Britain’s Prince Andrew was stripped of his official titles on Thursday over his ties to the late convicted sex offender Jefferey Epstein. Photo by Juien Warnand/EPA
Oct. 30 (UPI) — England’s Prince Andrew has been stripped of his official title and will leave his royal residence amid fallout from his relationship with the late convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein.
Andrew, the son of the late Queen Elizabeth II, is alleged to have attended gatherings hosted by Epstein.
“His lease on Royal Lodge has provided him with legal protection to continue in his residence. Formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease and he will move to alternative private accommodation.”
Andrew stopped using his Duke of York title and announced in a statement released by the palace that “the continued accusations about me may distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family.”
It is the first time that a member of the royal family has been stripped of their title in more than a century, according to the House of Commons.
Andrew will move from the royal residence on the grounds of Windsor Castle to a property on Sandringham, which is the private estate of the King in Norfolk, England, according to ABC News.
Andrew has consistently denied accusations against him regarding his association with Epstein and attacked the credibility of Virginia Giuffre, author of a book centered on Epstein called, “Nobody’s Girl.”
In Feb, 2022, Andrew settled a sexual assault lawsuit filed by Giuffre while not admitting any wrongdoing. Epstein and Giuffre settled a lawsuit for $500,000 in 2009.
Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former accomplice, was convicted in 2021 on child sex trafficking and other charges connected to her involvement with Epstein.
Maxwell has consistently denied all wrongdoing and is the only Epstein associate who has been charged in connection with his crimes.
There was Harmanpreet Kaur’s unforgettable 171 at Derby in 2017 to seal India’s place in the final, and the near-miss in the T20 semi-final at Cape Town in 2023 as the same player’s bat got stuck in the ground as she was crucially run out.
These two teams had already played out the best match of this tournament’s group stage, with Alyssa Healy’s side chasing 331 on that occasion.
Thursday’s thriller was another example of India and Australia taking the game to new levels.
Phoebe Litchfield’s stunning 119 set up Australia’s 338, supported by half-centuries from Ellyse Perry and Ash Gardner, as India were run ragged in the field.
At the halfway stage Australia’s eight-year unbeaten run at 50-over World Cups looked almost certain to continue.
However, such was Rodrigues’ brilliance – her speed between the wickets, her innovation by shuffling across her stumps, her pinpoint ability to pick the gaps between fielders – that the usually unflappable Australia were rocked.
Healy and Tahlia McGrath put down simple chances, and the team that had not lost a World Cup game since Harmanpreet’s epic were left stunned.
The batting was arguably of the highest quality that women’s cricket has ever seen – but of wider significance is what an India triumph at a home World Cup could mean.
They face South Africa in Sunday’s showpiece, meaning a new winner will be crowned for the first time since 2000.
Both finalists are chasing history – but an India victory could catapult the women’s game to new heights in terms of reach and investment.
“The pace at which women’s cricket is growing in India is unbelievable,” former IPL batter Abhishek Jhunjhunwala told BBC Test Match Special.
“Girls have started playing on the streets with boys, which you never used to see happen. They want to be a Jemimah Rodrigues or a Deepti Sharma.
“It is a proper career now for women. If India go on to win this World Cup, this will change women’s cricket. The game is growing rapidly worldwide but in a commercial aspect, this will change drastically.”
Around the stadiums in India, the shift is obvious in the sheer number of boys and men wearing shirts bearing the names of Smriti Mandhana or Harmanpreet, and the crowds have been electric for the hosts’ games.
The Women’s Premier League, India’s T20 franchise competition, has started the game-changing process with the salaries on offer to players. But based on this sensational semi-final, that could prove to be just the beginning.
Members of the Rio de Janeiro Military Police attend the funeral of their colleague Sergeant Heber Carvalho da Fonseca at the Jardim da Saudade cemetery in Rio de Janeiro on Friday. Carvalho da Fonseca was one of four officers killed during clashes in the Penha favela complex during a police operation targeting drug traffickers, launched October 28. Photo by Andre Coelho/EPA
Oct. 30 (UPI) — President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has signed a new law that increases penalties and expands enforcement tools to combat organized crime in Brazil amid growing concern over violence in states such as Rio de Janeiro.
The measure, published Thursday in the Diário Oficial, imposes harsher penalties on those who obstruct investigations or collaborate with criminal organizations and provides greater protection for judges, prosecutors and law enforcement officers involved in such operations.
The legislation, which amends the Penal Code and the 2013 Law on Criminal Organizations, sets prison terms of up to 12 years for anyone who interferes with judicial proceedings or intimidates authorities. It also requires those convicted of these crimes to serve their sentences in federal maximum-security prisons.
The Brazilian government says the law strengthens the state’s ability to confront factions such as Comando Vermelho and Primeiro Comando da Capital, which are responsible for much of the country’s urban violence.
“We will not allow organized crime to continue oppressing communities and defying the Brazilian state,” Lula said during the signing ceremony at the Planalto Palace, according to Correio Braziliense.
The law’s enactment comes two days after a large-scale operation in the state of Rio de Janeiro targeting the Comando Vermelho faction, which reignited debate over urban violence and the use of force in the favelas.
Early Tuesday morning, security forces entered the Penha and Alemão favela complexes with armored vehicles, helicopters and drones. Criminal gangs responded by blocking streets, setting vehicles on fire to use as barricades and dropping explosives from drones.
The confrontation left 113 people arrested, 71 rifles seized and 121 dead, according to updated figures from Rio de Janeiro’s Public Defender’s Office. Among the dead were four police officers and dozens of suspected criminals.
The incident sparked concern within Brazil’s federal government and several states, where officials warned about the growing power of criminal organizations and the need for a coordinated response to contain their expansion.
Rio de Janeiro Gov. Cláudio Castro ordered increased patrols across the state amid fears of reprisals.
In a post on X, Castro said the Combat Operations Regiment — an elite unit that specializes in operations against organized crime, particularly in favelas and high-risk areas — had intensified police patrols along the Linha Amarela, one of Rio’s main urban highways connecting northern and western districts with the airport and other strategic areas.
The situation in Brazil also raised alarms in Argentina.
Argentina’s Security Minister Patricia Bullrich announced a “maximum alert” along the tri-border area shared with Brazil and Paraguay. She said migration controls would be tightened and surveillance increased to prevent members of the Comando Vermelho from crossing into the country.
“I will impose a maximum alert at the borders to ensure there is no crossing or passage by those who are evidently moving because of the conflict centered in Rio,” Bullrich told reporters at the presidential palace, according to Perfil.
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is restricting the number of refugees it admits into the country to 7,500 and they will mostly be white South Africans, a dramatic drop after the U.S. previously allowed in hundreds of thousands of people fleeing war and persecution from around the world.
The administration published the news Thursday in a notice on the Federal Registry.
No reason was given for the numbers, which are a dramatic decrease from last year’s ceiling set under the Biden administration of 125,000. The Associated Press previously reported that the administration was considering admitting as few as 7,500 refugees and mostly white South Africans.
The memo said only that the admission of the 7,500 refugees during 2026 fiscal year was “justified by humanitarian concerns or is otherwise in the national interest.”
The park, home to Peppa Pig World, is opening a new land in 2026 with thrill rides and a themed restaurant. Paulton’s Valgard zone is sure to be a hit when it welcomes in the public
The park is planning an entire new themed world(Image: PR Handout)
Paultons Park, a theme park known for being the home of toddler favourite Peppa Pig World, is set to expand with a new land as part of a whopping £12 million development.
The new addition, Valgard – Realm of the Vikings, is designed for older children and teenagers and is scheduled to open in spring 2026. The Viking-themed land will feature two new adrenaline-pumping rides: the inverting rollercoaster Drakon, and Vild Swing, which will whirl riders 12 metres into the air in a first-of-its-kind ride in the UK.
A sneak peek video on the park’s official YouTube page offers thrill-seekers a taste of what to expect from Drakon, promising plenty of twists and turns. An existing ride, Cobra, is also set for a revamp and will be rebranded as Raven to align with the Viking theme.
The park also plans to add a themed restaurant and a playground for younger guests to Valgard. Further expansion of Valgard is planned for 2027, including a new water ride, although details are currently being kept confidential, according to the Express.
James Mancey, deputy managing director at Paultons Park, expressed his excitement about the project, stating: “We are thrilled to share our plans for our largest and boldest investment to date. As an independent, family-owned theme park, we’re incredibly proud of the investments we make to deliver the very best guest experience. We’ve opened two brand-new rides in the last two years and with the build of Valgard firmly underway, we’re excited to open a further three, bigger-and-better-than-ever-before rides, between now and summer 2027.
“Valgard promises an immersive, atmospheric, and action-packed experience for families and has been specifically designed to grow with our fans. The introduction of inversions and a vertical lift hill on Drakon certainly up the adrenaline levels at Paultons Park, but staying true to our roots, we haven’t forgotten about the little ones and there is something for all of the family in our new Viking village.”
The fresh Viking-themed area will join the park’s existing six themed worlds, including Tornado Springs with its American setting, and Lost Kingdom which focuses on dinosaurs.
Among the park’s most famous attractions is Peppa Pig World, inspired by the beloved children’s cartoon series, which Paultons Park has been crowned the UK’s top theme park, beating out competition from Alton Towers, Blackpool Pleasure Beach and Legoland Windsor. The Hampshire-based attraction scooped the prestigious Theme Park of the Year award at the UK Theme Park Awards 2025, as well as being named Best Theme Park for Families (Large), and Best Theme Park for Toddlers (Large).
Its Ghostly Manor ride was also voted Best New Attraction.
Visitors have been quick to sing the park’s praises on Tripadvisor, with one reviewer, Ste H, describing Paultons Park as a “brilliant” place that is “spotlessly clean”. He added that the staff are “some of the friendliest people” he has ever encountered at such a venue, and that “[G]enuinely everyone we met made it perfectly clear they love working there, which is great to see.”
Another visitor, Lizzie L, shared her experience of visiting midweek, writing: “All the rides in Peppa Pig world were a walk on and the only time we queued was to meet Peppa. The theming is great and perfect for little ones.”
U.S. President Donald Trump (L) welcomes Argentine President Javier Milei to the White House in Washington on October 14. Milei is seeking foreign support and investments. Photo by Will Oliver/EPA
BUENOS AIRES, Oct. 30 (UPI) — The Incentive Regime for Large Investments, or RIGI, is one of the main pillars of Argentine President Javier Milei’s economic plan. A recent report from the Rosario Board of Trade said projected investments under the program total $33.9 billion over a period of five to 10 years.
Of that amount, 46.5%, or $15.7 billion).already has been approved across eight projects. The most recent addition is one by Canada’s McEwen Copper, which plans to invest $2.7 billion in the Los Azules copper mine.
The remaining 53.5% is still under review, with only one project valued at $273 million rejected so far. It is the “Mariana” project by China’s Ganfeng Lithium, which began to produce lithium chloride in Salta earlier this year.
“Energy and mining are the leading sectors among RIGI applications. Together they account for 98.3% of the total so far, with 64.8% in mining and 33.5% in energy. Rounding out the total are investments in port infrastructure and steelmaking, each representing about 0.9% of all applications,” the report said.
The RIGI aims to provide stable conditions and a viable tax framework so that both foreign and Argentine investments can develop in a more favorable environment.
“Argentina is a country that has repeatedly failed to honor its commitments,” said Gonzalo Brest, tax and legal partner at KPMG Argentina. That’s why the measure seeks to address a longstanding problem in the country related to the lack of investor confidence, he said.
The RIGI’s benefits operate on two levels. One is exchange-rate, tax and customs stability for 30 years The state cannot alter the regime granted under RIGI during that period.
“That provides a degree of certainty that’s necessary for long-term investment,” Brest said.
In addition, significant tax reductions are available.
“That doesn’t mean they won’t pay taxes, but they’ll pay them at a much more reasonable level,” Brest said.
“RIGI addresses two of Argentina’s longstanding problems. One is the lack of investor confidence, and the other is a heavy tax burden. Now those conditions are reduced and maintained for 30 years,” he said.
Brest noted that the approved projects represent major investments, as each exceeds $200 million, (the minimum amount required to qualify.
“Most of the approved projects are in sectors that are strategic for the country,” he said.
“RIGI is a framework that covers many sectors of the economy, but the projects submitted so far focus mainly on three: energy, mining and oil and gas,” he added.
The BCR report said that of the $11.3 billion invested in energy projects, $6.9 billion corresponds to a natural gas liquefaction project by Southern Energy, which is owned by Pan American Energy and Golar LNG. The project involves Norwegian and Argentine capital.
Another venture, the Vaca Muerta Oleoducto Sur project, unites the country’s leading energy companies with an investment of $2.5 billion.
Together, the two projects account for 83% of RIGI energy investments.
Santiago Liaudat, a researcher at the National University of La Plata, said the purpose of the program is largely to draw outside investors and spur sales overseas.
“The goal is to create the argument that RIGI will generate favorable conditions for foreign investment, job creation and export growth. It is argued that Argentina’s legal uncertainty, instability and excessive regulation are the reasons foreign investment does not come to the country,” he said.
Liaudat said some of those arguments are valid and justify a special incentive regime, but he wasn’t so sure about creating jobs.
“But there is no guarantee that RIGI will generate local jobs. In fact, it does not specify anywhere that investment must be accompanied by job creation,” he said.
He also argued that the initiative does not include any incentives for investment to create demand for capital or intermediate goods within the country.
“It could be an investment that simply imports everything it needs for its production process. As a result, it creates unfair competition for Argentina’s industrial sector,” he said.
“These actors, who are part of RIGI, could import technology, capital goods and intermediate goods without paying taxes. This regime would have the unintended effect of harming Argentina’s productive network. Far from promoting job creation, it could affect local employment,” he said.
“Large capital, all large foreign capital — since there are few companies in Argentina capable of investing more than $1 billion — will enjoy exceptional investment conditions at the expense of Argentine capital that cannot benefit from those same advantages,” he said.
ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE — President Trump described his face-to-face with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Thursday as a roaring success, saying he would cut tariffs on China, while Beijing had agreed to allow the export of rare earth elements and start buying American soybeans.
The president told reporters aboard Air Force One that the U.S. would lower tariffs implemented earlier this year as punishment on China for its selling of chemicals used to make fentanyl from 20% to 10%. That brings the total combined tariff rate on China down from 57% to 47%
“I guess on the scale from 0 to 10, with ten being the best, I would say the meeting was a 12,” Trump said. “I think it was a 12.”
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said China agreed to purchase 25 million metric tons of U.S. soybeans annually for the next three years, starting with 12 million metric tons from now to January. U.S. soybean exports to China, a huge market for them, had come to a standstill in the trade dispute.
“So you know, our great soybean farmers, who the Chinese used as political pawns, that’s off the table, and they should prosper in the years to come,” Bessent told Fox Business Network’s “Mornings with Maria.”
Trump said that he would go to China in April and Xi would come to the U.S. “some time after that.” The president said they also discussed the export of more advanced computer chips to China, saying that Nvidia would be in talks with Chinese officials.
Trump said he could sign a trade deal with China “pretty soon.”
Xi said Washington and Beijing would work to finalize their agreements to provide “peace of mind” to both countries and the rest of the world, according to a report on the meeting distributed by state media.
“Both sides should take the long-term perspective into account, focusing on the benefits of cooperation rather than falling into a vicious cycle of mutual retaliation,” he said.
Sources of tension remain
Despite Trump’s optimism after a 100-minute meeting with Xi in South Korea, there continues to be the potential for major tensions between the world’s two largest economies. Both nations are seeking dominant places in manufacturing, developing emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, and shaping world affairs like Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Trump’s aggressive use of tariffs since returning to the White House for a second term, combined with China’s retaliatory limits on exports of rare earth elements, gave the meeting newfound urgency. There is a mutual recognition that neither side wants to risk blowing up the world economy in ways that could jeopardize their own country’s fortunes.
When the two were seated at the start of the meeting, Xi read prepared remarks that stressed a willingness to work together despite differences.
“Given our different national conditions, we do not always see eye to eye with each other,” he said through a translator. “It is normal for the two leading economies of the world to have frictions now and then.”
There was a slight difference in translation as China’s Xinhua News Agency reported Xi as telling Trump that having some differences is inevitable.
Finding ways to lower the temperature
The leaders met in Busan, South Korea, a port city about 47 miles south from Gyeongju, the main venue for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.
In the days leading up to the meeting, U.S. officials signaled that Trump did not intend to make good on a recent threat to impose an additional 100% import tax on Chinese goods, and China showed signs it was willing to relax its export controls on rare earths and also buy soybeans from America.
Officials from both countries met earlier this week in Kuala Lumpur to lay the groundwork for their leaders. Afterward, China’s top trade negotiator Li Chenggang said they had reached a “preliminary consensus,” a statement affirmed by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent who said there was “ a very successful framework.”
Shortly before the meeting on Thursday, Trump posted on Truth Social that the meeting would be the “G2,” a recognition of America and China’s status as the world’s biggest economies. The Group of Seven and Group of 20 are other forums of industrialized nations.
But while those summits often happen at luxury spaces, this meeting took place in humbler surroundings: Trump and Xi met in a small gray building with a blue roof on a military base adjacent to Busan’s international airport.
The anticipated detente has given investors and businesses caught between the two nations a sense of relief. The U.S. stock market has climbed on the hopes of a trade framework coming out of the meeting.
Pressure points remain for both U.S. and China
Trump has outward confidence that the grounds for a deal are in place, but previous negotiations with China this year in Geneva, Switzerland and London had a start-stop quality to them. The initial promise of progress has repeatedly given way to both countries seeking a better position against the other.
“The proposed deal on the table fits the pattern we’ve seen all year: short-term stabilization dressed up as strategic progress,” said Craig Singleton, senior director of the China program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. “Both sides are managing volatility, calibrating just enough cooperation to avert crisis while the deeper rivalry endures.”
The U.S. and China have each shown they believe they have levers to pressure the other, and the past year has demonstrated that tentative steps forward can be short-lived.
For Trump, that pressure comes from tariffs.
China had faced new tariffs this year totaling 30%, of which 20% were tied to its role in fentanyl production. But the tariff rates have been volatile. In April, he announced plans to jack the rate on Chinese goods to 145%, only to abandon those plans as markets recoiled.
Then, on Oct. 10, Trump threatened a 100% import tax because of China’s rare earth restrictions. That figure, including past tariffs, would now be 47% “effective immediately,” Trump told reporters on Thursday.
Xi has his own chokehold on the world economy because China is the top producer and processor of the rare earth minerals needed to make fighter jets, robots, electric vehicles and other high-tech products.
China had tightened export restrictions on Oct. 9, repeating a cycle in which each nation jockeys for an edge only to back down after more trade talks.
What might also matter is what happens directly after their talks. Trump plans to return to Washington, while Xi plans to stay on in South Korea to meet with regional leaders during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, which officially begins on Friday.
“Xi sees an opportunity to position China as a reliable partner and bolster bilateral and multilateral relations with countries frustrated by the U.S. administration’s tariff policy,” said Jay Truesdale, a former State Department official who is CEO of TD International, a risk and intelligence advisory firm.
Boak, Megerian and Schiefelbein write for the Associated Press. Boak reported from Tokyo and Megerian reported from Busan, South Korea. Ken Moritsugu in Beijing and Seung Min Kim and Michelle Price in Washington contributed to this report.
From Jack Harris: Dodger Stadium wasn’t so much cheering, as it was pleading with its team’s maddening offense.
All month, the club’s lineup has looked off. All night Wednesday, it had been shut down by Toronto Blue Jays rookie phenom Trey Yesavage in Game 5 of the World Series.
But now, in the bottom of the seventh inning, there was one last hope for life. Teoscar Hernández had hit an infield single. The Dodgers, down four runs, had a chance to chip away. And as Tommy Edman came to the plate, a capacity crowd in Chavez Ravine rose to its feet in desperate anticipation.
Seven pitches later and one inning-ending double play later, they would be quiet again — and, this time, for good.
In a 6-1 loss to the Blue Jays that gave Toronto a 3-2 lead in the series, the Dodgers showed a deflating, disconnected and yet all too familiar identity at the plate.
Dodgers vs. Toronto at Toronto 11, Dodgers 4 (box score) Dodgers 5, at Toronto 1 (box score) at Dodgers 6, Toronto 5 (18) (box score) Toronto 6, at Dodgers 2 (box score) Toronto 6, at Dodgers 1 (box score)
Friday at Toronto, 5 p.m., Fox, AM 570, KTNQ 1020, ESPN Radio
*Saturday at Toronto, 5 p.m., Fox, AM 570, KTNQ 1020, ESPN Radio
*-if necessary
UCLA
From Ben Bolch: A large group of former UCLA football players sent a letter to chancellor Julio Frenk earlier this month asking for besieged athletic director Martin Jarmond to be replaced “to reestablish the university’s commitment to excellence, both on and off the field.”
The 64 players, who represent multiple eras of UCLA football spanning coaches Bob Toledo to Chip Kelly and include several who went on to play in the NFL, wrote to “express deep concern with the current direction of UCLA Athletics under Martin Jarmond. Despite the resources, history, and opportunities at his disposal, Mr. Jarmond has not demonstrated the level of leadership or vision consistent with UCLA’s proud legacy. Rather than building on the foundations of greatness established by those before him, his tenure has fallen short of advancing UCLA to its rightful place among the nation’s premier programs.
“UCLA deserves an athletic director who understands that this role is not merely about administration, but about stewardship of a legacy — one rooted in excellence, historic achievement, and national leadership. Unfortunately, Mr. Jarmond has not embodied these values, nor has he positioned UCLA Athletics to rise to the standard its history demands.”
The sudden switch made for a tense two weeks leading up to last season’s meeting with Nebraska. Not everyone in the locker room, you see, was thrilled with Moss’ removal.
But the move paid dividends in the end. Maiava injected life into the offense, USC returned from its bye and won three of its last four to finish the season. More critically, Riley found his quarterback of the future.
A season later, USC is once again searching for answers coming out of its second bye, with Nebraska looming in November. Though, none of the questions this time concern the quarterback, who has been one of the best in the Big Ten. Nor are they as easy to solve as plugging in one player.
From Broderick Turner: At some point, the Lakers will get stars Luka Doncic and LeBron James back in the fold. But exactly when they will return to play from their injuries is still unknown.
James has been out all season with right sciatica irritation, and Doncic has been out since last Sunday with a left finger sprain and a lower left leg contusion.
But in their absence, Austin Reaves has taken up the mantle and has delivered time and time again, his latest masterpiece a game-winning floater in the lane that lifted the Lakers to a 116-115 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves that led to Reaves being mobbed by his teammates Wednesday night at the Target Center.
The Lakers had lost all of their 20-point lead after Julius Randle scored to give the Timberwolves a 115-114 lead with 10.2 seconds left.
But Reaves wouldn’t let his teammates down, scoring 28 points and handing out a career-high-tying 16 assists.
LAFC plays at Austin on Sunday for a chance to advance to the Western Conference semifinals.
LAFC took a 1-0 lead in the 20th minute on Brendan Hines-Ike’s own goal. Ryan Hollingshead beat his defender in the box for a cross in front of goal that was deflected in by Hines-Ike.
From John Cherwa: Sovereignty, the top-ranked horse in the country, will not run in the $7-million Breeders’ Cup Classic after developing a fever this week. The winner of the Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes and Travers Stakes will recover although it’s unclear if he will ever race again.
Trainer Bill Mott made the announcement Wednesday morning and informed Breeders’ Cup officials of the scratch.
“I actually started thinking, ‘We might be OK.’ But then, in a matter of hours, my optimism was taken away,” Mott said. “When he had a real mild fever and we medicated him right away, he acted normal. I actually was maybe looking at it with rose-colored glasses.”
1943 — Gus Bodnar of Toronto scores a goal 15 seconds into his first NHL game as the Maple Leafs beat the New York Rangers 5-2.
1955 — Jim Patton of New York returns a kickoff and a punt for a touchdown as the Giants beat the Washington Redskins 35-7.
1966 — Jim Nance of the Boston Patriots rushes for 208 yards and two touchdowns in a 24-21 victory over the Oakland Raiders.
1971 — Eric Allen of Michigan State rushes for 350 yards in 43-10 rout of Purdue.
1974 — Muhammad Ali knocks out George Foreman in the eighth round in Kinshasa, Zaire, to regain the world heavyweight title in the “Rumble in the Jungle”.
1975 — John Bucyk of the Boston Bruins scores his 500th career goal in a 3-2 victory over St. Louis.
1977 — Walter Payton of the Chicago Bears rushes for 205 yards and two touchdowns in a 26-0 triumph over the Green Bay Packers.
1993 — Erin Whitten becomes the first woman goalie in pro hockey to be credited with a victory as Toledo beats Dayton 6-5 in the East Coast Hockey League.
1996 — The WNBA announces the eight cities that will compete in the WNBAs inaugural season. Charlotte, Cleveland, Houston and New York will play in the Eastern Conference and Los Angeles, Phoenix, Sacramento and Utah will compete the Western Conference.
1997 — Argentine soccer star Diego Maradona announces his retirement on his 37th birthday.
1997 — Violet Palmer makes professional sports history by becoming the first woman to officiate an NBA game. There is little reaction by the crowd when her name is announced just before tip-off of the game between the Dallas Mavericks and Vancouver Grizzlies.
1999 — Marques Tuiasosopo becomes the first college player to pass for 300 yards and run for 200, racking up a school-record 509 yards as Washington rallied to beat Stanford 35-30. Tuiasosopo completes 19-of-32 passes for 302 yards and a touchdown and rushes 22 times for 207 yards and two TDs.
2001 — Michael Jordan misses his biggest shot of the night and commits two crucial late turnovers in the Washington Wizards’ 93-91 loss to the New York Knicks, Jordan’s first regular-season game after a 3 1/2-year retirement.
2003 — In the first regular-season game of his NBA career, 18-year-old LeBron James has 25 points, nine assists, six rebounds and four steals, but the Cleveland Cavaliers lose 106-92 to the Sacramento Kings.
2004 — Trainer Bobby Frankel finally breaks through in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, with Ghostzapper blazing to victory in America’s richest race held at Lone Star Park. Frankel, who had just two wins with 62 Breeders’ Cup starters before the $4 million Classic, had saddled the beaten favorite the past three years.
2004 — Dana College’s Tom Lensch sets an all-division college record by attempting 101 passes in a 60-35 loss to Hastings College. Lensch completes 56 passes for a school-record 507 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions.
2011 — The Baltimore Ravens erase a 24-3 deficit to defeat Arizona 30-27. It marks the fifth time this season a team trailed by at least 20 points and came back to win. That is the most in a single season in NFL history.
2016 — Derek Carr throws a 41-yard touchdown pass to Seth Roberts with 1:45 remaining in overtime, capping a record-breaking day for the Oakland Raiders in a 30-24 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Carr throws for a franchise-record 513 yards — completing 40 of 59 passes without an interception — and the Raiders overcome an NFL-record 23 penalties for 200 yards.
Compiled by the Associated Press
THIS DAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
1945 — Branch Rickey signs Jackie Robinson to the Montreal Royals.
2019 — Washington Nationals beat Houston Astros, 6-2 in Game 7 at Minute Maid Park, Houston to win first title in franchise history; MVP: Washington pitcher Stephen Strasburg.
2024 — MLB World Series: Dodgers win 8th title in franchise history; overcome 5-0 deficit to beat New York Yankees 7-6 at Yankee Stadium for 4-1 series victory; MVP: Dodgers 1B Freddie Freeman (4HR, 12 RBI).
Compiled by the Associated Press
Until next time…
That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at [email protected]. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
1 of 4 | U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Busan, South Korea, on Thursday for a high-stakes meeting to negotiate their looming trade war. Photo by Yonhap
GYEONGJU, South Korea, Oct. 30 (UPI) — U.S. President Donald Trump departed from South Korea on Thursday after a highly anticipated meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping that lowered the temperature on a simmering trade war with agreements on rare earth minerals, fentanyl, soybeans and tariffs.
The two leaders met for the first time since 2019 at Gimhae Air Base in the southeastern city of Busan, shortly after Xi arrived in the country for a three-day state visit to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.
Speaking to reporters on his way back to Washington aboard Air Force One, Trump described the outlines of a trade deal that he said would be signed “pretty soon.”
According to the president, China agreed to take steps to stop the flow of precursor chemicals used to make fentanyl into the United States. In response, Trump said he halved the 20% fentanyl-linked tariffs he had imposed earlier this year.
“Based on [Xi’s] statements today, I reduced it by 10%. So, it’s 10% instead of 20%, effective immediately,” Trump said.
The reduction brings the overall tariff rate on goods from China from 57% to 47%, he said.
Beijing also agreed to resume purchases of American soybeans and set a one-year pause on its planned export controls of rare earth minerals. China dominates the production and processing of the metallic elements, which are crucial for manufacturing a vast array of high-tech products from smartphones to missiles.
“We have not too many stumbling blocks now,” Trump said. “We have a deal. We’ll negotiate at the end of a year, but all of the rare earth has been settled.”
No official announcement from either side has been released yet, but the U.S. president declared the meeting a “great success.”
“Overall, on the scale of from zero to 10, with 10 being the best, I would say the meeting was a 12,” Trump said.
One topic the two leaders did not discuss was Taiwan, Trump noted. Some analysts had expected Xi to exert leverage in an attempt to soften U.S. support for the self-governing island of 23 million, which China sees as a breakaway province.
“I’m relieved Taiwan apparently didn’t come up in today’s meeting,” Sean King, senior vice president and East Asia expert at New York-based consulting firm Park Strategies, told UPI.
However, King said that the trade deal does not represent significant progress from when Trump kicked off his global tariff scheme in early April, on what the White House dubbed “Liberation Day.”
“We’re seemingly no further along than where we were on Liberation Day,” King said. “Unlike friendly leaders, Xi gave Trump no golden gifts … Right now, for better or worse, it seems like not too much of major trade substance happened in today’s meeting.”
At the start of the meeting, the two leaders had a brief introductory exchange that was open to the media.
“Given our different national conditions, we do not always see eye to eye with each other and it is normal for the two leading economies of the world to have friction now and then,” Xi said.
Xi called on Trump to join him and “ensure the steady sailing forward of the giant ship of China-U.S. relations.”
“I always believe that China’s development goes hand in hand with your vision to make America great again,” Xi said. “Our two countries are fully able to help each other succeed and prosper together.”
After the meeting, Xi traveled to the nearby city of Gyeongju to take part in the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting. Trump attended the APEC summit on Wednesday, where he struck a trade deal with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and delivered a keynote address at a CEO luncheon.
Was Edgardo Henriquez the best option to pitch to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the seventh inning with two outs and runners on the corners?
Maybe, maybe not.
And that was the problem.
The problem was that Dodgers manager Dave Roberts didn’t have a choice that was clearly better than to place the game in the hands of a hard-throwing but unreliable 23-year-old rookie.
Henriquez walked Guerrero on a 99.9-mph fastball that sailed into the opposite batter’s box, evading the grasp of catcher Will Smith and allowing Addison Barger to score.
A manageable two-run deficit was now three and about to become four.
The Dodgers were on their way to a 6-1 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday night, the Game 5 result placing them at a three-games-to-two deficit in this World Series.
For Roberts, that seventh inning didn’t represent a manager’s nightmare. That was a manager’s night terror.
What else could Roberts do?
Stick with starting pitcher Blake Snell? Snell had already pitched to Guerrero three times and his pitch count was at 116.
Use closer Roki Sasaki as a fireman? He’s their only dependable reliever and Roberts wasn’t about to use him in a non-elimination game in which his team was down.
Turn to last year’s postseason hero Blake …? Never mind, that question isn’t even worth being asked in its entirety.
“It’s hard because you can only push a starter so much,” Roberts said. “I thought Blake emptied the tank.”
The Dodgers somehow concealed their piñata of a bullpen in the three previous rounds of the postseason, but that bullpen is now catching up with them.
Reversing their series deficit will almost certainly require some of their starters to pitch in unfamiliar roles over the next two games, including Shohei Ohtani as an opener on three days’ rest in a potential Game 7.
Snell figures to be a candidate to also pitch in Game 7, perhaps as a middle reliever. Tyler Glasnow is expected to be available out of the bullpen in at least one of the two remaining games.
Besides Sasaki, the relievers can’t be trusted.
In each of the team’s three losses in this series, the games turned when the starting pitcher was removed with men on base. In all three instances, the bullpen made a mess of the game, allowing the inherited runners to score.
“You look at the three games that we lost, it spiraled on us with guys on base,” Roberts said. “Guys got to be better.”
They can’t.
This reality makes the bullpen’s heroic performance in the 18-inning victory in Game 3 all the more miraculous. The Dodgers are fortunate this series isn’t already over.
The construction of this particular bullpen has to be one of the greatest front-office blunders in franchise history, as it could cost the team a World Series in a season in which it has Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and a billion-dollar rotation.
How did this happen?
Start with Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates. The Dodgers committed a combined $85 million to the two relievers and neither of them is even on the roster.
Look at the injured list. Brusdar Graterol missed the entire season with shoulder problems. Evan Phillips underwent Tommy John surgery.
Finally, examine what the Dodgers didn’t do at the trade deadline. Everyone — and by everyone, I mean everyone except Andrew Friedman’s front office — knew they were in desperate need of bullpen help. Counting on some internal solutions working out, the only reliever they acquired was Brock Stewart. The notoriously brittle Stewart went down with a shoulder injury and didn’t pitch in the postseason.
What the Dodgers did was the baseball equivalent of building a breathtaking mansion but forgetting to install any toilets.
Now, the entire residence stinks, the Dodgers one loss away from losing a World Series that should be theirs.
A manhunt for those responsible for an audacious heist of priceless crown jewels from Paris’ world-famous Louvre museum took a step forward after authorities made five additional arrests, with one of the suspects allegedly a match for DNA traces recovered from the scene. File photo by Mohammed Badra/EPA
Oct. 30 (UPI) — Police in France arrested five new suspects over alleged involvement in theft of priceless French crown jewels from the Louvre in the French capital, Paris’ chief prosecutor said.
The office of Paris Prosecutor Laure Beccuau said the men were detained in and around Paris on Wednesday night but that the jewels, which some estimates have valued at more than $100 million, were not recovered.
The development came 10 days after four suspects were filmed on CCTV carrying out the heist in broad daylight using a lift-ladder mounted on the back of a stolen truck to break into the museum’s Apollon Gallery, before disappearing into the back streets on the back of getaway motorcycles.
Beccuau said that DNA from one of those arrested could be a match to traces DNA left behind at the scene and that the suspect was throught to be part of the gang that carried out the theft.
“He’s one we had in our sights,” she said, adding that the others “can give us information about how the theft was carried out.”
Police have four days to charge the five before they have to release them.
Two others suspected of using power tools to gain entry — both men in their 30s with police records — were arrested Saturday, one as he was boarding a flight to Algeria, but investigators now believe the gang extends beyond those detained thus far.
Among the riches taken were an emerald and diamond necklace that Napoleon I gave to his second wife, Marie Louise, a diadem set with nearly 2,000 diamonds and more than 200 pearls that belonged to Napoleon III’s wife, Empress Eugenie and six other priceless pieces dating back to the early 1800s.
However, Eugenie’s diamond and emerald-covered crown was left behind after the gang dropped it onto the road in their haste to escape.
The gang, posing as maintenance workers, ascended to a second-floor balcony adjacent to the River Seine, smashed a window and used disc cutters to break into glass display cases housing the jewels.
The Louvre was shut following the robbery, which French Culture Minister Rachida Dati said was an attack on France, and nine of its 28 galleries, including the Apollon, remained closed on Thursday, according to the Louvre website.
The Louvre has since moved some of its most valuable exhibits, including precious jewels, to the Bank of France, a short distance away, to be stored in its main underground vault, 85 feet below rue Croix des Petits Champs.
The FIFA U-17 World Cup 2025 is hosted by Qatar and will kick off on November 3, with the final on November 27.
The tournament will start with two matches: South Africa vs Bolivia, and Costa Rica vs the United Arab Emirates.
The U-17 World Cup final will take place at Doha’s 45,000-seat Khalifa International Stadium.
All matches until the final will be played across eight pitches at the Aspire Zone complex in Al Rayyan.
The U-17 World Cup 2025 is the first to be played in the 48-team format instead of the previous biennial 24-team tournaments.
The 48 teams will be divided into 12 groups for the tournament, with 104 matches in total.
The group stage will run until November 11, with the 32-team knockout stage scheduled to begin on November 14.
Here are the details on the teams, groups, format, match fixtures, kickoff times and venues for FIFA U-17 World Cup 2025:
Groups and teams
⚽ Group A: Qatar, Italy, South Africa, Bolivia ⚽ Group B: Japan, Morocco, New Caledonia, Portugal ⚽ Group C: Senegal, Croatia, Costa Rica, United Arab Emirates ⚽ Group D: Argentina, Belgium, Tunisia, Fiji ⚽ Group E: England, Venezuela, Haiti, Egypt ⚽ Group F: Mexico, South Korea, Ivory Coast, Switzerland ⚽ Group G: Germany, Colombia, North Korea, El Salvador ⚽ Group H: Brazil, Honduras, Indonesia, Zambia ⚽ Group I: USA, Burkina Faso, Tajikistan, Czechia ⚽ Group J: Paraguay, Uzbekistan, Panama, Ireland ⚽ Group K: France, Chile, Canada, Uganda ⚽ Group L: Mali, New Zealand, Austria, Saudi Arabia
Recommended Stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
Format
The top two nations in each group automatically qualify for the knockout rounds, while the eight best third-place teams will also proceed further.
Winners of the last-32 advance to the round of 16, followed by the quarterfinals, semifinals and the final.
In knockout fixtures, if a game is level at the end of normal playing time, no extra time shall be played, with a penalty shootout determining the winner.
Abdulaziz Al-Sulaiti, a former Qatari footballer, shows a result paper bearing the name of Portugal during the U-17 World Cup draw in Doha, Qatar, on May 25 [Noushad Thekkayil/NurPhoto via Getty Images]
Match schedule
⚽ Group Stage
3 November
Group A: South Africa vs Bolivia (Aspire Zone, pitch 3, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)
Group C: Costa Rica vs United Arab Emirates (Aspire Zone, pitch 8, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)
Group C: Senegal vs Croatia (Aspire Zone, pitch 1, 4:00 pm/13:00 GMT)
Group B: Japan vs Morocco (Aspire Zone, pitch 5, 4:30 pm/13:30 GMT)
Group D: Argentina vs Belgium (Aspire Zone, pitch 2, 5:45 pm/14:45 GMT)
Group B: New Caledonia vs Portugal (Aspire Zone, pitch 4, 6:15 pm/15:15 GMT)
Group A: Qatar vs Italy (Aspire Zone, pitch 7, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)
Group D: Tunisia vs Fiji (Aspire Zone, pitch 9, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)
4 November
Group F: Ivory Coast vs Switzerland (Aspire Zone, pitch 8, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)
Group H: Brazil vs Honduras (Aspire Zone, pitch 3, 3:30 pm /12:0 GMT)
Group F: Mexico vs South Korea (Aspire Zone, pitch 1, 4:00 pm/13:00 GMT)
Group E: Haiti vs Egypt (Aspire Zone, pitch 5, 4:30 pm/13:30 GMT)
Group G: Germany vs Colombia (Aspire Zone, pitch 2, 5:45 pm/14:45 GMT)
Group E: England vs Venezuela (Aspire Zone, pitch 4, 6:15 pm/15:15 GMT)
Group G: North Korea vs El Salvador (Aspire Zone, pitch 9, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)
Group H: Indonesia vs Zambia (Aspire Zone, pitch 7, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)
5 November
Group I: Tajikistan vs Czechia (Aspire Zone, pitch 8, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)
Group J: Panama vs Ireland (Aspire Zone, pitch 3, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)
Group J: Paraguay vs Uzbekistan (Aspire Zone, pitch 1, 4:00pm/13:00 GMT)
Group L: Austria vs Saudi Arabia (Aspire Zone, pitch 5, 4:30 pm/13:30 GMT)
Group L: Mali vs New Zealand (Aspire Zone, pitch 2, 5:45 pm/14:45 GMT)
Group I: USA vs Burkina Faso (Aspire Zone, pitch 4, 6:15 pm/15:15 GMT)
Group K: France vs Chile (Aspire Zone, pitch 7, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)
Group K: Canada vs Uganda (Aspire Zone, pitch 9, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)
6 November
Group A: Bolivia vs Italy (Aspire Zone, pitch 3, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)
Group B: Portugal vs Morocco (Aspire Zone, pitch 8, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)
Group B: Japan vs New Caledonia (Aspire Zone, pitch 1, 4:00 pm/13:00 GMT)
Group D: Argentina vs Tunisia (Aspire Zone, pitch 5, 4:30 pm/13:30 GMT)
Group D: Fiji vs Belgium (Aspire Zone, pitch 2, 5:45 pm/14:45 GMT)
Group C: United Arab Emirates vs Croatia (Aspire Zone, pitch 4, 6:15 pm/15:15 GMT)
Group A: Qatar vs South Africa (Aspire Zone, pitch 7, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)
Group C: Senegal vs Costa Rica (Aspire Zone, pitch 9, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)
7 November
Group E: England vs Haiti (Aspire Zone, pitch 3, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)
Group G: El Salvador vs Colombia (Aspire Zone, pitch 8, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)
Group G: Germany vs North Korea (Aspire Zone, pitch 1, 4:00 pm/13:00 GMT)
Group E: Egypt vs Venezuela (Aspire Zone, pitch 5, 4:30 pm/13:30 GMT)
Group F: Mexico vs Ivory Coast (Aspire Zone, pitch 2, 5:45 pm/14:45 GMT)
Group F: Switzerland vs South Korea (Aspire Zone, pitch 4, 6:15 pm/15:15 GMT)
Group H: Brazil vs Indonesia (Aspire Zone, pitch 7, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)
Group H: Zambia vs Honduras (Aspire Zone, pitch 9, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)
8 November
Group I: Czechia vs Burkina Faso (Aspire Zone, pitch 3, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)
Group K: Uganda vs Chile (Aspire Zone, pitch 8, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)
Group L: Mali vs Austria (Aspire Zone, pitch 1, 4:00 pm/13:00 GMT)
Group K: France vs Canada (Aspire Zone, pitch 5, 4:30 pm/13:30 GMT)
Group I: USA vs Tajikistan (Aspire Zone, pitch 2, 5:45 pm/14:45 GMT)
Group J: Paraguay vs Panama (Aspire Zone, pitch 4, 6:15 pm/15:15 GMT)
Group J: Ireland vs Uzbekistan (Aspire Zone, pitch 9, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)
Group L: Saudi Arabia vs New Zealand (Aspire Zone, pitch 7, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)
9 November
Group D: Fiji vs Argentina (Aspire Zone, pitch 3, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)
Group D: Belgium vs Tunisia (Aspire Zone, pitch 8, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)
Group B: Portugal vs Japan (Aspire Zone, pitch 5, 4:30 pm/13:30 GMT)
Group B: Morocco vs New Caledonia (Aspire Zone, pitch 1, 4:30 pm/13:30 GMT)
Group C: United Arab Emirates vs Senegal (Aspire Zone, pitch 2, 5:45 pm/14:45 GMT)
Group C: Croatia vs Costa Rica (Aspire Zone, pitch 4, 5:45 pm/14:45 GMT)
Group A: Bolivia vs Qatar (Aspire Zone, pitch 7, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)
Group A: Italy vs South Africa (Aspire Zone, pitch 9, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)
10 November
Group F: Switzerland vs Mexico (Aspire Zone, pitch 3, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)
Group F: South Korea vs Ivory Coast (Aspire Zone, pitch 8, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)
Group G: El Salvador vs Germany (Aspire Zone, pitch 5, 4:30 pm/13:30 GMT)
Group G: Colombia vs North Korea (Aspire Zone, pitch 1, 4:30 pm/13:30 GMT)
Group H: Zambia vs Brazil (Aspire Zone, pitch 4, 5:45 pm/14:45 GMT)
Group H: Honduras vs Indonesia (Aspire Zone, pitch 2, 5:45 pm/14:45 GMT)
Group E: Egypt vs England (Aspire Zone, pitch 7, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)
Group E: Venezuela vs Haiti (Aspire Zone, pitch 9, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)
11 November
Group K: Uganda vs France (Aspire Zone, pitch 3, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)
Group K: Chile vs Canada (Aspire Zone, pitch 8, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)
Group J: Ireland vs Paraguay (Aspire Zone, pitch 5, 4:30 pm/13:30 GMT)
Group J: Uzbekistan vs Panama (Aspire Zone, pitch 1, 4:30 pm/13:30 GMT)
Group I: Czechia vs USA (Aspire Zone, pitch 4, 5:45 pm/14:45 GMT)
Group I: Burkina Faso vs Tajikistan (Aspire Zone, pitch 2, 5:45 pm/14:45 GMT)
Group L: Saudi Arabia vs Mali (Aspire Zone, pitch 7, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)
Group L: New Zealand vs Austria (Aspire Zone, pitch 9, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)
Rest days on 12 and 13 November
The FIFA U-17 World Cup trophy on display during the FIFA U-17 World Cup Finals draw [Noushad Thekkayil/NurPhoto via Getty Images]
⚽ Round of 32
14 November
Match 1 (Aspire Zone, pitch 8, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)
Match 2 (Aspire Zone, pitch 3, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)
Match 3 (Aspire Zone, pitch 1, 4:00 pm/13:00 GMT)
Match 4 (Aspire Zone, pitch 5, 4:30 pm/13:30 GMT)
Match 5 (Aspire Zone, pitch 2, 5:45 pm/14:45 GMT)
Match 6 (Aspire Zone, pitch 4, 6:15 pm/15:15 GMT)
Match 7 (Aspire Zone, pitch 7, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)
Match 8 (Aspire Zone, pitch 9, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)
15 November
Match 9 (Aspire Zone, pitch 3, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)
Match 10 (Aspire Zone, pitch 8, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)
Match 11 (Aspire Zone, pitch 1, 4:00 pm/13:00 GMT)
Match 12 (Aspire Zone, pitch 5, 4:30 pm/13:30 GMT)
Match 13 (Aspire Zone, pitch 2, 5:45 pm/14:45 GMT)
Match 14 (Aspire Zone, pitch 4, 6:15 pm/15:15 GMT)
Match 15 (Aspire Zone, pitch 7, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)
Match 16 (Aspire Zone, pitch 9, 6:45 pm/15:45 GMT)
27 November (Aspire Zone, pitch 7, 3:30 pm/12:30 GMT)
⚽ Final
27 November
Final (Khalifa International Stadium, Doha, 9pm/18:00 GMT)
The U-17 final will be held at the Khalifa International Stadium, which has a seating capacity of 45,857 and was one of the main venues for the Qatar World Cup 2022 [Lintao Zhang/Getty Images]
Democrats 66 party leader Rob Jetten reacts to the first results in the Dutch general election, in Leiden, The Netherlands, on Wednesday, October 29, 2025. Photo by Robin Utrecht/EPA
Oct. 30 (UPI) — The centrist liberal Democrats 66 surged in Wednesday’s Dutch elections, finishing in a virtual tie with the far-right Party for Freedom for most seats in parliament, according to reports.
The PVV and D66 were poised to win 26 seats in the 150-seat House of Representatives, The NL Times and Dutch News reported.
D66 had received several thousand votes more than PVV, though vote counting was ongoing. About 98% of the votes had been counted. Turnout was 78.4%.
The vote is being viewed as a refutation of the PVV and its leader, Geert Wilders, as they lost 11 seats. The party had 37 seats from the 2023 general election.
D66 picked up 17, from the nine seats it held following the last election.
With no party winning a majority, a coalition government will need to be formed, the leader of which is currently uncertain, though D66’s leader, Rob Jetten, appears a likely candidate.
If Jetten is named prime minister, he would not only he the country’s youngest prime minister in modern history at 38 years of age but the first to be openly gay.
“I want to get to work for all Dutch people, because this is the land of us all!”
Wilders took to social media to declare: “The voter has spoken.”
“We had hoped for a different outcome but we kept our backs straight,” he said.
“We are more determined to fight than ever and still the second and perhaps even largest party of the Netherlands.”
The D66 ran on a platform of “freedom for everyone, but nobody left behind” that emphasized housing and education, climate and energy issues and healthcare with an emphasis on strengthening democracy.
“We are social liberals,” an English-language party report states. “This means that for us, freedom is only real when everyone has the opportunity to truly be free.”
On the other side of the political aisle, the anti-Islam PVV took a hardline stance on most issues, including immigration, such as tightening asylum rules and strengthening border policies.
“Islam, without exception, is the greatest existential threat to our freedom,” the PVV said in a report on its policies. “Worldwide, Islam is the breeding ground for extremism, oppression and terror.”
The party is ultranationalist and stands against funding asylum, developing nations, Ukraine‘s defense, the European Union and the fight against climate change.
“A shopping cart full of groceries at a normal price, being able to turn on the heater without fainting at the energy bill, a roof over your head, affordable healthcare where visiting a doctor or dentist isn’t punished financially, a decent old-age pension — that is the Netherlands of the PVV,” it said.
The right-leaning People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy was poised to pick up the third-most seats in the election with 22 seats followed by the Christian Democratic Appeal party with 18.
A first-inning blitz and a dominant outing by rookie starting pitcher Trey Yesavage put the Toronto Blue Jays within one win of their first World Series title since 1993.
Major League Baseball’s only Canadian franchise hammered the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-1 to give them a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven ‘Fall Classic’, which now returns to Toronto for its conclusion.
Right-hander Yesavage, who was only called up to the majors in September, threw seven solid innings, with 12 strikeouts – a World Series record for a rookie – and only gave up one run.
The game started in unbelievable fashion at Dodger Stadium as Davis Schneider launched the very first pitch of the night over left field for a home run, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr repeated the feat off the second pitch he faced, leaving the Dodgers 2-0 down before some fans had taken their seats.
While Enrique Hernandez halved the deficit with a solo homer in the bottom of the third inning, Toronto restored their two-run lead straight away as Ernie Clement’s sacrifice fly scored Daulton Varsho.
It got even worse for the Dodgers in the top of the seventh as multiple wild pitches and a walk allowed Addison Barger to score, and Bo Bichette drove in Andres Gimenez to make it 5-1.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa’s base hit added another run in the eighth as the home fans headed for the exits, on a night when even the Dodgers’ Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani went hitless for the second successive game.
After a travel day, the series returns to Toronto on Friday for game six at the Rogers Centre, also the venue for a potential decider on Saturday.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko shake hands during a meeting of the Supreme State Council of the Union State of Russia and Belarus at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, in April 2023. File Photo by Mikhael Klemintyev/Sputnik/Kremlin Pool/EPA-EFE
Oct. 29 (UPI) — The European Union on Wednesday condemned Belarus for “unacceptable” incursions of meteorological balloons into Lithuanian airspace.
“The EU strongly condemns Belarus’ persistent and provocative actions against the EU and its member states which are unacceptable,” the European Council said in a statement, adding that their continued incursions contradict previous declarations by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko seeking to improve relations with the bloc.
The balloons have disrupted hundreds of flights and caused “substantial” losses to Lithuanian airports, which the European Council said risks destabilizing the country. It alleged that the balloons are an attempt to “intimidate” the European country.
While smugglers are thought to use balloons to transport illegal cigarettes into the country, the Lithuanian government and the EU have placed blame on Lukashenko.
On Monday, Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė said the country would close its borders with Belarus except to diplomats and EU nationals leaving Belarus. She also said that the NATO country would shoot down any balloons that enter its airspace.
“These balloons are not merely smuggling tools but occur in the context of a broader targeted hybrid campaign, along with other actions that also include state-sponsored migrant smuggling,” the European Council said in its statement.
“All these actions must stop immediately. We call on the Belarusian regime to adopt without further delay effective measures to control its airspace, state border and territory, and fight and prevent organized criminal activities originating within it.”
The European Council added that the EU has imposed sanctions on Belarus and is prepared to “take further appropriate measures should such actions continue.”
Houthi supporters shout slogans during a protest against Israel in Sana’a, Yemen, in August. Thousands of Houthi supporters protested in support of the Palestinian people. Amnesty International on Wednesday said the United States committed a war crime when it bombed a Houthi immigration prison in April. File Photo by Yahya Arhab/EPA
Oct. 29 (UPI) — Human rights organization Amnesty International said Wednesday that a U.S. airstrike that hit a Houthi detention center in Yemen in April should be investigated as a war crime.
The April attack on Saada, in the northwestern part of Yemen, was part of Operation Rough Rider and killed civilian migrants held in a Houthi detention center because of their immigration status, Amnesty said.
The migrants often come through Yemen from the horn of Africa to get to Saudi Arabia for work.
At the time of the attack, the Houthis reported that at least 68 African migrants were killed and 47 were injured.
“The harrowing testimonies from survivors paint a clear picture of a civilian building, packed with detainees, being bombed without distinction,” said Kristine Beckerle, Amnesty International’s deputy regional director for the Middle East and North Africa, in a statement.
“This was a lethal failure by the U.S. to comply with one of its core obligations under international humanitarian law: to do everything feasible to verify whether the object attacked was a military objective.”
She called on the United States to give reparations to the migrants and their families, “including financial compensation. Given the air strike killed and injured civilians, the U.S. authorities should investigate this attack as a war crime,’ she said.
“Where sufficient evidence exists, competent authorities should prosecute any person suspected of criminal responsibility, including under the doctrine of command responsibility.”
The U.S. air strikes were conducted to protect the Red Sea from Houthi attacks, which had begun in response to the war between Israel and Hamas. The Houthi rebels, backed by Iran, support Hamas.
“The U.S. must conduct a prompt, thorough, independent, impartial, and transparent investigation into the air strike on the Saada migrant detention center and make the results public,” Beckerle said.
“Survivors of this attack deserve nothing less than full justice. They must receive full, effective, and prompt reparations, including restitution, compensation, rehabilitation, satisfaction and guarantees of non-repetition, through an effective and accessible mechanism.”
On April 27, CENTCOM released a statement saying, “These operations have been executed using detailed and comprehensive intelligence ensuring lethal effects against the Houthis while minimizing risk to civilians.
“To preserve operational security, we have intentionally limited disclosing details of our ongoing or future operations. We are very deliberate in our operational approach, but will not reveal specifics about what we’ve done or what we will do.”
England’s Amy Jones, Heather Knight and Tammy Beaumont are all dismissed for a duck as England slump to 1-3 in their World Cup semi-final against South Africa.
South Korea’s Mirae Asset Global Investments vows to take legal action against Brookfield Asset Management over the failed sale of the International Finance Center in western Seoul. Photo courtesy of Mirae Asset Global Investments
SEOUL, Oct. 29 (UPI) — South Korea’s Mirae Asset Global Investments said Wednesday it would take legal action against North America’s Brookfield Asset Management unless Brookfield returns $140 million related to a collapsed property sale in Seoul.
Mirae Asset noted that it made the decision after Brookfield failed to comply with a Singapore International Arbitration Center ruling, which required the company to return that amount and associated costs to Mirae Asset by Tuesday.
Earlier this month, the arbitration center ruled in favor of Mirae Asset in a three-year dispute over the failed sale of the International Finance Center in western Seoul, a mixed-use complex composed of three office towers, a shopping mall and hotel.
“Until the arbitration award is fully enforced, Brookfield will bear full responsibility for the accumulation of daily interest and additional damages,” Mirae Asset said in a statement.
“Mirae Asset has completed preparations to initiate follow-up legal proceedings under international law and applicable regulations. The company intends to take all possible legal actions,” it added.
To ensure compliance with the arbitration ruling, Mirae Asset said it may seek provisional seizure of Brookfield assets in South Korea and overseas.
When contacted, Brookfield’s Korean unit declined to comment.
Brookfield, a multinational alternative asset manager, is based in New York after relocating from Toronto last year. It has more than $1 trillion in assets under management across infrastructure, renewable energy, real estate and credit businesses.
The firm entered the South Korean market in 2014 and operates assets worth about $12 billion in the country.
In 2022, Mirae Asset signed a memorandum of understanding with Brookfield to acquire the International Finance Center for $2.9 billion, depositing $140 million as part of the deal. But the transaction later unraveled after Mirae Asset could not receive approval for a related investment vehicle.
Mirae Asset subsequently demanded a full refund of its down payment, but Brookfield refused, arguing that Mirae Asset had not made best efforts to gain regulatory approval, thereby breaching the agreement.
This prompted Mirae Asset to file for arbitration in September 2022.
Since April 2023, more than 12 million people have been displaced, nearly 9 million inside Sudan and over 3 million across borders. The United Nations now identifies Sudan as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, with 25 million people facing acute food insecurity and famine conditions already recorded in multiple areas.
These are not statistics; they are markers of systemic collapse. Mass graves, torched health facilities, and emptied towns tell the story. UN officials and independent human rights bodies have documented that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied militias committed genocide in Darfur, a finding echoed by the recent fall of El Fasher to RSF forces and the disturbing images that followed, underscoring the scale of brutality: civilians hunted in displacement camps, aid workers killed, humanitarian corridors severed. Each captured city tightens the noose on civilians and erodes any remaining space for lifesaving assistance.
The $4.2 billion required under the 2025 Sudan Humanitarian Response Plan remains largely unfunded. Agencies, including the WFP, UNICEF, UNHCR, and IOM, warn of an imminent operational collapse. Inaction is not neutral — it accelerates mass hunger, disease, and death. Sudan’s implosion will intensify displacement, fuel illicit economies, exacerbate extremist recruitment, and heighten volatility in food and fuel supplies. The outcome is predictable: expanded violence, deteriorating governance, and prolonged economic decline across West and Central Africa.
This crisis does not end at Sudan’s borders. It reverberates across a Sahel already destabilised by insurgency, climate shocks, and hollowed-out state institutions. Since 2020, a succession of coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger has entrenched military rule and normalised authoritarian recourse. Weak governance and porous borders transform humanitarian emergencies into regional security threats.
The international response must shift from caution to conviction:
• Close the funding gap immediately. Multiyear, flexible financing is essential. Underfunding today guarantees higher security and social costs tomorrow.
• Enforce accountability. Genocide determinations and credible atrocity reports demand criminal investigations, targeted sanctions, and civilian protection mechanisms. Impunity is a policy choice — and one that invites repetition.
• Reform and empower Africa’s institutions. The African Union must evolve from a consultative platform into a body capable of deterrence. Continent-wide resilience requires real incentives and penalties for unconstitutional rule, as well as rapid protection capacity. AU, ECOWAS, and the UN should align political mediation, enforcement tools, and governance support to reduce the appeal of coups masquerading as solutions.
The AU’s intervention is both urgent and crucial for the continent’s stability. Africa cannot afford perpetual crises while its people are uprooted and its natural wealth siphoned off. Sudan is a warning. The Sahel is the echo. Failure to act decisively will cement a trajectory of conflict, authoritarian drift, and economic paralysis. Accountability, protection, and reform are not aspirations; they are minimum requirements for continental stability.
Shohei Ohtani wore the same mask of calm that he always wears.
He spoke with detachment, as he often does.
By the time Ohtani walked into the interview room at Dodger Stadium after his team’s 6-2 defeat in Game 4 of the World Series, however, he was already devising his redemption.
“Of course, I’d like to prepare to be available for every game in case I’m needed,” Ohtani said in Japanese.
He wants to pitch again, even after he was saddled with the loss on Tuesday night by the Toronto Blue Jays.
He wants to pitch again, even after the physical demands of reaching base nine times in an 18-inning victory the previous night clearly diminished him on the mound.
If Ohtani pitches, he would almost certainly pitch in relief.
Pitching in middle relief doesn’t make sense for Ohtani, considering that when he departs the game as a pitcher, rules would require the Dodgers to play him in the outfield or lose him as a hitter for the remainder of the game.
They might as well use him as a closer, and they might as well use him in a World Series clincher, either in Game 6 or 7.
He won’t let the disappointment of his World Series pitching debut scare him away from pursuing another dream. He isn’t afraid of failure.
Game 4 was a failure.
The six-hour 39-minute game the Dodgers played the night before offered Ohtani cover. He reached base a record nine times. He homered twice and doubled twice. His leg cramped at some point. He went to sleep at 2 a.m.
But Ohtani didn’t take any of the excuses that were offered to him.
“I have no plans of saying the game yesterday was this or that,” he said.
The truth was revealed in his play.
Ohtani looked exhausted. He sweated profusely and looked as if he might be dehydrated. He looked, well, human.
His fastball uncharacteristically never touched 100 mph, but he pitched well for the most part. His only notable mistake was an elevated sweeper he threw in the third inning to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. that was deposited over the left-field wall for a two-run home run.
Ohtani struck out the side in the fourth inning, as well as the first batter he faced in the fifth. Manager Dave Roberts said that pitching coach Mark Prior approached Ohtani in the sixth innings and asked him how much he had left.
“He said he had three more innings,” Roberts said.
Ohtani couldn’t make it out of the seventh inning. In fact, he couldn’t even record an out in the seventh, starting the inning by giving up a single to Daulton Varsho and a double to Ernie Clement. With Ohtani clearly gassed, Roberts called in Anthony Banda, who allowed the two inherited runners to score.
Ohtani’s final line: Six innings, four runs, six hits, a walk and six strikeouts.
He said his goal was to pitch seven innings.
Ohtani didn’t have the game he wanted in the batter’s box, either. It didn’t help that he didn’t have any form of lineup protection. No. 9 hitter Andy Pages, who batted in front of him, was 0 for two and is now batting .080 this postseason. Mookie Betts, who batted behind him, was hitless until the eighth inning when the game was already out of reach. Betts is batting .158 in this World Series.
Ohtani walked in the first inning but was hitless in the three at-bats that followed. Not one of the 14 pitches he saw from Blue Jays starter Shane Bieber was near the middle quadrant of the plate.
Being a starting pitcher and leadoff hitter in the same game was hard enough. Being a starting pitcher and a leadoff hitter in the same game after an 18-inning battle was revealed to be downright impossible. Because if Ohtani couldn’t do it, nobody could.
Instead of moping over the setback, Ohtani has started eyeing his next boundary-pushing maneuver: To be a leadoff hitter and high-leverage reliever in the same game.
The World Series is now tied, two games apiece. The fixation Ohtani has with finding new methods to win games could be why the Dodgers finish as champions again.
