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Modi Urges Putin to Move From ‘Endless War’ to Ending Ukraine War

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Vladimir Putin was urged to bring Russia’s war in Ukraine to a close “for the sake of humanity” during a tense meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Kyrgyzstan.

The exchange took place as the two leaders met on the sidelines of the two-day Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek, the Kyrgyz capital, where the bloc has positioned itself as a counterweight to Western influence.

The regional SCO alliance, now marking its 25th anniversary, includes Russia, China, Iran, India, Pakistan, four Central Asian nations and Belarus.

“We need to move from an endless war to the end of the war,” Modi told the Russian president during a broadcast moment on Monday, as Putin appeared to glance down and avoid meeting the Indian leader’s stare.

Putin, his expression fixed, then pushed down the earpiece he had been using for translation before replying tightly: “Thank you very much, Mr Prime Minister. We are moving in that direction.”

On the ground in Ukraine, there is little sign Putin is edging towards peace. 

Instead, the Russian leader appears to be stepping up the war, launching repeated strikes across the country, including attacks on food warehouses that are now being blamed for alarming shortages and empty supermarket shelves. 

During Monday’s tense encounter, Modi, 75, told the 73-year-old Kremlin ruler: ‘Every day of war sets the humanity back, whereas every step taken towards peace fills the humanity with new hope and enthusiasm.’

An awkward looking Vladimir Putin was told to halt his interminable war in Ukraine for the sake of humanity during a meeting in Kyrgyzstan with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi

An awkward looking Vladimir Putin was told to halt his interminable war in Ukraine for the sake of humanity during a meeting in Kyrgyzstan with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Modi called for an end to the four-and-a-half-year war, calling peace 'crucial for the well-being of humanity'

Modi called for an end to the four-and-a-half-year war, calling peace ‘crucial for the well-being of humanity’

A stern-faced Putin then slapped down his earpiece, used to hear the translation, as he addressed Modi's plea

A stern-faced Putin then slapped down his earpiece, used to hear the translation, as he addressed Modi’s plea

He urged an end to the four-and-a-half-year war, calling peace ‘crucial for the well-being of humanity’ as he confronted an uncomfortable-looking Putin: 

‘A peaceful resolution to all issues at the earliest is the call of humanity, and this is India’s message.

‘The land of Gandhi and Buddha shares a single message: the path of peace.’

This followed the Russian president’s accusations, during an August 22 address, that Ukraine is opening a ‘Pandora’s box’ and threatened ‘blowback on the most sensitive sectors of your economy’.

Earlier that day, speaking to United Russia, the Kremlin’s ruling party, he dismissed suggestions that the war was coming to an end. ‘The special military operation continues,’ he said. ‘We will move only forward.’

It comes as ordinary Russians are increasingly bearing the brunt of the war, facing relentless Ukrainian drone attacks, internet restrictions and a struggling economy. 

According to The Economist, discontent is even greater among Russia’s elites, with one insider claiming they are increasingly frustrated by the length of the conflict.

Mr Putin reportedly believes he could be at risk if he ends the war without achieving at least his minimum goal of capturing the entire Donbas region.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands on Monday during a meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands on Monday during a meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit 

Members of the delegations, led by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, attend a meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit

Members of the delegations, led by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, attend a meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit

Smoke rises in Ukraine's Kyiv amid a Russian drone attack on Monday

Smoke rises in Ukraine’s Kyiv amid a Russian drone attack on Monday 

‘They will hang me,’ he reportedly said, according to an insider cited by The Economist.

Russia has suffered an estimated 1.4 million battlefield casualties, including up to 450,000 deaths, since launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, according to the Centre for Strategic & International Studies. 

Meanwhile, Moscow’s losses are now thought to be outpacing recruitment, with more than 30,000 troops killed or wounded each month in 2026 against an estimated 27,000 new recruits. 

For every Ukrainian casualty, Russia is now suffering almost eight of its own, compared with just two or three for much of the conflict. The growing disparity has been driven in large part by Ukraine’s widespread use of drones, including AI-enabled weapons. 

Putin also met with ally Chinese President Xi Jinping at the summit on Monday as they discussed Ukraine, Russian media reported.

Although they reportedly discussed Ukraine, it was not the main theme of their meeting, the Kremlin said.

Mr Putin and Xi have previously used SCO summits to promote their vision of a multipolar world and present a united front against the West.

Sources close to the Kremlin have claimed Mr Putin has chosen to escalate the war, fearing he could face backlash from the Russian public if he ends the conflict without being able to claim victory.

Russia’s defence ministry on Sunday said it was gearing up for large-scale attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in a tit-for-tat response to strikes by Kyiv.

‘Russian forces have begun preparations for massive strikes against facilities in Ukraine’s energy sector in response to the ongoing attacks by the Kyiv regime on civilian infrastructure and on Russia’s oil and energy complex,’ it said on Telegram.

Last winter, Moscow repeatedly hit Ukrainian power plants, devastating the country’s energy sector and plunging millions of people into cold and darkness in sub-zero temperatures.

Both sides have for several months escalated long-range strikes, targeting infrastructure such as warehouses, businesses, oil and port facilities, as well as ships, which has led to an increase in civilian casualties.

On Sunday, the Russian army claimed to have struck a plant in Kyiv producing asbestos and cement whose warehouses, it said, were used to store explosives, as well as a manufacturer of drones and munitions.

On Saturday, a Russian strike on an ammunition depot in the suburbs of the Ukrainian capital triggered a huge explosion and killed at least 37 people.

Firefighters deal with the aftermath of a Russian drone strike in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv

Firefighters deal with the aftermath of a Russian drone strike in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv

Ukraine for its part attacked an oil refinery with drones in northwestern Russia, causing a fire, according to local authorities.

Meanwhile, Nato is facing a particularly fraught moment, as Russian drones repeatedly test the defences of countries along the alliance’s eastern frontier.

But other European nations are also increasingly coming under threat.

Just last week, Russia threatened to target British factories in a ‘semi-military’ response to the UK’s support for Ukraine.

On Monday, Moscow accused the UK of ‘participating in this war’ after Andy Burnham arrived in Kyiv for his first foreign visit since becoming Prime Minister.

Mr Burnham had announced that the European defence firm MBDA had been given permission to share information on UK components for the long-range Scalp missile, meaning Ukraine could start manufacturing them locally.

The move sparked a furious reaction from the Kremlin, with a senior Putin adviser warning of a more aggressive response and claiming Russia now views the UK as ‘evil number one’.

Russia’s former deputy foreign minister Andrey Fedorov told BBC’s Newsnight that Russia’s response to Mr Burnham’s announcement had been ‘very negative’.

Kyiv residents wait out an air raid and resumption of the metro train service during a Russian drone attack on Monday

Kyiv residents wait out an air raid and resumption of the metro train service during a Russian drone attack on Monday

The roof of a facility building in flames on Sunday following a Russian airstrike in Kramatorsk, Ukraine

The roof of a facility building in flames on Sunday following a Russian airstrike in Kramatorsk, Ukraine

Asked about the threat, Mr Fedorov said: ‘There’s a very serious political and public pressure on President Putin today, to undertake certain measures against UK, because he is considering UK as part of the war in Ukraine, and assistance from the UK is considered as a direct involvement of UK in this war.’

He warned a new stage of escalation would see a ‘not only verbal but maybe some visible reaction’ from Russia towards the UK.

Explaining what this would look like, Mr Fedorov said: ‘It might be so-called technical reaction, maybe some hackers attack from unknown source – not from official level, of course.

‘There might be different political steps. And I cannot exclude 100 per cent that there might be some semi-military, for example.

He said British factories producing drones for Ukraine could be targeted in such a move by ‘unknown sources’.

Hackers would also target what he described as ‘concrete enterprises’ linked to the production of drones or components for Storm Shadow (the British version of Scalp) missiles.

Mr Fedorov explained that by Mr Burnham handing over blueprints for the manufacturing of missiles in Ukraine, Britain has become ‘much more involved’ in the war.

‘Moscow is considering steps by UK Prime Minister as direct military involvement into this conflict,’ he added.

A firefighting helicopter flies above a burning Wildberries, the Russian version of Amazon, facility following a reported Ukrainian drone strike

A firefighting helicopter flies above a burning Wildberries, the Russian version of Amazon, facility following a reported Ukrainian drone strike

Mr Fedorov’s comments come after Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov claimed on Monday that ‘Britain is participating in this war’ on the side of Ukraine.

‘Britain methodically and regularly pours fuel on the fire and methodically and regularly plots to prevent any progress in the peace process.’

He added Russian armed forces were intent on identifying ‘the production sites of such missiles’ and ‘the production sites of other military equipment’ in order to destroy them.

But Mr Burnham insisted there would be no let-up in the UK’s support for Ukraine against Mr Putin’s aggression, branding Russia’s threats to the UK ‘outrageous’.

‘Who started the fire? That’s the question, isn’t it,’ he said.

Meanwhile, Western intelligence assessments have grown increasingly stark, with US officials worried Moscow could attempt to seize Nato territory within weeks.

Potential scenarios range from a major cyber attack to armed groups occupying territory to an incursion along Nato’s eastern flank.

Moscow has already been accused of waging a shadow war across the continent through sabotage, cyber attacks, drones, disinformation and intimidation – tactics designed to cause disruption while staying below the threshold for a military response.

British spy chief Anne Keast-Butler, director of GCHQ, has warned that the UK and its allies now occupy ‘a space between peace and war’, with Russian activity stretching ‘from the seabed to cyberspace’.

Security experts have told Mr Burnham to be prepared for a ‘direct response’ from Mr Putin following his declaration of Britain’s ‘unwavering’ support for Volodymyr Zelensky’s forces.

Teen Girl Indicted on Murder Charges Over Alleged Role in Sharing Deadly Mosque Shooting Livestream

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If you or someone you know is considering suicide or facing a mental health crisis, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988.

A 17-year-old girl from North Carolina is facing murder charges in connection with the deadly San Diego mosque shooting, after prosecutors alleged she recorded a livestream of the attack and circulated the attackers’ manifesto.

Forsyth County District Attorney Jim O’Neill said Monday that the teenager, named in court records as Sarah L. Santiago, has been indicted on three counts of murder by aiding and abetting, along with one count of conspiracy, The Associated Press reported.

Authorities say Santiago was not in California when the May 18 shooting unfolded. Still, prosecutors allege she played a role from across the country by recording the attackers’ livestream, helping spread it online and posting their manifesto.

“She disseminated that information. And she published their manifesto,” O’Neill said.

People gather near police vehicles outside the Islamic Center of San Diego.

People gather outside the Islamic Center of San Diego as police vehicles remain at the scene a day after a deadly shooting on May 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Caleb Vazquez, 18, and Cain Clark, 17, stormed the Islamic Center of San Diego armed and intending to kill people inside, according to authorities.

The gunmen killed three men — Amin Abdullah, Nadir Awad and Mansour Kaziha — who confronted them and helped prevent further bloodshed.

The attackers later died by suicide in a vehicle nearby, police said.

Authorities said the mosque was one target in a broader attack plan.

“Their plan that day was to commit mass murders not only at the mosque, but to follow up at a local Jewish temple. And finally, at a predominantly African-American high school there in town,” O’Neill said.

Candles with victims' names are placed outside the Islamic Center of San Diego.

Candles bearing the names of victims are placed outside the Islamic Center of San Diego on May 20, 2026. (Ty O’Neil/AP Photo)

The indictment alleges Santiago agreed before the attack to record and distribute the gunmen’s livestream and publish their manifesto. She is also accused of buying a patch bearing a white-supremacist symbol for one of the attackers to wear during the shooting, The Associated Press reported.

O’Neill said Santiago could face charges in North Carolina even though she was not physically present in California.

“She didn’t have to be in California, she’s in our jurisdiction,” O’Neill said. “And today, a grand jury indicted her and held her responsible for her actions leading up to that disastrous day in May.”

O’Neill noted that North Carolina law allows a 17-year-old accused of such conduct to be treated as an adult.

A note attached to flowers sits outside the Islamic Center of San Diego.

A note attached to flowers is placed outside the Islamic Center of San Diego on May 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Authorities said the broader investigation has included more than 100 interviews, over 30 search warrants and a review of more than 4 million messages.

“Our investigation shows that the individual had multiple opportunities to come forward to law enforcement and alert us of these deliberate actions, and the failure to do so must have consequences,” FBI Charlotte Special Agent in Charge Reid Davis said.

Duane Davis Convicted in Tupac Shakur Murder 30 Years Later

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A Nevada jury has convicted the man accused in the killing of Tupac Shakur, closing a major chapter in one of the entertainment world’s most enduring and closely watched murder cases.

Duane “Keffe D” Davis, 63, heard the verdict Monday in a Las Vegas courtroom following a trial that lasted roughly two weeks.

Davis, described as a former senior “shot caller” in a Los Angeles-based Crips faction, is the first person to be held legally accountable for Shakur’s death, which stemmed from a drive-by shooting on a Las Vegas street on Sept. 7, 1996.

Shakur, a defining voice in the rise of 1990s hip-hop, was riding in a car when another vehicle pulled alongside and gunfire erupted. He died several days later at age 25.

Prosecutors did not allege that Davis personally fired the weapon that killed Shakur. Instead, they argued he supplied the gun to the shooter — widely believed to have been his nephew, Orlando Anderson, who was killed in a gang-related shootout two years later — and helped plan the attack.

They came to that conclusion largely from Davis’ own words — he apparently owned up to it while trying to dodge potential charges in 2008, and later detailed the entire plot in a 2019 memoir that ended up leading straight to his 2023 arrest.

Davis’ defense, however, argued those admissions were pure falsehoods — with attorney Michael Sanft characterizing the memoir as historical fiction, even going so far to compare it to the movie “Titanic.”

“Has anybody seen the documentary called ‘Titanic,’ with Jack and Rose?” Sanft jibbed during closing statements.

But prosecutors argued Davis’ own statements were just the icing on the cake — saying the case was “drenched with circumstantial evidence” placing him in the middle of the crime.

His nephew had been beaten up by Shakur — said to be affiliated with a rival Blood gang — just hours before the killing, which prosecutors argued necessitated a violent response by unspoken gangland rules.

“That was the nature of the gang life in the 1990s in Compton – you had no choice, you could not go back to Compton after being beaten publicly,” Chief Deputy District Attorney Binu Palal said during his closing arguments.

That response was organized by an enraged Davis, who Palal said “got a gun and went hunting for Tupac Shakur.”

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Ex-Crips Leader Duane ‘Keffe D’ Davis Convicted in Tupac Shakur Murder Case

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Former Crips leader Duane “Keffe D” Davis has been convicted of orchestrating the 1996 drive-by shooting that claimed the life of rap legend Tupac Shakur.

Davis, 63, was charged with one count of murder with a deadly weapon, with prosecutors alleging the killing was carried out to promote, further or assist a criminal gang.

When the verdict was announced in court Monday, Sekyiwa “Set” Shakur, the rapper’s sister, appeared to quietly break down in tears, CNN reports.

Prosecutors said Davis plotted the ambush as retaliation after members of Shakur’s entourage attacked his nephew, Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson, inside the MGM Grand hours earlier following a Mike Tyson fight.

Although Davis was not accused of firing the fatal shots, prosecutors argued he provided the gun and helped set the deadly attack in motion, leading to the death of the 25-year-old hip-hop icon.

In closing arguments on Monday, Chief Deputy District Attorney Binu Palal told jurors that Davis acquired a gun and ‘went hunting’ for Shakur and Death Row Records co-founder Marion ‘Suge’ Knight.

Palal acknowledged that Davis’ accounts of the killing evolved over the years but argued those differences reflected Davis’ changing motivations and efforts to protect himself. One critical detail, he said, remained consistent: Davis repeatedly placed himself inside a white Cadillac from which the shots were fired.

‘The core facts remain. The material facts remain,’ Palal said.

But Davis’ defense attorney, Michael Sanft, challenged jurors to identify evidence outside his client’s own statements that placed him in Las Vegas or inside the Cadillac on the night Shakur was shot.

Duane 'Keffe D' Davis is pictured in court on Monday amid closing arguments in his murder trial

Duane ‘Keffe D’ Davis is pictured in court on Monday amid closing arguments in his murder trial

Shakur was shot dead inside a black BMW on the night of September 7, 1996

Shakur was shot dead inside a black BMW on the night of September 7, 1996

He also noted there was an absence of surveillance footage, phone records and other evidence putting Davis there.

‘They have nothing in this case that says that man was here in Las Vegas on September 7, 1996,’ Sanft said, pointing toward Davis.

The panel of 16 jurors, four of whom are alternates, heard testimony from 24 prosecution witnesses and three defense witnesses over nine days.

The trial now brings to a head a decades-old case that for years has drawn the eyes of hip-hop fans and true crime experts alike. 

Shakur, who was considered one of the most influential rappers of all time, was in Las Vegas on September 7, 1996, and stopped at a red light when a white Cadillac pulled up beside him, and shots were fired. He died six days later from his wounds.

Knight was also wounded but survived.

For years, nobody had been charged in the rapper´s death until Davis began making public statements, saying he was in the Cadillac and gave the gun to others in the backseat. Davis described the shooting as an act of retaliation after Knight and Shakur´s entourage beat up Davis´ nephew hours before the shooting.

Mopreme Shakur is pictured leaving the courthouse in Las Vegas during a recess in the murder trial on Monday

Mopreme Shakur is pictured leaving the courthouse in Las Vegas during a recess in the murder trial on Monday

Under Nevada law, someone who helps another person commit murder can be convicted of the crime. 

Davis is the only person still alive among the four men prosecutors say were in the Cadillac. The man who prosecutors say originally gave the gun to Davis is also dead.

Palal told jurors that if they believe Davis’ statements, they do not have to be independently corroborated with additional evidence.

Still, he pointed to the rivalry between the South Side Compton Crips and Mob Piru, the fight with Orlando ‘Baby Lane’ Anderson and testimony that members of Shakur´s circle identified Anderson and Davis as suspects the night of the shooting. 

Witnesses had also testified to the heated gang rivalry between the South Side Compton Crips and Mob Piru, which were associated with dueling record companies Bad Boy Records and Death Row Records.

‘Who fired is not the question,’ Palal said. 

Prosecutors haven’t argued that Davis pulled the trigger, but instead that he was criminally responsible because he provided the gun and ordered the attack.

Palal also argued the shooting was premeditated, pointing to testimony and Davis´ accounts that the group searched for Shakur before spotting him on the road and making a U-turn. 

‘It’s a plan, not an impulse,’ Palal said.

Davis' defense attorney, Michael Sanft, challenged jurors to identify evidence outside his client's own statements that placed him in Las Vegas or inside the Cadillac on the night Shakur was shot

Davis’ defense attorney, Michael Sanft, challenged jurors to identify evidence outside his client’s own statements that placed him in Las Vegas or inside the Cadillac on the night Shakur was shot

Palal held up Davis´ 2019 memoir, Compton Street Legend, and played an interview in which Davis encouraged people to buy it to get the ‘real truth.’ Although the book contains a disclaimer saying some facts were changed, Palal argued that names, hotels and other details changed while the central account did not.

Palal also rejected the defense’s contention that Davis fabricated his accounts to make money. 

‘It is an entirely different proposition to be profiting from a murder,’ Palal said. ‘And that is what Mr. Davis is doing.’

Sanft also turned to his client’s memoir during his closing argument. While reading an excerpt, he said the N-word aloud, prompting people watching in an overflow courtroom to recoil and shake their heads.

In multiple interviews, Davis said he handed the gun to the back seat, but in others as well as in his book, Davis wouldn´t say who pulled the trigger.

In a rebuttal argument, prosecutor Marc DiGiacomo pointed to a scrapbook Davis kept containing articles about Shakur.

‘This guy’s scrapbooking his murder, for God’s sake,’ DiGiacomo told jurors.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Marc DiGiacomo speaks to the jury during rebuttal closing arguments

Chief Deputy District Attorney Marc DiGiacomo speaks to the jury during rebuttal closing arguments

The prosecution’s witnesses included a gang expert who described Davis as the shot caller that younger gang members had to obey. Sanft asked jurors if there was any evidence that Davis had ever called the shots before or after the shooting.

During the trial, investigators said a Las Vegas hotel bill was found at Davis´ residence during a police search, but it wasn´t clear when it was dated – or where that evidence is currently located.

The case is nearly 30 years old, which has affected the kind of evidence presented in court. Prosecutors warned jurors that material collected in the ´90s is different from what law enforcement collects today, including hotel surveillance video from the night of the shooting.

Homeless Probationer Arrested After Allegedly Urinating on City Hall, Stealing Shopping Cart

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. – A 40-year-old Gainesville man was taken into custody early Sunday after a security guard reported that he was urinating against the side of the Gainesville City Hall building. Maurice Marsalis Terry was later booked on several charges, including trespassing after a warning, unlawful possession of a shopping cart, and resisting an officer without violence.

According to law enforcement, the incident unfolded around 3:35 a.m. on August 31 at City Hall, located at 200 E. University Avenue. A security guard contacted police and said Terry had previously been issued a trespass warning from the property earlier that night before allegedly returning and urinating on the building.

A Gainesville Police Department officer who responded to the call reported finding Terry asleep beneath the ingress/egress port of the City Hall building. When the officer tried to handcuff him, Terry allegedly resisted by locking his arms and pulling them tightly into his body, according to the arrest report.

Police also noted that Terry’s belongings were inside a Harbor Freight shopping cart. The responding officer wrote that he had seen Terry with the same cart during “multiple previous encounters” and reported confirming that Terry is not employed by Harbor Freight.

Terry, who is listed as homeless in the arrest report, faces charges of illegal possession of a shopping cart, resisting an officer without violence, trespassing after a warning, and disturbing the peace related to public urination. Records note that he has three prior felony convictions, including one violent offense, along with three non-violent misdemeanor convictions. He is also currently on probation for burglary of an unoccupied structure. Judge Joy Danne set his bail at $40,000.

Trump Signs Deal With 9 Pharmaceutical Companies to Lower Drug Prices

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President Trump announced Monday that his administration has reached agreements with nine more pharmaceutical companies to provide lower-cost prescription drugs to state Medicaid programs.

“In total, these agreements are projected to save Americans more than $600 billion over a very short period of time,” Mr. Trump said during an Oval Office announcement.

The new deals fall under Mr. Trump’s “most-favored-nation” drug pricing initiative, a policy designed to bring U.S. medication costs closer to the prices paid in other developed countries. The plan also includes direct-to-consumer sales through TrumpRx, a website launched by the administration in February that offers Americans discounts on brand-name prescription drugs.

According to the White House, 17 drugmakers had previously agreed over the past year to voluntarily reduce prices under the “most favored nation” arrangement.

“With today’s announcement, we now have 26 companies representing 90% of the domestic pharmaceutical market, and the other 10% are also coming in,” Mr. Trump said. “They have no choice.”

The nine new firms that have agreed to offer consumer discounts are midsize pharmaceutical firms, according to a White House fact sheet. They include Alcon, Astellas Pharma, BeOne Medicines, BridgeBio, CSL, Kyowa Kirin, Sun Pharma, Teva Pharmaceuticals and UCB. 

The White House said the companies will provide access to their drugs to every state Medicaid program in the U.S., “resulting in billions of dollars in savings for Americans.” 

The companies have also committed to spending $19.6 billion on manufacturing, according to the Trump administration.

Alain Sherter

Trump Launches Sweeping Voter Fraud Crackdown Across Nine States

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Donald Trump has directed the Department of Homeland Security to begin a nationwide voter fraud enforcement push focused on pivotal battleground states, as Republicans prepare for a fiercely contested midterm cycle.

Starting Tuesday, Homeland Security Investigations — the investigative branch of ICE — will begin what officials describe as a “coordinated criminal voter fraud surge initiative” designed to follow investigative leads, carry out field interviews and help speed cases toward prosecutorial review, CNN reported.

The effort is intended to bolster Trump’s longstanding allegations that recent elections have been tainted by widespread voter fraud, including voting by illegal immigrants. Agents in nine states will be authorized to pursue leads through mid-October.

The first phase of the operation is expected to include Washington, Wisconsin, Missouri, Georgia, California, Pennsylvania, Nevada, New York and Connecticut.

According to CNN, agents have been instructed to take public-facing investigative actions as the midterm campaign season begins to intensify.

The Justice Department has traditionally discouraged such policy to prevent law enforcement from influencing an ongoing election.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, who replaced Kristi Noem after Trump fired her in March, has pushed to turn the department into a powerful new force in the president’s effort to root out alleged election fraud.

DHS has demanded that states hand over their voter rolls for audits, while Mullin has repeatedly threatened to withhold grant funding from those that refuse to adopt the administration’s election reforms.

Donald Trump has ordered Homeland Security to launch a nationwide voter fraud crackdown targeting key swing states as Republicans brace for a brutal midterm fight

Donald Trump has ordered Homeland Security to launch a nationwide voter fraud crackdown targeting key swing states as Republicans brace for a brutal midterm fight

Homeland Security Investigations, ICE¿s investigative arm, will launch a 'coordinated criminal voter fraud surge initiative to pursue investigative leads, conduct field interviews, and support timely prosecutorial review,'

Homeland Security Investigations, ICE’s investigative arm, will launch a ‘coordinated criminal voter fraud surge initiative to pursue investigative leads, conduct field interviews, and support timely prosecutorial review,’

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has pushed to turn the department into a powerful new force in the president¿s effort to root out alleged election fraud

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has pushed to turn the department into a powerful new force in the president’s effort to root out alleged election fraud

‘DHS is laser focused on prosecuting and removing aliens who vote and preventing the dilution of the votes of US citizens,’ a Homeland Security spokesperson told the Daily Mail. 

‘Our message to aliens who vote in American elections is clear: we will find you, arrest you, and you will face the consequences — including criminal charges and deportation.’

HSI, the agency leading the voter fraud investigation surge, has typically been used to tackle major crimes such as human trafficking, drug smuggling, and child exploitation. 

Mullin has already assigned an unprecedented number of investigators to examine the voting histories of suspected noncitizens who may have illegally registered or cast ballots in past elections.

HSI agents were previously ordered to coordinate with US Citizenship and Immigration Services on removal proceedings involving noncitizens suspected of committing or being linked to voter fraud.

Despite the sweeping effort, the Trump administration has so far referred relatively few voter fraud cases for prosecution.

Earlier this summer, Mullin announced that a DHS audit had uncovered more than 250,000 noncitizens on public voter rolls in California, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Nevada.

‘One thing that I love about numbers, and I love about facts, is they don’t lie,’ Mullin said to reporters at the time.

The latest crackdown scheduled to start Tuesday comes as Republicans in Congress face the possibility of losing their majorities in the House and Senate.  

Times Square Knife Attack Injures 2; Suspect Shot by Police

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A woman armed with knives stabbed two people in the center of Times Square on Monday afternoon, then moved toward NYPD officers while holding two blades before police shot her, authorities said.

The incident began shortly before 4:30 p.m. near West 43rd Street and Seventh Avenue, where the woman, whom authorities described as emotionally disturbed, attacked a man and a woman, police confirmed to Fox 5 New York.

After the stabbings, police said, the armed woman ran north in the direction of an NYPD substation, where officers encountered her holding two knives.

The NYPD have confirmed that there was a police-involved shooting in Times Square.

The NYPD confirmed that a police-involved shooting occurred in Times Square. (Fox 5)

Officers initially used a Taser in an effort to subdue the woman, but she kept advancing while armed, leading police to fire and strike her, officials said.

The two stabbing victims and the female suspect were hospitalized following the attack. Authorities said the victims and suspect were transported to hospitals, but their conditions were not immediately clear.

Large police presence currently in Times Square.

A woman allegedly stabbed two people in Times Square on Monday before she was shot by police.  (Fox 5)

Police urged the public to avoid West 43rd Street and Seventh Avenue and warned of delays in the surrounding area as investigators descended on the scene.

Authorities said the incident does not appear to be terror-related.

It was not immediately clear whether any NYPD officers were injured during the incident.

Police are expected to hold a news conference later on Monday.

NYC Transit Workers Keep City Moving as Fares Strain Riders

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Union big’s trains of thought

John Samuelsen knows transit from the ground up. A subway track worker by trade, he now serves as international president of the Transport Workers Union of America, the nation’s largest airline union, representing 165,000 transportation workers.

“I oversee 100 unions from coast to coast, including in the Caribbean,” Samuelsen said, noting the TWU’s reach across major transit hubs. Its ranks include about 30,000 workers at American Airlines, 34,000 at Southwest Airlines, and members in cities such as New York, Philadelphia and San Francisco, including those who keep the cable cars moving.

His connection to New York transit began early. “My first time on a subway was at Avenue U and East 16th Street,” he recalled. “I was about 8.” Samuelsen attended Nazareth High School in East Flatbush, in the working-class Irish neighborhood of southern Brooklyn where he still lives today — at the same address where his father grew up. By 1993, he said, he had discovered a skill that would shape his career: “I found that I was a good organizer.”


Pricing stays fare

Asked why riding the subway has become so expensive — compared with the days when a fare could feel almost as old as George Washington’s presidency and cost just a nickel — Samuelsen pushed back on the premise.

“Time marches on,” he said, arguing that New York City’s fare remains relatively affordable when measured against other transit systems around the country. He pointed to costs in several European cities, as well as regional systems closer to home, including the Long Island Rail Road, Metro-North and New Jersey Transit.

“Just think, you can get on the system in Coney Island and take it up to Yankee Stadium for a flat fee, $3. It’s not that much money. What can you do for three bucks? You can’t get a slice of pizza for three bucks in the city anymore.”

What do people misunderstand about the subway? Everybody complains about it.

“The problem’s the internet, Twitter, Instagram, cellphones, everything instantly available. Systems are under scrutiny that they weren’t years ago. Five transit workers a week get assaulted on average in NYC. If five schoolteachers were assaulted each week, there’d be massive societal steps to end that plague.”

So what’s going to happen with the new Second Avenue subway?

“Congestion pricing made funding available to continue to build it northbound. Money that the MTA, subway and bus riders never saw before. Huge casino money, congestion pricing money, and there should be a massive citywide discussion about that.”


Railing against AI

And AI might eventually replace transit workers?

“We are in a constant battle against artificial intelligence. There are postmodern urbanists right here that conspire every day to eliminate workers in the transit system and replace them with robotic elements.”

Another question on another topic. Air traffic control.

“The system definitely needs massive investment. They must hire more air traffic controllers. And increase their pay to a good salary in order to retain them.

“Lots of times disputes or desires of working people are about work-life balance. It’s about having appropriate time off to rest. It’s about being able to have a day off to celebrate a child’s birthday or a confirmation or a graduation. That is all part of having a desire not to let the bosses work us to death or work us into a divorce.

“And so it’s not always about wages, it’s about quality of life and about that all-important work-life balance.”


Listen, the high price of gas is forcing people to change their driving habits. Everybody’s trying to save money. Even street gangs. They’re now restricting themselves to jog-by shootings.

Only in New York, kids, only in New York.

One Killed in Stabbing Attack by Knife-Wielding Woman

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A woman armed with knives was fatally shot by New York City police on Monday after authorities said she launched a violent stabbing attack in Times Square that left one person dead. 

The woman, who had not been publicly identified, allegedly stabbed a female victim and a male victim shortly before 4.30pm near West 42nd Street and Seventh Avenue, one of Manhattan’s busiest tourist corridors, sources told the New York Post.  

After the attack, she reportedly ran north in the direction of an NYPD substation, where responding officers moved in and confronted her.

Footage captured at the scene appeared to show the woman holding large knives in both hands as at least six NYPD officers encircled her, several with guns drawn, while panicked tourists screamed and rushed through the crowded Times Square area.

The suspect, seen wearing a pink T-shirt, jeans and a cross-body bag, then began swinging her arms in wide motions. Moments later, an officer moved toward her before one gunshot rang out, followed quickly by two more.

Still, the woman charged at cops, prompting officers to fire two more times. 

The video then ended with the woman lying on the ground as officers race to handcuff her, before apparently realizing she was shot and beginning CPR.

The woman and her two victims were then rushed to the hospital in critical condition, where the suspect and one of her victims, a female tourist, were pronounced dead, according to AMNY.

Meanwhile, authorities recovered the woman’s weapon, with photos from the scene showing officers carrying a large kitchen knife. 

Police responded to a report about a knifepoint robbery in Times Square on Monday afternoon, but authorities now believe the woman responsible did not have a clear motive for the attack

Police responded to a report about a knifepoint robbery in Times Square on Monday afternoon, but authorities now believe the woman responsible did not have a clear motive for the attack

A knife-wielding woman was shot by police in the middle of Times Square as hundreds of terrified tourists watched on. She stabbed a man and a woman before shots rang out

A knife-wielding woman was shot by police in the middle of Times Square as hundreds of terrified tourists watched on. She stabbed a man and a woman before shots rang out

The woman and her two victims have since been rushed to a local hospital in critical condition

The woman and her two victims have since been rushed to a local hospital in critical condition

The incident had initially been reported as a knifepoint robbery, but officers now believe the emotionally-disturbed woman had no clear motive for the attack, ABC 7 reports.

A witness at the scene said he recorded the moment with his smart glasses and that the woman was allegedly armed with two knives. 

‘She ran by me at the corner and she had two knives in her hands,’ they told PIX11.

‘She ran down, the cops went by, they surrounded her, talked to her for like five minutes.’ 

The person said the woman was tased by officers, but when she rushed toward them, officers shot her with a gun. 

‘They shot her twice,’ the witness told the outlet. 

Construction worker Jorge Disla also told the New York Daily News how he was heading home when he came upon the scene and recorded on his phone as the woman swung a knife in each hand.

‘The police tried to speak with her,’ he recounted. ‘They were shouting “Drop the knives!”‘ 

Blood is seen in Times Square, where officers opened fire on a woman accused of stabbing two people

Blood is seen in Times Square, where officers opened fire on a woman accused of stabbing two people

NYPD officers investigate the scene where an officer-involved shooting left one dead

NYPD officers investigate the scene where an officer-involved shooting left one dead

The NYPD has urged people to avoid the area while they investigate

The NYPD has urged people to avoid the area while they investigate

Chaos unfolded in one of New York City's busiest tourist destinations on Monday afternoon

Chaos unfolded in one of New York City’s busiest tourist destinations on Monday afternoon

Witness Linda Ruiz also shared what she saw in the moments before police arrived on scene.

‘I saw a guy bleeding profusely from his right leg,’ she told the Daily News. ‘He was gushing blood, saying “I need help. Help me.”‘ 

‘I went to get a cop on the corner and there was another lady on the floor,’ Ruiz continued. ‘She was stabbed in the back or in the chest, I couldn’t tell.

‘There was a lot of blood,’ Ruiz noted. ‘She wasn’t conscious. The police were trying to resuscitate her, but she wasn’t moving. It was horrible.’ 

The NYPD has urged people to avoid the area while they investigate. 

Sources told PIX11 that they don’t believe the incident is terror-related. 

The incident comes about two weeks after a 54-year-old man was fatally shot by NYPD officers after he ran toward them with a butcher’s knife. 

At the time, officers were responding to reports of an assault inside a building on the Lower East Side. 

Breaking news, updates to follow.