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Marvel’s VisionQuest Paladin Explained: Todd Stashwick’s Role

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Contains spoilers for “VisionQuest” Season 1, Episode 2 – “Theseus”

Before “VisionQuest” premiered, few viewers likely expected Todd Stashwick’s bounty hunter, Paladin, to become such a central figure. The opening episode, “No Strings,” quickly changed that perception when Paladin’s forces launched an assault on Vision (Paul Bettany) in Edinburgh. It also became clear that Paladin is much more than a mercenary leading a well-armed team. He follows a strict code that prohibits civilian casualties, commands enough technology to breach Vision’s mind, and possesses adamantium ammunition capable of injuring the android. Stashwick, known for “Star Trek: Picard,” gives the character a dry, world-weary professionalism that suggests this is only one of countless dangerous assignments he has handled.

“Theseus” reveals the secret behind Paladin’s remarkable effectiveness. He is not the first person to use the name; rather, he is the newest in a long succession of bounty hunters who have carried the codename. As a result, he has inherited the accumulated expertise, equipment and connections of everyone who came before him. That revelation hints that the Marvel Cinematic Universe may have introduced a far more significant player than expected, making it an ideal time to revisit Paladin’s comic-book origins.

Paladin is a smooth operator with a long comic book history

In Marvel Comics, Paladin is a shadowy hired gun with a familiar collection of enhanced abilities, including increased strength, speed, durability and reflexes. He also wears a reinforced vigilante suit resembling the gear seen during his confrontation with Vision in “Theseus.” His preferred weapon reflects his work as a bounty hunter: a stun gun designed to incapacitate targets without killing them.

Paladin first appeared in “Daredevil” #150 in 1977 and has operated on numerous sides of the law throughout his career. Much like his screen counterpart, the comics version is not completely devoid of principles. Captain America has come to respect him, suggesting that Paladin can be a dependable ally under the right circumstances. At the same time, he is ruthless and capable enough to hunt Daredevil down and shoot him with a sniper rifle.

Even after decades in Marvel Comics, Paladin remains an elusive character, giving the MCU considerable freedom to reshape his history. “VisionQuest” has already established that Paladin is a mantle rather than a single individual, while Stashwick’s version has been developed with considerably more personality than most one-off Disney+ supporting characters. Marvel Studios has increasingly moved its Disney+ characters into the theatrical universe; the finale of “Avengers: Endgame Encore,” for example, brought several “Loki” characters to the big screen. That makes a future appearance for Stashwick’s Paladin entirely possible — including a potential role in “Avengers: Doomsday.”

Meghan Markle Leaves Engagement Ring at Home During Nottingham Visit

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The Duchess of Sussex stepped out without the engagement ring Prince Harry gave her for the couple’s first joint public appearance in the UK since their return.

Meghan, 45, has not been photographed wearing the ring for almost nine months. However, many expected her to bring out the diamond sparkler for the couple’s royal-style appearance in Nottingham today.

The city holds particular significance for the Sussexes, as it was where they carried out their first royal walkabout together after announcing their engagement in 2017.

Meghan paired her outfit with a £1,500 cashmere coat and burgundy heels by London-based designer Jennifer Chamandi, valued at £650. She kept the rest of her jewellery understated.

The duchess was last seen wearing the engagement ring in February 2026, when she attended an NBA game in California.

Instead, Meghan accessorised her autumnal look — featuring a burgundy coat and matching knit jumper, both from Joseph — with her wedding band and the bedazzled fitness tracker she is now rarely seen without.

Alongside the Oura ring, which is concealed inside a custom diamond-encrusted gold ‘sleeve’ by Logan Hollowell, she wore a new and unidentified gold band on her right hand.

She also wore Princess Diana’s Cartier Tank Française watch, valued at £17,800 ($24,020), which was given to her after her marriage to the Duke of Sussex.

Meghan did not wear her engagement ring from Prince Harry for their first joint public outing since returning to the UK

Meghan did not wear the engagement ring from Prince Harry during their first joint public outing since returning to the UK

Meghan is rarely seen without Princess Diana's priceless Cartier Tank Francaise watch, which was given to her shortly after her wedding in 2018

Meghan is rarely seen without Princess Diana’s Cartier Tank Française watch, which was given to her shortly after her 2018 wedding

Meghan accessorised her with her wedding band and an Oura ring, a titanium fitness tracker that can read your heart rate, sleep quality, number of calories burnt and other health metrics

Meghan wore her wedding band and an Oura ring, a titanium fitness tracker that monitors heart rate, sleep quality, calories burned and other health metrics

Harry proposed to Meghan in 2017, commissioning the late Queen Elizabeth II’s regular jeweller, Cleave & Company, to create a one-of-a-kind engagement ring for his future bride. 

The prince reportedly took a ring from Meghan’s jewellery box so the designers could determine her size. In a touching tribute to his late mother, he also asked them to ‘harvest’ diamonds from one of Diana’s bracelets.

Since the proposal at Nottingham Cottage — the couple’s former home in the grounds of Kensington Palace — the ring is believed to have been altered four times. Meghan was spotted wearing it with a thinner band than the original design at Trooping the Colour in June 2019.

Small diamonds were also added along the sides of the ring. The changes were valued at around £126,000 ($150,000), with jewellery expert Arabel Lebrusan suggesting the redesign reflected a more American style.

Royal biographer Omid Scobie wrote in Finding Freedom that the decision to resize and reset Meghan’s engagement ring with a new diamond band in 2019 was Harry’s idea.

In the biography, celebrity jeweller Lorraine Schwartz reportedly described the prince as: ‘The loveliest person ever. So romantic, so thoughtful.’

The authors added: ‘So much so that Harry also thought to have Lorraine resize and reset Meghan’s engagement ring with a new diamond band.’

More than 100 people were waiting to welcome the Sussexes in the East Midlands this morning

More than 100 people gathered to welcome the Sussexes in the East Midlands this morning

Further speculation about changes to Meghan’s engagement ring emerged in 2022, when she attended the Invictus Games in The Hague, Netherlands. The setting appeared to feature additional diamonds surrounding the central stone.

The ring was notably absent during several of Meghan’s appearances in 2023, when a loose stone was reportedly being repaired – in what some believed was a third alteration.

In 2025, eagle-eyed royal fans noted that the ring’s central diamond looked more like an emerald cut than the original cushion cut when it was seen in a trailer for Meghan’s since-axed Netflix series.

During their appearance in Nottingham, a crowd of 100 fans gathered to greet Harry and Meghan. 

The duchess accepted bouquets and balloons from well-wishers as she told them ‘it’s great to be back’. Harry repeatedly placed a protective arm around her as they posed for selfies and chatted with members of the public. 

At one point, Meghan appeared to show someone in the crowd her jewellery.

Their last official public appearance together in Britain was at Queen Elizabeth’s funeral in 2022.

Meghan kisses Irene Hardman, 90, who was there to greet them on their first official royal outing in the city in 2017 and returned today with a framed photo from the day

Meghan kisses Irene Hardman, 90, who was there to greet them on their first official royal outing in the city in 2017 and returned today with a framed photo from the day

Meghan bowed and clutched her hands to her chest after a warm reception from the crowd of supporters

Meghan bowed and clutched her hands to her chest after a warm reception from the crowd of supporters

There is a ‘really nice synergy’ in their return to Nottingham nine years on, a source said, while adding that things have changed since they were last there.

‘Her public appearances will be relatively rare. She is reading a lot of scripts at the moment. If she has time left after all of that, she will do some charity work,’ the Sussex source continued.

‘But she’s not a working royal. Her day isn’t organised around a programme pulled together by a private secretary. She’s a full-time mum and entrepreneur, and that alone takes up a lot of time and work.’

Harry is focused on his charity work, especially Invictus, while Meghan is more focused on her brand As Ever and her potential return to acting.

‘They have different professional priorities,’ one source told the Telegraph. ‘Prince Harry’s is his philanthropic work and public service. Her focus is on her family and children, followed by her business, followed by rebooting her acting career.’

Kamala Harris Faults Biden and Trump for Not Acting Forcefully on Israel

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Former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday faulted both the Biden and Trump administrations for not applying enough American pressure to restrain Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. She said Washington should have used its leverage “sooner and more forcefully.”

Speaking at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies in Seoul, South Korea, Harris said the United States had failed to respond adequately to what she described as the Israeli government’s “horrific conduct” during the Gaza war. She criticized the current administration for giving Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a “blank check,” while also saying her own administration should have taken stronger action earlier.

The Republican Jewish Coalition said Harris’s comments were “unsurprising,” pointing to her decision not to attend Netanyahu’s 2024 address to Congress and her opposition to legislation aimed at the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement.

The group also took aim at Harris’s call for Israel to halt its military operations in Rafah, where the Israel Defense Forces later located and rescued hostages. It further criticized her for agreeing with a student in 2021 who accused Israel of committing “ethnic genocide.”

Warren Kinsella, an attorney and author who worked on Harris’s 2024 presidential campaign, said after her remarks that he was “ashamed to have worked with her.”

Keri Russell, Rufus Sewell Break Down The Diplomat Season 4 Shocks

After four seasons of watching married diplomats and political power players Kate Wyler (Keri Russell) and Hal Wyler (Rufus Sewell) repeatedly switch between defending one another and going head-to-head on The Diplomat, viewers might assume series creator Debora Cahn is finally ready to calm their turbulent relationship. Russell and Sewell, however, insist that is nowhere near the case.

**Spoilers ahead for The Diplomat Season 4, now streaming on Netflix**

In a conversation with DECIDER about the latest season of Netflix’s Emmy-nominated political thriller, the stars discussed Kate and Hal’s ongoing emotional tug-of-war. They also addressed one especially divisive detail that could horrify viewers with strict bedroom rules: Hal climbing into bed beside Kate without taking off his shoes.

“I tried to make my case against it — or, actually, I didn’t — but I know Deb [Cahn] by now. When she wants something, she gets it. It’s pretty disgusting,” Sewell joked, with Russell voicing her agreement. “I’ve said before that sometimes I feel like I’m playing Hal, but in that scene I’m playing men, okay? That’s who I’m representing, and I apologize to everyone. I’d also like to point out that I’m the one insisting on it.”

As unforgettable as the shoe-in-bed moment may be for fans of the show’s famously unpredictable couple, it is hardly the season’s most dramatic development. The new episodes deliver a relentless cycle of arguments and reconciliations, along with high-stakes geopolitical shifts that repeatedly leave the audience stunned.

Keri Russell as Kate Wyler and Rufus Sewell as Hal Wyler in 'The Diplomat' Season 4

Photo: Netflix

Russell and Sewell also shared their thoughts on several of the season’s biggest twists, including the startling conclusion to the premiere and the shocking events of the finale. Read on for DECIDER’s complete interview with the stars.


DECIDER: Hal has made plenty of questionable choices over the years, Rufus, but can we agree that getting into bed with his shoes on may be the worst of them all?

RUFUS SEWELL: I did try to get out of doing it — well, not exactly, but I know Deb [Cahn]. When she has a particular idea, she’s going to make it happen. It’s pretty gross.

KERI RUSSELL: It really is.

SEWELL: I’ve said this before: there are times when I feel I’m playing Hal, but in that scene I’m playing men in general. And I’m sorry, but that’s the group I’m representing. I want to apologize to everyone. The fact that I kept insisting on wearing the shoes makes it even worse.

Apology accepted. Now, onto the major twist: what did you think when you read that Grace had been targeted in an assassination attempt at the end of Episode 1?

SEWELL: You begin the episode thinking, “This is great,” and then you reach the ending and immediately think, “I need to know what happens next.”

RUSSELL: You also start wondering why she has such a grudge against Emmy winners.

SEWELL: You think you understand what the central conflict will be going into Season 3, and then the stakes suddenly rise and everything is pulled out from beneath you. That continues throughout the season, as viewers will know. It’s exciting for us when we get those scripts. We usually text each other a few exclamation points or a single word because we immediately understand what the other person is reacting to.

Was that the twist that produced the most exclamation points between you this season?

RUSSELL: That was definitely one of the biggest.

SEWELL: One of them, yes.

RUSSELL: The surprises just keep arriving. This season is not a calm or easy journey. It moves at full speed the entire time.

SEWELL: You can usually tell when a truly enormous twist is coming because, during the table read, the final lines on the last page are blacked out for most of the cast. Nobody sees them until the scene is read aloud. In the case of this season — and the previous one — we had already seen those lines because we needed to perform them. Everyone else in the room was discovering the moment in real time. As the page turns, you can sometimes hear people letting out a few nervous breaths before the reaction arrives.

RUSSELL: Those little moments of anticipation before everyone gasps.

SEWELL: And I’ve said this before, but one of the main pleasures is Ato [Essandoh] being there because his reactions are always so vocal and fantastically satisfying. And the reaction in the room at the very end of the last episode was really exciting because it just like, I read it and I thought, oh, you know, I had mixed, I mean, it’s a very powerful ending, but like I had mix feelings about it, just like how is that gonna land, et cetera? And then you just got this reaction in that room. Which was very exciting because it’s like watching it and reading it at the same time.

Keri Russell and Rufus Sewell in 'The Diplomat' Season 3

Photo: Netflix

And speaking of that final episode, what do you think is going through Kate and Hal’s minds as they both walk up to Grace in that moment?

SEWELL: So many things I’m not going to tell you. 

RUSSELL: Yeah, so many, I mean, it’s so many things at that moment. I think it’s such nice writing. 

SEWELL: And also not quite knowing for sure. You don’t quite know for sure and I always think it’s very important you can see that we’re thinking but you can’t ever know what someone is thinking, but you just know that something is going on. And I think that mystery, that not quite-knowing is part of it.

RUSSELL: Yeah, like what are they gonna do? What are they going to do? 

SEWELL: What are going to they do? And why? What are their reasons? 

Well, it just sets up an exciting Season 5.

SEWELL: Fingers crossed.

I have to ask you guys about Hal and Kate’s relationship, too. Did you know that there is an account on social media that solely makes edits of Hal and Kate? Every single day, a new one.

SEWELL: You’ve discovered me. In case you’re wondering what I’m doing when I’m not at work. 

RUSSELL: That would be so great if it was you. 

SEWELL: They’re very Hal-Heavy.

It’s just Rufus being like, “They need a Season 5!”

SEWELL: It’s just me and your voice.

RUSSELL: Oh my god. 

SEWELL: I’ve done an effect on your voice, it’s a bit more screechy. 

But fans of the show really do recognize that this is one of the most complex and beautiful couples on television at the moment. I’m eager to know what moments you’re most looking forward to them seeing from this season.

RUSSELL: Oh, so many gems. I mean, we have a long walk to go have dinner with the president and her husband. I love that scene, too. It’s a classic. A classic. 

SEWELL: Just when she decides to drop some news on me that I’m gonna need to know before we get to dinner with the president that I could have appreciated learning a little earlier so I could go through all the stages of rage and grief. But I’m so smart. 

RUSSELL: But I’m so smart and I just want to let you know because you’ll love it, you’ll love it. 

SEWELL: She’s so proud of her little idea.

RUSSELL: That’s a great scene. I mean, I also love when they’re in trouble. 

SEWELL: Anytime one of us has done something stupid or something. You know, we like a bit of losing, you know, like we like getting it wrong.

Bradley Whitford, Keri Russell, and Rufus Sewell in 'The Diplomat' Season 4

Photo: Netflix

And Keri, I want to close by asking you about the chapel moment in Episode 1. What a powerful scene. I know [director] Alex Graves directed that episode and you’ve talked about him being an emotional pulse for the show. Talk a little about bringing that scene to life.

RUSSELL: Yeah, Alex really, he is our general, like our fearless general, who leads us through. He’s our favorite director on this show, and you know, he’s worked for so long on these giant big shows like Game of Thrones and all these massive series, you know, massive war, tons of extras, locations. 

SEWELL: But also the detail, you know, he’s a master of both. 

RUSSELL: That’s what he’s so good at so I love that he’s willing to come do our show because our show is not always so big and he has such a love of that intimacy and the truth. He grew up with Deborah on The West Wing, they both started on that show, so that chapel scene — yeah I think he just has such a visual art to him.

SEWELL: He’s such a master of the big stuff, as well. 

RUSSELL: And I’m so glad it was him. He always starts and ends our seasons. He does the first two and the last two. 

SEWELL: We love all our directors, but yeah.

RUSSELL: But he’s the thief. 

The Diplomat Season 4 is now on Netflix.

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Lindsay Clancy Juror Says All Had Phones as Defense Seeks His Data

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In his first televised interview since Lindsay Clancy’s mistrial last month, Michael Desronvil said he remains confident in his decision to stand apart from the other 11 jurors, who favored finding Clancy not criminally responsible for strangling her three children. Speaking with Fox News’ Kayleigh McEnany, Desronvil said he would not compromise his position.

Desronvil said he had never heard of the case before being selected for the jury and did not anticipate the national attention it would draw. He also shared his favorite Bible passage, Psalm 1, which he said may have helped prepare him for the difficult experience. Throughout the interview, he urged the public to keep its attention on the children rather than other elements of the case.

“I call them the Three Angels,” he said of the victims.

Split image. At left, a man in a tan dress shirt and lavender striped tie smiles while holding a registered bone marrow donor card at a hospital infusion center. At right, a woman with long dark hair in a green top looks over her shoulder in a courtroom.

Michael P. Desronvil, left, the lone holdout juror who forced a mistrial in the Lindsay Clancy case, has retained an attorney who once represented President Donald Trump. Clancy, right, faced three counts of first-degree murder in the strangling deaths of her three children. (Facebook/Brittany K and Greg Derr/The Patriot Ledger via AP, Pool)

Desronvil said 3-year-old Dawson dreamed of becoming a firefighter. Cora, 5, reminded him of his own daughter because both girls shared purple as their favorite color and were the same age. Callan, the youngest child, was just 8 months old.

A man in a plaid shirt sits and cradles a sleeping infant wrapped in a pink blanket.

Michael P. Desronvil, the lone holdout juror in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial, which ended in a mistrial. (Fugitive TV)

Holdout says he only used his phone during breaks, but everyone had them

Clancy’s defense attorney, Kevin Reddington, has asked Judge William Sullivan to preserve records involving all 12 jurors and six alternates. The request includes juror questionnaires, surveillance footage from the courthouse hallway outside the deliberation room and cellphone sign-in sheets. However, Reddington has specifically sought an examination of Desronvil’s phone.

Reddington is seeking Desronvil’s phone records from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on each day the jury deliberated.

The defense attorney walking into court.

Defense attorney Kevin Reddington addresses reporters as jurors weigh the case against Lindsay Clancy in the 2023 deaths of her three children. (Photo by JOSEPH PREZIOSO / AFP via Getty Images)

“Everybody had their cellphones and our cell phone was used when we had a break,” the holdout juror said. “So not during deliberation.”

Holdout juror accuses journalists of going through his mail, peering into windows

Desronvil told McEnany that journalists had appeared outside his home the day after the trial ended. He said some went further, allegedly looking through his mail.

“We have surveillance cameras, and then we have actual footage of them going through our mail, and then going through the back door, the front door, peeking through the windows,” he said. “So we have proof of that.”

Three young Clancy children in pajamas sit together on a couch, the smiling baby resting against his older brother, with their sister beside them.

Callan, left, Dawson and Cora Clancy. The three children were killed at their Duxbury, Massachusetts, home in January 2023. (Lindsay Marie Clancy/Facebook)

Desronvil said the situation became serious enough that police escorted his fiancée to and from their home. Even so, he said he had not received any “physical threats.”

“Of course, [I’ve] been scared, been fortunate that the town that I live in, there’s a bunch of great people that live there, great people and business owners and church folks and police department and fire department that have been tremendously helpful for me, my fiancee and my daughter throughout this period,” he said. “For sure.”

Lindsay clancy in a maroon top sitting next to her lawyer Kevin Reddington, in a dark suit with light shirt, in court

Lindsay Clancy and her attorney, Kevin Reddington, attend a status hearing for the Clancy case at the Plymouth County Superior Court in Plymouth, Massachusetts on September 29, 2026. (Greg Derr / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)

Desronvil denies lying under oath

Before the mistrial was declared, Reddington accused Desronvil in court of lying under oath. Desronvil strongly rejected the allegation.

“I answered everything truthfully,” he said.

Reddington has since filed a motion requesting an investigation into Desronvil, including his past domestic violence allegations, probation records and juror questionnaire. The defense attorney has also publicly referred to the holdout juror as “the obstructionist.”

Lindsay Clancy listens to testimony in Plymouth Superior Court.

Lindsay Clancy in court last month. (Boston Globe via Getty Images)

Desronvil said he answered the questionnaire truthfully and that a 2021 altercation with his wife had been “blown out of proportion.”

“There was no physical abuse, emotional abuse, financial abuse of any sorts,” he said. Charges were later dropped.

Despite his experience, he says he’d serve on a jury again if he had to

When asked if he would want to serve on a jury again after his ordeal as the only one among 12 who voted to convict, he said it would be tough but that he’d do it for a higher purpose.

Patrick Clancy on the stand

Patrick Clancy on the stand at Lindsay Clancy’s murder trial on July 29, 2026. (David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

“With the kind of scrutiny that happened to me, it’s tough…to serve on a jury pool again, but I do serve a higher power so I can’t be a coward,” he said. “If I have to, I will.”

Judge William Sullivan

Judge William Sullivan addresses the lawyers during jury deliberations in Lindsay Clancy’s murder trial at the Plymouth County Superior Court in Plymouth, Massachusetts, on Sept. 4, 2026. (Greg Derr / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)

‘Surreal’ 911 call played for jurors behind closed doors

While the public hasn’t heard Patrick Clancy’s 911 call, placed moments after he returned home to find his three children dead and his then-wife seriously injured from a failed suicide attempt, it left an impact on Desronvil, he said.

“Hearing the pain in his voice, hearing the desperation from that clip — it was surreal,” he said.

That was one of the strongest pieces of evidence. However, he said, the prosecution’s case convinced him that Clancy had methodically and logically planned the “execution” of her children, rejecting defense arguments that she was not criminally responsible due to postpartum psychosis.

“That was really big for me, you know, from watching the video and also listening in the courtroom,” he said. “The thought process that goes behind… to fulfill the commitment of doing that.” 

Catch the full interview again on “Outnumbered” at noon ET.

Marine Le Pen Pledges to Halt Ukraine Aid If Elected President

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Marine Le Pen, France’s hard-Right presidential candidate, has accused Europe of waging an energy war against Russia and vowed to end funding for Ukraine if she wins next year’s election.

Ms Le Pen, who is leading or near the front of several opinion polls, said she would halt France’s bilateral aid to Kyiv within six months, arguing that the country can no longer afford the spending.

She said the “honest thing” for the European Union to do would be to tell Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that it could no longer manage to provide financial support for his cause.

The Eurosceptic National Rally leader has consistently opposed Ukraine joining the EU and criticised the bloc’s sanctions against Russia. She argued that those policies had helped create an “energy war” between Europe and Moscow.

Her comments came as Mr Zelensky resumed attacks on Russian oil refineries, ending a proposed pause in strikes against energy infrastructure. The Ukrainian president said the United States had cut off intelligence sharing and access to vital satellite data.

Ms Le Pen accused the EU of acting foolishly in its confrontation with the Kremlin. Speaking to the Financial Times, she said: “We the EU have led an energy war against Russia, when we haven’t got any energy. It is not very smart.”

The remarks come as the National Rally leader campaigns for the French presidency on a platform that puts France’s interests ahead of those of other countries.

In her interview with the newspaper, Ms Le Pen also claimed that the French state was spending a substantial amount of money on measures that “do not contribute to the country’s development”.

France's hard-Right leader Marine Le Pen spoke to press in an interview in July

France’s hard-Right leader Marine Le Pen spoke to the press in an interview in July

Ms Le Pen met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow in 2017

Ms Le Pen met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow in 2017

She is currently forecast to top the first round of voting in April, with support of more than 30 per cent.

The EU is due to lend Ukraine €45billion (£38billion) in 2027 as part of a €90billion (£76billion) financial package set aside by the bloc.

However, critics have questioned whether the EU can continue providing financial support to Kyiv, amid estimates that Ukraine could need a further €70billion (£59billion).

At a press conference on Tuesday, Ms Le Pen said France’s net contribution should be limited to €5billion (£4.3billion), a sharp reduction from its current funding level of about €8billion (£6.8billion).

By reducing France’s contribution, Ms Le Pen hopes to disrupt EU plans for a seven-year budget worth up to €100billion (£84billion).

Ms Le Pen has longstanding links to Russia through a controversial loan from a Russian bank that was used to finance her party’s 2014 election campaigns.

She later travelled to Moscow, where she met President Vladimir Putin in 2017.

The National Rally candidate subsequently condemned the Kremlin’s aggression in 2022, after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Donald Trump of a 'betrayal' over the loss of crucial satellite data in an episode of Piers Morgan Uncensored on Wednesday

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Donald Trump of a “betrayal” over the loss of crucial satellite data during an episode of Piers Morgan Uncensored on Wednesday

Russian President Vladimir Putin¿s oil infrastructure was today on fire again as a fuel terminal spectacularly reignited after blazing for five days in Rostov-on-Don

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s oil infrastructure was on fire again today after a fuel terminal spectacularly reignited following a five-day blaze in Rostov-on-Don

By allowing Ukraine to join the EU, Ms Le Pen has previously criticised Brussels of stripping its member states of economic and political control. 

Her remarks come after Mr Zelensky publicly condemned US President Donald Trump on Wednesday.

Speaking on Piers Morgan Uncensored, Mr Zelensky agreed he felt ‘betrayed’ by Mr Trump’s actions over the past few days, and warned the president: ‘This is not the right side of history.’ 

In a separate interview with the FT, the Ukrainian leader said the cutting off of US intelligence sharing and the simultaneous weakening of Starlink satellite internet service was ‘dangerous’ for civilians.

‘The block [on attacking refineries] is out. We’re done,’ Mr Zelensky said defiantly.

It comes as a big drone attack on Russia’s Ryazan region caused a fire to break out at an oil refinery, marking the first Ukrainian strike on an energy facility since Mr Trump announced on Sunday a surprise ‘energy ceasefire’.

Separately, a fuel terminal spectacularly reignited after blazing for five days in Rostov-on-Don in southern Russia.

Mr Zelensky had paused energy strikes for three days to comply with US wishes, but said he would now resume them because Mr Putin was still attacking Ukraine’s essential ⁠infrastructure.

Zelensky had paused energy ¿strikes for three days to comply with US ¿wishes, but said he would now resume them because Putin was still attacking Ukraine's energy ¿infrastructure

Zelensky had paused energy ​strikes for three days to comply with US ​wishes, but said he would now resume them because Putin was still attacking Ukraine’s energy ⁠infrastructure 

Elon Musk – whose company SpaceX operates the Starlink satellites which have slowed down in recent days – took to X to condemn Ukraine’s resumption of attacks on Russia’s oil facilities.

‘And so the slaughter continues,’ the tech billionaire wrote. ‘Time for Zelensky to go.’

Mr Zelensky lambasted Mr Trump over his apparent admiration for Mr Putin, accusing the US president of having an instinctive affinity for autocrats and the super-wealthy.

Mr Trump has in recent days demanded Mr Zelensky quit as leader, signed a ‘treacherous’ deal with Mr Putin to buy Russian diesel and blamed the Ukrainian leader for spiralling energy prices.

‘He [Mr Trump] speaks about it openly and loudly that he loves such people and he respects such people. Because for him people who can be leaders 20 years, 30 years, 40 years, it means they can be very strong,’ Mr Zelensky said.

Washington has piled pressure on Kyiv to stop striking Mr Putin’s refineries, claiming that a moratorium, alongside a US deal with Moscow to buy hundreds of thousands of tons of Russian diesel, is necessary to bring down American fuel prices.

Despite Ukraine’s honouring of the ceasefire, Mr Zelensky said his military had been left without US early-warning alerts for incoming ballistic missiles, while Mr Musk’s Starlink satellite communications service had been slowed down across the nation, interfering with frontline operations and medium-range strikes against Russian military sites.

The Ukrainian leader said his military officials were told by their US counterparts that ‘if you will not stop [the energy strikes], we will block intelligence’, although it was subsequently presented to Kyiv as a technical error.

‘It was not a technical problem, it was the will,’ Mr Zelensky told the FT.

The US president earlier denied that Washington had cut off intelligence sharing with Kyiv.

Meanwhile, Mr Musk posted on X late on Wednesday that Starshield systems, the military-grade satellite network built on Starlink technology, were ‘owned and controlled by the US government’.

‘Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS,’ he said, referring to Mr Trump.

The breakdown in relations between Kyiv and Washington comes as American officials have proposed that European countries unfreeze some Russian sovereign assets immobilised after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

The assets would be transferred to a vehicle overseen by Washington in an attempt to revive peace talks.

European ⁠delegates rebuffed the plan, which was pitched by US special envoy ​Steve ⁠Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, ⁠the FT said.

READ MORE: Trump lashes out at fury over Putin diesel deal and says ‘the EU paid Russia $250billion for energy – Always, America first’

Patient Out on Bail Allegedly Doused Three Patients With Petrol

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A man who was already out on bail allegedly doused three fellow patients with petrol before setting one of them alight inside one of Sydney’s busiest hospitals, a court has heard.

Raymond James Dungay, 48, remains under police guard at Prince of Wales Hospital after Tuesday night’s alleged attack.

He has been charged with two counts of attempted murder, common assault, and two counts of causing grievous bodily harm to a person with intent, or attempted grievous bodily harm.

Dungay did not appear at a bail hearing on Thursday, and no application for his release was made.

The court heard he had previously been granted bail to remain at the hospital while facing separate charges linked to an alleged aggravated break-in and robbery in Redfern.

Bail was formally refused, meaning Dungay will remain in hospital under a detention order.

His case was adjourned and is due to return to court on December 8.

Police were called to the hospital in Randwick, in Sydney’s east, at about 10.45pm on Tuesday after reports raised concerns about a patient’s welfare.

Raymond James Dungay, 48, (pictured) was charged with two counts of attempted murder, common assault, and two counts of cause grievous bodily harm to person with intent

Raymond James Dungay, 48, (pictured) was charged with two counts of attempted murder, common assault, and two counts of cause grievous bodily harm to person with intent

Randovan Banic, 54, remains in intensive care after he was allegedly doused in petrol and set alight on Tuesday night

Randovan Banic, 54, remains in intensive care after he was allegedly doused in petrol and set alight on Tuesday night

Dungay allegedly poured petrol from a drink bottle over two men, aged 54 and 63, and a 64-year-old woman in the spinal injury unit.

His cigarette lighter allegedly failed to ignite until he reached Randovan Banic, 54, who suffered severe burns to his face and upper body. The injuries came on top of spinal damage he had previously sustained in a workplace incident.

Mr Banic was taken to intensive care, where he remains in a stable condition.

He said he could smell petrol after it was allegedly poured over him, before the accused patient “lit me up”.

“He’s (allegedly) come towards me, and then all of a sudden … he douses me with petrol,” he told Nine News.

“I could just smell petrol all over my hair, my eyebrows, smoke in my eyes, just everything.

“I’ve just been pumping water into my eyes.”

Mr Banic said he believed the alleged hospital attack could have been prevented, claiming the security guard assigned to the ward was asleep at the time.

Randovan Banic was one of the patients allegedly doused in petrol before he was set alight

Randovan Banic was one of the patients allegedly doused in petrol before he was set alight

“I’m glad it happened to me, and it didn’t happen to the other two because they wouldn’t be here today,” he said.

‘One million per cent, it could have been prevented. 

‘That shouldn’t happen in a hospital.’

 Mr Banic insists he is in good spirits, despite flashbacks of his ordeal.

The two other patients were treated for minor injuries and remain in a stable condition.  

NSW Health Minister Ryan Park has requested an urgent department review into the alleged incident.

‘We’re dealing with a very, very shocking incident that frightened staff, no doubt frightened other patients and has caused chaos in one of Sydney’s busiest hospitals,’ he said.

‘This could have been completely catastrophic, and serious as it was, it could have been a lot, lot worse.’

An urgent review into the alleged attack at Prince of Wales Hospital is underway

An urgent review into the alleged attack at Prince of Wales Hospital is underway

Raymond Dungay remains in Prince of Eales Hospital under police guard

Raymond Dungay remains in Prince of Eales Hospital under police guard

The minister also wants Dungay discharged from the hospital as soon as he is well enough and transferred to police custody.

Opposition health spokesperson Sarah Mitchell described the alleged incident as ‘beyond unacceptable’.

‘Safety must be a non-negotiable in our public hospitals,’ she said.

It’s the third violent attack at a Sydney hospital this year – and the second at Prince of Wales Hospital, where a man allegedly attacked six other people and broke a nurse’s leg in April.

Days earlier, a woman allegedly attacked a patient with a hammer at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.

A South Eastern Sydney Local Health District spokesperson said there was no ongoing risk to patients and staff, and that support is being offered to everyone affected.

 Do you know more? Email tips@dailymail.com.au.

Trump Invokes Cheney Precedent to Shield Kennedy Center Input

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Main: President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at Laughlin Bullhead International Airport, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026, in Bullhead, Ariz. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon). Left inset: Dick Cheney appears in a campaign ad for his daughter Liz Cheney in August 2022 (YouTube/Liz Cheney).

President Donald Trump once called Dick Cheney “irrelevant” and said he was “never a fan.” Now, however, Trump is relying on a legal precedent involving the late former vice president to keep details of his “deliberations” about the Kennedy Center’s future from being disclosed in discovery.

The Justice Department made that argument Wednesday in opposing a motion to compel discovery filed by Kennedy Center board of trustees member Rep. Joyce Beatty. In a filing to U.S. District Judge Christopher “Casey” Cooper, the DOJ argued that Beatty’s requests should be rejected in their entirety.

The government invoked Cheney v. United States in the opening paragraph of its response.

The DOJ also argued that Trump’s simultaneous role as the Kennedy Center board’s chairman “is of no moment.” It said Beatty’s “extraordinarily weak justification for an extraordinarily intrusive discovery campaign” fails regardless of that dual role.

“In other words, even though the President’s statutory duties and the Chairman’s trust duties overlap, what matters for the purpose of executive privilege is that Plaintiff seeks information, documents, and communications concerning the President’s actions in his official capacity,” the filing stated. The government acknowledged that Trump “has at various times participated in renovation planning at the Center.”

The government rejected Beatty’s argument that the case differs from Cheney. “For three reasons, Plaintiff asserts that ‘[t]his Is Not A Cheney Case.’ All three are wrong,” the filing said. It also disputed claims that the administration had stonewalled Beatty, saying it had produced “more than 7,500 pages” of “documents and responses.”

The post ‘Chairman’ Trump uses Dick Cheney precedent to keep his ‘input’ about Kennedy Center’s fate out of discovery first appeared on Law & Crime.

Trump Says Fort Hood Shooter’s Execution Won’t Be Livestreamed

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President Donald Trump has overturned Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s decision to livestream the execution of the Fort Hood terrorist, following widespread backlash over the plan.

Trump described Nidal Malik Hasan, the former U.S. Army major, as “a very bad and evil man” who “killed 13 people, including a pregnant soldier, who died, along with her unborn son, and injured, very seriously, 32 more innocent people” in the 2009 attack.

Hasan is scheduled to be executed by firing squad on December 3.

Hegseth said last week that the execution would be made “public,” and the Department of War later confirmed that it planned to broadcast the event live.

The announcement drew immediate condemnation from politicians in both parties, many of whom objected to what they described as barbaric tactics.

The public also reacted negatively. In a Washington Post-ABC-Ipsos poll released Thursday, 80 percent of U.S. adults said the administration should not livestream the execution.

“He will die, as scheduled, by firing squad, but this event will not be streamed,” Trump said Thursday, acknowledging the controversy surrounding the decision.

“That said, the execution may be viewed in person by the immediate families of the victims, if they so choose.”

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said that he will make public the scheduled firing squad execution of a former Army major. Trump reversed that choice on Thursday

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said he would make public the scheduled firing-squad execution of a former Army major. Trump reversed that decision on Thursday.

Nidal Hasan (pictured), the former Army psychiatrist who killed 13 people hand wounded over 30 in a mass shooting at Fort Hood is set to face death by firing squad in December

Nidal Hasan, pictured, the former Army psychiatrist who killed 13 people and wounded more than 30 others in the Fort Hood mass shooting, is scheduled to face execution by firing squad in December.

In announcing the Pentagon’s policy reversal, Trump also criticized former President Barack Obama, arguing that his administration failed to prevent the attack despite earlier warning signs. Trump called it a “key intelligence failure.”

“Barack Hussein Obama’s Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) intercepted electronic communications between Hasan and the radical Yemeni-American cleric, Anwar al-Awlaki. When reviewed by his FBI terrorism task force, investigators concluded that Hasan’s emails were not a threat.”

During a forceful address last week, Hegseth said he wanted the American public to be able to witness Hasan’s death.

“We’ll make sure that people are able to watch it, that it’s public, because people need to understand that there’s serious consequences for these types of things,” Hegseth said of the execution planned for Thursday.

The Pentagon later told the Daily Mail: “The Secretary is correct. It will be livestreamed. Details will follow.”

The proposal faced opposition almost immediately.

“An execution shouldn’t be a live-streamed spectacle…. Their pain deserves respect, not a public show,” Republican Congressman Rob Bresnahan said following the announcement.

Republican Senator John Curtis of Utah also warned: “A civilization erodes when it cultivates an appetite for executions as a form of entertainment.”

Trump's announcement that Hasan's death won't be live streamed comes just a week after Hegseth declared the firing squad execution would be public

Trump’s announcement that Hasan’s execution will not be livestreamed came one week after Hegseth said the firing-squad execution would be public.

During his trial, Hasan told jurors he had 'switched sides' in what he called America's war with Islam

During his trial, Hasan told jurors he had “switched sides” in what he described as America’s war with Islam.

Hasan said he launched the terror attack at Fort Hood because he was angry that American troops were deployed to Afghanistan and wanted to protect Islamic and Taliban leaders.

Hasan walked into a medical readiness building on the base in November 2009 carrying two guns and several magazines of ammunition. 

He shouted ‘Allahu Akbar,’ Arabic for ‘God is great,’ and opened fire on soldiers awaiting medical tests and vaccines.

The mass shooting, which killed 13 and left 32 wounded, was the deadliest attack on a domestic military installation in US history. Hasan was shot and paralyzed from the waist down in the resulting gunfire and was sentenced to death in 2013.

It would be the first public execution since 1937, when convicted murderer Roscoe Jackson was hanged in Missouri.  

Government lawyers have said Hasan did not want to go on an impending deployment to Afghanistan.

The Department of Defense called the attack an act of workplace violence, not terrorism.

Hasan is one of four inmates on death row in the US Army’s justice system.

The Justice Department announced earlier this year that it would adopt firing squads as a permitted method of execution as the Trump administration moves to ramp up and expedite capital punishment cases.

Wisconsin Elections Officials Release Guidance on Handling Federal Agents at Polling Places

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MADISON, Wis. – Wisconsin election officials approved new instructions Thursday to help local clerks respond if federal law enforcement officers appear at polling places on Election Day, a scenario that has raised concerns among some voting-rights advocates in the battleground state.

The guidance passed on a divided vote by the bipartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission, with Republican Commissioner Bob Spindell the sole dissenter. He argued that the memo could discourage some voters from going to the polls. The state’s ballot is led by a closely watched race for governor.

“I personally think this guidance is unnecessary because we have not seemed to need it the past 201 years,” Spindell said.

Wisconsin elections administrator Meagan Wolfe said local clerks have received a flood of questions from voters about how they should respond if federal agents arrive at polling locations. She said the new instructions are designed to provide a clear process rather than suggest officials expect such an incident.

“I see this as just like any other contingency planning we do to assist our clerks,” Wolfe said.

The memo applies to Wisconsin’s approximately 1,800 election clerks and outlines steps to follow if officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI or local law enforcement come to a polling site.

Under the plan, the polling place supervisor would notify the municipal clerk, who would then contact the county clerk and the state elections commission. Officials who come only to observe would have to sign in and follow the same rules as other authorized observers, according to the guidance.

Democratic Commissioner Ann Jacobs said the presence of uniformed officers could intimidate voters. At her urging, the commission added language encouraging law enforcement agencies planning to visit polling places to send officers in civilian clothing rather than uniforms.

“I don’t think we want full flak jacket, whatever, law enforcement three feet from our voters,” Jacobs said. “I think that is much different from an ordinary, quiet observation by somebody in plain clothes.”

Department of Homeland Security officials have said they do not intend to deploy immigration officers across polling places. They have characterized warnings that such a large-scale operation could occur as “fearmongering.”

Election law specialists say federal law generally bars the government from placing armed troops, agents or officers at election sites, except in circumstances involving the need to “repel armed enemies of the United States” — a narrowly defined and difficult standard to meet.

Still, groups representing Latino, Black and Asian American voters say the political rhetoric surrounding immigration enforcement, along with ICE’s recent actions, has fueled anxiety. Their concerns come as immigration arrests increase under President Donald Trump’s mass deportation campaign.

In recent days, Wisconsin election officials have traveled around the state holding news conferences about how ballots will be cast and counted. They have repeatedly said they are not expecting unusual events at polling locations during this year’s election.

“I expect this election will go like all other elections,” said Republican Don Millis, chair of the Wisconsin Elections Commission.

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