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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.
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.
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.
A Las Vegas teenager has been charged as an adult in connection with an alleged gang rape during a school trip to Costa Rica, becoming the second student from a prestigious private school to face such charges.
Prosecutors revealed that 15-year-old Dominic Kim was among at least four students from the Alexander Dawson School implicated in the sexual assault of a fellow student during their class trip last year.
Kim allegedly displayed a graphic video of the assault to other students at an event hosted by the Meadows School, according to legal statements.
Furthermore, Kim is accused of threatening to harm those who viewed the video if they reported the incident, a claim made in a civil lawsuit filed by the victim’s family.
Clark County Chief Deputy District Attorney Stacy Kollins informed the court that Kim continued to torment the victim with the videos long after the initial incident occurred.
Kim was indicted on Friday for possession of child sexual abuse material and child abuse, neglect or endangerment, reported the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Defense Attorney Josh Tomsheck argued against charging his client as an adult in court on Friday.
‘I’m not disputing he did dumb stuff by showing videos, but his intent behind it wasn’t what the state is trying to proclaim,’ he said.
Kim was a student at The Alexander Dawson School (pictured) in Summerlin, Nevada when the alleged incident occurred
Vaughn Griffith (pictured) was the first student accused of filming three classmates hold down another student and rape him with a flute on a class trip to Costa Rica
Vaughn Griffith, 15, was also certified as an adult in January in connection with the incident.
He was charged with possessing a visual presentation depicting the sexual conduct of a child, a category B felony punishable by one to six years in prison.
It is unclear which of the group of teens is believed to have performed the sexual assaults.
The teens cannot be charged in the US for any sexual assault allegations because the alleged incident occurred out of the country, officials say.
According to police, Griffith, Kim and at least two other eighth graders mercilessly bullied an anonymous classmate on the trip in April 2025.
They allegedly stripped the victim naked and threw his clothes on the balcony at Hotel Manuel Antonio.
Two days later, the boys ‘pinned him down and pulled his pants and underwear [down]’ on a bed and sexually assaulted him, police said.
According to charging documents, the boys threatened to cut off the victim’s penis if he resisted.
The victim told police that he had been bullied by the group in the past and did not consent to the interaction, reported KTNV.
Griffith’s indictment painfully detailed the ‘graphic and violent sexual assault’ as seen in a two-minute and 16-second video he allegedly posted on Snapchat and saved in his ‘Memories’ section.
Kim allegedly showed other children videos of the assault while at an event at the Meadows School (pictured)
The horrific assault is said to have taken place during a private school trip to Costa Rica (pictured)
The teen was shown being held down on the bed and clearly under stress as the boys held him in place.
He was then allegedly sexually assaulted with a flute, a Chapstick tube and toothpaste as he cried and screamed in pain and his attackers laughed.
The victim eventually told his stepmother about the alleged rape, who reported it to school principal Roxanne Stansbury.
The Alexander Dawson School’s lawyers said in January that they were aware of the ‘serious allegations involving male middle school students’ during the Costa Rica trip.
‘We take any such allegations incredibly seriously and promptly reported them to law enforcement once brought to our attention,’ they said.
‘Because the alleged misconduct occurred among middle school students, we cannot comment any further at this time.’
The elite preschool through eighth grade private school charges $32,500 per year. It advertises itself as a community that ‘exhibits empathy, integrity, humility and kindness,’ per their website.
Griffith (left), 15, was the first teen involved in the case to be charged as an adult
The boys were staying at the Hotel Manuel Antonio (pictured) in Costa Rica last April when their bullying allegedly escalated to sexual assault
Police have said that at least two others have not been charged for their alleged involvement in the incident due to jurisdictional issues.
As of April 4, Delegación Policial Quepos in Costa Rica was unaware of any sexual assault accusations.
Evidence in the case has been sealed. The FBI confirmed that its Las Vegas Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force was involved in the investigation, reported NewsNation.
Kim posted a $30,000 bail before being transferred to District Court. The conditions of his release included high-level monitoring, the surrender of his passport and no contact with the victim or minors.
Both Kim and Griffith are due back in court for arraignment on April 14. Griffith has pleaded not guilty and Kim has yet to enter a plea.
The Daily Mail contacted Kim’s attorney, the Clark County District Attorney’s Office, the Meadows School and the Alexander Dawson School for comment
Two years back, Kirk Morison mulled over purchasing an electric vehicle (EV) but ultimately chose against it due to worries about driving range and the availability of charging stations.
Recently, his perspective has shifted. Now, he joins a growing number of Australians opting for EVs as the cost of petrol and diesel climbs steeply.
“About a month or two ago, we started to realize that choosing an EV might have been the better route,” Morison shares with SBS News.
Living in Sydney and currently involved in building a new house, Morison began to revisit the idea of EVs after observing the significant battery and solar requirements for modern constructions.
The surge in petrol and diesel prices, largely driven by the conflict in the Middle East, has hastened this transition.
Morison says he placed an order for a BYD Sealion this week — but it’s unclear when he’ll get his new car. Demand is so great that some dealerships have stopped offering test drives.
His current Ford Ranger ute runs on diesel, which is now costing the father-of-three around $200 a week.
“Even if [petrol and diesel prices] came back to original levels, there’s still an incredibly strong financial case to move to an EV,” he says.
Changing perceptions around EVs
Morison’s initial concerns about access to EV charging stations and driving range have eased in the two years since he bought the ute.
Coming out of the COVID pandemic, he says his family had planned to do lots of camping and outdoor leisure activities, but ultimately found they didn’t have the time.
Reflecting on his driving habits, he also realised the ute was mainly being used for trips to and from work, and to take his three kids to activities.
While it’s occasionally useful for transporting surfboards or construction materials related to their renovation, Morison says he feels they could achieve the same result with a different vehicle.
When you start sitting down and actually being more conscious of what you’re using the vehicle for, then we realised this actually makes a lot of sense.
Morison drives around 50-60km a day on average and can easily recharge overnight at home.
For the one or two longer trips a year the family may want to take, Morison says there are apps available to help figure out where to stop for charging.
EV charging blackspots
While access to charging stations may be a concern for some, at-home charging is the most common way to refuel.
Swinburne University professor of transport technology Hussein Dia says those who can plug in their EV at home will also save the most money because residential electricity rates are usually cheaper, especially if you’re charging during the day or other off-peak periods, and even more so if you have solar panels.
“The better the charging at home, the higher the benefits,” Dia says.
Charging your EV at home is the cheapest way to refuel. Some councils are trying to make it easier for people to run cables safely over footpaths so people can plug in their cars. Source: AAP / Joel Carrett
Most EVs can travel 400 to 500km on a single charge, which would enable them to drive around 30km per day for a week before needing to recharge.
“This means … people don’t need to charge every day,” Dia says.
Most EV owners only need access to public chargers if they can’t charge at home, or when travelling longer distances — for example, from Brisbane to Sydney or Melbourne.
These chargers are generally run by private operators but can be a lot faster than refuelling at home, taking as little as 15 minutes for a top-up.
In densely populated urban areas, Dia says there is usually a public charger within two to five kilometres of someone’s home, but in regional areas, it might be hundreds of kilometres away.
“On these longer routes, yes, you need to plan ahead, and you need to see where the chargers are,” he says.
Coverage along routes up and down the east and west coasts is quite good, but chargers in inland areas can be harder to find.
“This is where the charging deserts are.”
South Australian resident and Australian Electric Vehicle Association (AEVA) national president James Pickering says charging can be difficult in rural and remote areas, for example, north of Coober Pedy in South Australia, up into the Northern Territory.
There are no fast chargers along the Barkly Highway between the Northern Territory and northern Queensland, and parts of inner northern Queensland.
Better infrastructure is currently being built along the Great Western Highway in Western Australia, where there is also a shortage.
Dia believes governments need to do more to provide incentives or create partnerships with charging companies to improve coverage.
You need to have infrastructure everywhere, and Australia is quite a large place.
He says WA has the best coverage because the government identified priority routes for “electric highways”.
He says governments in the United Kingdom, the United States and New Zealand have introduced policies aiming to install EV chargers every 60 to 80km.
But AEVA vice president Jo Oddie notes that you can still find a way to charge an EV in most places.
“The reality is there’s always a power point — [there’s] more power points than service stations.”
Finding where to charge
The most comprehensive resource for finding charging stations is the crowd-sourced PlugShare online map.
Some states, such as NSW, offer their own maps, but these are not exhaustive.
Chargers offered by businesses, homeowners or community groups are also available but not always included on maps. Organisations such as ivygo allow for details of community EV chargers to be shared with motorists.
Chargers are also increasingly being installed by accommodation providers so guests can charge their EVs at night. Airbnb and Booking.com provide the option to filter venues to find those with EV charging.
Chargers offered by businesses, homeowners or community groups are available for EV drivers —but not always included on maps. Source: AAP / Dean Lewins
Pickering says there’s been significant investment in charging infrastructure across Australia over the past 18 months.
Fast and ultra-fast charging, in particular, has been prioritised along highways.
He adds: “There’s slower destination charging that you might find somewhere you dwell for a number of hours.”
In major cities, some suburbs still don’t have access to a large number of public chargers and this will likely be needed to help those who can’t charge at home — such as apartment dwellers — to switch to EVs.
But chargers are increasingly being installed in shopping centre carparks, on street poles and around workplaces — supported by businesses and all levels of government.
Kai Li Lim, who researches EV usage and charging patterns at the University of Queensland, says people also need to be aware of what he calls the “charging curve”.
Fast chargers will charge a battery very quickly in the first few minutes, but then slow down. This means a battery can go from 0 to 80 per cent charge in the same amount of time it takes to go from 80 to 100 per cent.
That’s why as EV drivers accumulate experience … they start to realise that [they] don’t actually need to charge all the way to 100 per cent at a public charger because that’s going to take more time.
A mistake people often make when they first buy an EV, Lim says, is treating it like a mobile phone and charging it every night.
“[Later] they realise this charging curve does exist, they get into a trend where they’re charging the EV once or twice every week.
“Twice a week is usually the average.”
He also notes that not every EV supports ultra-fast charging, which means a driver could be paying more and not reaching the charging speeds they want.
Range anxiety replaced by queue anxiety
Even when chargers are available, Dia says they may not always work, leading to “queue anxiety” about longer waiting periods.
He says the reliability of chargers is important.
“Otherwise, people lose confidence and you cannot plan ahead.”
Under the National Electric Vehicle Strategy, EV charging plugs in Australia must have at least 98 per cent annual uptime — meaning the amount of time they are operational and available for use.
“That’s actually quite lax — they’re saying that for every year, you have about one week of downtime,” Lim says.
In the UK, 99 per cent uptime is required, while the US stipulates 97 per cent uptime.
Despite these guidelines, Lim says the actual functionality is likely a lot lower.
He explains that if a charger can connect to the internet, it is assumed to be working, but this is not always the case.
Sometimes people can be physically blocked from using one by vegetation, another vehicle, or because it’s been vandalised.
A 2024 study by the University of California, which sent students out to test chargers across California, found that just over 70 per cent of charge attempts succeeded.
Issues included traffic congestion at charging stations, damaged or offline chargers, difficulty using apps to find locations, and malfunctioning chargers.
Lim says it would likely be a similar situation in Australia.
More accountability needed
Lim says grants are often given to providers for the construction of charging stations, with little or no consideration for the chargers’ maintenance and lifespan.
He believes companies should be held accountable, whether through penalties or licensing, and supports stronger regulation, potentially in the form of an ombudsman or independent body to monitor operators and investigate service issues.
Lim says some products, such as Charge@Large, an app created by the Electric Vehicle Council to show real-time availability of charging points, are trying to address this problem, but rely on operators opting in to share their data, which they can be reluctant to do.
Often, the functionality of a charger isn’t tested until someone tries to use it.
Lim says other technologies, such as cameras, or improved crowdsourcing may need to be considered, although there are issues around privacy and data sensitivity to consider.
We are spending hundreds of millions of dollars on chargers using taxpayer money … but there’s quite little consideration given to the lifespan and longevity of electric chargers, and to make the operators of the chargers be accountable for their own infrastructure.
“I think that’s the gap right now we have to address.”
While there are still issues to resolve, Pickering notes EV drivers are overwhelmingly satisfied with their purchase.
“We find that only about 3 per cent of people [in Australia], once they’ve driven an EV for a while, would consider changing back to a petrol or diesel car,” Pickering says.
“And the global average for that — with our peers around the world — is less than 10 per cent.
In the ongoing investigation of the Nancy Guthrie case, numerous agencies are collecting tips, and a significant $100,000 reward has been offered to encourage witnesses to come forward. The individual behind this reward, however, advises that Crime Stoppers, instead of the sheriff’s office, is the best avenue for providing information safely. This approach allows those with credible tips to receive compensation without revealing their identities.
“I am convinced that anonymity paired with a reward will motivate people to share what they know,” stated Michael Hupy, a Wisconsin attorney and the president of Crime Stoppers Milwaukee.
In Arizona’s Pima County, the Crime Stoppers program operates under the name 88-CRIME, and they can be reached at 520-882-7463.
Hupy has already dispensed $75,000 in rewards and has pledged an additional $200,000 to aid in solving crimes in his community. He disclosed to Fox News Digital this week that he committed six figures to the Guthrie case due to the disturbing nature of her disappearance.
Meanwhile, Savannah Guthrie is set to make her return to the “Today” show on Monday, following a two-month hiatus since her mother, Nancy, vanished on February 1.
She is believed to have been taken from her bedroom in northern Tucson around 2 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 1. Responding officers found a thin trail of blood droplets from her front door to the edge of her driveway. Her back doors were propped open. Her Nest doorbell camera was missing. And the trail seemingly ended there, until the FBI and Google recovered home security video showing a masked man on her doorstep — who is still unidentified.
“I was very sad that an 84-year-old woman in poor health was taken from her home, without her medication, her heart pacemaker stopped [synching], there’s blood at the crime scene, and I thought something had to be done quickly,” he told Fox News Digital. “And I thought this is a place I could step in, as I have in Milwaukee.”
He also criticized the early handling of the investigation, saying the sheriff released the crime scene too quickly and made other missteps.
Annie Guthrie, her husband Tommaso Cioni, and Savannah Guthrie at their missing mother Nancy Guthrie’s home on Monday, March 2, in Tucson, Arizona.(Fox News)
“I don’t think they secured the scene long enough to process it,” he said. “They went in, looked, opened it up, then they had to come back later.”
Hupy said he believes that the anonymity guaranteed by Crime Stoppers can’t be matched by the county sheriff’s tip line or even the FBI, whose tip line the Guthrie family has promoted publicly.
Tipsters can avoid being labeled “snitches” or facing retaliation, he said.
“That’s the point of it,” he added. “They get a reward anonymously, and they help society by getting criminals off the street.”
A source familiar tells Fox News Digital that two photos of the suspect in the Nancy Guthrie doorbell video were taken on different days.(FBI)
And with the investigation entering its third month this week, Hupy said the chance that someone who knows something about Guthrie’s suspected abduction told someone else has only increased.
“Somebody will learn something,” he said. “An ex-girlfriend will get mad and tell the authorities or Crime Stoppers that her boyfriend confessed to her. A bartender will say a drunk came in and spilled the beans on himself or someone else. So the longer it goes on, the more likely we are to get the criminal.”
Tipsters who use Crime Stoppers can also avoid getting in the middle as both the PCSD and FBI vie for information on the case independently, Hupy said.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos gives an update on the investigation after the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, who went missing from her home in Tucson, Arizona, U.S. February 5, 2026.(Rebecca Noble/Reuters)
“Avoid the bickering and avoid the nonsense and call Crime Stoppers,” Hupy said. “We know how to handle this. We have solved thousands of cases, and we’re not in the middle of something.“
And because Crime Stoppers is not a government agency, Hupy said it is not subject to freedom of information laws and does not keep identifying records of the informants it pays.
Tipsters are not asked for their names and receive a unique code number when they give information instead, he said. If there’s an arrest based on that information, they can collect by giving the code, not their name.
In an aerial view, law enforcement and news broadcasters are stationed outside of Nancy Guthrie’s residence on Feb. 10, 2026 in Tucson, Arizona. Searches continue for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, after she went missing from her home on the morning of Feb. 1. Guthrie’s possible abductors had set a deadline of 5 p.m. on Feb. 9 for a $6 million payment.(Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
“If your tip results in an arrest, you get a reward,” he said. “We don’t even know your name or your address or your phone number.”
And there are no records kept of those details either, he added.
The national crime fighting organization has given out tens of millions of dollars in reward money over the years, he said.
The Crime Stoppers reward is $102,500 for information that leads to an arrest. The FBI is separately offering a $100,000 reward for information that leads to either Guthrie’s recovery or an arrest and conviction. And “Today” co-host Savannah Guthrie is offering $1 million for information that brings her mother home.
“Come forward, you’ll be anonymous…and if you have the right information, you’ll get a reward,” Hupy said. “It’s that simple.”
Australians are increasingly tapping into their savings to make ends meet as the prospect of cost-of-living relief in the upcoming federal budget becomes more uncertain.
Government officials have indicated that the upcoming budget will likely emphasize fiscal restraint.
According to research from the comparison platform Finder, 54% of Australians have withdrawn money from their savings over the past year.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s focus was on Easter today, saying it is “a time of reflection and a time of joy”. (Nine)
On average they pulled out more than $7000 and that’s before the war in Iran even started.
This withdrawal amounts to a staggering $85 billion nationwide, at a time when tensions in the Middle East continue to escalate without any resolution in sight.
“This really highlights the financial strain many people are experiencing,” remarked Taylor Blackburn from Finder.
“I think everyone would be well served to batten down the hatches, save where you can.”
With households tightening their belts, attention is turning to the federal budget in May.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers today said there would be spending cuts and likely reforms on tax, housing, and superannuation.
Former Nationals Leader David Littleproud said Australian families were cutting back.
“They are making these tough decisions at the kitchen table and the government has to do the same,” he said.
Assistant Foreign and Immigration Minister Matt Thistlethwaite said the focus would be “stabilising inflation and boosting productivity”.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s focus was on Easter today, saying it is “a time of reflection and a time of joy”.
Blessing Okoro, known as Blessing CEO, faces increasing scrutiny from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The controversy stems from her public revelation of having stage 4 cancer on social media.
Actress Nkechi Blessing criticized the EFCC for its inaction regarding Blessing CEO’s situation.
Challenges seem to be escalating for self-proclaimed relationship expert Blessing Okoro, widely recognized as Blessing CEO, as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) becomes embroiled in the ongoing drama over her social media disclosure of battling stage 4 cancer.
On Friday, April 3, 2026, actress Nkechi Blessing openly chastised the anti-corruption agency for its inaction toward Blessing CEO.
The actress accused the influencer of defrauding the public and branded her as an unrepentant thief, also taunting her alleged connection with businessman IVD.
“Blessing Nkiru Okoro, you’re nothing more than a thief in broad daylight. I thought you were involved with a provider, a man who took care of everything for you. Yet, you resorted to scamming Nigerians just to make ends meet. If we had a functioning system, you’d be in jail by now. Unrepentant thief,” she wrote.
“Regarding that cancer, you’ve practically forced it upon yourself. @officialefcc, someone has deceived Nigerians, exploiting their pain, and yet no action is taken? Blessing CEO, I’m anticipating your comeback, dear… you petty thief, may your entire generation face consequences! You believe you can make 200 videos and I’ll overlook it? This time, you will truly face justice,” added Nkechi Blessing.
See post below:
Read some comments below:
@officialsarahmartins:”Shebi I warned Nigerians on time and nobody listened to me.”
@faty__96:”Then, I honestly thought Blessing CEO and Nkechi Blessing were the same person. Until last year.”
@tomicedar:”It’s her audacious posts afterwards that’s really unsettling for me…. what’s the family she defrauded still holding off. I can’t wait for VDM to start his own vase with her mtcheeeww.”
@egoponyejekwe:”I sincerely believe She only wanted to trend… But wasn’t constructive about it.”
@oluwaseunmmm:”Odidi 12M Nigeria will never learn because no evidence of cancer and dem still send money.”
@airmayca:”On a serious note, what’s @officialefcc waiting for? That’s 419 – obtaining under false pretences.”
A lifestyle coach shares the plank endurance standard that indicates exceptional core strength for those over 50.
The plank is a top-tier exercise for core stabilization, widely utilized by physical therapists to enhance neuromuscular coordination. The core encompasses several muscle groups, including the back, abdominals, pelvic floor, and glutes. A weak core significantly increases the risk of issues related to the neck, shoulders, posture, hips, and knees.
Curious about the strength of your core? Here’s a simple assessment to find out. As per Terry Tateossian, the Founder and Certified Lifestyle Medicine Coach, Trainer, and Nutritionist for Women 40+ at THOR – The House of Rose, achieving a specific plank duration post-50 signifies superior core strength, placing you ahead of 90% of your contemporaries.
Opinions on planks tend to be polarized; you either embrace them or dread them, with no middle ground, according to Tateossian.
What Makes the Plank an Effective Indicator of Core Strength and Fitness?
Shutterstock
When it comes to planks, you either love them or hate them. Tateossian says there’s no in-between phase.
“They are one of those exercises that make 30 seconds feel like 3 hours,” she says, noting, “They reflect our core endurance, spine stability and overall ability to control our entire body. In other words, they require a full body activation. These qualities protect us as we age.”
The Ideal Plank Hold Benchmark for Those 50+
According to Tateossian, if you’re able to hold a weighted plank with solid form—a weight plate is placed over your back as you hold the position without your midsection collapsing—for more than two minutes, you’re considered “top-tier” among your age group.
“It signals functional strength in the core, shoulders, glutes, quads and deep core,” she tells us.
If Your Plank Fitness Is Lacking, Here’s What To Do
If your plank performance can use some improvement, there are a few exercises you can do in order to strengthen your holds. These include dead bugs, bird dogs, modified (knee) planks, and glute bridges.
Dead Bugs
Lie flat on your back, arms extended toward the sky and knees lifted in a tabletop position.
Press your lower back into the floor and engage your core.
Lower one arm and the opposite leg.
Hover for a moment without allowing your arm or leg to touch the ground.
Return to the start position.
Repeat on the other side, and continue to alternate
Bird Dogs
Start on all fours.
Extend your left arm and right leg, keeping your core braced.
Hold for a moment before returning to the start position.
Switch sides, continuing to alternate.
Glute Bridges
Begin by lying flat on your back with bent knees and feet hip-width apart on the floor, arms at your sides with palms pressing into the ground.
Press through your heels to lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from head to heels.
Squeeze your buttocks, holding at the top for a moment.
Lower your hips back to the start position.
“The goal is to keep progressing in core strength over time. So maybe on day one, you can only hold a full-body weight plank for 10 seconds, but by day 60, you have worked your way to a two-minute full-body plank, and by day 120, you are holding a 24-lb plate on your back and holding a two-minute plank without breaking form,” Tateossian says.
U.S. special operations forces have successfully rescued the second crew member of an F-15E fighter jet that crashed in Iran, following an intense exchange of fire. Reports confirm that both airmen and their rescuers have been safely evacuated from the area.
According to sources from Axios and Fox News, the daring mission to retrieve the weapons systems officer was completed over a day after the jet was downed. This high-stakes operation took place behind enemy lines, highlighting the complexity and danger involved.
The incident was described by officials as a “worst-case scenario,” with U.S. forces in a race against time to reach the crew before Iranian troops could detain them.
On Saturday, the second crew member was found, sparking a rescue mission as Iranian forces, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), also moved in to capture the airman.
To counter the advancing Iranian forces, U.S. air units launched strikes, allowing special operations troops on the ground to carry out a strategic extraction amid ongoing hostilities.
The weapons systems officer had evaded capture after ejecting alongside the pilot, using Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) training to move away from the wreckage and take cover on elevated terrain while activating an emergency beacon, according to reporting cited by Fox News.
There was fighting on the ground during the mission, though no U.S. personnel were killed, according to sources familiar with the operation.
Two rescue helicopters were struck by enemy fire during Friday’s operations, wounding crew members, but both aircraft remained operational and exited Iranian territory.
Additional aircraft supported the mission, including an A-10 Warthog that provided cover for rescue teams before later crashing in Kuwait, with the pilot ejecting safely and being recovered.
The pilot of the F-15E had been rescued hours after the jet was downed Thursday night — early Friday local time — in southwest Iran, while the second crew member remained missing for more than 24 hours, prompting an intensive search effort.
Both airmen were able to establish communication after ejecting, aiding U.S. forces in locating and recovering them.
Earlier reports from Al Jazeera had indicated the second crew member had been recovered following a “heavy firefight” but had not yet been safely extracted, as the operation remained ongoing inside Iranian territory at the time.
Strikes and reported clashes were observed in and around Dehdasht, near where the aircraft was downed, with initial reports indicating casualties and an active operational environment as U.S. forces moved to recover the missing airman.
Iranian authorities had also been searching for the downed crew member in the days prior, including calls for civilians to assist in locating him.
President Donald Trump confirmed the operation in a statement early Sunday, declaring, “We got him!” and describing the mission as “one of the most daring search and rescue operations in U.S. history.”
Trump said the rescued crew member — identified as a colonel — had been “behind enemy lines in the treacherous mountains of Iran,” adding that the airman is now “safe and sound” after sustaining injuries.
The president said he directed the deployment of “dozens of aircraft” equipped with “the most lethal weapons in the world” to carry out the mission, while senior military leadership monitored the operation in real time.
He also revealed that the first pilot had been rescued earlier but that the operation was not immediately disclosed “because we did not want to jeopardize our second rescue operation.”
“We will never leave an American warfighter behind,” Trump declared, adding that the successful recovery of both crew members without any U.S. fatalities demonstrated “overwhelming air dominance” over Iran.
Joshua Klein is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at jklein@breitbart.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoshuaKlein.
The person appearing on video calls is recognizable yet noticeably downcast.
Last publicly seen in London on December 12 during the christening of her youngest granddaughter, Athena Mapelli Mozzi, the former Duchess of York has largely vanished from the public eye following the resurgence of the Epstein scandal, which hit her like a seismic shock. There have been a few possible glimpses of her in Dubai, Switzerland, and Ireland since then.
Rumored to be embarking on a covert journey, Fergie is reportedly staying with a series of discreet, affluent friends and maintains communication with her inner circle through FaceTime. Those close to her describe her appearance as ‘disheveled.’
“She hasn’t been keeping up with her hair or Botox treatments,” one confidant remarks with a frown.
Though sightings have occurred in several nations, Fergie is determined to keep a low profile. “She’s really feeling down and appears anxious,” a friend notes.
The friend adds that she has three different mobile phones and is switching between them to try to evade detection.
‘She has three phones and she goes cycling through them because she’s afraid that she might be being tracked. She is convinced that a lot of people wish her harm.’
There seems to be no in-person contact at all with daughters Beatrice and Eugenie, who according to Vogue writer Plum Sykes appeared looking glossy and glowing at a Cotswolds party last month, telling the assembled company that they were ‘doing fine’.
Sarah Ferguson, the former Duchess of York, has not been out in public since December. She is pictured in New York in 2023
Despite speculation that Sarah might move in with Beatrice and her family in the Cotswolds, their annexe – a converted cowshed – remains unoccupied.
And her relationship with her ex-husband, the former Prince Andrew, seems to have cracked under the immense pressure of their mutual disgrace, the extent of their links to the late paedophile Jeffrey Epstein having been finally exposed.
The friend says: ‘She and Andrew are on speaking terms but not talking that much. It is almost as if they have run away from each other. She is bobbing around with friends.’
Until the scandal entered its decisive stage last year, they were living together at Royal Lodge, formerly home to the Queen Mother, in Windsor, and Fergie liked to say they were the happiest divorced couple in the world. She didn’t go into exile with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, quite possibly because the King didn’t wish to extend any largesse towards Fergie, who has heaped one disgrace after another on the family.
We don’t know what’s on Andrew’s mind, but one would imagine that his investigation by police, who arrested him on his 66th birthday in February over alleged misconduct in public office, will loom large.
It emerged last week that detectives have asked Crown prosecutors for investigative advice. Their inquiries relate to Andrew’s period as a trade envoy, and the question of whether he leaked sensitive information to his friend, Epstein.
He will have a lonely Easter in his modest new quarters on the Sandringham estate, and will be nowhere near today’s traditional Easter Service at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, followed by a walkabout which the King and Queen and Prince and Princess of Wales will all attend.
Daughters Eugenie and Beatrice also won’t go – apparently by mutual agreement.
Eugenie stepped down from her role at the Anti-Slavery Collective charity last month and Beatrice faces questions over just how she afforded her jet-setting lifestyle in her 20s. Had either been bankrolled by Epstein’s millions? There is no comment on anything, from either.
We know that Epstein provided their mother with funds and flights – and that a grateful Fergie called him her ‘supreme friend’ and even urged him: ‘Marry me!’
Sarah’s relationship with her ex-husband, the former prince Andrew, seems to have cracked under the immense pressure of their mutual disgrace, writes Alison Boshoff
She also flew with both daughters to visit him in Florida immediately after he was released from prison in 2009.
There is, as you would expect, bitter regret from Sarah, who believes that she was a gullible fool rather than more culpably involved, even though some of their contact post-dates his conviction and jailing for sex offences involving an underaged girl.
A friend says: ‘She has been asking, “How am I going to get through this?”
‘She complains a lot about being broke – although I don’t know if that is broke in the sense that you or I would understand it. Her friends have been joking that they wouldn’t be surprised to find her selling her old handbags on Vinted.’
So who on earth is seeing Fergie these days – on FaceTime or in person?
While the answer is partly her society friends, who have huge homes and lots of money, she also has a surprisingly large circle of showbusiness and media chums, and some of them are wealthy enough to shelter her.
They range from A-listers such as Sir Elton John, Naomi Campbell and Demi Moore, whom she has known and cultivated for years, right down to the shallower reaches of the celebrity pond, where you find Fergie fans including the TV presenters Natalie Pinkham and Richard Bacon, and some of the more Euro-trash It-girl types, who know her through her daughters. Or, in the case of Lady Victoria Hervey, via a friendship with Andrew.
When Fergie’s daughter Eugenie married Jack Brooksbank in 2018, the guests included a dozen famous people, all of whom were ‘FoF’ – Friends of Fergie.
Kate Moss and her daughter Lila came. Moss had got to know Fergie initially through her association with the late socialite David Tang – both women would go to Tang’s lavish parties. The link was then cemented when Moss started dating Nikolai von Bismarck – his mother, the posh stylist Debonnaire, is a close friend of Fergie’s.
Count Gaddo della Gherardesca, 86 – the wealthy former partner of Sarah – snapped with the ex-duchess in 2016
Robbie Williams also became a friend of Fergie’s after they both took a freebie holiday on the yacht owned by Phones 4 U billionaire John Caudwell.
Again, a love of freebies brought Fergie close to Demi Moore – both women have taken gratis holidays on tycoon Richard Branson’s Necker Island. (Branson was moved to deny that Fergie was hiding out there earlier this year.) Moore was among the celebs who attended Eugenie’s wedding.
Many more showbiz friends and acquaintances enter the circle thanks to Sir Elton John. Fergie went to many of his ‘White Tie and Tiara’ parties, and this is where she met and became friendly with Victoria Beckham.
The then Prince Andrew later hosted Harper Beckham’s sixth birthday party at Buckingham Palace, which caused a storm when the Beckhams posted pictures of the celebrations.
Fergie also has an entree to the smart Delevingne set via mum Pandora, who was at school with Fergie and is one of her lifelong best friends.
‘A lot of people, including well-known people, are quietly still very loyal to her,’ says one. ‘Not that anyone is boasting about it, at this point.’
One source said last month that she was hiding at the Wiltshire home of her old flame Paddy McNally, now 88.
Princess Beatrice, Sarah Ferguson and Kate Moss attend Fashion For Relief 19 years ago
She dated the former racing driver and motorsports executive for three years before marrying Andrew, and the pair have remained close despite their 22-year age gap.
Fergie would no doubt be welcome in McNally’s other homes, in the Swiss ski resort Verbier and in St Tropez in the south of France.
However, another friend hears differently. He tells me: ‘She was in Devon at first, I don’t know with who. Then she went to Dubai, that was in February. Then she went to Austria and Switzerland. She’s staying in some place which is like a castle now, and apparently there is an Italian count looking after her.’
This could – just – be Count Gaddo della Gherardesca, 86, a wealthy former boyfriend who has an enormous family pile in Tuscany and is thought to have a ski lodge in Verbier.
His office did not respond to requests for comment.
Perhaps, though, the period of purdah is coming to an end. After all, as anyone who knows the former duchess can attest, Fergie is happiest when in the spotlight.
My source adds: ‘She says that she will come back soon.’
Those who have for decades witnessed her chutzpah would not be surprised at all. Whether her return would be welcomed by anyone but her oldest friends is another matter entirely.
A group of naïve individuals find themselves marooned in a remote wilderness, clinging to the fragile hope that teamwork will lead them to salvation. However, instead of fostering unity, chaos ensues as they descend into disorder.
This isn’t a retelling of the classic “Lord Of The Flies,” but rather Ben Shephard’s mountaineering reality show, “The Summit.” ITV’s version of “The Traitors” trades in the intrigue of cloaked deception for the rugged drama of 14 contestants clad in cagoules, armed with pickaxes as they metaphorically stab each other in the back.
While the concept likely sparkled with potential in the planning stages, the execution faces challenges imposed by its setting. Located in the expansive landscapes of New Zealand, the show’s format struggles with the logistical complexities that the vast terrain imposes.
The result is stilted, staged, blatantly fake and frequently nonsensical. The scenery’s nice, though.
We are meant to believe that these climbing novices, aged from their 20s to their 50s, are going to cover more than 100km (roughly 70 miles) in a fortnight, much of it on steep or boggy terrain, some of it vertical, at high altitude, ending on a mountaintop.
They don’t appear to be carrying spare clothes, food or safety equipment, let alone ropes and crampons. All they’ve got in their rucksacks is the prize money, currently standing at £200,000.
The blokes are in jeans, the women in leggings. Frankly, I’d be worried if I saw them setting off for a picnic in the Lake District.
Yet when they reach their first campsite, helpfully set up by the invisible production crew, no one is complaining of sore feet or tired muscles.
Ben Shepherd’s (pictured) ITV take on The Traitors is overwhelmed by logistical problems
Contestants Warren and Jenny on the show. The show feels stilted, staged, blatantly fake and frequently nonsensical
Afton, 24, (pictured) sobs helplessly when she gets mud on her pink outfit
Even if they’re only covering five miles a day, I’d expect all but the fittest to be exhausted.
Several of them are playing panto roles. There’s 24-year-old Afton, all in pink, sobbing helplessly when she gets mud on her outfit.
Publican Miranda, 50, is quick to tell everyone that she lost her mother when she was a teenager, and no one thinks it odd that she chats to her mum’s ghost whenever she’s anxious.
Construction manager Dockers, 36, has apparently been told to make himself as obnoxious as possible. He swaggers about, proclaiming himself to be ‘the ultimate shark’ and boasts of his ability to manipulate the other players.
He’s clearly been told to pick fights, and he does it without any guile or subtlety. On the second morning, he accused the others of trying to ‘sabotage’ him by throwing his gloves on the fire. When they denied it, he blurted, ‘You calling me a liar?’ like a drunk in a pub.
The beauty of The Traitors is that all the cast have to pretend to be friends, even while they know some are bound to be enemies.
These ‘mountaineers’ are supposed to be co-operating. True, they must select candidates for elimination each day but even that is done by a group vote. Stirring up conflict and splitting into factions makes no sense.
Energy Minister Chris Bowen has said Australia’s fuel supply “remains strong” and more ships were on their way.
He said Easter travellers should not cancel their plans but only use the fuel they needed.
Australia’s Energy Minister, Chris Bowen, has reassured the public that the nation’s fuel supply remains robust, with an increase in petrol deliveries underway to service stations nationwide. Bowen’s update, delivered on Saturday, highlighted the current reserves, which include approximately 39 days of petrol, 29 days of diesel, and 30 days of jet fuel.
Bowen noted a positive trend, with fewer petrol stations experiencing shortages as efforts to restock continue. In addition to this, he announced that 50 shipments are currently en route to Australia to bolster fuel availability.
While six fuel orders were cancelled, they have already been replaced with new ones, ensuring minimal disruption. Bowen emphasized that the primary area of concern has been diesel, with 312 out of around 8,000 service stations temporarily out of stock.
There had been six cancelled orders but they had been replaced by new orders, he added.
“The total number of service stations without diesel in Australia, which is where the main pressure has been, is 312 out of the around 8,000 service stations,” he told reporters.
“Now that does not mean that there is not still a lot more work to do, so that figure comes down to zero.
“But industry and government have been working closely together to ensure that we are filling those gaps, which are being caused by the very big increase in demand.”
He provided updated figures on diesel shortages across the states.
NSW: 150 stations are without diesel, down 32 from Friday. 36 total stock out, down 12
VIC: 51 without diesel, down 23 . 30 without unleaded petrol
QLD: 49 without diesel, down 7
SA: 13 without diesel, down 15
TAS: 8 without diesel
NT: 5 without diesel
ACT: 6 without diesel
Bowen encouraged Australians to stick to their Easter plans, but only to use the fuel they needed.
“Go see your family, go and take a break, but get no more fuel than you need,” he said.
“If you’re leaving the city to go to the bush, fill up in the city if you can … because most of the outages we’re seeing are in regional Australia, particularly on diesel.”
Holidaymakers undeterred by petrol prices
NRMA, which owns about 50 holiday parks and resorts, said higher fuel prices had not deterred Easter holidaymakers.
“There have been some cancellations but not at the levels initially feared,” the association’s spokesperson Peter Khoury said.
“That’s to be expected with record-high fuel prices.”
A survey conducted in March by the motoring group found that nearly a quarter of drivers are combining trips to make the tank last a bit longer.
More than 40 per cent polled were also cuttingback on driving by between 10 to 30 per cent.
Khoury said cautious consumer confidence was buoyed by the federal government assuring the public of its supply strategy.
“There’s been more certainty around supply, the cut in the excise may have encouraged to people to get in the car and people have started to regulate their behaviour,” he said.
Drivers will get an additional 5.7 cents a litre off their fuel until 30 June as part of a deal between federal and state governments to forgo some GST revenue, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on Thursday.
The move follows a cut to the fuel excise, reducing wholesale petrol and diesel costs by around 26 cents a litre, for a total of 32 cents off.
— With additional reporting by Australian Associated Press
