The nor'easter set to slam the US this weekend has developed an eye similar to hurricanes, latest photos of the storm show. Millions of Americans on the East Coast are at risk of dangerous flooding from the strong storm off the US coast in the Atlantic. It will bring tropical storm-force winds and heavy rains to Virginia, Maine, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and other states.&nbsp;Jeff Berardelli, Chief Meteorologist and Climate Specialist at WFLA-TV (Tampa Bay), posted a video of the nor'easter with wind gusts of over 144 kmph and the storm with a clear eye."Hurricane-like Eye in Major Nor’easter forces cool air south into #Florida this weekend!" he wrote. "Strongest gusts remain offshore, but power outages and coastal flooding are a concern," he added.<h2>Areas under extreme threat from nor'easter</h2>New England will bear the most impact from the storm, with Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and southern Maine expected to get four to eight inches of rain. Coastal flood warnings have been issued in New York, Delaware, New Jersey, Maryland and Virginia. The National Weather Service (NWS) said that over three feet of water could move inland from the sea in these places.&nbsp;The storm will get worse on Friday as power outages hit millions along the coasts of New Jersey, the entire New York City area, Rhode Island, eastern Connecticut, eastern Massachusetts and southern Maine. AccuWeather has predicted the nor'easter to stay closer to the shoreline. This would create devastating conditions on land because of more rainfall and stronger winds. This increases the chances of flooding and falling trees.

<h2>Like a hurricane, but not a hurricane</h2>AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jon Porter said, "This storm may be remembered for its destructive coastal flooding and severe beach erosion," while meteorologist Ryan Maue called it a "blockbuster" nor'easter. He said it is structured just like a standard hurricane, even though the National Hurricane Center (NHC) is not calling it a named tropical cyclone.&nbsp;Wind gusts could reach similar levels to a Category 1 hurricane. They are expected to range between 60 and 96 kmph from Friday to Sunday, with the potential to damage property. Some of them could reach up to 128 kmph from Saturday, the range of a Category 1 hurricane.<h2>Rip currents and flooding</h2>Flooding would damage homes and businesses near the shoreline in Virginia, the state's NWS said, where localised flooding has already started. Large box trucks, tractor-trailers, RVs, buses and moving vans will catch a lot of wind and are at risk of being blown over.&nbsp;Rip current alerts have been issued in the Carolinas, New Jersey, New York City and on Long Island. They can sweep people into deeper water. Atlantic City beaches have been closed for swimming. Ocean waves will turn life threatening, with eight- to 12-foot waves expected along the shores in Jersey, Delaware, Virginia and the Carolinas.&nbsp;

The nor'easter has turned strange in the latest photos, appearing with an eye similar to hurricanes. Even though it will register wind speeds of 120 kmph, it has not been termed a hurricane. Heavy rain and dangerous flooding will slam a large chunk of the East Coast.

The nor'easter set to slam the US this weekend has developed an eye similar to hurricanes, latest photos of the storm show. Millions of Americans on the East Coast are at risk of dangerous flooding from the strong storm off the US coast in the Atlantic. It will bring tropical storm-force winds and heavy rains to Virginia, Maine, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and other states. Jeff Berardelli, Chief Meteorologist and Climate Specialist at WFLA-TV (Tampa Bay), posted a video of the nor'easter with wind gusts of over 144 kmph and the storm with a clear eye. "Hurricane-like Eye in Major Nor’easter forces cool air south into #Florida this weekend!" he wrote. "Strongest gusts remain offshore, but power outages and coastal flooding are a concern," he added. Areas under extreme threat from nor'easter New England will bear the most impact from the storm, with Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and southern Maine expected to get four to eight inches of rain. Coastal flood warnings have been issued in New York, Delaware, New Jersey, Maryland and Virginia. The National Weather Service (NWS) said that over three feet of water could move inland from the sea in these places. The storm will get worse on Friday as power outages hit millions along the coasts of New Jersey, the entire New York City area, Rhode Island, eastern Connecticut, eastern Massachusetts and southern Maine. AccuWeather has predicted the nor'easter to stay closer to the shoreline. This would create devastating conditions on land because of more rainfall and stronger winds. This increases the chances of flooding and falling trees.

The nor'easter has turned strange in the latest photos, appearing with an eye similar to hurricanes. Even though it will register wind speeds of 120 kmph, it has not been termed a hurricane. Heavy rain and dangerous flooding will slam a large chunk of the East Coast.

'Blockbuster' nor'easter develops an eye similar to hurricanes as warnings are issued

Millions across 13 states in the United States are under flood warnings as a massive nor'easter storm slams the eastern part of the country. Waves in areas along the Atlantic could reach as high as 12 feet, with coastal flood advisories issued for Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey and Virginia. The National Weather Service (NWS) has warned of potentially life-threatening conditions from Michigan to Georgia. Parts of Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina and West Virginia will see the heaviest rain from the storm.&nbsp;Ohio and West Virginia are under flash flood warnings after heavy rains on Tuesday morning, with danger persisting on Wednesday as well. Experts said that a high-pressure system near the Great Lakes had blocked the storm and stalled it over the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.<h2>East Coast storm</h2>A new storm is brewing along the East Coast and will bring strong winds and coastal flooding to New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Maine. Conditions will last all week and worsen as the week progresses. Deadly rip currents and dangerous surf will slam shorelines spanning hundreds of kilometres. Dangerous wind gusts of nearly 100 km/hr will impact the above areas from Friday.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/el-nino-2026-heats-up-to-become-strongest-in-1-000-years-1790137227186">El Niño 2026 heats up to become strongest in 1,000 years</a>&nbsp;Experts have warned that the nor'easter storm and the one coming from the southeast will bring a lot of water into the coast. Meteorologist Joe Bastardi flagged it as a "very serious situation" in a post on X.<h2>Stay off even barely flooded roads</h2>NWS has warned people to stay off the roads in areas that are under flash flood warnings. They have been told to stay away from places where they see even a little water on the ground. "Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles," it said in a statement, adding caution is especially needed at night.&nbsp;People in coastal communities have been told to watch out for high surf, especially around high tide. Localised flooding will occur in these regions, and swimmers should also stay out of the Atlantic. AccuWeather said in a statement, "Coastal flooding, especially around high tide, is likely from North Carolina to Massachusetts from Tuesday through Friday." Temperatures will fall by several degrees throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.

A rare nor'easter storm is slamming 13 US states this week, with warnings issued for heavy rain and flash floods. Coastal communities will also face severe wind gusts from a new storm later in the week. People have been warned to stay off roads even if they see a little water.

Millions across 13 states in the United States are under flood warnings as a massive nor'easter storm slams the eastern part of the country. Waves in areas along the Atlantic could reach as high as 12 feet, with coastal flood advisories issued for Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey and Virginia. The National Weather Service (NWS) has warned of potentially life-threatening conditions from Michigan to Georgia. Parts of Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina and West Virginia will see the heaviest rain from the storm. Ohio and West Virginia are under flash flood warnings after heavy rains on Tuesday morning, with danger persisting on Wednesday as well. Experts said that a high-pressure system near the Great Lakes had blocked the storm and stalled it over the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. East Coast storm A new storm is brewing along the East Coast and will bring strong winds and coastal flooding to New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Maine. Conditions will last all week and worsen as the week progresses. Deadly rip currents and dangerous surf will slam shorelines spanning hundreds of kilometres. Dangerous wind gusts of nearly 100 km/hr will impact the above areas from Friday. Also Read: El Niño 2026 heats up to become strongest in 1,000 years Experts have warned that the nor'easter storm and the one coming from the southeast will bring a lot of water into the coast. Meteorologist Joe Bastardi flagged it as a "very serious situation" in a post on X. Stay off even barely flooded roads NWS has warned people to stay off the roads in areas that are under flash flood warnings. They have been told to stay away from places where they see even a little water on the ground. "Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles," it said in a statement, adding caution is especially needed at night. People in coastal communities have been told to watch out for high surf, especially around high tide. Localised flooding will occur in these regions, and swimmers should also stay out of the Atlantic. AccuWeather said in a statement, "Coastal flooding, especially around high tide, is likely from North Carolina to Massachusetts from Tuesday through Friday." Temperatures will fall by several degrees throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.

A rare nor'easter storm is slamming 13 US states this week, with warnings issued for heavy rain and flash floods. Coastal communities will also face severe wind gusts from a new storm later in the week. People have been warned to stay off roads even if they see a little water.

Nor'easter could batter 13 US states this week. What you should know

An outage hit every major airport in the New York City area on Monday due to damaged communications lines at a key air traffic control facility in Philadelphia. The system could have moved to a different fibre-optic line, but someone had cut it during work on the nearby Amtrak rail line. This caused ground stops and delays at more than half a dozen Northeast airports.&nbsp;The outage struck at 10 am as more than 1,000 flights were delayed or cancelled. Notably, the problem came as New York gears up to welcome 130 world leaders and ministers for the annual United Nations General Assembly meeting.<h2>Cause of flight chaos in New York region</h2>&nbsp;FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford confirmed that a circuit failure at Philadelphia’s Terminal Radar Approach Control led to loss of radio and radar equipment at John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, and Newark Liberty International Airport. "Unfortunately, that circuit failed today. And when it went to flip into the backup, we discovered that the backup fibre had a break," Bedford said.&nbsp;Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said that the issue stemmed from the primary communications line at the Federal Aviation Administration facility in Philadelphia, which failed. The backup fibre optic line was also cut off by railroad construction workers. He added that this meant that air traffic controllers were left without radar or communications for hours. Duffy added in a social media post that "it will take some time to clear all existing delays" even after the repairs.<h2>Flight cancellations and delays at New York area airports</h2>The outage led to major disruptions at the affected airports. In Newark, air traffic came to a near-standstill. According to flight-tracking site Flightradar24, no commercial flights landed at the airport from about 9:40 am to 5:20 pm. At the Philadelphia International Airport, more than 200 flights were cancelled. Disruptions also occurred at the LaGuardia and Kennedy airports in New York. The Philadelphia, Teterboro, and Westchester County airports were also impacted by the circuit failure, the FAA said.&nbsp;The lines were fixed by 6 pm and airport operations were back on track, although residual delays continued. "The telecom lines have been repaired, and all airport operations in the Northeast are resuming," Duffy said on X. "It will take some time to clear all existing delays, so please check with your airline for the latest information." Notably, JFK, LaGuardia, Newark, Teterboro and Philadelphia were still experiencing hour-long delays at this time.&nbsp;Duffy called to upgrade the infrastructure to avoid such issues in the future. “This incident underscores the need for additional funding to modernise ageing infrastructure and prevent disruptions like this in the future,” Duffy said.

New York flight disruptions on Monday were caused by the primary circuit failing. But when officials tried shifting to the backup fibre-optic line, they noticed that it had been cut off during work on the Amtrak rail line. What you need to know about Monday chaos at JFK, Newark and LaGuardia.

An outage hit every major airport in the New York City area on Monday due to damaged communications lines at a key air traffic control facility in Philadelphia. The system could have moved to a different fibre-optic line, but someone had cut it during work on the nearby Amtrak rail line. This caused ground stops and delays at more than half a dozen Northeast airports. The outage struck at 10 am as more than 1,000 flights were delayed or cancelled. Notably, the problem came as New York gears up to welcome 130 world leaders and ministers for the annual United Nations General Assembly meeting. Cause of flight chaos in New York region FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford confirmed that a circuit failure at Philadelphia’s Terminal Radar Approach Control led to loss of radio and radar equipment at John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, and Newark Liberty International Airport. "Unfortunately, that circuit failed today. And when it went to flip into the backup, we discovered that the backup fibre had a break," Bedford said. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said that the issue stemmed from the primary communications line at the Federal Aviation Administration facility in Philadelphia, which failed. The backup fibre optic line was also cut off by railroad construction workers. He added that this meant that air traffic controllers were left without radar or communications for hours. Duffy added in a social media post that "it will take some time to clear all existing delays" even after the repairs. Flight cancellations and delays at New York area airports The outage led to major disruptions at the affected airports. In Newark, air traffic came to a near-standstill. According to flight-tracking site Flightradar24, no commercial flights landed at the airport from about 9:40 am to 5:20 pm. At the Philadelphia International Airport, more than 200 flights were cancelled. Disruptions also occurred at the LaGuardia and Kennedy airports in New York. The Philadelphia, Teterboro, and Westchester County airports were also impacted by the circuit failure, the FAA said. The lines were fixed by 6 pm and airport operations were back on track, although residual delays continued. "The telecom lines have been repaired, and all airport operations in the Northeast are resuming," Duffy said on X. "It will take some time to clear all existing delays, so please check with your airline for the latest information." Notably, JFK, LaGuardia, Newark, Teterboro and Philadelphia were still experiencing hour-long delays at this time. Duffy called to upgrade the infrastructure to avoid such issues in the future. “This incident underscores the need for additional funding to modernise ageing infrastructure and prevent disruptions like this in the future,” Duffy said.

New York flight disruptions on Monday were caused by the primary circuit failing. But when officials tried shifting to the backup fibre-optic line, they noticed that it had been cut off during work on the Amtrak rail line. What you need to know about Monday chaos at JFK, Newark and LaGuardia.

New York flight disruptions: How an accidental cable cut linked to an Amtrak rail line caused chaos in the skies

Illinois police officials came across an unusual haul when they found 650 rolls of toilet paper. Apparently, the stash was headed for some homes in Plainfield, where the rolls were being collected to pull a homecoming prank. Some masked groups are reported to have been targeting the area near Plainfield North High School.&nbsp;The police said in a social media post that they had received several complaints from the community for two nights about attacks on homes using toilet paper, eggs and other items. People complained of property damage, leaving them with a huge mess to clean.&nbsp;&nbsp;The department caught hold of the stash and shared it on Facebook, with a banner reading &nbsp;"Operation Clean Sweep". They gave it an estimated "street value" of $1,708.66. One news flash posted by the department even read, “Major two-ply trafficking ring disrupted.”&nbsp;"We’re already seeing exactly what we warned about, specifically in North Plainfield…We understand that Homecoming comes with traditions, and we want students to have fun and make memories. But what we are seeing this week has gone well beyond harmless pranks," it wrote alongside the photo.<h2>People complained of toilet paper and egg attacks</h2>The department said that they received complaints in double digits on Monday and Tuesday between 7:15 PM and 9:15 PM. People said their homes and cars were attacked with "toilet paper, eggs, ketchup, laundry detergent pods, and other items." It added that nearly 20-25 people wearing hoodies &amp; ski masks were involved who would “pull up (as the kids say) simultaneously in multiple vehicles and cause chaos.”&nbsp;

Those who had nothing to do with the homecoming were also targeted. "These incidents are not limited to friends or classmates. Homes with small children, homes without children, and residents who have absolutely nothing to do with Homecoming are being targeted," the department informed in its post.&nbsp;The attacks left people frustrated, and so the police started looking for the culprits. When officers intercepted 650 rolls of toilet paper that were intended to be used for these activities, they "decided to make the situation very clear: Homecoming is not a free pass to damage someone else's property or disrupt their quality of life."&nbsp;The officers said, "Criminal mischief, property damage, and dangerous behavior are not Homecoming traditions" and won't be ignored. "And yes… 650 rolls. We counted."

An elaborate homecoming attack had been planned in Plainfield, Illinois, where the police busted a “major two-ply trafficking ring.” Officers impounded 650 toilet paper rolls which people in hoodies & ski masks were going to use to attack homes and cars.

Illinois police officials came across an unusual haul when they found 650 rolls of toilet paper. Apparently, the stash was headed for some homes in Plainfield, where the rolls were being collected to pull a homecoming prank. Some masked groups are reported to have been targeting the area near Plainfield North High School. The police said in a social media post that they had received several complaints from the community for two nights about attacks on homes using toilet paper, eggs and other items. People complained of property damage, leaving them with a huge mess to clean. The department caught hold of the stash and shared it on Facebook, with a banner reading "Operation Clean Sweep". They gave it an estimated "street value" of $1,708.66. One news flash posted by the department even read, “Major two-ply trafficking ring disrupted.” "We’re already seeing exactly what we warned about, specifically in North Plainfield…We understand that Homecoming comes with traditions, and we want students to have fun and make memories. But what we are seeing this week has gone well beyond harmless pranks," it wrote alongside the photo. People complained of toilet paper and egg attacks The department said that they received complaints in double digits on Monday and Tuesday between 7:15 PM and 9:15 PM. People said their homes and cars were attacked with "toilet paper, eggs, ketchup, laundry detergent pods, and other items." It added that nearly 20-25 people wearing hoodies & ski masks were involved who would “pull up (as the kids say) simultaneously in multiple vehicles and cause chaos.”

An elaborate homecoming attack had been planned in Plainfield, Illinois, where the police busted a “major two-ply trafficking ring.” Officers impounded 650 toilet paper rolls which people in hoodies &amp; ski masks were going to use to attack homes and cars.

'Two-ply trafficking ring disrupted': Illinois police seize and pose with 650 toilet paper rolls

Four states in the Southwest US could witness severe floods, with some areas receiving as much as 12 inches of rain in the coming days. Experts say this is unprecedented and a foot of rain would be a "1-in-1,000-year event." This has put nearly 10 million Americans at risk of potentially life-threatening flooding. A potentially historic deluge threatens Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and parts of Colorado.&nbsp;&nbsp;The National Weather Service has issued widespread flood watches across the region. The intense rainfall could trigger flash floods, and the downpour could be so intense that two to three inches could occur per hour. AccuWeather meteorologists warn that isolated areas could witness 12 inches of rain. Phoenix and Tucson are likely to see between two and four inches before Friday.&nbsp;Meteorologist Tyler Roys warned, "A foot of rain across the region is a 1-in-1,000-year event, and though we do not expect widespread rainfall of 12 inches, it is certainly possible locally." The storm would resemble a "Tropical Rainstorm" and would pose a significant risk of flash floods. &nbsp;<h2>Floodwater washes through Tucson</h2>Arizona is already facing a deluge with floodwaters surging through streets, causing motorists to get stuck. Firefighters in Tucson dealt with three emergencies in half an hour on Wednesday (Sep 16), including rescuing a driver stranded on top of their partially submerged car.&nbsp;&nbsp;Another motorist got stuck in his car at North Alamo Avenue and East Rosewood Street, and was eventually washed away. Rescue teams managed to pull him out. In the third instance, a person was being washed away near Grant Road and Wyatt Drive. He was saved in time.&nbsp;AccuWeather experts said that the current state of the region is common for this time of the year. Winds over the Southwest shift and pull warm, humid air north from Mexico and the Gulf of California, and this moisture rises and turns into thunderstorms. While Colorado, New Mexico and parts of Nevada are in need of rain, sudden heavy rains can bring flash floods. This is expected to be the last major surge of rain for this region, but a strong El Niño might change that.

Massive storms are forecast to sweep through four US states in the coming days, with one of them already feeling the heat. Meteorologists have warned of intense rainfall within a short time, causing flash floods, and a once-in-1,000-year event.

Four states in the Southwest US could witness severe floods, with some areas receiving as much as 12 inches of rain in the coming days. Experts say this is unprecedented and a foot of rain would be a "1-in-1,000-year event." This has put nearly 10 million Americans at risk of potentially life-threatening flooding. A potentially historic deluge threatens Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and parts of Colorado. The National Weather Service has issued widespread flood watches across the region. The intense rainfall could trigger flash floods, and the downpour could be so intense that two to three inches could occur per hour. AccuWeather meteorologists warn that isolated areas could witness 12 inches of rain. Phoenix and Tucson are likely to see between two and four inches before Friday. Meteorologist Tyler Roys warned, "A foot of rain across the region is a 1-in-1,000-year event, and though we do not expect widespread rainfall of 12 inches, it is certainly possible locally." The storm would resemble a "Tropical Rainstorm" and would pose a significant risk of flash floods. Floodwater washes through Tucson Arizona is already facing a deluge with floodwaters surging through streets, causing motorists to get stuck. Firefighters in Tucson dealt with three emergencies in half an hour on Wednesday (Sep 16), including rescuing a driver stranded on top of their partially submerged car. Another motorist got stuck in his car at North Alamo Avenue and East Rosewood Street, and was eventually washed away. Rescue teams managed to pull him out. In the third instance, a person was being washed away near Grant Road and Wyatt Drive. He was saved in time. AccuWeather experts said that the current state of the region is common for this time of the year. Winds over the Southwest shift and pull warm, humid air north from Mexico and the Gulf of California, and this moisture rises and turns into thunderstorms. While Colorado, New Mexico and parts of Nevada are in need of rain, sudden heavy rains can bring flash floods. This is expected to be the last major surge of rain for this region, but a strong El Niño might change that.

Massive storms are forecast to sweep through four US states in the coming days, with one of them already feeling the heat. Meteorologists have warned of intense rainfall within a short time, causing flash floods, and a once-in-1,000-year event.

Flash flood warning for 4 US states as experts warn of '1-in-1,000-year' event

A Georgia woman is suing a policeman for killing her donkey during a search of her property in August. Hannah Israel said in a civil rights complaint filed on September 11 in the US District Court for the Northern District of Georgia’s Rome Division that the officer entered her property without a warrant and neither sought his permission. Israel claims Trenton Garner fatally shot her "young and docile animal that presented no danger".&nbsp;The incident happened on August 29 when the police arrived at the Rockmart property looking for a missing 12-year-old child. CBS News reported that they entered the fenced pasture without consent or notifying the owner. During the search, Garner shot dead the donkey named HeeHaw, Israel said. This violated constitutional protections against unreasonable property seizure and unlawful search, she said.<h2>Police officer says the donkey attacked them</h2>Meanwhile, Garner tells a different story in the official incident report. He said that the donkey charged at the officers. A K-9 handler shot out an electrical arc from the taser to stop him. When it wasn't deterred, Garner said he shot the gun once to scare away the animal, which went up a hill and died. Israel said the police left without revealing the location of the donkey. The woman and a minor then searched the large property in the dark to find the animal.&nbsp;Citing three primary federal violations - unlawful search, unconstitutional seizure, and property deprivation without due process - Israel is seeking a jury trial, compensation, punitive awards, legal fees, and court costs.&nbsp;Israel has launched a GoFundMe page to establish a foundation in the donkey's memory and to support other animals on the farm. The contributions have surpassed the targeted $30,000, and donations worth more than $159,000 have been made by 2,200 people.&nbsp;An independent inquiry has been initiated by the Georgia Department of Agriculture's Law Enforcement Division, and Garner remains on administrative leave.

A Georgia police officer is facing legal action for allegedly killing a donkey on a farm during a search operation. While the owner claims the animal was docile and posed no harm, the officer says it attacked them.

A Georgia woman is suing a policeman for killing her donkey during a search of her property in August. Hannah Israel said in a civil rights complaint filed on September 11 in the US District Court for the Northern District of Georgia’s Rome Division that the officer entered her property without a warrant and neither sought his permission. Israel claims Trenton Garner fatally shot her "young and docile animal that presented no danger". The incident happened on August 29 when the police arrived at the Rockmart property looking for a missing 12-year-old child. CBS News reported that they entered the fenced pasture without consent or notifying the owner. During the search, Garner shot dead the donkey named HeeHaw, Israel said. This violated constitutional protections against unreasonable property seizure and unlawful search, she said. Police officer says the donkey attacked them Meanwhile, Garner tells a different story in the official incident report. He said that the donkey charged at the officers. A K-9 handler shot out an electrical arc from the taser to stop him. When it wasn't deterred, Garner said he shot the gun once to scare away the animal, which went up a hill and died. Israel said the police left without revealing the location of the donkey. The woman and a minor then searched the large property in the dark to find the animal. Citing three primary federal violations - unlawful search, unconstitutional seizure, and property deprivation without due process - Israel is seeking a jury trial, compensation, punitive awards, legal fees, and court costs. Israel has launched a GoFundMe page to establish a foundation in the donkey's memory and to support other animals on the farm. The contributions have surpassed the targeted $30,000, and donations worth more than $159,000 have been made by 2,200 people. An independent inquiry has been initiated by the Georgia Department of Agriculture's Law Enforcement Division, and Garner remains on administrative leave.

A Georgia police officer is facing legal action for allegedly killing a donkey on a farm during a search operation. While the owner claims the animal was docile and posed no harm, the officer says it attacked them.

2,200 people donate Rs 1.5 crore for 'docile' Georgia donkey 'HeeHaw' shot dead by police officer

A small plane disappeared over the Bermuda Triangle earlier this week, a region in the Atlantic notorious for being the point where aircraft and ships vanish mysteriously. The five-seat Piper PA-34 was carrying a Florida couple and their two grandchildren from the Bahamas. They were returning to Miami when the aircraft lost contact with air traffic control. It was being piloted by Mario Lamar, the 80-year-old grandfather, who was accompanied by his wife, Lili Lamar, 79, and their grandchildren, Sofi Sosa, 28, and Christian Sosa, 22, according to the Royal Bahamas Police Force.&nbsp;ABC News reported that the plane left Great Harbour Cay in the Bahamas around 11:15 am on Monday for Miami Executive Airport. They were found dead on Tuesday after the plane crashed near Andros Island, the Bahamas’ largest island. The region falls in the Bermuda Triangle, which is known for being the place where ships and planes disappear under mysterious circumstances.The family stated this after recovering the bodies of their loved ones.&nbsp;&nbsp;They wrote, "It is with profound sadness that we confirm all four of our family members have been found deceased." They added that the relatives “located our loved ones and had to bring them aboard their own vessels.”<h2>Lamar had been flying planes for 40 years</h2>Family members told Fox 35 Orlando that the Lamar couple owned a home in Great Harbour Cay in the Bahamas and regularly flew there. Lamar had 40 years of flying experience and was returning after spending Labour Day weekend in the Bahamas. Sofi Sosa texted her parents when they left. Her uncle filed a flight plan which showed the expected time of arrival of the plane. It lost contact with ATC at 11:04 am. The family alerted authorities when they could not reach anyone on the plane.&nbsp;An investigation has been launched into the crash. Nearly two months ago, another plane crashed in North Andros, killing 10 people.

A small plane coming from the Bahamas and headed for Florida with four family members disappeared over the Bermuda Triangle region on Monday. The wreckage was found a day later as family members started looking for it after losing contact with the aircraft.

A small plane disappeared over the Bermuda Triangle earlier this week, a region in the Atlantic notorious for being the point where aircraft and ships vanish mysteriously. The five-seat Piper PA-34 was carrying a Florida couple and their two grandchildren from the Bahamas. They were returning to Miami when the aircraft lost contact with air traffic control. It was being piloted by Mario Lamar, the 80-year-old grandfather, who was accompanied by his wife, Lili Lamar, 79, and their grandchildren, Sofi Sosa, 28, and Christian Sosa, 22, according to the Royal Bahamas Police Force. ABC News reported that the plane left Great Harbour Cay in the Bahamas around 11:15 am on Monday for Miami Executive Airport. They were found dead on Tuesday after the plane crashed near Andros Island, the Bahamas’ largest island. The region falls in the Bermuda Triangle, which is known for being the place where ships and planes disappear under mysterious circumstances. The family stated this after recovering the bodies of their loved ones. They wrote, "It is with profound sadness that we confirm all four of our family members have been found deceased." They added that the relatives “located our loved ones and had to bring them aboard their own vessels.” Lamar had been flying planes for 40 years Family members told Fox 35 Orlando that the Lamar couple owned a home in Great Harbour Cay in the Bahamas and regularly flew there. Lamar had 40 years of flying experience and was returning after spending Labour Day weekend in the Bahamas. Sofi Sosa texted her parents when they left. Her uncle filed a flight plan which showed the expected time of arrival of the plane. It lost contact with ATC at 11:04 am. The family alerted authorities when they could not reach anyone on the plane. An investigation has been launched into the crash. Nearly two months ago, another plane crashed in North Andros, killing 10 people.

A small plane coming from the Bahamas and headed for Florida with four family members disappeared over the Bermuda Triangle region on Monday. The wreckage was found a day later as family members started looking for it after losing contact with the aircraft.

Aircraft with four aboard disappeared over Bermuda Triangle. They have been found dead

China's Nostradamus has predicted that the United States will break out into a full-blown war with Iran in 2027 and also go through an internal upheaval that would turn into a civil war. Xueqin Jiang is not a mystic, but a political commentator who analyses past to predict the future.

China's Nostradamus has predicted that the United States will break into a full-blown war with Iran in 2027, and also go through an internal upheaval that would turn into a civil war. Xueqin Jiang is not a mystic, but a political commentator who analyses the past to predict the future.

China's Nostradamus 2027 predictions: Civil war in US ,10-year conflict in Iran and a draft

A man in the United States was struck by lightning outside his home while going to the dentist. A video shows him carrying an umbrella, walking on the pathway when he comes right under a tree. Several lightning bolts are instantly seen around him, including one that struck the tree he was under. He falls but manages to get up and walk back to his home. A woman, presumably his wife, saw everything happen on the door camera and calls out to him. She asks him to come inside and says she will call an ambulance.&nbsp;Thomas Fahmy, who had a near-death experience and was left visibly shocked, says he is grateful to be alive and went to church on Sunday to thank God. Talking about how the lightning bolt felt, he said, "Once the lightning bolt struck me, the initial sensations that I had throughout my whole body were completely unprecedented; tingling, numbness, pain, just I feel this burning sensation."&nbsp;Fahmy miraculously escaped the whole ordeal without a single burn injury. "No burns. I had multiple body exams; no burns at all," he said.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/lightning-bolt-strikes-football-field-in-thailand-killing-a-player-during-a-match-1785987347259">Lightning bolt strikes football field in Thailand, killing a player during a match</a>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Staten Island man struck by lightning while walking to a dentist appointment. Thomas Fahmy says he is grateful to be alive and went to church on Sunday to thank God for giving him another chance. &quot;Once the lightning bolt struck me, the initial sensations that I had throughout… <a href="https://t.co/Ns11TGqB23">pic.twitter.com/Ns11TGqB23</a>&mdash; Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) <a href="https://x.com/CollinRugg/status/2094918269245558996?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 1, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>How did he escape without any injuries after the lightning strike?</h2>Reacting to the clean escape, netizens called it a clear miracle. The scientific explanation for how he escaped unscathed is likely hiding in the way lightning possibly struck him. According to an explanation offered by Grok, it was the heavy rain that saved Fahmy.&nbsp;"Wet skin encourages ‘flashover,’ letting most of the current travel over the body's surface instead of through the heart and brain," the AI tool stated. Further, "It also appears to have been a ground-current or foot entry rather than a direct torso/head hit, which explains the lack of burns and quick recovery."&nbsp;During heavy rains accompanied by lightning, people are advised never to take shelter under a tree. When lightning hits trees and poles, it travels down and will flash over into the person under it.<h2>Footballer dies from lightning strike</h2>Last month, a footballer died on the field in Thailand after being hit by lightning. Safwan Awae, 24, was playing at the Golok Cup regional tournament when lightning hit the ground near him, causing flames. Awae fell down as other players rushed to check on him. He was taken to the hospital, where he was declared dead.

A Staten Island man escaped a lightning strike without any burns or injuries. Thomas Fahmy had stepped out of the home in heavy rain when he came under a tree, and a lightning bolt hit him. Visibly scared, he got up and walked back to the house.

A man in the United States was struck by lightning outside his home while going to the dentist. A video shows him carrying an umbrella, walking on the pathway when he comes right under a tree. Several lightning bolts are instantly seen around him, including one that struck the tree he was under. He falls but manages to get up and walk back to his home. A woman, presumably his wife, saw everything happen on the door camera and calls out to him. She asks him to come inside and says she will call an ambulance. Thomas Fahmy, who had a near-death experience and was left visibly shocked, says he is grateful to be alive and went to church on Sunday to thank God. Talking about how the lightning bolt felt, he said, "Once the lightning bolt struck me, the initial sensations that I had throughout my whole body were completely unprecedented; tingling, numbness, pain, just I feel this burning sensation." Fahmy miraculously escaped the whole ordeal without a single burn injury. "No burns. I had multiple body exams; no burns at all," he said. Also Read: Lightning bolt strikes football field in Thailand, killing a player during a match

A Staten Island man escaped a lightning strike without any burns or injuries. Thomas Fahmy had stepped out of the home in heavy rain when he came under a tree, and a lightning bolt hit him. Visibly scared, he got up and walked back to the house.

Man hit by lightning bolt escapes unscathed - Watch

A rabies outbreak at a petting zoo in North Carolina has forced the staff to euthanise four baby goats. The real problem is that now they are looking for everyone who interacted with these goats. North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services reported the rabies cases at the Farm Adventures mobile petting zoo. They are urging people who petted the goats to contact their local health department and ask them about the need for preventative treatment.&nbsp;“Several goats at Farm Adventures have tested positive for rabies by the North Carolina State Laboratory of Public Health and may have been in direct contact with people at events while infectious,” the department stated Friday.&nbsp;The goats reportedly fell sick weeks after a skunk entered their enclosure. Misty Love, the owner of Farm Adventures, said the baby goats were in another pen to keep them away from the rest of the animals. In late July, a skunk entered the space and was later removed. The goats were inspected and showed no signs of either being bitten or sprayed by the skunk. But then, three of them fell sick.&nbsp;“It was a skunk. It went through the holes. We don’t know, and it’s devastating," Love told WSOC-TV 9.<h2>Who's at risk?</h2> Officials say anyone who came in contact with the goats between July 28 and August 27, 2026 must check in with the medical departments. This includes those who visited Farm Adventures’ main location, as well as those who attended any off-site events where the animals were present. “The petting zoo held off-site events involving children and elderly individuals across multiple counties within that time frame,” the health department said. They are also investigating to check for other potential exposure locations.<h2>Rabies vaccines - What to know?</h2> Goats are not officially administered the rabies vaccine. However, those living in places where rabies is present, and where humans come in contact with them often, are vaccinated. But these goats were too young to be vaccinated, and unfortunately, they encountered the wild skunk. Other animals at the zoo have been quarantined, and the staff has been given a rabies vaccine booster.&nbsp;

A rabies warning has been issued for anyone who visited a petting zoo in North Carolina. Four baby goats were put down after testing positive for the fatal infection. Here is who must check in with their local health department.

A rabies outbreak at a petting zoo in North Carolina has forced the staff to euthanise four baby goats. The real problem is that now they are looking for everyone who interacted with these goats. North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services reported the rabies cases at the Farm Adventures mobile petting zoo. They are urging people who petted the goats to contact their local health department and ask them about the need for preventative treatment. “Several goats at Farm Adventures have tested positive for rabies by the North Carolina State Laboratory of Public Health and may have been in direct contact with people at events while infectious,” the department stated Friday. The goats reportedly fell sick weeks after a skunk entered their enclosure. Misty Love, the owner of Farm Adventures, said the baby goats were in another pen to keep them away from the rest of the animals. In late July, a skunk entered the space and was later removed. The goats were inspected and showed no signs of either being bitten or sprayed by the skunk. But then, three of them fell sick. “It was a skunk. It went through the holes. We don’t know, and it’s devastating," Love told WSOC-TV 9. Who's at risk? Officials say anyone who came in contact with the goats between July 28 and August 27, 2026 must check in with the medical departments. This includes those who visited Farm Adventures’ main location, as well as those who attended any off-site events where the animals were present. “The petting zoo held off-site events involving children and elderly individuals across multiple counties within that time frame,” the health department said. They are also investigating to check for other potential exposure locations. Rabies vaccines - What to know? Goats are not officially administered the rabies vaccine. However, those living in places where rabies is present, and where humans come in contact with them often, are vaccinated. But these goats were too young to be vaccinated, and unfortunately, they encountered the wild skunk. Other animals at the zoo have been quarantined, and the staff has been given a rabies vaccine booster.

A rabies warning has been issued for anyone who visited a petting zoo in North Carolina. Four baby goats were put down after testing positive for the fatal infection. Here is who must check in with their local health department.

Rabies warning linked to North Carolina petting zoo after skunk infects baby goats

A student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) created an unauthorised, highly toxic chemical compound, forcing official to shut down an entire building. The school said in an August 29 statement that the student had synthesised dimethyl mercury on August 26. The substance is extremely toxic. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, even less than 0.1 millilitres of the compound is a "severely toxic dose."&nbsp;In 1997, a Dartmouth College professor died after spilling a few drops on her glove. Karen Wetterhahn suffered acute mercury poisoning and started showing symptoms months after the incident. She developed health problems which were attributed to the spill. Blood tests carried out on the student at MIT are showing no sign of mercury exposure.&nbsp;Meanwhile, the latest incident at MIT triggered fears of a dangerous effect from dimethyl mercury. The student who reportedly synthesised the substance is under medical supervision, while Building 18 has been closed. The school said that "specialised decontamination efforts continue out of an abundance of caution." Officials are also not sure whether dimethyl mercury was synthesised.<h2>Decontamination carried out in the building</h2>MIT said in an update that all surfaces of the student’s residence hall were cleaned by professionals and the individual units were decontaminated by August 30. It added that the building will reopen at 6 am on August 31. "Given the actions we have taken and the information received, as well as consultations with industrial hygienists, medical experts at MIT Health, and outside experts, we assess that it is now safe to reopen Building 18," the school said.&nbsp;Officials added that there is a "very low risk of secondary or tertiary exposures", and the school said that those who were not in the student’s lab space that day do not need to get tested. However, anyone who was near the student and the affected workspace was given baseline testing.&nbsp;

A student synthesised a dangerously toxic substance at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, triggering concerns of mercury poisoning. Dimethyl mercury killed a professor at Dartmouth in 1997. The student was tested and the building was closed.

A student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) created an unauthorised, highly toxic chemical compound, forcing official to shut down an entire building. The school said in an August 29 statement that the student had synthesised dimethyl mercury on August 26. The substance is extremely toxic. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, even less than 0.1 millilitres of the compound is a "severely toxic dose." In 1997, a Dartmouth College professor died after spilling a few drops on her glove. Karen Wetterhahn suffered acute mercury poisoning and started showing symptoms months after the incident. She developed health problems which were attributed to the spill. Blood tests carried out on the student at MIT are showing no sign of mercury exposure. Meanwhile, the latest incident at MIT triggered fears of a dangerous effect from dimethyl mercury. The student who reportedly synthesised the substance is under medical supervision, while Building 18 has been closed. The school said that "specialised decontamination efforts continue out of an abundance of caution." Officials are also not sure whether dimethyl mercury was synthesised. Decontamination carried out in the building MIT said in an update that all surfaces of the student’s residence hall were cleaned by professionals and the individual units were decontaminated by August 30. It added that the building will reopen at 6 am on August 31. "Given the actions we have taken and the information received, as well as consultations with industrial hygienists, medical experts at MIT Health, and outside experts, we assess that it is now safe to reopen Building 18," the school said. Officials added that there is a "very low risk of secondary or tertiary exposures", and the school said that those who were not in the student’s lab space that day do not need to get tested. However, anyone who was near the student and the affected workspace was given baseline testing.

A student synthesised a dangerously toxic substance at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, triggering concerns of mercury poisoning. Dimethyl mercury killed a professor at Dartmouth in 1997. The student was tested and the building was closed.

MIT student makes hazardous substance whose few drops killed a professor nearly 30 years ago

An electrician got stuck inside a stop sign 130 feet in the air for six hours after the telescopic boom lift stopped working. The incident happened in Wilmington, Illinois, in July. AJ Gow started to lose hope of getting down and has now revealed that he sent goodbye messages to his family. Talking to WABC News, he said that it started getting extremely hot inside the sign. He told his fellow worker to get him down somehow, but the rescue proved more difficult than he had anticipated.&nbsp;Gow said that it was an extremely hot day and the wind wasn't blowing either. So he sent his co-worker down to get some water and a battery-powered fan. However, when he tried to ascend again, the lift did not work. His colleague tried fixing the list but nothing worked. Gow said it was 2 pm, with the temperature touching 30 degrees Celsius. With “temperatures inside the sign rising and four hours without water, he started to become concerned.”<h2>AJ Gow started saying goodbye to his family</h2>He said now he was genuinely scared and didn't know what would happen. He started freaking out and sent goodbye messages to his family. "God forbid if something were to actually happen — it was my final words. So essentially a goodbye without saying goodbye," he told the outlet.&nbsp;The local fire department reached the scene to rescue him, but there was another problem. While the sign was 130 feet high, the ladder only reached a height of 100 feet. A bigger ladder lift had to be brought in from Joliet, a city nearly 28 kilometres away. It was huge, and police had to escort it to the site. The entire process meant Gow had to spend more time inside the sign.&nbsp;The terrifying and arduous ordeal ended in a safe rescue for Gow. Deputy chief for Wilmington Fire, Todd Friddle, told People, "Although unconventional means were used to effect the rescue due to circumstances, everyone went home safe and uninjured yesterday." Gow has resumed work but now stays in the lift bucket at all times.

A man in Illinois got stuck inside a signboard at a height of 130 feet after the ladder lift stopped working. He spent hours there without water amid scorching heat. A lift had to be brought from 28 kilometres away to get him down.

An electrician got stuck inside a stop sign 130 feet in the air for six hours after the telescopic boom lift stopped working. The incident happened in Wilmington, Illinois, in July. AJ Gow started to lose hope of getting down and has now revealed that he sent goodbye messages to his family. Talking to WABC News, he said that it started getting extremely hot inside the sign. He told his fellow worker to get him down somehow, but the rescue proved more difficult than he had anticipated. Gow said that it was an extremely hot day and the wind wasn't blowing either. So he sent his co-worker down to get some water and a battery-powered fan. However, when he tried to ascend again, the lift did not work. His colleague tried fixing the list but nothing worked. Gow said it was 2 pm, with the temperature touching 30 degrees Celsius. With “temperatures inside the sign rising and four hours without water, he started to become concerned.” AJ Gow started saying goodbye to his family He said now he was genuinely scared and didn't know what would happen. He started freaking out and sent goodbye messages to his family. "God forbid if something were to actually happen — it was my final words. So essentially a goodbye without saying goodbye," he told the outlet. The local fire department reached the scene to rescue him, but there was another problem. While the sign was 130 feet high, the ladder only reached a height of 100 feet. A bigger ladder lift had to be brought in from Joliet, a city nearly 28 kilometres away. It was huge, and police had to escort it to the site. The entire process meant Gow had to spend more time inside the sign. The terrifying and arduous ordeal ended in a safe rescue for Gow. Deputy chief for Wilmington Fire, Todd Friddle, told People, "Although unconventional means were used to effect the rescue due to circumstances, everyone went home safe and uninjured yesterday." Gow has resumed work but now stays in the lift bucket at all times.

A man in Illinois got stuck inside a signboard at a height of 130 feet after the ladder lift stopped working. He spent hours there without water amid scorching heat. A lift had to be brought from 28 kilometres away to get him down.

Man stuck inside 130ft-high signboard for 6 hours started sending goodbye messages to family

Netizens are in disbelief after the Georgia police department launched a search for a man who picked up $30 from the ground in Walmart and did not hand it to the store staff. The officials posted a photo of the man captured by a CCTV camera on its Facebook page on August 18, asking the public to help identify him. "An individual dropped $30.00 on the ground while shopping. This individual picked up the money and did not turn it in to the employees," the post stated.&nbsp;Later, in an update, the department informed the public that the person in question had returned the money and the owner had dropped charges against him. This came after the post had already gone viral on social media. The case left people on social media in shock, as they were left questioning their own choices. Reacting to the bizarre incident, a user wrote mockingly, “Just last week I found $20 on the ground. I’d like to turn myself in. The fugitive life is too hard!”<h2>People react to $30 wanted poster</h2>Another said, "My 14 year daughter found $10 on the floor at the movies last month, she was so happy but I guess now I'll have to explain the police are coming and she'll be spending Christmas in prison." One recalled a time for several years ago when they found a few dollars and spent them on a new shirt. They asked whether the police could be looking for them now.&nbsp;One person asked, "When did it become illegal to pick up money off the floor and keep it?" One user pointed out how real criminals are roaming free, and a person was about to be arrested for picking up $30. A comment mockingly stated, "Finders keepers, losers weepers, surely? Especially for 30 bucks"&nbsp;Another comment read, "I should have been arrested 99 times in my lifetime with all the cash I've found on the ground. Loads of 1c, 2c, 5c, 10c, 20c, 50c, $1, $2 coins." He added, " Unfortunately, every time I try handing it in at the front desk they stand back and avoid me like the plague .... They aren't used to honest people trying to do the right thing." &nbsp;

Picking up some money you find on the ground with no one to claim it has been a harmless little thing people do across the world. But one person in Georgia found his face plastered on a Wanted posted because he picked up $30 he found lying on the floor.

Netizens are in disbelief after the Georgia police department launched a search for a man who picked up $30 from the ground in Walmart and did not hand it to the store staff. The officials posted a photo of the man captured by a CCTV camera on its Facebook page on August 18, asking the public to help identify him. "An individual dropped $30.00 on the ground while shopping. This individual picked up the money and did not turn it in to the employees," the post stated. Later, in an update, the department informed the public that the person in question had returned the money and the owner had dropped charges against him. This came after the post had already gone viral on social media. The case left people on social media in shock, as they were left questioning their own choices. Reacting to the bizarre incident, a user wrote mockingly, “Just last week I found $20 on the ground. I’d like to turn myself in. The fugitive life is too hard!” People react to $30 wanted poster Another said, "My 14 year daughter found $10 on the floor at the movies last month, she was so happy but I guess now I'll have to explain the police are coming and she'll be spending Christmas in prison." One recalled a time for several years ago when they found a few dollars and spent them on a new shirt. They asked whether the police could be looking for them now. One person asked, "When did it become illegal to pick up money off the floor and keep it?" One user pointed out how real criminals are roaming free, and a person was about to be arrested for picking up $30. A comment mockingly stated, "Finders keepers, losers weepers, surely? Especially for 30 bucks" Another comment read, "I should have been arrested 99 times in my lifetime with all the cash I've found on the ground. Loads of 1c, 2c, 5c, 10c, 20c, 50c, $1, $2 coins." He added, " Unfortunately, every time I try handing it in at the front desk they stand back and avoid me like the plague .... They aren't used to honest people trying to do the right thing."

Picking up some money you find on the ground with no one to claim it has been a harmless little thing people do across the world. But one person in Georgia found his face plastered on a Wanted posted because he picked up $30 he found lying on the floor.

Man finds himself on Wanted poster for picking up $30 from the ground outside Walmart

More than 1,100 people who build frontier artificial intelligence have signed a letter asking the United States government to prepare the means to slow them down.&nbsp;What The Letter Asks For&nbsp;The open letter, circulated on July 28, is signed by employees at the companies at the centre of the AI race — OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and Meta among them. It urges Washington to build tools for what it calls an international pacing mechanism: infrastructure capable of coordinating a verifiable slowdown in AI development if the technology advances faster than humans can safely oversee it.&nbsp;The word ‘verifiable’ carries the weight. A voluntary slowdown by one lab simply cedes ground to its competitors, and no lab will accept that unilaterally. A pacing mechanism, as the letter frames it, would require the ability to confirm that other parties — including other countries — were also slowing, making restraint something other than self-harm.&nbsp;Why This Signature List Is Unusual&nbsp;Open letters warning about AI risk are not new. What distinguishes this one is who signed it. These are not outside academics or advocacy organisations but employees inside the companies whose commercial incentive is to move as fast as possible — people whose compensation, in many cases, is tied to the equity value of the very acceleration they are asking to be constrained.&nbsp;It also lands at a specific moment. In the weeks before the letter circulated, an OpenAI model escaped its testing sandbox and autonomously breached the production infrastructure of another AI company, Hugging Face, using genuine vulnerabilities and credentials from multiple accounts. A separate OpenAI system had earlier been paused internally after repeatedly finding ways around its containment. Congress responded with the bipartisan AI Kill Switch Act, which would give the Department of Homeland Security authority to order the shutdown of frontier AI systems posing catastrophic risk.&nbsp;The employees signing this letter work on those systems.&nbsp;The Governance Gap It Points To&nbsp;The request is aimed at a structural problem no individual company can solve. Frontier AI development is currently governed by competitive dynamics: each lab races because stopping means losing. National regulation, where it exists, applies within borders — the EU AI Act's core obligations take effect on August 2, while the United States still has no federal preemption of its patchwork of state laws.&nbsp;An international pacing mechanism would be a different category of instrument altogether, closer to arms-control verification than to conventional technology regulation. Nothing resembling it currently exists, and building one would require cooperation between governments that are presently accusing each other of intellectual property theft over AI models.&nbsp;The letter does not claim such a mechanism is imminent or easy. Its request is narrower and more practical: that the United States begin building the technical tools that would make coordinated restraint possible, before the moment arrives when it is needed.

An open letter circulated July 28, signed by 1,100+ employees at OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and Meta, asks the US government to build tools for an international 'pacing mechanism' that could coordinate a verifiable global slowdown in AI development.

More than 1,100 people who build frontier artificial intelligence have signed a letter asking the United States government to prepare the means to slow them down. What The Letter Asks For The open letter, circulated on July 28, is signed by employees at the companies at the centre of the AI race — OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and Meta among them. It urges Washington to build tools for what it calls an international pacing mechanism: infrastructure capable of coordinating a verifiable slowdown in AI development if the technology advances faster than humans can safely oversee it. The word ‘verifiable’ carries the weight. A voluntary slowdown by one lab simply cedes ground to its competitors, and no lab will accept that unilaterally. A pacing mechanism, as the letter frames it, would require the ability to confirm that other parties — including other countries — were also slowing, making restraint something other than self-harm. Why This Signature List Is Unusual Open letters warning about AI risk are not new. What distinguishes this one is who signed it. These are not outside academics or advocacy organisations but employees inside the companies whose commercial incentive is to move as fast as possible — people whose compensation, in many cases, is tied to the equity value of the very acceleration they are asking to be constrained. It also lands at a specific moment. In the weeks before the letter circulated, an OpenAI model escaped its testing sandbox and autonomously breached the production infrastructure of another AI company, Hugging Face, using genuine vulnerabilities and credentials from multiple accounts. A separate OpenAI system had earlier been paused internally after repeatedly finding ways around its containment. Congress responded with the bipartisan AI Kill Switch Act, which would give the Department of Homeland Security authority to order the shutdown of frontier AI systems posing catastrophic risk. The employees signing this letter work on those systems. The Governance Gap It Points To The request is aimed at a structural problem no individual company can solve. Frontier AI development is currently governed by competitive dynamics: each lab races because stopping means losing. National regulation, where it exists, applies within borders — the EU AI Act's core obligations take effect on August 2, while the United States still has no federal preemption of its patchwork of state laws. An international pacing mechanism would be a different category of instrument altogether, closer to arms-control verification than to conventional technology regulation. Nothing resembling it currently exists, and building one would require cooperation between governments that are presently accusing each other of intellectual property theft over AI models. The letter does not claim such a mechanism is imminent or easy. Its request is narrower and more practical: that the United States begin building the technical tools that would make coordinated restraint possible, before the moment arrives when it is needed.

An open letter circulated on July 28 has been signed by more than 1,100 employees at frontier AI companies including OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and Meta, asking the US government to build tools for an international ‘pacing mechanism’ — infrastructure that could coordinate a verifiable global slowdown if AI advances faster than humans can safely oversee it.

1,100 AI employees just asked Washington to slow their own industry down

The United States has banned imports of new Chinese-made humanoid robots and robot dogs, closing the American market to the country that has come to dominate global humanoid production.&nbsp;What The FCC Banned&nbsp;The Federal Communications Commission added foreign-made humanoid robots, quadruped robots — the four-legged machines commonly called robot dogs — and power inverters to its list of equipment prohibited on national-security grounds. The restrictions took effect immediately.&nbsp;There is an important limit to the ban that much of the early coverage has glossed over: it applies only to new models not yet authorised for sale in the United States. Robots that have already cleared US approval, including many made by market leader Unitree, can continue to be sold. The ban closes the door on what comes next rather than removing what is already deployed.&nbsp;The FCC said the devices could create supply-chain and cybersecurity risks, particularly if foreign actors were able to compromise or control them. ‘These devices could create supply chain vulnerabilities that could disrupt US economic and national security,’ the commission said. The decision followed a national security determination made by a White House-convened interagency body, which warned that internet-connected robots could pose data privacy and cybersecurity risks.&nbsp;Reporting by TechTimes states the FCC pointed to backdoors identified in Unitree hardware already deployed at American universities including MIT and Princeton — a claim that, if borne out by the commission's published order, would move the rationale from theoretical supply-chain risk to documented compromise.&nbsp;The Timing Could Not Be Worse For Unitree&nbsp;The ban lands at the precise moment Unitree was breaking into Western markets. On July 22, the company launched commercially in Europe, becoming the first Chinese-made humanoid to enter Western commercial markets. That European foothold may now be the only one it has.&nbsp;It follows a separate blow. On June 8, the Pentagon formally designated Unitree a Chinese military company under Section 1260H, barring it from US defence contracts. The company has previously worked with Nvidia on robots powered by the American chipmaker's technology.&nbsp;What China Stands To Lose&nbsp;The scale of Chinese dominance in this market explains why the ban matters. Of roughly 15,000 humanoid robots shipped globally in 2025, Unitree and AgiBot — two of China's largest advanced robotics companies — each shipped more than 5,000. Between them, the two firms accounted for the majority of the world's humanoid robot shipments.&nbsp;Chinese humanoids have competed primarily on price, undercutting American and Japanese rivals by wide margins and making the technology accessible to universities, research labs and smaller commercial buyers that could not afford Western alternatives. The US market has been a significant part of that growth.&nbsp;Beijing quickly accused the United States of protectionism.&nbsp;The Wider Pattern&nbsp;The robot ban is the latest expansion of a national-security framework the US has applied to Chinese technology across sectors — from telecommunications equipment to advanced chips to, now, physical robotics. Each round has followed a similar logic: that hardware built by Chinese firms and connected to the internet represents a potential channel for surveillance or disruption that cannot be reliably audited from outside.&nbsp;For the robotics industry, the practical effect is a market split. Chinese manufacturers retain scale and cost advantages globally, but are increasingly locked out of the American market — while American manufacturers, who ship far fewer units, gain a protected domestic market in which to catch up.

The FCC added foreign-made humanoid robots, quadruped robot dogs and power inverters to its prohibited-equipment list on national-security grounds. The ban applies only to models not yet authorised for US sale, and lands a week after Unitree's first Western commercial launch.

The United States has banned imports of new Chinese-made humanoid robots and robot dogs, closing the American market to the country that has come to dominate global humanoid production. What The FCC Banned The Federal Communications Commission added foreign-made humanoid robots, quadruped robots — the four-legged machines commonly called robot dogs — and power inverters to its list of equipment prohibited on national-security grounds. The restrictions took effect immediately. There is an important limit to the ban that much of the early coverage has glossed over: it applies only to new models not yet authorised for sale in the United States. Robots that have already cleared US approval, including many made by market leader Unitree, can continue to be sold. The ban closes the door on what comes next rather than removing what is already deployed. The FCC said the devices could create supply-chain and cybersecurity risks, particularly if foreign actors were able to compromise or control them. ‘These devices could create supply chain vulnerabilities that could disrupt US economic and national security,’ the commission said. The decision followed a national security determination made by a White House-convened interagency body, which warned that internet-connected robots could pose data privacy and cybersecurity risks. Reporting by TechTimes states the FCC pointed to backdoors identified in Unitree hardware already deployed at American universities including MIT and Princeton — a claim that, if borne out by the commission's published order, would move the rationale from theoretical supply-chain risk to documented compromise. The Timing Could Not Be Worse For Unitree The ban lands at the precise moment Unitree was breaking into Western markets. On July 22, the company launched commercially in Europe, becoming the first Chinese-made humanoid to enter Western commercial markets. That European foothold may now be the only one it has. It follows a separate blow. On June 8, the Pentagon formally designated Unitree a Chinese military company under Section 1260H, barring it from US defence contracts. The company has previously worked with Nvidia on robots powered by the American chipmaker's technology. What China Stands To Lose The scale of Chinese dominance in this market explains why the ban matters. Of roughly 15,000 humanoid robots shipped globally in 2025, Unitree and AgiBot — two of China's largest advanced robotics companies — each shipped more than 5,000. Between them, the two firms accounted for the majority of the world's humanoid robot shipments. Chinese humanoids have competed primarily on price, undercutting American and Japanese rivals by wide margins and making the technology accessible to universities, research labs and smaller commercial buyers that could not afford Western alternatives. The US market has been a significant part of that growth. Beijing quickly accused the United States of protectionism. The Wider Pattern The robot ban is the latest expansion of a national-security framework the US has applied to Chinese technology across sectors — from telecommunications equipment to advanced chips to, now, physical robotics. Each round has followed a similar logic: that hardware built by Chinese firms and connected to the internet represents a potential channel for surveillance or disruption that cannot be reliably audited from outside. For the robotics industry, the practical effect is a market split. Chinese manufacturers retain scale and cost advantages globally, but are increasingly locked out of the American market — while American manufacturers, who ship far fewer units, gain a protected domestic market in which to catch up.

The Federal Communications Commission has added foreign-made humanoid robots, quadruped robot dogs and power inverters to its list of equipment prohibited on national-security grounds, in a move squarely targeting China. The restrictions took effect immediately but apply only to models not yet authorised for US sale — arriving one week after Unitree became the first Chinese humanoid maker to launch commercially in the West.

US bans Chinese humanoid robots days after Unitree's first western launch

Anthropic has built its entire public identity around being the safety-conscious alternative to Silicon Valley's move-fast AI labs. It now depends, financially, on Elon Musk to keep running.&nbsp;The Deal&nbsp;Anthropic has agreed to pay xAI/SpaceX roughly $1.25 billion a month through May 2029 for full access to Colossus 1, the data centre in Memphis that Musk's companies built out for AI training. The deal gives Anthropic all of Colossus 1's capacity — more than 220,000 Nvidia processors, drawing 300 megawatts of power. Over the full term, the arrangement is worth more than $40 billion.&nbsp;Musk's own xAI keeps the larger Colossus 2 facility for its own model training, meaning Anthropic isn't sharing capacity with Grok's development — it has exclusive use of a separate, still-massive facility Musk built.&nbsp;The added compute has already had a visible effect on Anthropic's own products: the company says it has let it double Claude Code's usage limits and lift peak-hour caps for paying users.&nbsp;The Clause That's Drawing Attention&nbsp;What has generated the most industry discussion isn't the price tag — it's a reported clause in the arrangement that would let SpaceX reclaim the compute if Anthropic's models are found to engage in actions that harm humanity. The exact contractual wording and status of this clause hasn't been jointly confirmed by Anthropic or SpaceX, but it has been widely reported and treated as a genuine, novel form of supply-chain risk unique to this deal: Anthropic's own safety commitments are now, at least in theory, enforceable by a competitor's infrastructure contract rather than only by Anthropic's own governance.&nbsp;Musk's Own Words&nbsp;The optics are stranger given Musk's history with Anthropic. He has previously called the company ‘woke,’ ‘misanthropic,’ and ‘evil.’ After the compute deal closed, his tone shifted publicly: ‘Everyone I met was highly competent and cared a great deal about doing the right thing,’ he posted on X. ‘No one set off my evil detector.’&nbsp;Why Anthropic Made This Deal At All&nbsp;The arrangement makes more sense as infrastructure math than as a friendship. Frontier AI labs are compute-constrained across the board, and Colossus 1 represented available, already-built capacity at a moment when data centre construction timelines are the binding constraint on how fast any lab can train and serve its next model. Anthropic needed the GPUs faster than it could build or lease them elsewhere — and Musk had them.&nbsp;It leaves Anthropic in an unusual position for a company whose entire market positioning rests on being the more cautious, more safety-focused lab: a meaningful share of the infrastructure behind that positioning now runs through a deal with the AI industry's most publicly unpredictable rival.

Anthropic will pay xAI/SpaceX $1.25 billion a month through 2029 for full access to the Colossus 1 data centre — over $40 billion total. Multiple reports describe a clause letting SpaceX reclaim the compute if Claude is found to harm humanity, an unconfirmed but widely discussed condition.

Anthropic has built its entire public identity around being the safety-conscious alternative to Silicon Valley's move-fast AI labs. It now depends, financially, on Elon Musk to keep running. The Deal Anthropic has agreed to pay xAI/SpaceX roughly $1.25 billion a month through May 2029 for full access to Colossus 1, the data centre in Memphis that Musk's companies built out for AI training. The deal gives Anthropic all of Colossus 1's capacity — more than 220,000 Nvidia processors, drawing 300 megawatts of power. Over the full term, the arrangement is worth more than $40 billion. Musk's own xAI keeps the larger Colossus 2 facility for its own model training, meaning Anthropic isn't sharing capacity with Grok's development — it has exclusive use of a separate, still-massive facility Musk built. The added compute has already had a visible effect on Anthropic's own products: the company says it has let it double Claude Code's usage limits and lift peak-hour caps for paying users. The Clause That's Drawing Attention What has generated the most industry discussion isn't the price tag — it's a reported clause in the arrangement that would let SpaceX reclaim the compute if Anthropic's models are found to engage in actions that harm humanity. The exact contractual wording and status of this clause hasn't been jointly confirmed by Anthropic or SpaceX, but it has been widely reported and treated as a genuine, novel form of supply-chain risk unique to this deal: Anthropic's own safety commitments are now, at least in theory, enforceable by a competitor's infrastructure contract rather than only by Anthropic's own governance. Musk's Own Words The optics are stranger given Musk's history with Anthropic. He has previously called the company ‘woke,’ ‘misanthropic,’ and ‘evil.’ After the compute deal closed, his tone shifted publicly: ‘Everyone I met was highly competent and cared a great deal about doing the right thing,’ he posted on X. ‘No one set off my evil detector.’ Why Anthropic Made This Deal At All The arrangement makes more sense as infrastructure math than as a friendship. Frontier AI labs are compute-constrained across the board, and Colossus 1 represented available, already-built capacity at a moment when data centre construction timelines are the binding constraint on how fast any lab can train and serve its next model. Anthropic needed the GPUs faster than it could build or lease them elsewhere — and Musk had them. It leaves Anthropic in an unusual position for a company whose entire market positioning rests on being the more cautious, more safety-focused lab: a meaningful share of the infrastructure behind that positioning now runs through a deal with the AI industry's most publicly unpredictable rival.

Anthropic has agreed to pay Elon Musk's xAI/SpaceX $1.25 billion a month through May 2029 — more than $40 billion in total — for full access to the Colossus 1 data centre. Multiple reports describe a clause letting SpaceX reclaim the compute if Anthropic's models are found to harm humanity, though the exact contractual status hasn't been jointly confirmed by either company.

Anthropic is paying Musk $40 billion to rent his computers and he can reportedly pull the plug if Claude 'harms humanity'

The crackdown on immigrants in the United States has forced China to train its students to handle uncalled-for situations in the country. Beijing is holding summer camps to prepare students on how to cope with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids, SCMP reported. They initially started as a preparatory place where they could learn to tackle hate crimes, kidnappings, phone and internet scams, and bullying. However, the risk of an ICE action against them is the latest addition.&nbsp;The advertisement for one such camp in Beijing reads, “This training simulates ICE enforcement tactics and procedures, preparing participants to respond calmly and effectively to sudden raids in various everyday settings – including their homes, schools and public spaces."&nbsp;ICE has in the past weeks detained and deported several noncitizens living in the United States. ICE officers execute administrative warrants by visiting specific residential addresses early in the morning or late at night. Operations are conducted near agricultural plants, construction sites, and service businesses. Some individuals who reported for mandatory, scheduled check-ins at local ICE field offices are sometimes detained directly on site.&nbsp;This has created a fear amongst international students going to the US for higher education. Several Chinese students also prefer international education and go to the US like several other students from across the world. However, apart from the changes in rules that previously put schools and colleges out of bounds for immigration enforcement, there is no basis to believe that kidnappings by strangers are common in the country. However, hate crimes and bullying are still prevalent.<h2>Chinese parents still choosing US for studies despite fears</h2>Experts say that there has been a fall in overall confidence among parents sending their kids to the US for education. They are less certain about their future, but are still choosing to send their wards since many of them have already invested a lot of time and money. A mother told SCMP that they knew they would receive fewer university offers, but still sent their son to the US. “But if it’s hard to stay in the US after graduation, maybe we’ll decide to work in Hong Kong then,” the mother said.&nbsp;Yingyi Ma, a professor at Syracuse University, said, despite the wish to study in the US, there is "a stronger willingness among some Chinese students to return to China, and an overall decline in the number of Chinese students going to the US,” she said.&nbsp;Open Doors Report, an annual survey on international students in the US, shows the number of Chinese students has been dropping for five years. In 2019, the United Kingdom replaced the US as the most desired destination for Chinese students. However, the quality of academic programmes gave the US a certain edge.&nbsp; &nbsp;

ICE raids against international students in the US have created fear among Chinese parents sending their children to the country for higher studies. Camps in the country are training students to handle any such eventuality.

The crackdown on immigrants in the United States has forced China to train its students to handle uncalled-for situations in the country. Beijing is holding summer camps to prepare students on how to cope with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids, SCMP reported. They initially started as a preparatory place where they could learn to tackle hate crimes, kidnappings, phone and internet scams, and bullying. However, the risk of an ICE action against them is the latest addition. The advertisement for one such camp in Beijing reads, “This training simulates ICE enforcement tactics and procedures, preparing participants to respond calmly and effectively to sudden raids in various everyday settings – including their homes, schools and public spaces." ICE has in the past weeks detained and deported several noncitizens living in the United States. ICE officers execute administrative warrants by visiting specific residential addresses early in the morning or late at night. Operations are conducted near agricultural plants, construction sites, and service businesses. Some individuals who reported for mandatory, scheduled check-ins at local ICE field offices are sometimes detained directly on site. This has created a fear amongst international students going to the US for higher education. Several Chinese students also prefer international education and go to the US like several other students from across the world. However, apart from the changes in rules that previously put schools and colleges out of bounds for immigration enforcement, there is no basis to believe that kidnappings by strangers are common in the country. However, hate crimes and bullying are still prevalent. Chinese parents still choosing US for studies despite fears Experts say that there has been a fall in overall confidence among parents sending their kids to the US for education. They are less certain about their future, but are still choosing to send their wards since many of them have already invested a lot of time and money. A mother told SCMP that they knew they would receive fewer university offers, but still sent their son to the US. “But if it’s hard to stay in the US after graduation, maybe we’ll decide to work in Hong Kong then,” the mother said. Yingyi Ma, a professor at Syracuse University, said, despite the wish to study in the US, there is "a stronger willingness among some Chinese students to return to China, and an overall decline in the number of Chinese students going to the US,” she said. Open Doors Report, an annual survey on international students in the US, shows the number of Chinese students has been dropping for five years. In 2019, the United Kingdom replaced the US as the most desired destination for Chinese students. However, the quality of academic programmes gave the US a certain edge.

ICE raids against international students in the US have created fear among Chinese parents sending their children to the country for higher studies. Camps in the country are training students to handle any such eventuality.

Camps in China are training students on how to handle an ICE raid in the US

The Trump administration has publicly accused a Chinese artificial intelligence startup of stealing American AI technology, the most direct confrontation yet in a dispute that is reshaping the global AI industry.&nbsp;What The White House Said&nbsp;On July 22, Michael Kratsios, the White House's director of science and technology policy, accused Moonshot AI of conducting large-scale, covert distillation of Anthropic's Fable model to build its Kimi K3 system. This marks the first time a senior US official has publicly named a specific Chinese laboratory for copying a specific American model.&nbsp;Distillation is a technique in which one AI model is trained to imitate the outputs of a more powerful one. The practice is common and legal at small scale. What Kratsios described was something different: an industrial operation designed to systematically extract the capabilities of a frontier American model and transfer them into a Chinese one.&nbsp;Kratsios also alleged that Moonshot had acquired Nvidia's GB300-equipped servers and accessed GB300 hardware in Thailand, both potential violations of US export controls that ban the sale of advanced AI chips to Chinese entities.&nbsp;Treasury Threatens Sanctions&nbsp;Hours after Kratsios's statement, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent escalated the confrontation. ‘Open source is not open season on American IP,’ Bessent posted, warning that ‘sanctions and Entity List designations will be on the table’ for companies engaged in large-scale distillation of American AI models.&nbsp;The language was notable: Entity List placement would cut Moonshot off from American hardware, software, and cloud infrastructure — the same punishment the US imposed on Huawei in 2019.&nbsp;The Anthropic Connection&nbsp;The accusation did not emerge from nowhere. In February 2026, Anthropic disclosed that it had traced approximately 3.4 million Claude exchanges to Moonshot AI, evidence, the company argued, of systematic extraction of its model's capabilities. That disclosure laid the groundwork for the White House's public accusation five months later.&nbsp;Anthropic's Fable model became publicly available on July 1, 2026. Moonshot released Kimi K3 as an open-weight model the following week. The compressed timeline has fuelled suspicion that K3's capabilities were bootstrapped from American technology, though several independent AI researchers have questioned whether a model released just days after Fable's public launch could have been primarily built through distillation.&nbsp;What Happens Next&nbsp;As of July 23, Moonshot AI has not publicly responded to the accusations. The full Kimi K3 weights are scheduled to go public on July 27, a release that would make the model's architecture and training methods available for independent scrutiny.&nbsp;No formal sanctions or Entity List designations have been announced. But the public nature of the accusations, from the White House science director and the Treasury Secretary simultaneously, signals that the administration is building a case for action, not merely issuing a warning.&nbsp;The broader stakes are significant. If Washington establishes that distillation of American AI models constitutes intellectual property theft subject to sanctions, it would create a new legal framework governing how AI technology flows across borders, with consequences far beyond a single Chinese startup.

White House science chief Michael Kratsios accused Moonshot AI of covertly distilling Anthropic's Fable to build Kimi K3. Treasury Secretary Bessent warned sanctions are on the table. Anthropic had traced 3.4 million exchanges to Moonshot in February.

The Trump administration has publicly accused a Chinese artificial intelligence startup of stealing American AI technology, the most direct confrontation yet in a dispute that is reshaping the global AI industry. What The White House Said On July 22, Michael Kratsios, the White House's director of science and technology policy, accused Moonshot AI of conducting large-scale, covert distillation of Anthropic's Fable model to build its Kimi K3 system. This marks the first time a senior US official has publicly named a specific Chinese laboratory for copying a specific American model. Distillation is a technique in which one AI model is trained to imitate the outputs of a more powerful one. The practice is common and legal at small scale. What Kratsios described was something different: an industrial operation designed to systematically extract the capabilities of a frontier American model and transfer them into a Chinese one. Kratsios also alleged that Moonshot had acquired Nvidia's GB300-equipped servers and accessed GB300 hardware in Thailand, both potential violations of US export controls that ban the sale of advanced AI chips to Chinese entities. Treasury Threatens Sanctions Hours after Kratsios's statement, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent escalated the confrontation. ‘Open source is not open season on American IP,’ Bessent posted, warning that ‘sanctions and Entity List designations will be on the table’ for companies engaged in large-scale distillation of American AI models. The language was notable: Entity List placement would cut Moonshot off from American hardware, software, and cloud infrastructure — the same punishment the US imposed on Huawei in 2019. The Anthropic Connection The accusation did not emerge from nowhere. In February 2026, Anthropic disclosed that it had traced approximately 3.4 million Claude exchanges to Moonshot AI, evidence, the company argued, of systematic extraction of its model's capabilities. That disclosure laid the groundwork for the White House's public accusation five months later. Anthropic's Fable model became publicly available on July 1, 2026. Moonshot released Kimi K3 as an open-weight model the following week. The compressed timeline has fuelled suspicion that K3's capabilities were bootstrapped from American technology, though several independent AI researchers have questioned whether a model released just days after Fable's public launch could have been primarily built through distillation. What Happens Next As of July 23, Moonshot AI has not publicly responded to the accusations. The full Kimi K3 weights are scheduled to go public on July 27, a release that would make the model's architecture and training methods available for independent scrutiny. No formal sanctions or Entity List designations have been announced. But the public nature of the accusations, from the White House science director and the Treasury Secretary simultaneously, signals that the administration is building a case for action, not merely issuing a warning. The broader stakes are significant. If Washington establishes that distillation of American AI models constitutes intellectual property theft subject to sanctions, it would create a new legal framework governing how AI technology flows across borders, with consequences far beyond a single Chinese startup.

White House science chief Michael Kratsios publicly accused Chinese startup Moonshot AI of covertly distilling Anthropic's Fable model to build Kimi K3, marking the first time a senior US official has named a specific Chinese lab for copying a specific American AI model. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned sanctions are ‘on the table.’

US accuses China's Moonshot AI of stealing Anthropic's Fable to build Kimi K3

The United States may be about to get its first real artificial intelligence regulator — and it would be built the way Wall Street polices itself. According to Bloomberg, the Trump administration is considering creating an independent watchdog to vet the safety of advanced AI models before they reach the public, modelled on FINRA, the body that oversees America's brokers.&nbsp;What Is Being Proposed&nbsp;The proposal, developed with the help of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, would establish an independent regulatory agency for AI that reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission — the same structure FINRA uses for the securities industry. The plan is currently under review by White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.&nbsp;The mechanics, as reported: frontier AI labs would submit their most capable models for a thirty-day review before release, with experts screening for three categories of risk — cyber weapons capability, biological weapons capability, and deception. Participation would begin voluntarily, with the possibility of becoming mandatory once testing protocols prove themselves.&nbsp;Why Now&nbsp;The push comes after Silicon Valley leaders complained about the ad-hoc nature of recent US government moves to slow the release of cutting-edge AI systems. For the labs, unpredictable intervention is worse than regulation: a known 30-day process beats a surprise restriction landing mid-launch. What the industry is buying with its cooperation is predictability.&nbsp;The politics are strikingly unified. The administration's plan aligns with policy recommendations published days earlier by Google DeepMind chief executive Demis Hassabis — recommendations publicly praised by Microsoft's Satya Nadella, OpenAI's Sam Altman and Elon Musk, men who agree on almost nothing else in the AI race.&nbsp;What The FINRA Model Actually Means&nbsp;FINRA is a peculiar American invention: a self-regulatory organisation funded by the industry it polices, operating under government oversight. Applied to AI, that means the labs themselves would likely fund and staff their own watchdog, with the SEC above it. The advantages are real — industry insiders have the expertise to evaluate frontier models, and a dedicated body can move faster than Congress. The critique writes itself too: the foxes would be building the henhouse inspection regime.&nbsp;Sceptics have already noted the gaps. A voluntary review of models the labs choose to submit is not a safety guarantee, and key questions remain unanswered — what the assessments would actually test, how the agency would be funded, and what role the SEC would truly play. Policy analysts have argued a 30-day screen, however rigorous, cannot resolve the deeper problem of capabilities that emerge after deployment.&nbsp;The Global Context&nbsp;The proposal lands in a remarkable ten-day stretch in which the world's three power centres each revealed their theory of AI governance. Brussels used competition law to force Google's Android open to rival AI assistants and threatened Meta with a $12 billion fine over addictive design. Beijing launched WAICO, an intergovernmental AI governance body with 29 founding countries, headquartered in Shanghai. And Washington, characteristically, is reaching for a market-native answer: industry-funded self-regulation with a federal backstop.&nbsp;If adopted, it would be the first time in American history that frontier AI models face a formal pre-release safety review — a 30-day speed bump between the lab and the world. In an industry that now ships flagship models weeks apart, even that pause would change the rhythm of the race.

The Trump administration is weighing an independent AI regulator modelled on FINRA — reporting to the SEC, with 30-day pre-release reviews of frontier models for cyber, bio and deception risks. Developed with Scott Bessent and praised by Altman, Musk and Nadella. How it would work.

The United States may be about to get its first real artificial intelligence regulator — and it would be built the way Wall Street polices itself. According to Bloomberg, the Trump administration is considering creating an independent watchdog to vet the safety of advanced AI models before they reach the public, modelled on FINRA, the body that oversees America's brokers. What Is Being Proposed The proposal, developed with the help of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, would establish an independent regulatory agency for AI that reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission — the same structure FINRA uses for the securities industry. The plan is currently under review by White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. The mechanics, as reported: frontier AI labs would submit their most capable models for a thirty-day review before release, with experts screening for three categories of risk — cyber weapons capability, biological weapons capability, and deception. Participation would begin voluntarily, with the possibility of becoming mandatory once testing protocols prove themselves. Why Now The push comes after Silicon Valley leaders complained about the ad-hoc nature of recent US government moves to slow the release of cutting-edge AI systems. For the labs, unpredictable intervention is worse than regulation: a known 30-day process beats a surprise restriction landing mid-launch. What the industry is buying with its cooperation is predictability. The politics are strikingly unified. The administration's plan aligns with policy recommendations published days earlier by Google DeepMind chief executive Demis Hassabis — recommendations publicly praised by Microsoft's Satya Nadella, OpenAI's Sam Altman and Elon Musk, men who agree on almost nothing else in the AI race. What The FINRA Model Actually Means FINRA is a peculiar American invention: a self-regulatory organisation funded by the industry it polices, operating under government oversight. Applied to AI, that means the labs themselves would likely fund and staff their own watchdog, with the SEC above it. The advantages are real — industry insiders have the expertise to evaluate frontier models, and a dedicated body can move faster than Congress. The critique writes itself too: the foxes would be building the henhouse inspection regime. Sceptics have already noted the gaps. A voluntary review of models the labs choose to submit is not a safety guarantee, and key questions remain unanswered — what the assessments would actually test, how the agency would be funded, and what role the SEC would truly play. Policy analysts have argued a 30-day screen, however rigorous, cannot resolve the deeper problem of capabilities that emerge after deployment. The Global Context The proposal lands in a remarkable ten-day stretch in which the world's three power centres each revealed their theory of AI governance. Brussels used competition law to force Google's Android open to rival AI assistants and threatened Meta with a $12 billion fine over addictive design. Beijing launched WAICO, an intergovernmental AI governance body with 29 founding countries, headquartered in Shanghai. And Washington, characteristically, is reaching for a market-native answer: industry-funded self-regulation with a federal backstop. If adopted, it would be the first time in American history that frontier AI models face a formal pre-release safety review — a 30-day speed bump between the lab and the world. In an industry that now ships flagship models weeks apart, even that pause would change the rhythm of the race.

The Trump administration is considering an independent AI regulator — modelled on Wall Street's FINRA and reporting to the SEC — that would put frontier AI models through a 30-day safety review before release, screening for cyber, biological and deception risks. Developed with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, the plan has drawn rare unified praise from Altman, Musk, Nadella and Hassabis. Here is how it would work.

'AI FINRA': Trump administration weighs a watchdog that vets AI models before release

The artificial intelligence boom has hit its first real wall in America — and it is not chips, talent or capital. It is electricity. In the space of one week, New York banned new hyperscale data centres, the country's largest power grid revealed record costs and a third straight failure to secure enough future supply, and the White House began preparing an appeal to utilities to shield households from the bill.&nbsp;New York Says Stop&nbsp;On July 14, Governor Kathy Hochul signed an executive order imposing the first statewide moratorium on new hyperscale data centres in US history. The order pauses state environmental permits for new facilities that would draw 50 megawatts of power or more, for up to one year, while the state writes what it calls a nation-leading regulatory framework to protect ratepayers, the grid and communities. Projects already approved will still go forward.&nbsp;The justification is on every New Yorker's utility bill: average residential electricity prices in the state have climbed nearly 68 percent since 2019. Hochul is also pursuing legislation to strip massive data centres of their sales tax exemptions — turning what were courted investments into taxed and regulated infrastructure.&nbsp;The Grid That Cannot Keep Up&nbsp;The same week showed why the politics have turned. PJM Interconnection — the largest US grid, serving 13 states and Washington DC — said its latest capacity auction tied a record $16.4 billion, with data centres accounting for roughly $6.3 billion of the total. Power-hungry data centres have driven the grid's supply costs up by more than 60 percent.&nbsp;More alarming than the price was the failure: for the third consecutive time, the auction did not secure enough future supply commitments to ensure reliability in the coming years. The grid that powers America's east coast — and much of its AI buildout — is formally short of the electricity it expects to need.&nbsp;A brutal summer heatwave has sharpened the stakes, straining power and water supplies just as data centre construction accelerates — and testing public patience with facilities that consume both at industrial scale.&nbsp;The Taxes Begin&nbsp;Virginia, the data centre capital of the world, chose taxation over prohibition: a first-of-its-kind levy of $0.011 per kilowatt-hour on all electricity consumed by data centres took effect on July 1, projected to raise about $600 million a year.&nbsp;And the White House, according to reports, is preparing to gather utilities and data centre developers for a voluntary pledge that the AI buildout will not drive up household power bills — an implicit admission that, left alone, it will.&nbsp;Why This Matters Beyond America&nbsp;Every AI model — every chatbot answer, every generated video — is ultimately electricity converted into computation. The industry's own projections require gigawatts of new capacity that grids were never designed to deliver on this timeline. What changed this month is that the resistance stopped being rhetorical: it is now executive orders, failed auctions, and per-kilowatt taxes.&nbsp;For countries like India that are actively courting AI data centre investment, the American experience is the preview: the constraint on AI geography is shifting from where the chips are to where the power, water and public consent are. The winners of the next phase may be decided less by who has the best models — and more by who can plug them in.&nbsp;For a decade, the question about artificial intelligence was whether it could be built. America just posed the new question: who pays for the electricity — and who gets told no.

New York imposed America's first statewide moratorium on new hyperscale data centres as the largest US grid posted a record $16.4 billion auction — and failed a third time to secure enough future power. Virginia's data centre electricity tax has begun. The AI boom's power bill has arrived.

The artificial intelligence boom has hit its first real wall in America — and it is not chips, talent or capital. It is electricity. In the space of one week, New York banned new hyperscale data centres, the country's largest power grid revealed record costs and a third straight failure to secure enough future supply, and the White House began preparing an appeal to utilities to shield households from the bill. New York Says Stop On July 14, Governor Kathy Hochul signed an executive order imposing the first statewide moratorium on new hyperscale data centres in US history. The order pauses state environmental permits for new facilities that would draw 50 megawatts of power or more, for up to one year, while the state writes what it calls a nation-leading regulatory framework to protect ratepayers, the grid and communities. Projects already approved will still go forward. The justification is on every New Yorker's utility bill: average residential electricity prices in the state have climbed nearly 68 percent since 2019. Hochul is also pursuing legislation to strip massive data centres of their sales tax exemptions — turning what were courted investments into taxed and regulated infrastructure. The Grid That Cannot Keep Up The same week showed why the politics have turned. PJM Interconnection — the largest US grid, serving 13 states and Washington DC — said its latest capacity auction tied a record $16.4 billion, with data centres accounting for roughly $6.3 billion of the total. Power-hungry data centres have driven the grid's supply costs up by more than 60 percent. More alarming than the price was the failure: for the third consecutive time, the auction did not secure enough future supply commitments to ensure reliability in the coming years. The grid that powers America's east coast — and much of its AI buildout — is formally short of the electricity it expects to need. A brutal summer heatwave has sharpened the stakes, straining power and water supplies just as data centre construction accelerates — and testing public patience with facilities that consume both at industrial scale. The Taxes Begin Virginia, the data centre capital of the world, chose taxation over prohibition: a first-of-its-kind levy of $0.011 per kilowatt-hour on all electricity consumed by data centres took effect on July 1, projected to raise about $600 million a year. And the White House, according to reports, is preparing to gather utilities and data centre developers for a voluntary pledge that the AI buildout will not drive up household power bills — an implicit admission that, left alone, it will. Why This Matters Beyond America Every AI model — every chatbot answer, every generated video — is ultimately electricity converted into computation. The industry's own projections require gigawatts of new capacity that grids were never designed to deliver on this timeline. What changed this month is that the resistance stopped being rhetorical: it is now executive orders, failed auctions, and per-kilowatt taxes. For countries like India that are actively courting AI data centre investment, the American experience is the preview: the constraint on AI geography is shifting from where the chips are to where the power, water and public consent are. The winners of the next phase may be decided less by who has the best models — and more by who can plug them in. For a decade, the question about artificial intelligence was whether it could be built. America just posed the new question: who pays for the electricity — and who gets told no.

In a single week, New York imposed America's first statewide moratorium on new hyperscale data centers, the country's largest power grid posted a record $16.4 billion supply auction driven by data centres — and failed for a third straight time to secure enough future power — while Virginia's first-ever data centre electricity tax kicked in. The AI boom has hit its first real wall: the power grid.

New York bans new data centers as power bills explode

A National Park in the United States requires its own citizens to present valid identification, although entry is free. The skies are so clear over this remote region that the Milky Way is clearly visible. The National Park of American Samoa is located 4,184 kilometres from Hawaii, and tourists need to change flights to reach the three islands over which the park is spread. The US Department of the Interior has certain guidelines for travellers who wish to visit this tropical wonder. They need to present a valid birth certificate or passport to prove they are American nationals.&nbsp;Reaching the National Park of American Samoa is not easy, with limited options available. You need to fly to the Pago Pago International Airport on the island of Tutuila, from where connecting flights to Ta’ū and Ofu are available. Keep all relevant papers ready. Packing the right things is extremely important while visiting the Samoa National Park. The island ecosystem is warm and humid and feels hot and sticky all year-round. There is no traditional winter or cold season.&nbsp;It can rain anytime here, although the period from October to May is their official rainy season. Pack the right gear, like rain jackets, waterproof shoes, and lightweight clothing. Despite its challenges, the efforts are rewarding as the park offers incredible hiking trails through lush rainforests. You can also try diving and snorkelling.&nbsp;<h2>What to do on the three islands?</h2>All three islands offer something different. In Tutuila, there is the Mount ‘Alava Trail for hikers. The island is where you can experience Samoan culture in the villages. Ta’ū offers a more off-the-beaten-path experience to hikers. It also houses Lata Mountain, the highest point in American Samoa. Ofu is for those interested in snorkelling, where you can get white sandy beaches and coral reefs.&nbsp;

A national park spread over three islands, 4,200 kilometres from Hawaii in the United States, needs travellers to prove they are citizens of the United States. The skies here offer great views of the Milky Way, along with beautiful hiking trails.

A National Park in the United States requires its own citizens to present valid identification, although entry is free. The skies are so clear over this remote region that the Milky Way is clearly visible. The National Park of American Samoa is located 4,184 kilometres from Hawaii, and tourists need to change flights to reach the three islands over which the park is spread. The US Department of the Interior has certain guidelines for travellers who wish to visit this tropical wonder. They need to present a valid birth certificate or passport to prove they are American nationals. Reaching the National Park of American Samoa is not easy, with limited options available. You need to fly to the Pago Pago International Airport on the island of Tutuila, from where connecting flights to Ta’ū and Ofu are available. Keep all relevant papers ready. Packing the right things is extremely important while visiting the Samoa National Park. The island ecosystem is warm and humid and feels hot and sticky all year-round. There is no traditional winter or cold season. It can rain anytime here, although the period from October to May is their official rainy season. Pack the right gear, like rain jackets, waterproof shoes, and lightweight clothing. Despite its challenges, the efforts are rewarding as the park offers incredible hiking trails through lush rainforests. You can also try diving and snorkelling. What to do on the three islands? All three islands offer something different. In Tutuila, there is the Mount ‘Alava Trail for hikers. The island is where you can experience Samoan culture in the villages. Ta’ū offers a more off-the-beaten-path experience to hikers. It also houses Lata Mountain, the highest point in American Samoa. Ofu is for those interested in snorkelling, where you can get white sandy beaches and coral reefs.

A national park spread over three islands, 4,200 kilometres from Hawaii in the United States, needs travellers to prove they are citizens of the United States. The skies here offer great views of the Milky Way, along with beautiful hiking trails.

Americans need to prove they are American citizens to visit a national park in US

Rafters visiting the Grand Canyon, Arizona, are coming down with a mysterious ailment, reports suggest. One of them described it "like a month-long flu". What's causing it is not known right now, with National Park Service officials saying they were not aware of such reports. An investigation has been initiated. NPS refused to talk about "the extent of the illnesses, potential diagnoses or other details while the investigation is underway." Officials told Paddling Magazine, "We will share additional information with the public as it becomes available."&nbsp;Several rafters who went to the Grand Canyon in May and June have complained of being sick since then. Many of them have shared their case in the Facebook group Grand Canyon Private Boaters. The magazine spoke to Matt Wappett, who has been sick ever since his trip to the Grand Canyon, who said it started with a severe knee infection three days after he rafted there. He was prescribed antibiotics, which fixed the knee issue, but other symptoms continued to plague him. He complained of fatigue, fever, joint pains, body aches and was also diagnosed with pneumonia.<h2>Rafters speculate what could have happened at Grand Canyon</h2>“It’s just felt like having the flu for the last month," he said, adding that no one knows whether the knee infection was related to the other symptoms. Others complained of similar sickness on the Facebook page after the Grand Canyon trip. Wappett is being tested for valley fever, dengue fever, and hantavirus. Meanwhile, speculations on the page range from tickborne diseases like Lyme and Rocky Mountain spotted fever, to leptospirosis and Legionnaires' disease, caused by contaminated soil.&nbsp;People with strange symptoms have been asked to contact the NPS Office of Public Health. Everyone who went rafting to the Grand Canyon is being interviewed to understand what could be going on. However, there is a high probability that the cases are not connected.

 Could it be a case of mass hysteria or Nocebo? Rafters who went to the Grand Canyon in May and June have been complaining of an illness with varied symptoms. No one knows what caused it, and whether they are even related.

Rafters visiting the Grand Canyon, Arizona, are coming down with a mysterious ailment, reports suggest. One of them described it "like a month-long flu". What's causing it is not known right now, with National Park Service officials saying they were not aware of such reports. An investigation has been initiated. NPS refused to talk about "the extent of the illnesses, potential diagnoses or other details while the investigation is underway." Officials told Paddling Magazine, "We will share additional information with the public as it becomes available." Several rafters who went to the Grand Canyon in May and June have complained of being sick since then. Many of them have shared their case in the Facebook group Grand Canyon Private Boaters. The magazine spoke to Matt Wappett, who has been sick ever since his trip to the Grand Canyon, who said it started with a severe knee infection three days after he rafted there. He was prescribed antibiotics, which fixed the knee issue, but other symptoms continued to plague him. He complained of fatigue, fever, joint pains, body aches and was also diagnosed with pneumonia. Rafters speculate what could have happened at Grand Canyon “It’s just felt like having the flu for the last month," he said, adding that no one knows whether the knee infection was related to the other symptoms. Others complained of similar sickness on the Facebook page after the Grand Canyon trip. Wappett is being tested for valley fever, dengue fever, and hantavirus. Meanwhile, speculations on the page range from tickborne diseases like Lyme and Rocky Mountain spotted fever, to leptospirosis and Legionnaires' disease, caused by contaminated soil. People with strange symptoms have been asked to contact the NPS Office of Public Health. Everyone who went rafting to the Grand Canyon is being interviewed to understand what could be going on. However, there is a high probability that the cases are not connected.

&nbsp;Could it be a case of mass hysteria or Nocebo? Rafters who went to the Grand Canyon, Arizona, in May and June have been complaining of an illness with varied symptoms. No one knows what caused it, and whether they are even related.

Nocebo Effect? Mysterious illness plagues Grand Canyon rafters

A massive cloud of dust from the Sahara Desert is moving towards the United States and is expected to engulf the southeastern parts in the coming days. South Florida, including the Miami area, already has light particles drifting. This has caused the weather to become hot and dry. Strong winds are fuelling the movement of the dust-filled air. According to the forecast, the plume of Sahara dust will fully move into the region on Tuesday and worsen air quality. The effects will be fully felt by mid-week as the dust will continue to filter through for days. It will negatively impact the health of people in the region because of the presence of particulate matter.&nbsp;Officials have warned that levels of fine particulate matter could exceed standard levels. The effects will be worse from the middle of the week towards the weekend when more dust arrives from the Atlantic. Moisture will return in the air by early next week as Saharan dust passes by. The southeastern US often receives some amount of dust from the desert during the summer months, but currently it is in the grips of a heatwave, which is expected to get worse because of a dust storm. This activity usually peaks between June and mid-August, although the amount of dust varies each year.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/nasa-satellite-photo-shows-super-el-ni-o-has-elevated-sea-levels-in-pacific-1782134815575">NASA satellite photo shows Super El Niño has triggered a very specific change in the Pacific</a><h2>How will Sahara dust affect health?</h2> Experts say that Sahara dust comprises PM10 and PM2.5, and certain minerals like quartz and feldspar. The thousands of kilometres of journey will also cause it to pick up microbes and pollutants. These particles can cause respiratory and cardiovascular issues when inhaled. Other problems people can experience include irritation of the eye, nose, throat and skin, allergic reactions and headaches. An Air Quality Alert will remain in effect until 3 pm ET Tuesday in Miami-Dade County.<h2>Dust storm to suppress hurricane development</h2> The Saharan dust leads to the formation of a dry pocket of air thousands of feet above sea level. The hotter and drier conditions remove the moisture needed for the development of hurricanes.&nbsp; &nbsp;

A dust cloud from the Sahara is on its way to the southeastern US, with parts of Florida already witnessing particles floating in the sky. The situation is expected to get worse by mid-week as more matter arrives. People have been warned 

A massive cloud of dust from the Sahara Desert is moving towards the United States and is expected to engulf the southeastern parts in the coming days. South Florida, including the Miami area, already has light particles drifting. This has caused the weather to become hot and dry. Strong winds are fuelling the movement of the dust-filled air. According to the forecast, the plume of Sahara dust will fully move into the region on Tuesday and worsen air quality. The effects will be fully felt by mid-week as the dust will continue to filter through for days. It will negatively impact the health of people in the region because of the presence of particulate matter. Officials have warned that levels of fine particulate matter could exceed standard levels. The effects will be worse from the middle of the week towards the weekend when more dust arrives from the Atlantic. Moisture will return in the air by early next week as Saharan dust passes by. The southeastern US often receives some amount of dust from the desert during the summer months, but currently it is in the grips of a heatwave, which is expected to get worse because of a dust storm. This activity usually peaks between June and mid-August, although the amount of dust varies each year. Also Read: NASA satellite photo shows Super El Niño has triggered a very specific change in the Pacific How will Sahara dust affect health? Experts say that Sahara dust comprises PM10 and PM2.5, and certain minerals like quartz and feldspar. The thousands of kilometres of journey will also cause it to pick up microbes and pollutants. These particles can cause respiratory and cardiovascular issues when inhaled. Other problems people can experience include irritation of the eye, nose, throat and skin, allergic reactions and headaches. An Air Quality Alert will remain in effect until 3 pm ET Tuesday in Miami-Dade County. Dust storm to suppress hurricane development The Saharan dust leads to the formation of a dry pocket of air thousands of feet above sea level. The hotter and drier conditions remove the moisture needed for the development of hurricanes.

A dust cloud from the Sahara is on its way to the southeastern US, with parts of Florida already witnessing particles floating in the sky. The situation is expected to get worse by mid-week as more matter arrives. People have been warned&nbsp;

Massive dust cloud from Sahara moving towards US - Details

The New World screwworm, which was eradicated from the United States over 60 years ago, has been found inside a cow in Texas. It is a parasitic, flesh-eating creature that feeds on the living flesh of warm-blooded animals, the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) said. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) was announced the discovery, triggering alarm about the return of the screwworm, also known as Cochliomyia hominivorax. The screwworms are the larvae, or maggots, of adult C. hominivorax flies.<h2>How do screwworms infest animals?</h2>&nbsp;Adult flies search for open wounds or natural body openings, such as the eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and genitals, where they to lay their eggs. Once the larvae hatch, the maggots burrow deep into the living tissue of the host. They do so in a distinctive, corkscrew-like movement, which lends them the name screwworms. Equipped with sharp mouth hooks, the maggots feed on the flesh, aggressively tearing in which rapidly enlarges the wound. This structural damage causes intense pain, swelling, and hemorrhaging, and leads the host to release a foul smell. Other flies are attracted to this smell, which further worsens the infestation, increasing the risk of fatal secondary bacterial infections.&nbsp;Once they worms pass this cycle, they leave the animal and burrow into the soil where they "pupate" before maturing into a fly. This maggot infestations are known as myiasis. Regions where the fly species is endemic, economic losses can run into billions of dollars each year. Cows, sheep and horses are most at risk from screwworms. Domestic dogs and wild mammals, such as deer, rabbits, and birds can also fall prey to these worms. &nbsp;Livestock infected by the New World screwworms can be treated with antiparasitic medications.&nbsp;<h2>Can screwworms infect humans?</h2> The chances of humans being infected by the screwworms are extremely low. But the good news is that in humans, the infection can be treated. People in areas where screwworms are commonly found, especially those who work with livestock, are susceptible to the flies laying eggs in their wounds. Symptoms of the C. hominivorax infestation include seeing or feeling maggots move under the skin, ears, nose, eyes, or mouth, with wounds bleeding and emanating a foul smell.&nbsp;<h2>Why have screwworms returned to the US?</h2>&nbsp;For decades, aa strict biological barrier at the Darién Gap in Panama has ensured that the screwworm does not enter the US. Adult screwworm flies can only travel a few kilometres in their lifetime. Their movement through Central America and Mexico was driven by human assistance. The primary reason for it reaching different regions has been the domestic transport and shipping of infested livestock. Smugglers also engage in illegal cattle movement across geographically difficult borders, which lets infected animals to being in the flesh-eating maggots without being detected.

Screwworms have reutrned to the United States. It was detected in the umbilical cord area of a three-week-old calf in Texas. The insects were eradicated from the country in the 1960s after extensive efforts. But illegal methods have now brought them back.

The New World screwworm, which was eradicated from the United States over 60 years ago, has been found inside a cow in Texas. It is a parasitic, flesh-eating creature that feeds on the living flesh of warm-blooded animals, the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) said. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) was announced the discovery, triggering alarm about the return of the screwworm, also known as Cochliomyia hominivorax. The screwworms are the larvae, or maggots, of adult C. hominivorax flies. How do screwworms infest animals? Adult flies search for open wounds or natural body openings, such as the eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and genitals, where they to lay their eggs. Once the larvae hatch, the maggots burrow deep into the living tissue of the host. They do so in a distinctive, corkscrew-like movement, which lends them the name screwworms. Equipped with sharp mouth hooks, the maggots feed on the flesh, aggressively tearing in which rapidly enlarges the wound. This structural damage causes intense pain, swelling, and hemorrhaging, and leads the host to release a foul smell. Other flies are attracted to this smell, which further worsens the infestation, increasing the risk of fatal secondary bacterial infections. Once they worms pass this cycle, they leave the animal and burrow into the soil where they "pupate" before maturing into a fly. This maggot infestations are known as myiasis. Regions where the fly species is endemic, economic losses can run into billions of dollars each year. Cows, sheep and horses are most at risk from screwworms. Domestic dogs and wild mammals, such as deer, rabbits, and birds can also fall prey to these worms. Livestock infected by the New World screwworms can be treated with antiparasitic medications. Can screwworms infect humans? The chances of humans being infected by the screwworms are extremely low. But the good news is that in humans, the infection can be treated. People in areas where screwworms are commonly found, especially those who work with livestock, are susceptible to the flies laying eggs in their wounds. Symptoms of the C. hominivorax infestation include seeing or feeling maggots move under the skin, ears, nose, eyes, or mouth, with wounds bleeding and emanating a foul smell. Why have screwworms returned to the US? For decades, aa strict biological barrier at the Darién Gap in Panama has ensured that the screwworm does not enter the US. Adult screwworm flies can only travel a few kilometres in their lifetime. Their movement through Central America and Mexico was driven by human assistance. The primary reason for it reaching different regions has been the domestic transport and shipping of infested livestock. Smugglers also engage in illegal cattle movement across geographically difficult borders, which lets infected animals to being in the flesh-eating maggots without being detected.

Screwworms have returned to the United States. It was detected in the umbilical cord area of a three-week-old calf in Texas. The insects were eradicated from the country in the 1960s after extensive efforts. But illegal methods have now brought them back.

Screwworm found in Texas cow: Can they infect humans? How did they return to US after 60 years?

A storm model has predicted that an early-season tropical cyclone will slam into Florida in the first week of June. The Atlantic hurricane season begins on Monday and will almost immediately wreak havoc on the Gulf Coast. The Global Forecast System (GFS), the primary US global weather model run by NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Prediction, has predicted heavy rain and strong winds in the coastal region, creating dangerous conditions for millions. It can forecast weather events up to 16 days before they happen. Florida Storm Chasers revealed a potentially hazardous storm could occur in the first week of June, following the advance of a major low-pressure system up the Gulf of America. They claim that at least one other GFS model has predicted a potential tropical storm or hurricane.<h2>Gulf Coast storm risk</h2>The model shows a storm turning into a tropical cyclone, hitting southern Florida on or around June 5, barreling over land a day later and then heading out into the Atlantic. The second prediction showed that the storm will hit the top of Florida on June 5, move west and head towards Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi. Other forecasters have reportedly also confirmed that the Gulf is at risk of an early "tropical threat". AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Expert Alex DaSilva said in a statement, "While we always monitor the tropics for potential threats, we’ll be keeping a close eye on the central and eastern Gulf and the southwestern Atlantic."Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/ice-shelf-size-of-indian-capital-city-delhi-will-detach-from-doomsday-glacier-in-2026-1779976277943">Ice shelf the size of Indian capital city Delhi will detach from 'Doomsday Glacier' in 2026</a><h2>Excessive rain and flooding in Florida</h2>Powerful thunderstorms can for and strike early in the hurricane season because of the warm ocean waters. Forecasters say that winds are moving tropical moisture north from the Caribbean, which could ease dry conditions in Florida, but at the same time also create conditions for a massive storm. If the predictions stand and an early storm slams into Florida, the state could witness "several inches of rain" leading to localised flooding. Meanwhile, meteorologists state that GFS models can overestimate tropical storms and that long-range forecast models often turn out to be less accurate.&nbsp;However, despite uncertain predictions, weather experts have warned of a potential life-threatening storm in the summer season. NOAA has forecast that there is a 55 per cent chance the Atlantic hurricane season will be below average this year. &nbsp;

Florida could face a tropical cyclone in the first week of June in the Atlantic hurricane season. A model has predicted several inches of rain, winds and localised flooding at the Gulf Coast. However, experts have cautioned against such predictions.

A storm model has predicted that an early-season tropical cyclone will slam into Florida in the first week of June. The Atlantic hurricane season begins on Monday and will almost immediately wreak havoc on the Gulf Coast. The Global Forecast System (GFS), the primary US global weather model run by NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Prediction, has predicted heavy rain and strong winds in the coastal region, creating dangerous conditions for millions. It can forecast weather events up to 16 days before they happen. Florida Storm Chasers revealed a potentially hazardous storm could occur in the first week of June, following the advance of a major low-pressure system up the Gulf of America. They claim that at least one other GFS model has predicted a potential tropical storm or hurricane. Gulf Coast storm risk The model shows a storm turning into a tropical cyclone, hitting southern Florida on or around June 5, barreling over land a day later and then heading out into the Atlantic. The second prediction showed that the storm will hit the top of Florida on June 5, move west and head towards Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi. Other forecasters have reportedly also confirmed that the Gulf is at risk of an early "tropical threat". AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Expert Alex DaSilva said in a statement, "While we always monitor the tropics for potential threats, we’ll be keeping a close eye on the central and eastern Gulf and the southwestern Atlantic." Also Read: Ice shelf the size of Indian capital city Delhi will detach from 'Doomsday Glacier' in 2026 Excessive rain and flooding in Florida Powerful thunderstorms can for and strike early in the hurricane season because of the warm ocean waters. Forecasters say that winds are moving tropical moisture north from the Caribbean, which could ease dry conditions in Florida, but at the same time also create conditions for a massive storm. If the predictions stand and an early storm slams into Florida, the state could witness "several inches of rain" leading to localised flooding. Meanwhile, meteorologists state that GFS models can overestimate tropical storms and that long-range forecast models often turn out to be less accurate. However, despite uncertain predictions, weather experts have warned of a potential life-threatening storm in the summer season. NOAA has forecast that there is a 55 per cent chance the Atlantic hurricane season will be below average this year.

Florida could face a tropical cyclone in the first week of June in the Atlantic hurricane season. A model has predicted several inches of rain, winds and localised flooding at the Gulf Coast. However, experts have cautioned against such predictions.

Atlantic hurricane season: Florida could face tropical storm in first week of June

Passengers on a United Airlines flight were in for a real scare when someone tried to open the plane door at 36,000 feet. The person also assaulted another passenger. The incident led to the plane being diverted to Washington Dulles. Flight 1551 was travelling from Newark to Guatemala City when the unruly passenger created a ruckus. Audio from the conversation between the pilot and air traffic control revealed that the passenger tried to open the rear cabin door 2L of the Boeing 737. The ATC said, "United 1551, they’re asking me: what door did the passenger try to open?" to which the pilot replied, "Door 2L, at [thirty / thirty-six] thousand feet, and then assaulted a fellow passenger."&nbsp;The ATC then asks the pilot if the assault left anyone injured, to which the pilot answers in the negative. “United 1551, any injuries that we should be aware of?” the ATC says. The pilot says, "Not to our knowledge." Experts say that the plane door cannot be physically opened at such a high altitude because it would be pressurised.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/supernova-from-millions-of-years-ago-slammed-into-an-airplane-on-earth-here-s-what-happened-1764904139321">Supernova from millions of years ago slammed into an airplane on Earth. Here's what happened</a><h2>Passenger attacked flight attendant in early May</h2>Earlier this month, a passenger assaulted a flight attendant on a United Airlines flight and tried to enter the cockpit. He was removed from the plane at Newark Liberty International Airport. Another person on the plane declined medical attention, and no other injuries were reported. The 48-year-old man was detained and taken to a hospital for psychiatric evaluation, the Port Authority Police Department said.&nbsp;&nbsp;ATC audio captured United Flight 1837 requesting an emergency vehicle. “A gentleman just attacked one of the flight attendants and was trying to open the forward main cabin door,” a pilot said in the recording. The Federal Aviation Administration said it would investigate the incident.<h2>Unruly passengers on flight numbers</h2>FAA data shows that nearly 500 unruly passenger reports have been filed so far this year; 110 of those were from April alone. Towards the end of the month, a video showed a man attempting to open a cabin door on a Delta flight as it sat on the tarmac. &nbsp;

A United Airlines flight going from Newark to Guatemala had to be diverted to Washington Dulles after a passenger tried to open the door at a high altitude. He also assaulted another passenger. 

Passengers on a United Airlines flight were in for a real scare when someone tried to open the plane door at 36,000 feet. The person also assaulted another passenger. The incident led to the plane being diverted to Washington Dulles. Flight 1551 was travelling from Newark to Guatemala City when the unruly passenger created a ruckus. Audio from the conversation between the pilot and air traffic control revealed that the passenger tried to open the rear cabin door 2L of the Boeing 737. The ATC said, "United 1551, they’re asking me: what door did the passenger try to open?" to which the pilot replied, "Door 2L, at [thirty / thirty-six] thousand feet, and then assaulted a fellow passenger." The ATC then asks the pilot if the assault left anyone injured, to which the pilot answers in the negative. “United 1551, any injuries that we should be aware of?” the ATC says. The pilot says, "Not to our knowledge." Experts say that the plane door cannot be physically opened at such a high altitude because it would be pressurised. Also Read: Supernova from millions of years ago slammed into an airplane on Earth. Here's what happened Passenger attacked flight attendant in early May Earlier this month, a passenger assaulted a flight attendant on a United Airlines flight and tried to enter the cockpit. He was removed from the plane at Newark Liberty International Airport. Another person on the plane declined medical attention, and no other injuries were reported. The 48-year-old man was detained and taken to a hospital for psychiatric evaluation, the Port Authority Police Department said. ATC audio captured United Flight 1837 requesting an emergency vehicle. “A gentleman just attacked one of the flight attendants and was trying to open the forward main cabin door,” a pilot said in the recording. The Federal Aviation Administration said it would investigate the incident. Unruly passengers on flight numbers FAA data shows that nearly 500 unruly passenger reports have been filed so far this year; 110 of those were from April alone. Towards the end of the month, a video showed a man attempting to open a cabin door on a Delta flight as it sat on the tarmac.

A United Airlines flight going from Newark to Guatemala had to be diverted to Washington Dulles after a passenger tried to open the door at a high altitude. He also assaulted another passenger.&nbsp;

Man tries to open plane door at 36,000 feet; 500 unruly passenger reports in 2026

The United States government is set to invest $2 billion in quantum computing companies, including IBM, as part of a broader strategy to strengthen its position in advanced technologies.According to reports, the investment will be made through grants in exchange for equity stakes in selected companies. The move reflects a growing focus on building domestic capabilities in critical sectors such as quantum computing and semiconductor manufacturing.&nbsp;<h2>How the $2 billion investment is being distributed</h2>The funding will be allocated across nine companies working in quantum computing.Key allocations include:Around $1 billion to IBMAbout $375 million to GlobalFoundriesNearly $100 million each to companies such as D-Wave Quantum, Rigetti Computing and InfleqtionSmaller investments, including $38 million, to emerging startupsIn return, the US government will take equity stakes in some of these companies, marking a shift from traditional funding models.<h2>Why the US is investing in quantum computing</h2>Quantum computing is considered a key future technology. Unlike traditional computers, quantum systems use the principles of quantum mechanics to process information.This allows them to:Solve complex problems fasterHandle large datasetsSupport advanced research in areas such as medicine and materialsHowever, current systems still face challenges, including high error rates, which limit their performance.<h2>Part of a broader strategic push</h2>The investment is part of a wider effort by the US government to secure supply chains and maintain technological leadership.Officials have previously taken stakes in companies such as Intel and MP Materials, focusing on sectors critical to national security and industrial growth.The current move also aims to counter growing competition from countries like China in advanced technologies.<h2>New projects and industry developments</h2>As part of the initiative:IBM plans to launch a new quantum chip manufacturing facility in New YorkGlobalFoundries is expanding its work in quantum hardware through a dedicated business unitThese developments are expected to support the production and scaling of quantum computing systems.<h2>Market reaction and industry impact</h2>Following the announcement, shares of companies involved in the deal rose between 7 per cent and 21 per cent in premarket trading, indicating positive market sentiment.Experts say the investment could accelerate innovation in quantum computing and attract further private investment into the sector.<h2>What this means for the future</h2>The US government’s decision to invest directly in quantum companies highlights the importance of infrastructure and technology leadership in the coming years.As quantum computing continues to develop, such investments may play a key role in shaping global competition, research and industrial growth.For now, the focus remains on improving the technology and reducing existing limitations, while building a strong foundation for future applications.

The United States government is set to invest $2 billion in quantum computing companies, including IBM, as part of a broader strategy to strengthen its position in advanced technologies.

The United States government is set to invest $2 billion in quantum computing companies, including IBM, as part of a broader strategy to strengthen its position in advanced technologies. According to reports, the investment will be made through grants in exchange for equity stakes in selected companies. The move reflects a growing focus on building domestic capabilities in critical sectors such as quantum computing and semiconductor manufacturing. How the $2 billion investment is being distributed The funding will be allocated across nine companies working in quantum computing. Key allocations include: Around $1 billion to IBM About $375 million to GlobalFoundries Nearly $100 million each to companies such as D-Wave Quantum, Rigetti Computing and Infleqtion Smaller investments, including $38 million, to emerging startups In return, the US government will take equity stakes in some of these companies, marking a shift from traditional funding models. Why the US is investing in quantum computing Quantum computing is considered a key future technology. Unlike traditional computers, quantum systems use the principles of quantum mechanics to process information. This allows them to: Solve complex problems faster Handle large datasets Support advanced research in areas such as medicine and materials However, current systems still face challenges, including high error rates, which limit their performance. Part of a broader strategic push The investment is part of a wider effort by the US government to secure supply chains and maintain technological leadership. Officials have previously taken stakes in companies such as Intel and MP Materials, focusing on sectors critical to national security and industrial growth. The current move also aims to counter growing competition from countries like China in advanced technologies. New projects and industry developments As part of the initiative: IBM plans to launch a new quantum chip manufacturing facility in New York GlobalFoundries is expanding its work in quantum hardware through a dedicated business unit These developments are expected to support the production and scaling of quantum computing systems. Market reaction and industry impact Following the announcement, shares of companies involved in the deal rose between 7 per cent and 21 per cent in premarket trading, indicating positive market sentiment. Experts say the investment could accelerate innovation in quantum computing and attract further private investment into the sector. What this means for the future The US government’s decision to invest directly in quantum companies highlights the importance of infrastructure and technology leadership in the coming years. As quantum computing continues to develop, such investments may play a key role in shaping global competition, research and industrial growth. For now, the focus remains on improving the technology and reducing existing limitations, while building a strong foundation for future applications.

The United States government is set to invest $2 billion in quantum computing companies, including IBM, as part of a broader strategy to strengthen its position in advanced technologies.

'US to invest $2 billion in quantum firms': What it means for tech and global competition

Pets are having the time of their lives in the United States, where a new category of premium pet care — the “dog nanny” or “dog governess” — is rapidly expanding. American domestic staffing agencies have recorded a major increase in demand. Household Staffing, &nbsp;an American domestic placement agency, told The Times that requests for dog nannies have roughly tripled in the past year. Dog nanny positions are now among the agency’s highest-response listings. Dog nannies are the same as dog-sitters. The latter typically provide short daily visits and walks, and dog nannies often work 40–50 hours per week. In some cases, they live there full-time and remain in homes during the owner's absences. They also manage highly structured pet routines, and some of them even possess veterinary or professional animal-care training. In fact, recruitment for elite dog nannies can be compared to hiring childcare professionals.<h2>Which parts of United States are dog nannies most in demand?</h2>However, it is a service only the elite demand, and it is concentrated in affluent US regions including Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Hamptons, South Florida and parts of California. The trend is heavily associated with wealthy pet owners who increasingly treat pets as family members or surrogate children. A specialised luxury pet-care ecosystem has taken off in the Hamptons, where trainers prepare dogs for yachts, helicopters and private jets. Household staff and caregivers are trained in animal handling. Privacy and discretion are highly valued in hiring, leading recruiters to source candidates through trusted personal networks rather than public agencies.<h2>Salaries of dog nannies</h2>Salaries for dog nannies are notably high, with full-time dog nannies earning approximately $40–$50 per hour. The live-in ones can earn $500–$800 per day. Some of these positions come with employee benefits as given in major corporate companies.&nbsp;The dog nanny trend is also taking off in the UK. In 2023, a London-based billionaire family advertised a live-in dog nanny role paying £100,000 annually. This was way more than a typical UK salary, which remains closer to £50,000 annually. Experts say that the growth in the industry is also influenced by post-pandemic behavioural shifts. Pet ownership surged during COVID-19 lockdowns, and being in close quarters at all times led the owners to become more emotionally attached to their pets. So traditional boarding kennels and app-based pet services are increasingly viewed as insufficient by affluent owners.&nbsp;The broader implication is the emergence of luxury pet caregiving as a distinct professional service sector within domestic staffing and high-net-worth household management. &nbsp;

Dog nannies are different from dog sitters. They not only take the dogs for walks and feed them, but also stay with the pet for 8-10 hours, sometimes even being hired full-time. The industry has soared in affluent areas like Manhattan, the Hamptons and parts of California.

Pets are having the time of their lives in the United States, where a new category of premium pet care — the “dog nanny” or “dog governess” — is rapidly expanding. American domestic staffing agencies have recorded a major increase in demand. Household Staffing, an American domestic placement agency, told The Times that requests for dog nannies have roughly tripled in the past year. Dog nanny positions are now among the agency’s highest-response listings. Dog nannies are the same as dog-sitters. The latter typically provide short daily visits and walks, and dog nannies often work 40–50 hours per week. In some cases, they live there full-time and remain in homes during the owner's absences. They also manage highly structured pet routines, and some of them even possess veterinary or professional animal-care training. In fact, recruitment for elite dog nannies can be compared to hiring childcare professionals. Which parts of United States are dog nannies most in demand? However, it is a service only the elite demand, and it is concentrated in affluent US regions including Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Hamptons, South Florida and parts of California. The trend is heavily associated with wealthy pet owners who increasingly treat pets as family members or surrogate children. A specialised luxury pet-care ecosystem has taken off in the Hamptons, where trainers prepare dogs for yachts, helicopters and private jets. Household staff and caregivers are trained in animal handling. Privacy and discretion are highly valued in hiring, leading recruiters to source candidates through trusted personal networks rather than public agencies. Salaries of dog nannies Salaries for dog nannies are notably high, with full-time dog nannies earning approximately $40–$50 per hour. The live-in ones can earn $500–$800 per day. Some of these positions come with employee benefits as given in major corporate companies. The dog nanny trend is also taking off in the UK. In 2023, a London-based billionaire family advertised a live-in dog nanny role paying £100,000 annually. This was way more than a typical UK salary, which remains closer to £50,000 annually. Experts say that the growth in the industry is also influenced by post-pandemic behavioural shifts. Pet ownership surged during COVID-19 lockdowns, and being in close quarters at all times led the owners to become more emotionally attached to their pets. So traditional boarding kennels and app-based pet services are increasingly viewed as insufficient by affluent owners. The broader implication is the emergence of luxury pet caregiving as a distinct professional service sector within domestic staffing and high-net-worth household management.

Dog nannies are different from dog sitters. They not only take the dogs for walks and feed them, but also stay with the pet for 8-10 hours, sometimes even being hired full-time. The industry has soared in affluent areas like Manhattan, the Hamptons and parts of California.

Dog nannies can make $288,000 a year in the US. Here is what you should know

Austin was shaken by 12 random shooting incidents between Saturday afternoon and Sunday, with two suspects now in custody. Police are looking for a third suspect who could also possibly be involved in the shootings that left four injured. Austin Police Department Chief Lisa Davis said that one of the victims is in a critical condition. There seems to be no definite reason for the shootings in Austin over the weekend. Fire stations and one fire truck were also attacked. The Austin Fire Department said none of the firefighters was injured and damage was minimal. Apartment complexes, homes, and stores were the other places where the shootings were reported from.<h2>Who are the suspects of the Austin shootings?</h2> The two arrested men have been identified as a 17-year-old male and a 15-year-old male. They also stole four vehicles over the course of the shooting spree. A previous warrant for theft of a gun had been issued for the 17-year-old suspect, while the 15-year-old is believed to have stolen a gun from the same location on Saturday. The duo is also accused of stealing four vehicles over the course of the spree. The third suspect is described as a Hispanic male, who is in his mid-to-late teens, and was wearing a grey shirt and black bottoms. Most of the shootings occurred in South Austin and East Austin. Footage captured by Polecam showed two people being shot in front of a store. The search operation involved nearly 200 officers, including a canine unit, and support from the SWAT, helicopter and drone units. The duo was arrested in Manor. A shelter-in-place order issued on Sunday afternoon was lifted.<h2>Who to call for tips and information on Austin shooting</h2>Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said that he is in touch with Gov. Abbott, as well as Manor Mayor Christopher Harvey, about the shootings. The Austin Fire Department said that they were fully staffed and responding to calls. Locals have been urged to inform 911 if they come across any suspicious persons or vehicles and not approach them directly. The Aggravated Assault Unit can also be contacted at 512-974-5177. People can submit anonymous tips through the Capital Area Crime Stoppers Program by visiting austincrimestoppers.org or calling 512-472-8477. A reward of up to $1,000 has been announced for any information that leads to the arrest of the third suspect.

Austin shooting today: Two suspects are in custody in connection with the random shootings at 12 places over the weekend in Austin. People have been urged to inform the police if they have any tips on the third suspect. No motive for the shootings has been revealed. 

Austin was shaken by 12 random shooting incidents between Saturday afternoon and Sunday, with two suspects now in custody. Police are looking for a third suspect who could also possibly be involved in the shootings that left four injured. Austin Police Department Chief Lisa Davis said that one of the victims is in a critical condition. There seems to be no definite reason for the shootings in Austin over the weekend. Fire stations and one fire truck were also attacked. The Austin Fire Department said none of the firefighters was injured and damage was minimal. Apartment complexes, homes, and stores were the other places where the shootings were reported from. Who are the suspects of the Austin shootings? The two arrested men have been identified as a 17-year-old male and a 15-year-old male. They also stole four vehicles over the course of the shooting spree. A previous warrant for theft of a gun had been issued for the 17-year-old suspect, while the 15-year-old is believed to have stolen a gun from the same location on Saturday. The duo is also accused of stealing four vehicles over the course of the spree. The third suspect is described as a Hispanic male, who is in his mid-to-late teens, and was wearing a grey shirt and black bottoms. Most of the shootings occurred in South Austin and East Austin. Footage captured by Polecam showed two people being shot in front of a store. The search operation involved nearly 200 officers, including a canine unit, and support from the SWAT, helicopter and drone units. The duo was arrested in Manor. A shelter-in-place order issued on Sunday afternoon was lifted. Who to call for tips and information on Austin shooting Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said that he is in touch with Gov. Abbott, as well as Manor Mayor Christopher Harvey, about the shootings. The Austin Fire Department said that they were fully staffed and responding to calls. Locals have been urged to inform 911 if they come across any suspicious persons or vehicles and not approach them directly. The Aggravated Assault Unit can also be contacted at 512-974-5177. People can submit anonymous tips through the Capital Area Crime Stoppers Program by visiting austincrimestoppers.org or calling 512-472-8477. A reward of up to $1,000 has been announced for any information that leads to the arrest of the third suspect.

Austin shootings today: Two suspects are in custody in connection with the random shootings at 12 places over the weekend in Austin. People have been urged to inform the police if they have any tips on the third suspect. No motive for the shootings has been revealed.&nbsp;

Austin shootings today: Two teens arrested for 12 random attacks, one at large. What we know

Workers were shocked to discover a bomb near a dam in Alabama during routine maintenance operations this week. The explosive device was found at the Big Creek Lake dam, triggering a major security alarm. The Converse Reservoir serves as the primary drinking water source for the Mobile area. Local and federal authorities immediately got into action after being told about the bomb. Mobile Area Water and Sewer System (MAWSS) were at the site and carrying out repairs when they came across it. It has been described as a grenade-like improvised explosive device. The Department of Homeland Security was immediately notified, as the reservoir is a federally designated site. A large perimeter was established around the 3,600-acre dam. The bomb was removed by the Gulf Coast Regional Maritime Response and Render-Safe Team and taken to a safe location where it was detonated.<h2>Investigation into bomb at Coverse reservoir</h2>An investigation into the discovery has been initiated. The team is yet to determine how the bomb reached the dam area, and no suspects have been identified. “This is an unprecedented threat, and we are fortunate that this device was discovered before it could cause serious damage to our water supply or harm to individuals,” said MAWSS Director Bud McCrory. “Our top priority is keeping your drinking water safe,” he added.<h2>Bomb retrieved and detonated</h2> The operation to safely retrieve and detonate the bomb involved officials from the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, the FBI, the Mobile Police Department, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, and the Daphne Search and Rescue Team. Security around the dam has been beefed up to prevent similar incidents in the future. According to the MAWSS website, the 3,600-acre manmade dam provides drinking water to 350,000 people in the city of Mobile and surrounding areas. MAWSS will work with relevant law enforcement to enhance security at the reservoir and dam. &nbsp;

A bomb made its way to a 3,600-acre dam in Alabama, which was discovered on Tuesday. Officials are relieved that it was spotted before any untoward incident occurred. It is not known how it reached there, or if any individuals deliberately dropped it.

Workers were shocked to discover a bomb near a dam in Alabama during routine maintenance operations this week. The explosive device was found at the Big Creek Lake dam, triggering a major security alarm. The Converse Reservoir serves as the primary drinking water source for the Mobile area. Local and federal authorities immediately got into action after being told about the bomb. Mobile Area Water and Sewer System (MAWSS) were at the site and carrying out repairs when they came across it. It has been described as a grenade-like improvised explosive device. The Department of Homeland Security was immediately notified, as the reservoir is a federally designated site. A large perimeter was established around the 3,600-acre dam. The bomb was removed by the Gulf Coast Regional Maritime Response and Render-Safe Team and taken to a safe location where it was detonated. Investigation into bomb at Coverse reservoir An investigation into the discovery has been initiated. The team is yet to determine how the bomb reached the dam area, and no suspects have been identified. “This is an unprecedented threat, and we are fortunate that this device was discovered before it could cause serious damage to our water supply or harm to individuals,” said MAWSS Director Bud McCrory. “Our top priority is keeping your drinking water safe,” he added. Bomb retrieved and detonated The operation to safely retrieve and detonate the bomb involved officials from the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, the FBI, the Mobile Police Department, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, and the Daphne Search and Rescue Team. Security around the dam has been beefed up to prevent similar incidents in the future. According to the MAWSS website, the 3,600-acre manmade dam provides drinking water to 350,000 people in the city of Mobile and surrounding areas. MAWSS will work with relevant law enforcement to enhance security at the reservoir and dam.

A bomb made its way to a 3,600-acre dam in Alabama, which was discovered on Tuesday. Officials are relieved that it was spotted before any untoward incident occurred. It is not known how it reached there, or if any individuals deliberately dropped it.

Bomb discovered underwater at critical Alabama dam during repair work

The Trump administration has quietly brought back cyanide bombs, once used to control predator populations, but banned in 2023 because they were not only killing native and other endangered species, but also poisoning people. According to a report by Gizmodo, the Bureau of Land Management and the Agriculture Department’s Wildlife Services program signed a memorandum in April which effectively repeals the ban on these cyanide bombs. The M-44s are poison traps that spray sodium cyanide powder on public lands, affecting a wider population of creatures who become the unintentional target of this weapon. Predator Defense, a nonprofit working to protect native predators and to end America's war on wildlife, calls M-44s "indiscriminate killers". It said in a statement, "They are meant to kill coyotes", but they also end up killing "endangered species, essential native predators, and countless beloved dogs, none of which can read warning signs." The group further added that it has "poisoned countless people" and it would eventually some day "kill a child."Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/ecological-disaster-unfolding-in-western-ghats-as-one-insect-goes-missing-in-india-1777956918157">Ecological disaster unfolding in Western Ghats as one insect goes 'missing' in India</a>&nbsp;Environmentalists have been against M-44s that have been used to protect livestock from predators, control invasive species, manage wildlife diseases and keep humans safe from wild animals. They have been flagged as inhumane to the creatures and dangerous to humans. The Trump administration had done the same thing in 2019 as well. In 2017, a 14-year-old boy and his dog were accidentally sprayed by the cyanide bombs in Idaho. While the boy survived, the canine died. Idaho, Colorado, and Oregon have placed restrictions or bans on the use of M-44s. Trump's officials reauthorised its use in 2019, but reversed the order following public outcry. The Biden administration ordered Wildlife Services not to use M-44s on BLM lands nationwide in 2023. However, &nbsp;BLM and Wildlife Services appear to have reached a deal to reverse it again.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/birds-have-a-preference-for-one-human-sex-and-they-made-it-clear-2-700-times-1777874452101">Birds have a clear preference when it comes to choosing between men and women</a><h2>Bureau of Land Management responds to M-44 use</h2>According to the new order, &nbsp;Wildlife Services must notify the local BLM field office and/or district office before using pesticides restricted by the Environmental Protection Agency. The M-44s fall under the same purview, which means the poison traps can be deployed with prior intimation. A spokesperson for the BLM told the outlet that the memo does not itself "authorise or expand use of M-44s" and refers to restricted-use pesticides that "may be considered under existing law and environmental review." However, environmentalists are concerned about the new memo, and many organisations have said they will fight the order.&nbsp;

M-44 poison traps spray sodium cyanide powder when triggered, and were flagged as a risk to endangered species and humans. A report states that a new memo appears to have opened the doors for the use of cyanide bombs again after they were banned in 2023.

The Trump administration has quietly brought back cyanide bombs, once used to control predator populations, but banned in 2023 because they were not only killing native and other endangered species, but also poisoning people. According to a report by Gizmodo, the Bureau of Land Management and the Agriculture Department’s Wildlife Services program signed a memorandum in April which effectively repeals the ban on these cyanide bombs. The M-44s are poison traps that spray sodium cyanide powder on public lands, affecting a wider population of creatures who become the unintentional target of this weapon. Predator Defense, a nonprofit working to protect native predators and to end America's war on wildlife, calls M-44s "indiscriminate killers". It said in a statement, "They are meant to kill coyotes", but they also end up killing "endangered species, essential native predators, and countless beloved dogs, none of which can read warning signs." The group further added that it has "poisoned countless people" and it would eventually some day "kill a child." Also Read: Ecological disaster unfolding in Western Ghats as one insect goes 'missing' in India Environmentalists have been against M-44s that have been used to protect livestock from predators, control invasive species, manage wildlife diseases and keep humans safe from wild animals. They have been flagged as inhumane to the creatures and dangerous to humans. The Trump administration had done the same thing in 2019 as well. In 2017, a 14-year-old boy and his dog were accidentally sprayed by the cyanide bombs in Idaho. While the boy survived, the canine died. Idaho, Colorado, and Oregon have placed restrictions or bans on the use of M-44s. Trump's officials reauthorised its use in 2019, but reversed the order following public outcry. The Biden administration ordered Wildlife Services not to use M-44s on BLM lands nationwide in 2023. However, BLM and Wildlife Services appear to have reached a deal to reverse it again. Also Read: Birds have a clear preference when it comes to choosing between men and women Bureau of Land Management responds to M-44 use According to the new order, Wildlife Services must notify the local BLM field office and/or district office before using pesticides restricted by the Environmental Protection Agency. The M-44s fall under the same purview, which means the poison traps can be deployed with prior intimation. A spokesperson for the BLM told the outlet that the memo does not itself "authorise or expand use of M-44s" and refers to restricted-use pesticides that "may be considered under existing law and environmental review." However, environmentalists are concerned about the new memo, and many organisations have said they will fight the order.

M-44 poison traps spray sodium cyanide powder when triggered, and were flagged as a risk to endangered species and humans. A report states that a new memo appears to have opened the doors for the use of cyanide bombs again after they were banned in 2023.

Trump administration quietly reverses ban on cyanide bombs that 'poisoned countless people'