BRISTOL, Tenn. (WJHL) — On Saturday, over 70 motor officers from six different states converged at Bristol Motor Speedway to participate in a competition aimed at raising funds for Speedway Children’s Charities.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol reported that this year’s event saw a record turnout, with officers traveling from as far as Ohio and Florida to take part.
In Moscow, a subtle yet significant transformation is underway. While Vladimir Putin’s control over power remains firm, an increasing number of Russians are beginning to challenge it.
The country’s economy is on shaky ground, teetering on the brink of crisis, and the conflict with Ukraine, now dragging into its fifth year, shows little sign of progress.
Recently, Putin’s approval rating took a sharp decline, falling to 65.6 percent—its lowest point since the military operation began—and marking a significant 12.2 percentage point drop since the year’s onset.
Unexpectedly, Victoria Bonya, a pro-Kremlin influencer known for her fitness tips and vegan beauty brand shared with her 13 million Instagram followers, has emerged as an unlikely voice of dissent.
In a daring 18-minute video that quickly amassed 30 million views and over 1.3 million likes within just five days, the former reality TV star delivered a message that sent ripples through Russia’s political elite.
‘The people are afraid of you, artists are afraid, governors are afraid,’ she told the president, before listing off a litany of issues she claims are being hidden from him, from flooding in Dagestan and oil pollution along the Black Sea coast to the squeeze on small businesses.
‘You know what the risk is?’ asked Bonya, who lives near Monaco. ‘That people will stop being afraid, and they’re being squeezed into a coiled spring, and that one day that coiled spring will shoot out.’
But after 26 years in power, the 73-year-old despot has constructed a political and security system designed to suppress the first signs of dissent before they even have the chance to coalesce into a national movement. So just how vulnerable is Putin?
This month, Vladimir Putin’s approval rating plummeted to 65.6 per cent – its lowest level since the start of his military campaign – and a drop of 12.2 percentage points since the start of the year
Victoria Bonya, a former reality TV star, posted an extraordinary 18-minute video address to the Russian president, telling him the public are ready to ‘snap’
Ekaterina Gordon, a singer and television presenter living in Russia, warned Putin of a revolt among women
Bonya isn’t the only voice who is swimming against the current of hushed disgruntlement.
Ekaterina Gordon, a singer and television presenter living in Russia, warned Putin of a revolt among women whose businesses are closing, who cannot keep up with soaring mortgage rates and whose children are being denied access to higher education by budget slashes.
‘This will be the biggest divorce with the authorities,’ she announced.
Russia could even face a reiteration of the 1917 Bolshevik revolution unless it takes urgent steps to address rising discontent, according to the leader of the country’s Communist Party.
‘We’ve told you ten times – the economy is bound to collapse. The first quarter was a complete disaster. If you don’t urgently take financial, economic, and other measures, then in the autumn we’ll face what happened in 1917. We have no right to repeat that,’ Gennady Zyuganov told parliament, referring to Vladimir Lenin’s ascension to power after the toppling of Nicholas II, Russia’s last tsar.
And it’s not just the public Putin should worry about, because his inner circle also ‘secretly hate him’, according to the previously pro-Kremlin lawyer Ilya Remeslo.
‘I am the person who knows how to fight Vladimir Putin, who knows the system’s weaknesses, how to interact with it, and how to lure people out of it,’ he brazenly announced in an interview with prominent media personality Ksenia Sobchak, known as Putin’s ‘goddaughter’.
Once a staunch backer of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, Remeslo declared he’d like to be the new leader of Russia after a revolution, and dared the despot to arrest him.
‘I’m using this interview to appeal to those who are in this system, who haven’t yet decided whether to leave it or not,’ he said.
‘My plan is to create a platform and attract those who are afraid to speak out against Vladimir Putin.
‘I want to become a representative of this mass of people, which amounts to tens of millions.’
Remeslo first came out against Putin in March, branding him a war criminal, liar, and a thief.
The lawyer afterwards was admitted to a psychiatric clinic in what appeared to be an act of Soviet-style repression, but he was discharged and subsequently renewed his fierce attack.
The respected Colonel Valery Pigasov, a retired officer, recently accused Putin of running a ‘lawless’ army, after it was revealed 17 elite troops from military unit 78986 were ordered by a commander to walk through a minefield.
He expressed outrage that Aerospace Forces fighters had been forced ‘to clear minefields with their own feet’, telling the Russian Public Chamber: ‘A dozen people were injured, and five killed.’
‘The lawlessness that is going on there in the special military operation requires special attention and a serious discussion, because what is happening there cannot be explained in any rational way,’ he said.
Join the discussion
Cracks appearing – or business as usual?
Victoria Bonya, a glamorous pro-Kremlin influencer with 13 million followers, recently issued a direct warning to Vladimir Putin over Russia’s economic crisis
Even as Putin attempts to put on a brave face, his military is stumbling on the frontline.
After over four years of fighting, the Russian army has suffered perhaps the worst losses any major power has seen in a conflict since World War II.
Up to one in 25 Russian men between the ages of 18 and 49 have been killed or seriously wounded since the war began, with total fatalities potentially exceeding 430,000.
Since launching a spring-summer offensive on March 17, Moscow’s rate of advance has slowed in northeastern, eastern, and southern Ukraine – including in its priority effort against the Fortress Belt in Donetsk Oblast – and has lost around 10 square kilometres across the theatre.
Along the frontline, Putin’s forces have been unable to generate enough combat strength to break through without falling victim to Ukrainian drones and their omniscient operators in the 10-30km ‘kill zone’.
Former British Army colonel Philip Ingram told the Daily Mail: ‘For the past 18 months or so, Russia was advancing at huge cost in a number of areas on the front. However, that seems to have changed.
‘The Ukrainians have not just held them back, but are now probing in different areas and making advances, putting the Russians under pressure.
‘The Russian spring offensives have not just been halted, but have been turned around. From a tactical perspective, the Ukrainians are now calling the shots, and therefore have the initiative.’
Kyiv has also been pummelling oil terminals which serve as the gateway for Russian energy exports to global markets, crippling its war economy and forcing Moscow to slash oil production in April by up to 400,000 barrels per day.
‘Where is Ukraine attacking? It’s attacking Russia’s oil and gas infrastructure, its ability to continue to pay for the war,’ Ingram says.
‘It’s attacking Russia’s defence industrial base – Moscow’s ability to manufacture weapons, or adjust and adapt weapons, that it receives from overseas to go to the frontline. And it’s attacking Russia’s logistic nodes, as well as its command and control nodes.
‘That is something that Ukraine is being extremely proactive in. Not only are they doing that, but they’re continuing to attack Russian airfields, and have had huge success in attacking the Russian Black Sea Fleet. Ukraine has the initiative…and Russia is on the back foot.’
For Charles Hecker, an Associate Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) and the author of the 2024 book ‘Zero Sum: The Arc of International Business in Russia’, the grinding war of attrition is finally swinging in Volodymyr Zelensky’s favour.
‘The fact that Russia still hasn’t won over a country that it outnumbers in almost everything that you can count, is the greatest indicator here,’ he said.
‘Ukraine is learning more recently that they may be able to overcome one of their greatest shortcomings – manpower for the army – and that their recent advances are coming from technology…
‘We may never get to what looks like a traditional military victory here, where Ukraine pushes Russia entirely out of all of the territory that it occupies, or that Russia makes it all the way to Kyiv. That’s not going to happen.
‘But what does happen is each side trying to win a war of attrition. At the moment, that appears to be swinging slightly to Ukraine’s advantage.’
Smoke rises after a drone attack on the oil refinery and terminal in Tuapse, Russia, April 29
Soldiers ride in the truck bed for an assignment on the frontline in the Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine, Tuesday, February 10
While the US-Israel war on Iran has been an economic windfall for Russia, surging oil prices and loosening sanctions, this represents just a brief boost amid a larger decline.
‘Moscow has been benefiting from the spike in energy prices, and it has been benefiting from sanctions relief from the United States. The problem is that it’s not benefiting as much as it could because of the damage that Ukraine has done to the ports and to refinery infrastructure,’ Hecker said.
As a marker of the dire straits Moscow finds itself in, Putin has asked oligarchs to make voluntary contributions to the budget – the first time the dictator has pleaded with billionaires to prop up government finances drained by the conflict.
According to the Economic Development Ministry, GDP in January and February was 1.8 per cent lower than in the same period last year, as Western sanctions and high interest rates intended to combat inflation continue to choke investment and meant nonpayments of commercial bills reached a record high of $109billion in January.
The Russian Finance Ministry reported in April that the national budget deficit exceeded $60billion in the first three months of 2026, surpassing the deficit projected for the entire year.
Amid rising taxes, an inflation rate of 5.9 per cent and a central bank interest rate of 14.5 per cent – nearly three times the pre-war level – the cost of living is pinching ordinary Russians, who are increasingly fatigued by war.
A recent survey conducted by the non-governmental Levada research centre found that 67 per cent of those polled said Russia should move toward peace talks, while public confidence that things are moving in the right direction has fallen by 20 percentage points in six weeks to 41 per cent, according to the state-controlled VCIOM.
Part of the current dissatisfaction is rooted in the government’s heavy-handed restrictions on the internet, including its attempt to block Telegram, the country’s most popular messaging app and social-media platform used by more than 100 million Russians a month.
Officials claim the digital policies are counter-terrorist measures, but few believe them and are instead enraged at what they deem as unnecessary restrictions on their private lives.
Internet restrictions ‘make Russia impossible to be in’, Bonya said in her 18-minute address to the president, and even loyal members of Putin’s own party, United Russia, have voiced outrage.
Vyacheslav Gladkov, governor of the Belgorod region in western Russia, the site of almost daily attacks by Ukraine, said on social media that he was ‘worried’ that the Telegram restrictions could endanger the lives of citizens who depended on the app for air raid warnings.
The newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta, which at times is gently critical of the Kremlin, announced in an editorial that ‘the internet is essentially the only issue where every party could boost their approval rating right now’.
‘Cutting off Moscow from the mobile internet was probably a step too far and triggered this great outpouring of discontent in the capital,’ Hecker said.
‘Moscow has – especially in recent years – been an incredibly digital city. The things that Muscovites could do on their phones and the mobile internet were astonishing – it was extremely modern in that respect.
‘The decision to disconnect the mobile internet has triggered this most recent wave of concern, and it’s not just from people living in Moscow – it is also from businesses in Moscow that depend very heavily on mobile internet services to run their companies.’
The recent limits to digital freedom have added an extra layer of repression to the lives of all Russians, whose freedoms and general quality of life are being gradually squeezed as the unpopular war continues.
‘Inflation in Russia remains high. The economy is underperforming. Russians still can’t travel freely anywhere around the world without extra expense and logistical difficulty because American and European airspace is blocked to them,’ Hecker said.
‘For middle-class Russians, for working-class Russians, life has become much more difficult…. everybody in Moscow is feeling the pinch economically of the war. Then comes the mobile internet blockage, and it’s just another layer on top of everything that’s come already.’
For Jonathan Hackett, a former US Marine interrogator and counterintelligence agent, blocking the internet won’t abate dissent, but will only breed more dissatisfaction.
He told the Daily Mail: ‘Repression without an escape valve does nothing to eliminate the causal factors feeding discontent. Russians affected by the repressive measures like blocking Telegram and other lines of communication will not simply put their grievances aside and accept the status quo.
‘Instead, they will seek other ways to express their dissatisfaction with Putin’s policies. During the Cold War, this process was often described as exchanging ballots for bullets.
‘Although the Cold War is long over, repression anywhere still has the paradoxical effect of conjuring up methods of expression that are far more detrimental to the status quo power than if expression was allowed even in small doses.’
Smoke rising from the Tuapse oil refinery of in Tuapse, south-western Russia
Following Bonya’s rant on Instagram about the state of affairs in Russia, members of Putin’s inner circle were clearly rattled.
Vladimir Solovyov, one of the despot’s more fanatical television propagandists, called her ‘a worn-out slut’, while Vitaly Milonov, a Duma deputy responsible for family issues, called her a ‘Dubai escort [who] mumbles incoherently’.
Dismiss her they might, her words have already spread throughout the country, showing others that criticism is an option.
But while anti-government sentiment appears to be spreading, Ingram warns against overinflating the power of dissent.
‘Putin is more vulnerable than he has been at any time in the last 12 months. But his position remains fairly secure. There’s still quite a lot that would have to happen to properly threaten where he is.’
In regards to the voices who have dared to speak out, he encourages us to look at them with more scepticism, and actually as an extension of Putin’s power.
‘Some of these individuals that are coming out and voicing criticism will be doing it deliberately on behalf of the Kremlin, to see who then comes up, puts their head above the parapet, and says: “Yes, I agree.”’
He continued: ‘It’s a way of phishing. They’re using the dissent as a bait. For some of them, it’s genuine dissent that’s coming out, but they’re trying to tread this very careful line between what they can say publicly, and what’s going to get them killed. We just have to watch the individuals and see whether they get arrested or silenced over the coming days or weeks.
‘Putin tends not to hang around and leave genuine dissenters living for too long, especially if they’re oligarchs or people close to the inner circle. So I suspect if we see them alive, then it’s probably a deliberate act to try and see who else might be supporting dissent, so that that can be neutered.’
According to Hecker, the Kremlin leader has sensed the rising level of restlessness in his country, and has responded in a typically ‘Putin-esque and Soviet playbook kind of way’, by calling on ministers publicly to reconsider the internet ban.
He recently instructed law enforcement bodies to show ‘ingenuity and professionalism’ and to ‘accommodate the vital interests of citizens’ – thereby shifting the blame away from himself.
This benevolent posture of listening to the complaints and concerns of citizens may actually be a manipulative and carefully controlled way to reassert his authority, however.
‘In the Soviet period, and also during Putin’s presidency, there’s a tradition of using moments like this as pressure valves, and letting a little bit of the pressure escape from the current situation,’ Hecker said.
‘In other words, let some of the complaining happen. Let some of the complaining out. Let people vent a little bit. And that takes some of the heat out of the moment.
‘That’s something that has a long-standing history in Soviet practice and in Soviet propaganda. You can actually help keep a lid on things by periodically letting some of the pressure out.’
And while individual dissenters may be getting more confident in their ability to express negative opinions about the state, there’s no singular figure willing to rise to the parapet and unite society in a revolt.
Notably, Bonya filmed her video near Monaco – a safe distance from Putin’s lethal security apparatus – and gently couched her criticism using the familiar Russian trope to suggest the president just hadn’t been properly briefed on his ministers’ draconian politics.
‘We’ve seen what happens to people who openly oppose President Putin in a serious way,’ Hecker said.
‘Cast your mind back to 2023, when Yevgeny Prigozhin was moving in on Moscow, and later he was quite literally blown out of the sky. Think about Alexei Navalny, who ran a legitimate national political movement against the Kremlin. In the February of 2024, he died a miserable and withering death in the Russian prison system.’
Moreover, Russian civil society – from NGOs and charities to activist groups – has been completely dismantled, meaning there’s no viable way for individuals to congregate into a national protest movement.
Despite the rising criticism, Hecker is doubtful that this moment signifies Putin’s downfall. ‘I have yet to see the transmission belts between popular discontent and political change. I can’t yet see how you get from A to B on this…I don’t see how this translates into meaningful political change,’ he said.
And when it comes to discontent within the president’s inner circle, rebellion is even harder – because top officials don’t know who might be an ally in a potential coup, and who might stab them in the back.
‘If anyone in a powerful position starts to create any noises that would suggest that they are considering rebelling against Vladimir Putin, they don’t know whether the individuals that they’re talking to to try and form a coalition are actually Putin supporters,’ Ingram said.
‘And if they’re a Putin supporter, then the person that’s instigating the discontent at that level tends to have an accident. They tend to fall out of a 9th floor window, or fall down the stairs, or fall off the back of their speedboat.’
In a surprising turn of events, Dr. Charles Lieber, once a prominent scientist at Harvard, has reestablished his expertise in brain-computer interfaces, this time in Shenzhen, China. This development comes after his 2021 conviction for failing to disclose his involvement with a Chinese recruitment program, as reported by Reuters.
Lieber faced legal challenges after being found guilty on six charges, primarily for misleading authorities about a contract with Wuhan University of Technology. His sentence included two days behind bars followed by six months under house arrest.
Now, just over three years since his conviction, Lieber has made his way to China. There, he has taken on a critical role in advancing the country’s initiatives to integrate human brains with computers, according to a report by Reuters.
Widely regarded as an expert in nanotechnology, Lieber currently leads the Institute for Brain Research, Advanced Interfaces and Neurotechnologies (i-BRAIN) in China. This position underscores his continued influence in the field, despite his legal past.
Charles Lieber, who once chaired the chemistry and chemical biology department at Harvard University, was photographed leaving the John Joseph Moakley United States Courthouse in Boston on January 30, 2020. Federal authorities had accused him of receiving substantial financial benefits from his Chinese affiliations. (Jonathan Wiggs/The Boston Globe)
“I arrived on April 28, 2025, with a dream and not much more, maybe a couple bags of clothes,” Lieber said during a Shenzhen government news conference in December. “Personally, my own goals are to make Shenzhen a world leader.”
His defection marks the confluence of a number of emergent trends. While his original conviction highlighted the United States’ ongoing efforts to mitigate Chinese technology theft, some experts argue his defection serves as proof those efforts have not succeeded.
“China has weaponized against us our own openness and our own efforts for innovation,” Glenn Gerstell, an advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and former general counsel for the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA), told Reuters. “They’ve flipped that and turned it around against us, and they’re taking advantage of it.”
Beinao-1, a semi-invasive brain-machine interface system also known as the NeuCyber Matrix BMI system, is displayed during a media briefing as part of an organised media tour to the Chinese Institute for Brain Research in Beijing, China March 19, 2026. (REUTERS/Florence Lo TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)
The move also showcases the import China places on developing cutting-edge technologies. Lieber’s original contract with Wuhan University of Technology paid him $50,000 a month and over $150,000 in living expenses. His new lab likely cost the Chinese government a great deal more than that.
Lieber reportedly has access to a wide suite of tools and resources to continue developing computer-brain interfaces, including machinery to fabricate coveted semiconductor chips and a large primate lab.
Wang Jianwei C, a professor at Peking University, tests an integrated photonic quantum chip with doctoral students Jia Xinyu L and Zhai Chonghao in a laboratory of Peking University in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 18, 2025. (Xinhua via Getty Images)
Computer-brain interfaces have shown promise in treating neurological disorders but also have potential military applications.
Fox News Digital contacted Harvard University and i-BRAIN for additional comment but did not immediately receive a response.
<!–>
–>
AUGUSTA, Ga. – The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that a domestic disturbance in Augusta resulted in a man being shot in the stomach. The incident, which unfolded early Friday morning, has left the community on edge as law enforcement tracks down the suspect.
Authorities were called to the 2900 Block of Shelby Drive around 6 a.m. on May 1, responding to reports of a shooting. Upon arrival, deputies found a male victim in the bedroom suffering from a gunshot wound to his stomach. He was quickly transported to the hospital, where medical staff have since listed him in stable condition.
The investigation has pointed to 18-year-old Demarcus Wesby as a suspect in the case. Currently wanted for Aggravated Assault, Wesby is considered armed and dangerous, prompting a thorough search by the sheriff’s office.
Reports suggest that the shooting stemmed from a physical altercation between Wesby and the victim, allegedly over a woman. Witnesses indicate that the woman tried to intervene and stop the fight, but according to the incident report, Wesby allegedly pulled out a gun and started shooting.
According to the incident report, a physical altercation allegedly occurred between Wesby and the victim over a woman. The woman reportedly attempted to break them up, but Wesby allegedly “drew a gun and began firing.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact Investigator Johnathan Mathis at (706) 821-4848 or any on-duty investigator at (706) 821-1020.
This is a developing story.
URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — After serving the community for 30 years, a well-respected Champaign County Sheriff’s Lieutenant is hanging up his badge for the final time.
Lieutenant Curt Apperson has announced his retirement, marking the end of a long and dedicated career that spanned over half his life. His journey with the Champaign County Sheriff’s Office began in the corrections department, where he first made his mark. Over the years, he advanced to become a deputy and later led the street crimes unit.
Marvel movies as a summer staple? That’s hardly a revelation.
Meryl Streep recently criticized Marvel films for being “boring” as she delved into the nuances of her character, Miranda Priestly, in the upcoming sequel, “The Devil Wears Prada 2.”
During an appearance on the Hits Radio Breakfast Show on Friday, the Oscar-winning actress made her candid remark when asked about the depiction of Miranda’s “soft side” in the new movie.
“I believe you get a more realistic perspective,” the 76-year-old actress explained. “It seems like films are being over-simplified in a Marvel-like fashion these days.”
She elaborated, saying, “We have the villains and the heroes, and it’s just so predictable.”
Streep pointed out that real-life is nothing like the good vs. evil battles that play out in Marvel movies.
“What’s really interesting about life is that some of the heroes are flawed and some of the villains are human and interesting and have their own strengths,” she explained.
“So that’s what I like about this [movie]. It’s messier,” Streep concluded.
Streep is not the first Hollywood A-lister to shade Marvel.
Big-time movie directors Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola and Quentin Tarantino have all gone after the genre, with Scorsese saying in 2019 that superhero movies are “not cinema.”
The “Taxi Driver” director also compared MCU films to “theme parks.”
Meanwhile, Tarantino blamed Marvel for Hollywood’s lack of movie stars, saying in 2022 that the superhero characters overshadow the actors themselves.
As for Streep, she also took a swipe at Travis Kelce during the “Devil Wears Prada 2” press tour.
In a recent featurette for the film, Streep randomly mentioned the Kansas City Chiefs player when she talked about the most difficult part of filming in Milan, Italy.
“The hardest thing about shooting in Milan was walking in stilettos on the cobblestones,” she said. “I’d like to see Travis Kelce do that.”
Travis, 36, responded to Streep’s shade on Wednesday’s episode of his “New Heights” podcast.
“I hope she doesn’t have beef with me!” Travis joked while chatting with his brother and podcast co-host Jason Kelce, noting that he’s “a fan” of the “Big Little Lies” actress.
Travis then joked, “Oh, Meryl, you have no idea how good I am at walking in heels. Okay?”
But when Taylor Swift’s soon-to-be husband realized stilettos have “a pointy bottom,” Travis let Streep get away with the shady comment.
“I’ll give credit where credit’s due,” he said. “I don’t think I can do it, Meryl. I’ll let you have that.”
Streep is back for “The Devil Wears Prada 2” as Miranda, the cruel editor-in-chief of Runway magazine, a role she originated twenty years ago.
She revealed in a recent interview that she initially refused to star in the 2006 cult classic, but she changed her mind when they doubled her salary.
“I was sure it would be a hit. And they needed me, I felt,” she explained.
Streep’s co-stars Anne Hathaway, Stanley Tucci and Emily Blunt also reprised their roles for the new sequel.
In peacetime, the strait at the entrance of the Persian Gulf is a crucial passageway, with nearly 20% of the global oil and natural gas trade flowing through it. However, this vital trade route has faced significant disruptions following recent geopolitical tensions.
On February 28, Iran effectively obstructed the strait, partly in response to military actions by the United States and Israel. The Iranian government has since engaged in aggressive tactics, threatening and attacking vessels to enforce the blockade. To navigate these challenges, Iran has started guiding some ships along alternative paths closer to its coast, sometimes imposing fees for this service.
The U.S. government has taken a firm stance against these Iranian maneuvers, particularly the toll-like charges being levied on ships seeking safe passage. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has issued a stern warning regarding the sanctions risks associated with these payments.
OFAC cautioned that these charges might not only involve direct cash transactions but could also include “digital assets, offsets, informal swaps, or other in-kind payments.” This could even extend to donations and payments made at Iranian embassies. The organization emphasized that these sanctions risks are significant and apply irrespective of the payment method employed.
In light of these developments, OFAC alerts both U.S. and international entities to the potential consequences of engaging with the Iranian regime’s demands for secure passage guarantees. This warning underscores the broader geopolitical and economic implications of navigating the complex waters of the Persian Gulf amidst rising tensions.
The US responded to Iran’s closure of the strait with a naval blockade of its own on April 13, preventing any Iranian tankers from leaving and depriving Iran of oil revenue it needs to shore up its ailing economy.
The US Central Command said 45 commercial ships have been told to turn around since the blockade began.
The warning came as US President Donald Trump swiftly rejected Iran’s latest proposal to end the war between the countries.
“They want to make a deal, I’m not satisfied with it, so we’ll see what happens,” Trump said at the White House. He didn’t elaborate on what he saw as its shortcomings but expressed frustration with the Iranian leadership.
“It’s a very disjointed leadership,” Trump said. “They all want to make a deal, but they’re all messed up.”
Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported Iran handed over its plan to mediators in Pakistan on Thursday night.
The shaky three-week ceasefire between the US and Iran appears to be holding, though both countries have traded accusations of violations. The standoff is increasingly putting pressure on the global economy, driving up prices and leading to shortages of fuel and other products tied to the oil industry.
Negotiations continued by phone after Trump called off his envoys’ trip to Pakistan last week, the president said. Trump this week floated a new plan to reopen the critical passageway used by America’s Gulf allies to export their oil and gas.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has briefed many of his regional counterparts on the country’s initiatives to end the war, according to his social media. He also held talks Friday with European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, who is in contact with the EU’s Gulf partners.
Iran on Saturday said it hanged two men convicted of spying for Israel.
The Iranian judiciary’s news outlet, Mizanonline, identified the men as Yaghoub Karimpour and Nasser Bekrzadeh. It said they were hanged after the country’s Supreme Court upheld earlier death sentences.
The news outlet said Karimpour was accused of sending “sensitive information” to an officer in Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency, while Bekrzadeh was alleged to have sent details about government and religious leaders as well as information about Natanz. The central Iranian city is home to a nuclear enrichment facility bombed by Israel and the US last year.
Iran has hanged more than a dozen people over alleged espionage and terrorist activities in recent weeks.
Fu Cong, the Chinese ambassador to the United Nations, said Friday that maintaining the ceasefire is “the most urgent issue”, as well as bringing together the sides to resume good faith negotiations “to make sure that the ground is laid for reopening of Hormuz”.
Foreign Minister Wang Yi “has been on the phone almost constantly” with representatives from all sides, Fu said, adding that China supports Pakistan’s efforts to mediate between the parties.
Fu stressed the root cause of the tremendous suffering in Iran and neighboring countries and the growing turmoil in the global economy, especially in developing countries, “is the illegitimate war by the US and Israel”.
During a recent interview, Mike ‘The Situation’ Sorrentino took a moment to address the unsettling behavior exhibited by his fellow Jersey Shore star, Ronnie Ortiz-Magro. The incident in question unfolded when Ortiz-Magro, aged 40, appeared to doze off during a group discussion with Stars on Sirius XM, drawing attention from fans and media alike.
In response, Sorrentino, who is 43, chose to clarify his position on the matter. Through a post on Instagram Stories this past Friday, he expressed his stance, stating, “I want to be clear that I am not responsible for the actions of any other cast member.” His words underline a clear boundary between himself and his co-star’s actions.
Sorrentino further elaborated on his feelings, sharing, “At the same time, my heart is heavy seeing what Ron, a grown adult, chose to present during press.” This statement reflects both concern and a degree of separation, acknowledging Ortiz-Magro’s autonomy in the situation.
He concluded by emphasizing the ongoing nature of the issue, noting, “The situation is still developing, and while I do not know the full extent of what he may be going through, I do know it is separate from my path.” Sorrentino’s remarks highlight his awareness of the complexities involved and his intent to maintain his own journey independently.
Sorrentino’s statement continued, ‘The situation is still developing, and while I do not know the full extent of what he may be going through, I do know it is separate from my path.’
The Daily Mail has reached out to Ortiz-Magro, who has not made a public statement regarding the now-viral clip, for comment but did not immediately hear back.
Mike ‘The Situation’ Sorrentino has addressed Jersey Shore costar Ronnie Ortiz-Magro’s recent concerning behavior during an interview; pictured in September
Ortiz-Magro, 40, appeared to nod off during a cast sit-down with Stars on Sirius XM, prompting Sorrentino, 43, to speak out
In the April interview promoting Jersey Shore: Family Vacation, Ortiz-Magro’s eyes slowly shut and his posture drooped
For his part, Sorrentino marked 10 years of sobriety in December 2025 and owns several rehab facilities.
He vowed in Friday’s note about his longtime friend: ‘I will help where I can, including through my organization, The Archangel Centers.
‘I reached out to check in and offer my support, and I am still waiting to hear back. If he is willing, I will be there for him. My heart is with anyone who is struggling.’
In closing, he said, ‘I have worked hard to protect my sobriety for nearly 11 years, and I honor that every day while continuing to show up with compassion for others.’
In the April interview promoting Jersey Shore: Family Vacation, Ortiz-Magro’s eyes slowly shut and his posture drooped as Deena Nicole Cortese, 39, spoke.
‘While MTV is our home and we are so grateful to them, now it’s time to move on. We’re just kind of finding a place to park at this point,’ she said as fans noticed Ortiz-Magro struggling in the background.
He swayed on his stool as Sorrentino, who was seated next to him, said, ‘I think we’re all very grateful like Deena said. Maybe we’ll follow in the Kardashians’ footsteps as they went from cable to streaming.’
He wrote via Instagram Stories on Friday: ‘I want to be clear that I am not responsible for the actions of any other cast member. At the same time, my heart is heavy seeing what Ron, a grown adult, chose to present during press’
L-R Vinny Guadagnino, Ortiz-Magro, Angelina Pivarnick, Nicole ‘Snooki’ Polizzi, Deena Nicole Cortese, Sorrentino, and Giancola
The fan account @HousewivesHub posted the clip on X, writing, ‘Oh Ronnie does not look well… the nodding off.’
Meanwhile, fans speculated about what could be going on with the former MTV personality.
‘Is he on heroin to be nodding out like that?’ one person asked, while another pointed out: ‘Mike is looking healthier, man. He should help him!’
Ortiz-Magro previously halted filming the 2021 Jersey Shore reboot after a domestic violence arrest.
He was ordered to take parenting classes and placed under a three-year protective order from his ex-girlfriend Jenn Harley.
The following year, in 2022, he announced that he was one year sober.
This past March TMZ reported that police were called to his Miami home to help his ex-girlfriend Kirsten ‘peacefully’ remove her belongings.
A rep for the reality star later told the outlet, ‘He was in the process of separating from his long term girlfriend, and it was at his request for her to call the police to ensure that the separation/moving out was peaceful…
‘Because he’s been the recipient of falsehoods in the past, and is in a really good place and didn’t want there to be any unnecessary drama.’
In a heartbreaking incident, a cherished crossing guard lost her life when she was hit by a driver suspected of being impaired. This tragedy unfolded in a Louisiana parish on Thursday, as reported by local authorities.
Katy Wells, a dedicated figure who devoted over four decades to the Livingston Parish community, was identified as the victim. The Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office stated that the driver, 64-year-old Darren Goudeau, was responsible for the accident.
The tragic event occurred around 3:30 p.m. on Thursday. Wells was in the midst of her duties, helping children safely cross the street, when Goudeau, traveling north on Highway 16, struck her, resulting in her untimely death.
Expressing the community’s grief, Livingston Parish Sheriff Jason Ard shared heartfelt words in a Facebook video. “This is a devastating loss. Katy was a familiar and beloved figure in our community. Her energy and dedication to the children she helped every day were unmatched. The incident is truly tragic,” he said.
A school crossing guard, deeply valued by her community, was fatally injured by a driver allegedly under the influence while she performed her duty of safeguarding children. (Source: Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office)
Ard also revealed that Goudeau was charged with vehicular homicide and first-offense DWI. The first-offense DWI was later upgraded to a second-offense DWI when authorities discovered Goudeau had also received a DWI in 2022, Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office announced.
Wells was adored by her local community. Years of social media posts from the Seventh Ward Elementary School where she worked highlighted her dedication to the community and were packed with glowing comments from residents.
“Ms Katy has a heart of gold and has been so helpful to me from the first year I started teaching at Seventh Ward way back in 1990! She even subbed for me back then after doing her traffic job! Thanks for all the laughs and friendship! She truly is one of a kind!” Gayla Jopling Johnson commented on a 2019 video.
“Katy has been one of my main anchors for many years, especially since my husband passed away. My children and I love ‘Ms. Katy,’” Kim Toothman Pickett also added.
Children with backpacks cross a street guided by a crossing guard near a yellow school bus with its stop sign extended. (Getty Images)
While many in the community mourned, some called for action.
Courtney Hatcher, who lives across the street from the school, warned that cars travel way too fast on the highway in front of the elementary school.
“We walk to school, so I’ve seen people fly through. They’ve almost hit us before because they’re not paying attention or they’re going too fast or whatever the case may be,” Hatcher told WBRC.
She suggested the speed limit be reduced to at least 45 mph.
A crossing guard helps in crossing the street in Fountain Valley, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
“It very well could be me and my children because we do, we walk every day, and I’m so thankful that it wasn’t, but I’m so sorry for her and her family,” she told the outlet.
Goudeau is being held on a $102,000 bond, a spokesperson for Livingston Parish Detention Center told Fox News Digital.
<!–>
–>
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) – The U.S. has issued a cautionary notice to maritime operators, highlighting potential sanctions for those paying Iran to traverse the Strait of Hormuz securely.
This advisory, released Friday by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control, intensifies the ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Iran concerning the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Under normal circumstances, this critical passageway at the entrance of the Persian Gulf handles approximately 20% of the global oil and natural gas trade.
Following an attack and threats to vessels by Iran after a conflict initiated by the U.S. and Israel on February 28, the strait was effectively obstructed. Iran then began offering an alternate route closer to its coast, occasionally imposing fees for this redirected passage.
The U.S. sanctions alert specifically targets this ‘tollbooth’ strategy employed by Iran.
The payment demands could include transfers not only in cash but also “digital assets, offsets, informal swaps, or other in-kind payments,” including charitable donations and payments at Iranian embassies, OFAC said.
“OFAC is issuing this alert to warn U.S. and non-U.S. persons about the sanctions risks of making these payments to, or soliciting guarantees from, the Iranian regime for safe passage. These risks exist regardless of payment method,” it said.
The U.S. responded to Iran’s closure of the strait with a naval blockade of its own on April 13, preventing any Iranian tankers from leaving and depriving Iran of oil revenue it needs to shore up its ailing economy.
The U.S. Central Command said 45 commercial ships have been told to turn around since the blockade began.
The warning came as U.S. President Donald Trump swiftly rejected Iran´s latest proposal to end the war between the countries.
“They want to make a deal, I´m not satisfied with it, so we´ll see what happens,” Trump said Friday at the White House. He didn’t elaborate on what he saw as its shortcomings but expressed frustration with the Iranian leadership.
“It’s a very disjointed leadership,” Trump said. “They all want to make a deal, but they’re all messed up.”
Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported Iran handed over its plan to mediators in Pakistan on Thursday night.
The shaky three-week ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran appears to be holding, though both countries have traded accusations of violations. The standoff is increasingly putting pressure on the global economy, driving up prices and leading to shortages of fuel and other products tied to the oil industry.
Negotiations continued by phone after Trump called off his envoys’ trip to Pakistan last week, the president said. Trump this week floated a new plan to reopen the critical passageway used by America’s Gulf allies to export their oil and gas.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has briefed many of his regional counterparts on the country’s initiatives to end the war, according to his social media. He also held talks Friday with European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, who is in contact with the EU´s Gulf partners.
Iran on Saturday said it hanged two men convicted of spying for Israel.
The Iranian judiciary’s news outlet, Mizanonline, identified the men as Yaghoub Karimpour and Nasser Bekrzadeh. It said they were hanged after the country’s Supreme Court upheld earlier death sentences.
The news outlet said Karimpour was accused of sending “sensitive information” to an officer in Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency, while Bekrzadeh was alleged to have sent details about government and religious leaders as well as information about Natanz. The central Iranian city is home to a nuclear enrichment facility bombed by Israel and the U.S. last year.
Iran has hanged more than a dozen people over alleged espionage and terrorist activities in recent weeks.
Fu Cong, the Chinese ambassador to the United Nations, said Friday that maintaining the ceasefire is “the most urgent issue,” as well as bringing together the sides to resume good faith negotiations “to make sure that the ground is laid for reopening of Hormuz.”
Foreign Minister Wang Yi “has been on the phone almost constantly” with representatives from all sides, Fu said, adding that China supports Pakistan’s efforts to mediate between the parties.
Fu stressed the root cause of the tremendous suffering in Iran and neighboring countries and the growing turmoil in the global economy, especially in developing countries, “is the illegitimate war by the U.S. and Israel.”
We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
Copyright Newsfinal Publications.
