñoz. Following Edgar’s death, Muñoz distanced herself from the family and moved to the United States, eventually beginning a relationship with Chávez. Their daughter, Frida Sofía, has recently launched a music career and frequently attends her stepfather’s fights, including the most recent fight in Anaheim.

Chávez has faced criticism over alleged associations with figures linked to drug trafficking. In lengthy social media videos, he has claimed friendship with Ovidio Guzmán, another son of El Chapo who court records show has agreed to plead guilty to federal drug trafficking charges in Chicago.

Last year, on Dec. 17, according to the Homeland Security news release, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services made a referral to ICE that Chávez was “an egregious public safety threat.”

“However, an entry in a DHS law enforcement system under the Biden administration indicated Chávez was not an immigration enforcement priority,” the release stated.

According to the release, Chávez was allowed to reenter the country on Jan. 4 at the San Ysidro port of entry.

“Following multiple fraudulent statements on his application to become a Lawful Permanent Resident, he was determined to be in the country illegally and removable on June 27,” the Homeland Security release stated.

Chávez has been in the boxing spotlight since childhood, often walking to the ring alongside his father. He began his professional career in 2003 and reached the pinnacle in 2011 when he won the WBC middleweight title against Sebastian Zbik. He defended the belt three times before losing it to Sergio Martínez in 2012.

However, his career has been plagued by discipline issues, substance abuse, and struggles with making weight. In 2017, he faced fellow Mexican star Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez, suffering a lopsided unanimous decision loss that marked a turning point in his career’s decline.

Nicknamed “El Hijo de la Leyenda” (“Son of the Legend”) or simply “JR,” Chávez Jr. has had legal and personal troubles in recent years. He was arrested on suspicion of weapons possession and later entered a residential rehab facility. His battle with addiction has frequently played out in the public eye, including viral social media disputes with his father, one of his most vocal critics, yet also his most steadfast supporter.

According to Homeland Security, Chávez was convicted in 2012 of driving under the influence of alcohol and was sentenced to 13 days in jail and 36 months of probation.

Goldstein, Chávez’s lawyer, noted that his client is a public figure who has been living and working in the U.S. without issue in recent weeks. Goldstein pointed to his recent fight, saying, “His workouts were open to the public and afforded law enforcement countless opportunities to contact him if he was indeed a public threat.”

“He has been focused on his own personal growth and mental health,” Goldstein said. “He is in full compliance with his mental health diversion and all court obligations. For this reason, we fully expect his only pending case to be dismissed as required by statute.”

In 2023, according to Homeland Security, a judge in Mexico issued an arrest warrant for Chávez “for the offense of organized crime for the purpose of committing crimes of weapons trafficking and manufacturing crimes.”

The release said the warrant was for “those who participate in clandestinely bringing weapons, ammunition, cartridges, explosives into the country; and those who manufacture weapons, ammunition, cartridges, and explosives without the corresponding permit.”

Mexican authorities, who typically do not reveal the full names of suspects in criminal cases, said Thursday that federal prosecutors had issued an arrest warrant for Julio “C” in March 2023 for organized crime and arms trafficking. A news release from Mexico’s equivalent of the attorney general’s office said U.S. officials had started the process of turning him over to face justice.

Mexico City bureau chief Patrick J. McDonnell contributed to this report.

MOSCOW — President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed Iran, Ukraine and other issues by phone on Thursday, the Kremlin said, in their sixth publicly disclosed chat since Trump returned to the White House.

While discussing the situation around Iran, Putin emphasized the need to resolve all issues by political and diplomatic means, said Yuri Ushakov, his foreign affairs advisor.

The United States struck three sites in Iran on June 22, inserting itself into Israel’s war aimed at destroying Tehran’s nuclear program.

On the conflict in Ukraine, Ushakov said Trump emphasized his push for a quick halt to the fighting, and Putin voiced Moscow’s readiness to pursue talks with Kyiv.

At the same time, the Russian leader emphasized that Moscow will seek to achieve its goals in Ukraine and remove the “root causes” of the conflict, Ushakov said.

Putin has argued he sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022 to fend off a threat to Russia posed by Ukraine’s push to join NATO and protect Russian speakers in Ukraine — arguments rejected by Kyiv and its allies. He insisted that any prospective peace deal must see Ukraine abandon its NATO bid and recognize Russia’s territorial gains.

Thursday’s call follows the Pentagon’s confirmation that it’s pausing shipment of some weapons to Ukraine as it reviews U.S. military stockpiles. The weapons being held up for Ukraine include air defense missiles, precision-guided artillery and other equipment.

The details on the weapons in some of the paused deliveries were confirmed by a U.S. official and former national security official familiar with the matter. They both requested anonymity to discuss what is being held up as the Pentagon has yet to provide details.

Ushakov said a suspension of some U.S. weapons shipments to Ukraine wasn’t discussed in the Trump-Putin call.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in Denmark after meeting with major European Union backers that he may talk to Trump in the coming days about the suspension of U.S. weapons deliveries.

“I hope that maybe tomorrow, or close days, these days, I will speak about it with President Trump,” he said.

Asked about his expectations from the Trump-Putin call, he said that “I’m not sure that they have a lot of common ideas, common topics to talk [about], because they are very different people.”

The previous publicly known call between Trump and Putin came June 14, a day after Israel attacked Iran.

The resumed contacts between Trump and Putin appeared to reflect both leaders’ interest in mending U.S.-Russian ties that have plummeted to their lowest point since the Cold War amid the conflict in Ukraine.

On Tuesday, Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron held their first direct telephone call in almost three years.

Isachenkov writes for the Associated Press. AP writers Aamer Madhani in Washington and Lorne Cook in Aarhus, Denmark, contributed to this report.

Almost every summer, Valencia High football coach Larry Muir tries to make it a mystery as to which of his newcomers projects as a top player. He likes to keep it a secret until after the summer competition is finished.

Well, Valencia is headed on its two-week dead period next week, so Muir couldn’t hide his thrill watching freshman quarterback Evan McCalister unleash a long pass on the final play Saturday in the Simi Valley passing tournament. The ball was caught in the end zone for a dramatic touchdown by sophomore Michael Wilder as Valencia players roared in delight with a victory over Sierra Canyon to complete a 5-1 afternoon.

The 6-foot-2 McCalister, 14, has been getting playing time behind returnee Brady Bretthauer since graduating from middle school. There’s little doubt he has the arm and mental make-up to become Muir’s latest summer sensation, joining the likes of Steven Manfro and Brian Bonner, who were both young, unknown players before using the summer to take off at the running back position.

McCalister moved from Texas and is the younger brother of Denver Broncos defensive back Tanner McCalister.

“He’s very talented,” Muir said. “He sees the field really well. He plays beyond his years.”

Saturday was the busiest day so far for summer football competitions.

Burbank won the Simi Valley championship by beating the host Pioneers in the final of the Platinum Division. The Bulldogs also had wins over Valencia and Sierra Canyon. Junior quarterback Deshawn Laporte led Burbank on offense.

Mission Viejo won its own tournament championship by beating Mater Dei in the final.

San Clemente went unbeaten to win the eight-team St. John Bosco tournament. Damian Martinez had two interceptions in the final game against St. John Bosco and tight end Shane Kiley had the winning touchdown catch.

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, behind new quarterback Wyatt Brown, defeated Inglewood in the championship of the Baldwin Park tournament.

Torrance went 7-0 at the Troy tournament.

Given that the price of a ticket on a low-cost airline is often significantly less than the above fees, it’s understandable to want to avoid paying extra for bags

A travel tipster has explained the ‘secret weapon’ he uses to bump up his luggage haul without paying more for it.

If you’ve flown on a budget airline in recent years, then you’ll know that the cost of hand luggage is no joke. On Ryanair, an extra bag in addition to the one free personal item (40 x 20 x 25 cm) that fits under the seat costs up to £36.

On easyJet, the dimensions of your carry-on bag—including the handle and wheels—must not exceed 56 x 25 x 45 cm. If your bag is larger than this, you will be charged £40 to have it stored in the hold.

Given that the price of a ticket on a low-cost airline is often significantly less than the above fees, it’s understandable to want to avoid paying extra for bags.

READ MORE: ‘Ryanair charged me £34 for bag – one minute later they wouldn’t let me take it on board’

Happily, Australian Instagrammer Punters Politics has a solution. “Punters v corporations in the ongoing battle with dodgy budget airlines! Here is my secret weapon I take onto bat,” he wrote alongside a recent video.

Punters showed himself in a European airport equipped with a rucksack that is too big to fit into the easyJet hand luggage sizer. Keen to dodge the £40 charge, he removes roughly a third of the objects in the bag and begins to fit them into a long, sausage-shaped piece of fabric. Once it’s full, he zips it up and slings it around his neck.

It forms a travel pillow.

Punters then wanders through the boarding gate and onto his plane, the staff seemingly none the wiser about his dupe.

“For the punts wondering, I got it from Amazon and my personal backpack is from @wandrd (not an ad, just love the bag—had it for eight years),” Punters explained of his backpack and neck pillow, the latter of which can be found for less than £10 online.

“The secret weapon (neck pillow) is super nice because that little bag can be stored when the trip is over,” one of Punters’ followers said in the comments.

However, another warned that the neck-pillow ruse may not be long for this world. “Pillow is not an option anymore. Everyone had to pack it inside their backpack during my latest flight with Ryanair,” they wrote.

Let me know if you’d like a punchier version for a headline or social media post!

Tom turned up at Barcelona El Prat Airport at 8:30 am, two hours and 40 minutes before his flight home to Bristol. As Ryanair does not allow passengers to check bags more than two hours before their departure time, he waited until 9:10 a.m. before joining the queue.

“The check-in line was extremely long and badly managed. Staff were calling out other destinations like Ibiza and Alghero for fast-tracking, but never Bristol, even though my departure was only minutes after theirs. I stayed alert and followed instructions, but as I was alone and in a foreign country, I couldn’t leave the queue to ask questions or check other desks without risking my place,” Tom told the Mirror.

“When I finally reached the desk, I was told it was fine to check in my bag. I paid £34.14 by physical card. Then, just moments after the payment was processed, I was told it was too late and my bag would not be accepted. No warning had been given.

“This left me standing in the terminal with a full suitcase that I had no option but to abandon. The bag was worth around £50. I had to repack my belongings into hand luggage while other travellers looked on, then sprint to the gate with no time to rest, eat, or buy a planned gift for my father.”

After a short and successful war with Iraq, President George H.W. Bush claimed in 1991 that “the ghosts of Vietnam have been laid to rest beneath the sands of the Arabian desert.” Bush was referring to what was commonly called the “Vietnam syndrome.” The idea was that the Vietnam War had so scarred the American psyche that we forever lost confidence in American power.

The elder President Bush was partially right. The first Iraq war was certainly popular. And his successor, President Clinton, used American power — in the former Yugoslavia and elsewhere — with the general approval of the media and the public.

But when the younger Bush, Clinton’s successor, launched wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the Vietnam syndrome came back with a vengeance. Barely three weeks after the U.S. attacked Afghanistan on Oct. 7, 2002, famed New York Times correspondent R.W. Apple penned a piece headlined “A Military Quagmire Remembered: Afghanistan as Vietnam.”

“Like an unwelcome specter from an unhappy past,” Apple wrote, “the ominous word ‘quagmire’ has begun to haunt conversations among government officials and students of foreign policy, both here and abroad.”

“Could Afghanistan become another Vietnam?” he rhetorically asked. “Echoes of Vietnam are unavoidable,” he asserted.

Over the next 12 months, the newspaper ran nearly 300 articles with the words “Vietnam” and “Afghanistan” in them. The New York Times, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times ran articles mentioning Iraq and Vietnam at an average rate of more than twice a day (I looked it up 20 years ago).

The tragic irony is that President George W. Bush did what his father couldn’t: He exorcised the specter of “another Vietnam” — but he also replaced it with the specter of “another Iraq.”

That’s what’s echoing in the reaction to President Trump’s decision to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities. We’re all familiar with cliches about generals fighting the last war, but journalists and politicians have the same habit of cramming the square peg of current events into the round hole of previous conflicts.

Trump’s decision to bomb Iran — which I broadly support, with caveats — is fair game for criticism and concern. But the Iraq syndrome cosplay misleads more than instructs. For starters, no one is proposing “boots on the ground,” never mind “occupation” or “nation-building.”

The debate over whether George W. Bush lied us into war over the issue of weapons of mass destruction is more tendentious than the conventional wisdom on the left and right would have you believe. But it’s also irrelevant. No serious observer disputes that Iran has been pursuing a nuclear weapon for decades. The only live question is, or was: How close is Iran to having one?

Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, told Congress in March — preposterously in my opinion — that “Iran is not building a nuclear weapon.” On Sunday, “Meet the Press” host Kristen Welker asked Vice President JD Vance, “So, why launch this strike now? Has the intelligence changed, Mr. Vice President?”

It’s a good question. But it’s not a sound basis for insinuating that another Republican president is again using faulty intelligence to get us into a war — just like Iraq.

The squabbling over whether this was a “preemptive” rather than “preventative” attack misses the point. America would be justified in attacking Iran even if Gabbard was right. Why? Because Iran has been committing acts of war against America, and Israel, for decades, mostly through terrorist proxies it created, trained, funded and directed for that purpose. In 1983, Hezbollah militants blew up the U.S. Embassy in Lebanon, killing 63. Later that year, it blew up the U.S. Marine barracks, also in Beirut, killing 241 Americans. In the decades since, Hezbollah and other Iranian proxies have orchestrated or attempted the murder of Americans repeatedly, including during the Iraq war. It even authorized the assassination of President Trump, according to Joe Biden’s Justice Department.

These are acts of war that would justify a response even if Iran had no interest in a nuclear weapon. But the fanatical regime — whose supporters routinely chant “Death to America!” — is pursuing a nuclear weapon.

For years, the argument for not taking out that program has rested largely on the fact that it would be too difficult. The facilities are too hardened, Iran’s proxies are too powerful.

That is the intelligence that has changed. Israel crushed Hezbollah and Hamas militants and eliminated much of Iran’s air defense system. What once seemed like a daunting assault on a Death Star turned into a layup by comparison.

None of this means that things cannot get worse or that Trump’s decision won’t end up being regrettable. But whatever that scenario looks like, it won’t look much like what happened in Iraq, except for those unwilling to see it any other way.

@JonahDispatch

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran’s supreme leader on Wednesday rejected U.S. calls for surrender in the face of more Israeli strikes and warned that any military involvement by the Americans would cause “irreparable damage to them.”

The second public appearance by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei since the Israeli strikes began six days ago came as Israel lifted some restrictions on daily life, suggesting that the missile threat from Iran was easing.

Khamenei spoke a day after President Trump demanded in a social media post that Iran surrender without conditions and warned Khamenei that the U.S. knows where he is but has no plans to kill him, “at least not for now.”

Trump initially distanced himself from Israel’s surprise attack on Friday that triggered the conflict, but in recent days he has hinted at greater American involvement, saying he wants something “much bigger” than a ceasefire. The U.S. has also sent more military aircraft and warships to the region.

‘Nobody knows what I’m going to do’

Speaking to reporters at the White House Wednesday, Trump would not say whether he has decided to order a U.S. strike on Iran, a move that Tehran warned anew would be greeted with stiff retaliation if it happens.

“I may do it, I may not do it,” Trump said in an exchange with reporters at the White House. “I mean, nobody knows what I’m going to do.”

Trump added that it’s not “too late” for Iran to give up its nuclear program as he continues to weigh direct U.S. involvement in Israel’s military operations aimed at crushing Tehran’s nuclear program.

“Nothing’s too late,” Trump said. “I can tell you this. Iran’s got a lot of trouble.”

“Nothing is finished until it is finished,” Trump added. But “the next week is going to be very big — maybe less than a week.”

Trump also offered a terse response to Khamenei’s refusal to heed to his call for Iran to submit to an unconditional surrender.

“I say good luck,” Trump said.

‘The Iranian nation is not one to surrender’

Khamenei dismissed the “threatening and absurd statements” by Trump.

“Wise individuals who know Iran, its people and its history never speak to this nation with the language of threats, because the Iranian nation is not one to surrender,” he said in a low-resolution video, his voice echoing. “Americans should know that any military involvement by the U.S. will undoubtedly result in irreparable damage to them.”

Iran released Khamenei’s statement before the video was aired, perhaps as a security measure. His location is not known, and it was impossible to discern from the tight shot, which showed only beige curtains, an Iranian flag and a portrait of Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, Khamenei’s immediate predecessor, who died in 1989.

An Iranian diplomat had warned earlier Wednesday that U.S. intervention would risk “all-out war.”

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei did not elaborate, but thousands of American troops are based in nearby countries within range of Iran’s weapons. The U.S. has threatened a massive response to any attack.

Another Iranian official said the country would keep enriching uranium for peaceful purposes, apparently ruling out Trump’s demands that Iran give up its disputed nuclear program.

Strikes in and around Tehran

The latest Israeli strikes hit one facility used to make uranium centrifuges and another that made missile components, the Israeli military said. Military officials said their defenses intercepted 10 missiles overnight as Iran’s retaliatory barrages diminished. The U.N. nuclear watchdog agency said Israel struck two centrifuge production facilities in and near Tehran.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the military also struck the headquarters of Iran’s internal security forces on Wednesday, without specifying the agency or location. The strike marks a shift toward targeting Iran’s domestic security apparatus, which has long cracked down on dissent and suppressed protests.

Israel’s air campaign has struck several nuclear and military sites, killing top generals and nuclear scientists. A Washington-based Iranian human rights group said at least 585 people, including 239 civilians, have been killed and more than 1,300 wounded.

Iran has fired some 400 missiles and hundreds of drones in retaliatory strikes, killing at least 24 people in Israel and wounding hundreds. Some have hit apartment buildings in central Israel, causing heavy damage, and air-raid sirens have repeatedly forced Israelis to run for shelter.

Iran has fired fewer missiles as the conflict has worn on. It has not explained the decline, but Israel has targeted launchers and other infrastructure related to the missiles.

By Wednesday, Israel eased some of the restrictions that it had imposed on daily life when Iran launched its retaliatory attack, allowing gatherings of up to 30 people and letting workplaces reopen as long as there is a shelter nearby.

Schools are closed, and many businesses remain shuttered, but Israel’s decision to reverse its ban on gatherings and office work for all but essential employees signals the Israeli military’s confidence that its attacks have limited Iran’s missile capabilities.

Casualties mount in Iran

The Washington-based group Human Rights Activists said it had identified 239 of those killed in Israeli strikes as civilians and 126 as security personnel.

The group, which also provided detailed casualty figures during 2022 protests over the death of Mahsa Amini, crosschecks local reports against a network of sources it has developed in Iran.

Iran has not been publishing regular death tolls during the conflict and has minimized casualties in the past. Its last update, issued Monday, put the toll at 224 people killed and 1,277 others wounded.

Shops have been closed across Tehran, including in its famed Grand Bazaar, as people wait in gas lines and pack roads leading out of the city to escape the onslaught.

A major explosion was heard around 5 a.m. Wednesday in Tehran. That followed other explosions earlier in the predawn darkness. Authorities in Iran offered no acknowledgement of the attacks, which have become increasingly common as the Israeli airstrikes have intensified.

At least one strike appeared to target Tehran’s eastern neighborhood of Hakimiyeh, where the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard has an academy.

Iran says it will keep enriching uranium

Israel says it launched the strikes to prevent Iran from building a nuclear weapon, after talks between the United States and Iran over a diplomatic resolution made little visible progress over two months but were still ongoing. Trump has said Israel’s campaign came after a 60-day window he set for the talks.

Iran has long insisted its nuclear program is peaceful, though it is the only non-nuclear-armed state to enrich uranium up to 60%, a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%. U.S. intelligence agencies have said they did not believe Iran was actively pursuing the bomb.

Israel is the only country in the Middle East with nuclear weapons, but has never publicly acknowledged them.

Iran’s ambassador to Geneva, Ali Bahreini, told reporters that Iran “will continue to produce the enriched uranium as far as we need for peaceful purposes.”

He rejected any talk of a setback to Iran’s nuclear research and development from the Israeli strikes, saying, “Our scientists will continue their work.”

Israel welcomes first repatriation flights

Israelis began returning on flights for the first time since the country’s international airport shut down at the start of the conflict.

Two flights from Larnaca, Cyprus, landed Wednesday at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion International Airport, said Lisa Dvir, an airport spokesperson.

Israel closed its airspace to commercial flights because of the ballistic missile attacks, leaving tens of thousands of Israelis stranded abroad.

Krauss, Gambrell and Frankel write for the Associated Press. Frankel reported from Jerusalem. Associated Press writers Amir Vahdat and Nasser Karimi in Iran, and Jamey Keaten in Geneva, contributed.

CHINA has given rare insight into its souped-up DF-5B nuclear missile – a 7,500-mile-range weapon with staggering explosive power.

The missile is said to pack hundreds of times the destructive force of the bombs that devastated Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing tens of thousands in World War II.

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Although China has long kept its nuke programme secret, state broadcaster CCTV revealed details about the upgraded DF-5B intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on Monday.

This missile boasts a maximum range of 7,500 miles and an accuracy of 0.3 miles, as per reports by journalist Li Zexin on X.

This range is enough to reach most of Europe and nearly all of the US from launch sites inside China.

For example, the distance from Beijing to London is around 5,000 miles and from China to New York is roughly 7,000 miles.

The DF-5B is said to deliver a yield of three to four megatonnes.

This is about 200 times more powerful than the nuclear bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945, which had an estimated explosive yield of about 15 kilotonnes of TNT.

It also far surpasses the destructive power of the bomb unleashed on Nagasaki, which had a yield of around 21 kilotonnes of TNT.

The hi-tech missile has integrated Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicle technology – allowing it to carry and release multiple nuclear warheads at once.

A single DF-5B missile can release up to 10 warheads, striking different targets across wide areas.

Since each warhead is independent, missile defence systems find it much harder to intercept, making this weapon far more lethal than other known weapons.

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CCTV described the missile as China’s “first-generation strategic ICBM”.

The DF-5B, first created in 2015, is an upgraded variant of China’s original DF-5 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) which entered service in 1981.

It’s unclear why this information was released, but it is believed that Beijing wants to showcase its military modernisation and deter potential threats.

It comes just days after China deployed its most dangerous nuclear bombers to a tiny island, as revealed by satellite pictures.

Aerial photos show two hulking H-6 bombers on an airfield on Woody Island in the South China Sea, taken on May 19.

The long-range aircraft date back to the 1950s, and were modelled on Soviet-era warplanes.

But they have been upgraded to carry modern weapons, including hypersonic and nuclear missiles.

They are considered China’s most advanced bombers, and this is the first time they have been spotted on the outpost in five years.

US intelligence previously warned that China could seize Taiwan’s smaller islands as the first step of a full-scale invasion.

In September 2024, China launched a nuclear-capable missile into the Pacific Ocean, marking the first test in 40 years.

The ICBM, launched by the People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force, carried a dummy warhead.

The Chinese defence ministry said in a statement the rocket “fell into expected sea areas”, and that it was a “routine arrangement in our annual training plan”.

China said the test was not directed at any country or target, and that it “informed the countries concerned in advance”, reports claimed.

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