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Family: Haitian Ohio Student Dies by Suicide After TPS Loss

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A 20-year-old college student in Ohio who was born in Haiti has died in an incident his family believes was suicide, after losing temporary protected status protections tied to the Trump administration’s decision to end Haiti’s TPS designation.

Pierre Damas Bel died Monday after authorities say he parked his vehicle on the right shoulder of Interstate 70 and walked into oncoming traffic, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

“Bel succumbed to fatal injuries at the scene,” the Ohio State Highway Patrol said in a statement, noting that the case remains under investigation.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, addressed the death Tuesday, calling it a “horrible, horrible tragedy.”

ICE agents

A Haitian-born college student in Ohio died in what his family believes was a suicide after he lost his immigration protections. (John Moore/Getty Images)

“He graduated from high school here,” DeWine said. “He was well liked. He was in the junior ROTC. And, I’m told by those that knew him that he had great dreams about what he could do in this country and what he could contribute to this country.”

“I think we have to ask ourselves: Is this really good? Is it what we want done to people like this being picked up and facing deportation? Do we want that being done in our name,” he added.

Bel’s father told The Haitian Times that his son was “distraught” after weeks of wearing an ankle monitor. He was among some Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio area who have been required by the Department of Homeland Security to wear ankle monitors, after the U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for the administration to end Haiti’s TPS designation, potentially exposing roughly 350,000 Haitian nationals to removal.

“In his last days, I did not recognize him as he was such an energetic kid who loves life, friends and family, and education,” Bel’s father, Pierre Ronal Bel, said in a statement read by Pastor Carl Ruby.

Bel’s father said he was “treated like an animal” after receiving his ankle monitor, according to WSYX.

His father told The Washington Post that Bel left home before 8 a.m. on Monday and called shortly after to tell his father he was not feeling okay mentally.

“I told him, ‘Come home so that we can talk?’ I had my youngest to take to school. I took him to school,” his father said.

But later that morning, police showed up at his home to inform him his son had died.

A month before his death, Bel spoke out about his experience wearing an ankle monitor.

Donald Trump and Markwayne Mullin

Pierre Damas Bel, 20, died on Monday as he walked into oncoming traffic after parking his vehicle on the right shoulder of Interstate 70. (Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP via Getty Images)

“I came to this country to pursue my education. I didn’t come here to commit a crime or hurt anyone,” he wrote on social media.

“Yet now I’m walking through the streets of the United States with a GPS monitor on my leg, carrying a feeling of shame and humiliation that I never imagined I would experience,” he added. “I came here to study, to build my future and to live a better [life,] not to be treated like a criminal. So now, how am I supposed to play college sports with a GPS monitor on my leg?”

Springfield pastor Carl Ruby said on Monday that the family believes Bel took his own life as a result of President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda that targeted TPS.

“I’m sitting with a family right now whose son threw himself in front of semi truck today after being teased by fellow students at Wright State about his ankle monitor,” Ruby wrote on Facebook.

“I wish President Trump could hear the mom’s wails. The family wants people to know that this was a suicide and they want people to know that President Trump, [White House deputy chief of staff] Stephen Miller, and [Homeland Security Secretary] Markwayne Mullin’s inhumane immigration policies made this happen,” the pastor continued.

Many of the roughly 15,000 Haitian immigrants in Springfield have lived in the U.S. for years, unable to return to their home country that has faced years of violence, turmoil and extreme poverty.

In a statement to WBTN, ICE said it “does not comment on the cause of death while that investigation is pending, and we will not speculate about unverified claims regarding other individuals.”

Stephen Miller

Springfield pastor Carl Ruby said the family believes Pierre Damas Bel took his own life as a result of President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda that targeted TPS. (SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images)

Bel graduated from high school in May and was set to begin his first semester at Wright State University after being unable to play college soccer at Wittenberg University because of his ankle monitor, the Wittenberg men’s soccer team said in a Facebook post.

“He took 2 trips to Cincinnati and Westerville to plead to the officers to remove the bracelet since he’s a soccer player and he felt embarrassed and humiliated when he’s among his classmates at the University,” Bel’s father wrote on X. “Last Friday, August 28, 2026, he told me, ‘Dad I felt humiliated. Since they gave uniforms to all my classmates at JROTC their uniform, but except me because of the bracelet.'”

Wright State University President Sue Edwards said the school is “heartbroken by this devastating loss.”

“Pierre was an active honors student who was passionate about soccer and was already actively engaged in his classes and the campus community. The University mourns the death of Pierre and extends our deepest condolences to his family, friends and loved ones during this unimaginably difficult time,” Edwards said in a statement.

Italy Turns Invasive Blue Crabs Into Export Opportunity as Locals Resist Eating Them

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SCARDOVARI – For the past two years, fishermen in Italy’s Po River Delta, south of Venice, had little choice but to burn much of their catch of invasive Atlantic blue crabs. The foreign predator, widely accused of devastating the region’s valuable Manila clam beds, found few takers on Italian tables.

Now, as efforts to contain the blue crab invasion continue — including trials involving the release of tens of thousands of octopuses that prey on the crustaceans — the fishing sector is changing course. Rather than treating the crabs only as waste, producers are working to build new markets for them, a shift that is already helping some fishermen protect their livelihoods and could, supporters say, soften the crab’s notorious reputation in Italy.

Fishermen adapt in bid to protect their livelihoods

Second-generation fisherman Federico Zago has lived the crisis up close. Like many in his local cooperative, he watched his earnings plunge after the Atlantic blue crab spread through the delta. Revenues at the Polesine Fishermen’s Cooperative Consortium dropped 75% to 15 million euros ($17 million) across 2024 and 2025, while the number of active members fell from 1,500 to 850.

“We needed to change strategy, and create an opportunity from this disaster,” said Paolo Mancin, president of the cooperative.

Desperate, they pivoted to exporting the unwanted crabs, with the aim of preserving the Manila clams — invasive themselves — and mussels that created decades of prosperity in the shallow lagoons of Veneto and Emilia Romagna.

Zago now pulls up cages full of crabs from his traditional fishing cabin built on stilts over the Scardovari lagoon in the Veneto region. And the consortium’s strategy is working; so far this year it has sold every crab it has caught, eliminating the need for incineration. It forecasts 20 million euros ($23 million) in revenue this year, most from sales of crab.

“Since we’re going to have to live with these crabs, I hope they become an opportunity,” said Zago. “I hope the market continues to grow.”

Climate change creates perfect conditions for invasive crab

The Atlantic blue crab has been present in the Adriatic Sea since at least the 1940s, arriving in ballast water from commercial vessels, according to Piero Genovesi, an invasive species expert at Italy’s environmental protection institute.

Their numbers remained contained until 2023, and local fishermen reported catching them only sporadically.

Then came the explosion. Crabs tore through fishing nets, devoured mollusks at an alarming rate and edged out the native green crab, a local soft-shell specialty.

Climate change played a key role. Higher water temperatures favor blue crabs’ reproduction, but the real trigger was likely drought-driven drops in the Po River’s levels. That allowed sea water to infiltrate freshwater tributaries across the peninsula, especially in lagoons and deltas where clam and mussel farms provided ample prey.

“Climate change may therefore have favored reproduction through both temperature and salinity, because it changed the salinity of the water,’’ Genovesi said.

Eradication program failed

Reeling from damage to the mollusk industry, the Italian government adopted a blue crab eradication program in 2024. Over two years, the government paid the Polesine to catch and incinerate nearly 2.3 million kilograms (5 million pounds) of crabs. Fishermen in the neighboring Sacca di Goro lagoon and the Orbetello lagoon in Tuscany did the same.

But with female crabs able to produce up to 8 million eggs every season, culling barely dented their numbers. The project has been shelved, said Enrico Caterino, the government’s extraordinary commissioner for the blue crab emergency.

University of Bologna scientists this summer released 150,000 baby octopuses into the Adriatic Sea on the Riviera Romagnola, some two hours south of the Po Delta, promoting their project with an impressive video showing an adult octopus grabbing and devouring a crab.

Most octopus babies aren’t expected to survive. And given their preference for rocky environments over sandy lagoons and the crabs’ reproductive prowess, fishermen and experts alike are skeptical.

“If an animal with such high reproductive potential finds suitable environmental conditions, predators may not be able to keep it under control,” Genovesi said.

Fishermen deliver crabs bound for Sri Lan

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Each morning, Italian fishermen unload crates of scuttling crabs from the backs of their cars and trucks, 100-150 kilograms (up to 330 pounds) at a time.

Crab sales may be keeping the fishermen afloat, but their earnings remain nowhere near those of the clam industry’s heyday. Crab fetches just 1.30 euros per kilogram, compared with 10 euros for clams, which once generated 90% of their income but now account for just 10%.

Their crabs are steamed, frozen and packed into boxes to be shipped to Sri Lanka, where workers remove the meat by hand. The joint venture between Sri Lankan company Taprobane Seafoods and the Scardovari consortium churns out a range of crab products, from claw meat to mixed meat and fillet. Most is exported to other markets, with just a small quantity returning to Italy. Taprobane is forecasting large-scale retail expansion in Italy and Europe.

Mancin says he hopes the meat that arrives packed from Sri Lanka will help win over Italians who have so far resisted the “If you can’t beat ‘em, eat ’em” campaign launched in 2023.

Working to change Italian tastes

Despite the efforts, blue crab is mostly absent from top restaurants around Venice that specialize in the native green crab, due both to the labor involved in processing the invader species and its bad rap, according to the FIPE Venice restaurant federation.

The Yogi restaurant and bar in Porto Tolle on the Po Delta is an exception, having fully embraced the blue crab out of passion and necessity — finding themselves empty-handed after the invasion.

Owner and chef Stefania Marchesini, who fished professionally herself for 11 years, pays a premium to local fishermen, especially for soft-shell crabs known in the local dialect as moeche.

She offers an all-crab menu in her family-run restaurant, featuring fried crab balls, creamed crab on polenta, soft shell crab and sectioned crab in the shell — each recipe capturing the crab’s delicate flavors.

“At first, the customer is very skeptical. But then the reaction is completely positive, and they want to try the entire range of products,” she said.

Marchesini also has a separate workshop where she prepares crab to sell to other restaurants — but business has so far been disappointing. Her commercial fare includes moeche individually packed in plastic envelopes, and full crabs already broken apart, under vacuum, to make them easier to prepare and less messy to eat.

Even at restaurants where the products sell out, owners are reluctant to restock. Marchesini chalks it up to cultural resistance, but she is undeterred. Recently she brought her menu to Barcelona’s Alimentaria, one of the world’s largest food and beverage trade fairs.

“We are all angry because it invaded our seas,” Marchesini said. “But we also have to eat. Once people understand how it should be prepared, they will realize it is an excellent product.”
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USS Abraham Lincoln Arrives in Thai Resort Town for Port Visit

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After more than 200 demanding days on deployment, the USS Abraham Lincoln has arrived in one of Thailand’s best-known resort destinations, giving its crew a long-awaited chance to step onto dry land.

The US Navy aircraft carrier pulled into Pattaya on Wednesday, the Navy said, with roughly 5,000 sailors and Marines aboard set to enjoy a period of rest and recovery before the ship begins its journey back to the United States.

For the American service members, the port call comes as a welcome pause after being at sea since November 21 while operating amid the war in Iran.

Local leaders in Pattaya are also looking beyond this visit, hoping the seaside city can grow into an “important vacation spot” for US troops on future deployments, Newsweek reports.

Mayor Poramase Ngampichet reportedly told American military officials that Pattaya would be pleased to host more US service members in the years ahead, whether they are visiting for military exercises or taking time off before returning home.

Pattaya had started off as a fishing village, but became a tourism center during the Vietnam War, when US servicemembers were stationed nearby.

It has since developed a reputation for sex tourism, but ahead of the ship’s arrival on Wednesday, authorities in the city launched a crackdown on prostitution. 

Police raids over the weekend saw 40 to 50 people detained with additional patrols in place for the main beachfront and nightlife district, the Independent reports. 

But city officials have also implemented a series of rules for the sailors after speaking with American military officials.

The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier is pictured arriving at Laem Chabang Port on Wednesday following its extended deployment to the Middle East

The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier is pictured arriving at Laem Chabang Port on Wednesday following its extended deployment to the Middle East

Pattaya had started off as a fishing village, but became a tourism center during the Vietnam War, when US servicemembers were stationed nearby

Pattaya had started off as a fishing village, but became a tourism center during the Vietnam War, when US servicemembers were stationed nearby

Under the agreement, service members are banned from engaging in certain recreational activities like parasailing and cannabis use, which was legalized in Thailand in 2022, according to the Guardian. 

And while famed nightlife area Walking Street will be opened to sailors, they must leave by 2am. 

Any US service member found violating Thai law will be prosecuted accordingly, City Police Chief Anek Srathongyoo vowed.

Unlike in the United States, vapes and e-cigarettes are illegal in Thailand, and anyone caught possessing one can face up to five years in prison. 

The country also has strict laws against insulting the country’s monarchy – which could see violators sentenced to 15 years in prison. 

In preparation for the deluge of US servicemembers, authorities in Pattaya have stepped up security, adding more police officers in popular areas along the beach and in the bustling downtown area. 

Meanwhile, business owners across the city eager awaited the arrival of the sailors, with some businesses displaying banners reading: ‘Welcome all US military personnel. Thank you for your service’ and ‘All Welcome’ next to a silhouette of the aircraft carrier.

Business owners in Pattaya eagerly awaited the arrival of the US sailors

Business owners in Pattaya eagerly awaited the arrival of the US sailors

The ship’s arrival in Thailand comes just weeks after the USS George Washington was forced to abandon its post in the Pacific Ocean to relieve the strained sailors of the USS Abraham Lincoln.

The sailors onboard had reportedly experienced horrific conditions that led some service members to experience suicidal ideation due to dwindling morale.

The wife of one of the sailors even described the ship as a ‘floating metal prison’ with appalling conditions as she slammed President Donald Trump for downplaying family members’ concerns. 

The unidentified woman said that her husband described the experience aboard the aircraft carrier stationed in the Middle East as ‘the worst deployment he’s ever been on.’

‘This is not his first deployment. This is not his first time being out there, and he is saying that it is the worst deployment that he’s ever been on. And he also says that his shipmates say the same,’ she told CNN‘s Jake Tapper.

Sailors have complained about the meager portions they were receiving onboard the ship

Sailors have complained about the meager portions they were receiving onboard the ship

Since the beginning of the war in Iran, reports have surfaced of food shortages and rationing aboard the Lincoln, accompanied by photographs of sailors’ meals.

‘It’s not just the quality; it’s the quantity,’ the sailor’s wife told the outlet. ‘It’s the rationing. The portions are awful, so it’s really not good.’ 

Remaining anonymous out of fear of retaliation against her husband, the woman added that her spouse, who she said is typically unaffected by work stressors, ‘feels himself being angrier and more frustrated.’ 

‘You’re stuck in a floating metal prison, essentially, in the middle of the water, eating prison-like food with the same people in the same bunk beds in the same small quarters for 200 days, 250 days, you start to go a little insane working 12 hours, getting four or five hours of sleep,’ she continued.

The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier is pictured in April carrying out blockade operations in the Arabian Sea

The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier is pictured in April carrying out blockade operations in the Arabian Sea

This is a breaking news story and will be updated. 

Mother Sentenced for Neglecting 3 Children Left Sleeping on Pizza Boxes in Filthy Home

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Courtroom footage shows Kelli Bryant during her sentencing hearing (WJBK).

A Michigan mother who entered a no-contest plea after authorities said she left her three children alone in a filthy condominium has been ordered to serve time in prison.

Kelli Bryant, 35, was sentenced Tuesday to six to 30 years behind bars after pleading no contest in July to three counts of child abuse. Oakland County Sheriff’s deputies found Bryant’s children — ages 15, 13 and 12 — during a February 2025 welfare check at a condominium in Pontiac, Michigan. Investigators said the residence was filled with filth, and the children told police they had been living without adult supervision since 2020 or 2021.

According to police, Bryant had effectively abandoned the children while she pursued a lifestyle without them.

Brennan later addressed Bryant directly, saying, “During this time, your needs were met. Not perfectly, but you moved about in the world. You used toilets that flush. You had human contact. You had your physical needs met. And you were not sleeping on pizza boxes, surrounded by filth.”

Bryant’s sentence, with its minimum of six years behind bars, ensures that by the time she is eligible for parole, all of her children will be adults.

The post ‘Surrounded by filth’: Mom sentenced after she ‘sacrificed’ her 3 children to live a kid-free life and left them to sleep on pizza boxes first appeared on Law & Crime.

Family Mourns College Student Killed on Ohio Interstate as Advocates Urge Immigration Reform

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Pierre Damas Bel, a Haitian college student who had only recently arrived at Wright State University, died Monday after his father said he walked into traffic on Interstate 70.

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — EDITOR’S NOTE — This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org.

Bel had been a college student for just a few days when his life ended.

The 20-year-old from Haiti had begun his first semester at Wright State University, where he was studying neuroscience and taking his first steps toward building a future in the United States.

According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Bel was killed Monday in Clark County, Ohio, after he got out of his vehicle and entered the westbound lanes of Interstate 70, where he was struck by a tractor-trailer.

To the people who knew him, he was much more than the circumstances surrounding his death.

He was an honors student who loved soccer, a proud R.O.T.C. cadet pursuing a medical degree and a member of the Haitian community determined to build a life in America.

To Yola Lamarre, he was like family. 

“I considered him as a little brother,” Lamarre told 10TV on Tuesday. “I told him that you’re like my little brother, and I will do everything to protect you.”

Lamarre first connected with Bel through TikTok in July after he responded to one of her videos about navigating the immigration system. She said they began talking regularly and developed a close relationship.

She said Bel told her he had turned himself in to immigration authorities, was working and was trying to pursue asylum.

“He clearly wasn’t avoiding accountability,” Lamarre said. “If he did, he wouldn’t have went to the ICE check-in in the first place.”

A young man with plans

Bel arrived in the U.S. in 2024 and eventually moved to Springfield, Ohio because he wanted to play soccer, his family said.

He graduated from Springfield High School in the spring with honors and had been working at Texas Roadhouse while preparing for college.

Wright State said Bel began classes last week as a first-time student. The university described him as an active honors student who was passionate about soccer.

“He was already actively engaged in his classes and the campus community,” Wright State President Sue Edwards said in a statement. “We are heartbroken by this devastating loss.”

Bel had plans beyond the classroom, too. Before choosing Wright State, he had been recruited to play soccer at Wittenberg University.

Wittenberg men’s soccer coach Dwight Burgess said the university was excited about the prospect of Bel joining the team and becoming part of the campus community.

“Pierre was a bright young man we recruited to Wittenberg University and our men’s soccer program,” Burgess said in a statement. “We were excited to have him on our team and to watch him learn and grow as a member of the larger Wittenberg community.”

Wittenberg said it will hold a moment of silence in Bel’s honor before its season opener Tuesday night.

Bel also regularly posted on social media about his pride in coming to the U.S. from Haiti and his hopes for the future.

In a recent post, he wrote about the anguish he said the ankle monitor caused him, saying he came to the country to pursue his education and questioning how he could play college sports while wearing it.

The ankle monitor

Bel’s family and friends said the last month of his life was marked by growing distress after Immigration and Customs Enforcement placed him on an electronic ankle monitor.

ICE confirmed Bel was placed on the monitor July 29 while he continued his immigration proceedings.

Lamarre said Bel told her the monitor was painful and interfered with soccer, one of the things he loved most.

“He couldn’t practice,” she said. “He wanted people to see the reality of how someone who was following the rules was handicapped and paralyzed by living life.”

Bel’s family also described the embarrassment he felt at school and said he was subject to bullying.

His father, Pierre Ronal Bel, said Bel also made trips to Cincinnati and Westerville in an effort to have the monitor removed.

His final conversations

His father said his son called him Monday morning.

“Dad, I’m not feeling OK. I’m not thinking right … because of the bullies,” Bel told him, according to his father’s statement.

His father told him to come home so they could talk.

Before that could happen, police arrived at the family’s home and told him Bel had died after entering traffic and being struck by a truck, according to the statement.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating the circumstances surrounding Bel’s death.

His family and supporters believe the bullying and the experience of wearing the ankle monitor contributed to his death.

ICE said it would not speculate on unverified claims about the circumstances of Bel’s death while the investigation is ongoing.

For Lamarre, the details of Bel’s final days cannot erase the person she knew.

She remembers a young man with aspirations who was trying to establish himself, continue his education and play the sport he loved.

“He was someone that deserves to be dignified,” Lamarre said.

Arizona Son Accused of Neglecting Elderly Mother Until Death and Taking Social Security Checks, Docs Say

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An Arizona man is accused of leaving his elderly mother in such severe neglect that maggots were found in her bed sores, while he allegedly spent his time sexting and collecting her Social Security payments in the period leading up to her death, according to court records released Monday.

Allen Page is facing murder charges after he contacted a hospice nurse on Sept. 18, 2025, to evaluate his 84-year-old mother, Mary Elenz, AZ Family reported. When medical personnel arrived, they discovered Elenz in what authorities described as an appalling condition.

Allen Page is facing second-degree murder and other charges for his mother’s death. Maricopa County, Chandler Police Department

Elenz, who was still alive but unresponsive, was found with her skin stuck to filthy sheets as flies swarmed around her body and maggots emerged from open wounds, newly released court documents said.

The hospice nurse who responded was so shaken by the scene that she began crying while recounting it, calling it “the most horrific thing I’ve ever seen in my life,” according to the court filings.

Medical authorities transported Elenz to nearby Hospice of the Valley, where doctors also determined she was malnourished. She died the following day, the documents stated.

The Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner determined her cause of death was pneumonia complicated by skin wounds, and said that neglect played a role. 

Investigators interviewed Page, who initially had inconsistent stories about how he’d taken care of his mother, including when the last time he’d had a nurse visit was or how frequently he cleaned and bathed her, according to records. 

The dirtbag was also discovered sexting several people in his mother’s final days, all while insisting to friends that his mother was, in fact, fine, records show. 

Page, who hadn’t worked since 2022, also received a $1,600 deposit into his bank account from his mother every time she was paid by Social Security, police said. 

A man with long gray hair and a beard sits at a table wearing a white t-shirt that says "SARCASM, it's what I do best."

Investigators interviewed Elenz’s son Page, who had inconsistent stories about how he’d taken care of his mother, including when the last time he’d had a nurse visit was, according to records.  FOX10 Phoenix

According to cops, the man-child would use the money for himself instead of putting it toward his mother’s care. 

Documents also show several allegations of abuse against Elenz by Page dating back to 2019, but the cases were closed after they were unable to be substantiated.  

Page’s wife had also slammed her husband as a compulsive liar and charged that he was errant in his duty to consistently keep his mother clear, not changing her diaper or bathing her enough.

Cops booked Page into jail on a charge of second-degree murder and of intentional adult abuse, as well as charges for the ownership of several guns, which he was prohibited from having due to a prior conviction. His bail was set at $1 million cash.

Page’s legal representation could not be reached for comment.

Kogan Founder Clashes With Australian Rich Listers in Heated Dispute

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Online retail entrepreneur Ruslan Kogan has taken a swipe at billionaire competitor Gerry Harvey after the Harvey Norman co-founder pointed to the broader economy as a reason for slowing sales growth.

Kogan, 43, whose Kogan.com.au retail empire has helped build an estimated $300million fortune, criticised Harvey, 86, who is worth an estimated $3.82billion alongside his wife, Harvey Norman chief executive Katie Page.

The Kogan founder’s comments came after he read an interview in which Mr Harvey spoke about difficult trading conditions across the retail sector and a decline in shoppers visiting stores.

‘Right across all retail, right across Australia, doesn’t matter pretty much who you are, there is less traffic coming into the stores and so consumer spending has been affected,’ Harvey told The Australian.

‘The only retailer that is probably not affected might be Chemist Warehouse because they have got this model where everyone is buying weight reducing drugs – And maybe pet shops.

‘But if you talk about anyone else, anyone in consumer goods, like JB Hi-Fi, Good Guys, Harvey Norman, any furniture retailer … it has (worsened) over the last six months.’

Harvey Norman on Friday revealed its net profit grew two per cent to $528.46 million, while total system sales rose 3.1 per cent to $9.64 billion, despite sales growth slowing in the second half of the year.

Kogan, meanwhile, reported an $11.2 million net profit, while gross sales jumped 12 per cent to a record $1.042 billion.

Rising Rich Lister Ruslan Kogan, pictured alongside Anastasia Fai Kogan, has picked a fight with one of Australia’s biggest retail heavyweights

Rising Rich Lister Ruslan Kogan, pictured alongside Anastasia Fai Kogan, has picked a fight with one of Australia’s biggest retail heavyweights

Retail heavyweight Gerry Harvey, 86, who together with wife and Harvey Norman CEO Katie Page is worth an estimated $3.82billion, has found himself in the firing line of rising online retail rival Ruslan Kogan

Retail heavyweight Gerry Harvey, 86, who together with wife and Harvey Norman CEO Katie Page is worth an estimated $3.82billion, has found himself in the firing line of rising online retail rival Ruslan Kogan

Kogan seized on his company’s stronger rate of sales growth to challenge Mr Harvey’s assessment that retailers were being hit by a broader slowdown in consumer spending.

‘Just a few days before Harvey Norman, Kogan.com.au announced our results, and guess what? Delivered strong double-digit year-on-year growth, and our sales grew to over $1 billion.

‘So Gerry’s narrative just doesn’t stack up. Yes, the economy isn’t great at the moment – cost of living is biting, and conditions out there are genuinely tough for a lot of families.

‘But people still need the appliances and everyday items to live a comfortable life. What’s actually changed is how customers shop.

‘They’re not just walking into a showroom and paying sticker price anymore. They’re getting on their phones. They’re comparing prices. They’re being smarter about their purchases.

‘They are being smart, savvy shoppers, and we love it. So it looks like shoppers being smarter is what is actually hurting Harvey Norman.

‘It’s not an overall retail slowdown. We need to call a spade a spade and acknowledge that Aussies are demanding more value than ever before. And as a business, Kogan.com absolutely loves that dynamic.

‘We benefit in an environment where every customer does their research, reads reviews, shops around, opens a few tabs, compares products, compares specifications, and if more and more customers are doing this, our business grows. We would love that sort of environment.’

Kogan founder Ruslan Kogan said Aussies are becoming smarter shoppers

Kogan founder Ruslan Kogan said Aussies are becoming smarter shoppers

While Kogan's sales still dwarf Harvey Norman's, the online retailer is growing in popularity

While Kogan’s sales still dwarf Harvey Norman’s, the online retailer is growing in popularity 

Unlike Kogan, Harvey Norman has physical stores across Australia

Unlike Kogan, Harvey Norman has physical stores across Australia 

He said Aussies needed to be selfish and search for the best deals.

‘Do your research, look at alternative products, read reviews, make comparisons, because if customers do that, we’ll win a lot of market share.’

‘Legacy retailers are quick to blame the economy when sales slow down, but that misses the entire point. Aussies haven’t stopped shopping – they’ve just stopped overpaying.’

Lindsay Clancy Verdict Still Possible, Retired Judge Says

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If you or someone you know is considering suicide, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

A retired Massachusetts Superior Court judge is rejecting the idea that Lindsay Clancy’s murder trial is inevitably headed for a hung jury, saying jurors could still reach a verdict even after telling the court Tuesday that they were deadlocked.

Clancy, 36, is charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of her children — Cora, Dawson and Callan, each younger than 6 — who were found strangled inside the family’s home in January 2023.

The jury was sent home Tuesday after deliberating for more than 23 hours across four days.

Lindsay Clancy sits during trial.

Lindsay Clancy watches as the jury enters the courtroom during her murder trial at Plymouth Superior Court in Plymouth, Mass., Monday, Aug. 17 2026. (Greg Derr/Pool The Patriot Ledger via AP)

In a note sent to Judge William Sullivan on Tuesday, jurors said that “after many hours of deliberation, we are unable to come to a unanimous decision.” He directed them to resume their work.

“I brought you back out because I know that this was a long trial. All right, I know there were over 80 witnesses. There were over 300 exhibits. Because of that, I’m going to ask you to go back out, keeping in mind all of the instructions that I gave you to go out and to continue your deliberations at this time. All right. And so with that, I’m going to ask you to go back out. Like I said, keep in mind the instructions I gave you reviewing the evidence, and I’d ask you to, resume your deliberations at this time,” Sullivan said.

The jurors deliberating in Clancy’s murder trial are discussing several options, which include first-degree murder, second-degree murder, voluntary or involuntary manslaughter, not guilty by reason of lack of criminal responsibility (insanity) or not guilty.

Retired Massachusetts Superior Judge Jack Lu told News Media that the deadlock note doesn’t necessarily signal a mistrial is likely, and said a verdict is still possible.

Lindsay Clancy

Lindsay Clancy sits at the defense table during her murder trial at Plymouth Superior Court in Plymouth, Mass., Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026. (David L. Ryan/Pool)

“It is common for juries that eventually reach a verdict, especially in highly emotional cases, to initially report that they are deadlocked. So you could see a unanimous verdict later in this case,” Lu said. “There should be no rush to judgment.”

Superior Court Judge William Sullivan

Superior Court Judge William Sullivan presides over day three of jury selection Wednesday, July 22, 2026, in the triple murder trial of Lindsay Clancy, who is accused of murdering her three young children in 2023 in their Duxbury, Massachusetts home.  (Greg Derr/The Patriot Ledger via Pool)

“These jurors are deciding a difficult, difficult, difficult societal issue. No future jury and nobody else is going to be in a better position to decide these issues… it’s a critical public service,” he added.

Lu said that Sullivan was “150% correct” in not issuing a Tuey-Rodriguez charge to the jury today, which would have encouraged the jurors to keep deliberating toward a unanimous verdict. The instruction is used carefully in Massachusetts to avoid pressuring any individual juror, and Lu said giving it now would have been premature.

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

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

The retired judge said it was “still a little early” to read the deadlock as a sign the jury will ultimately hang.

“It’s still too early, and we could go much longer on these deliberations, and it would be totally legitimate,” he said.

Jurors will return on Wednesday morning at 9 a.m. to resume deliberations.

4 Morning Exercises That Beat Lunges for Leg Strength After 65

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Scroll through almost any fitness feed and you’ll see lunges—and plenty of lunge variations—featured in lower-body routines. There’s a reason they’re so popular: They can strengthen the quads, glutes, and hamstrings, and they make for eye-catching workout clips. But lunges can also ask a lot from the body. After 65, single-leg balance, deep knee bending, ankle mobility, and the confidence to lower yourself toward the floor without support may feel challenging or even unrealistic. The upside: You can still rebuild leg strength effectively with safer, more approachable exercises that may work better than lunges after 65.

Strong legs play a major role in how easily you move through everyday life as you age. They help you rise from a low chair, climb stairs, walk steadily over uneven pavement, and recover if you trip. They’re also closely tied to fall prevention. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than one in four adults 65 and older falls each year, and lower-body weakness is one of the key factors that can increase that risk.

Fortunately, restoring leg strength after 65 doesn’t require a gym membership, expensive equipment, or high-intensity training. What matters most is choosing exercises you can perform consistently, safely, and with good form. The four moves below target the major muscles of the lower body—including the thighs, glutes, calves, and hips—using only a sturdy chair, a bottom stair, and roughly 10 minutes in the morning.

To build this routine, we spoke with James Brady, CPT, a certified personal trainer at OriGym, who shared his four favorite morning exercises for developing lunge-like strength benefits with less strain on your joints and balance. Keep reading for the moves and step-by-step guidance. And when you’re done, check out these 5 Standing Exercises That Trim Upper Arms Faster Than Gym Machines After 60.

Ariana Grande Reveals She Hopes Boyfriend Ricky Álvarez Is Her Last Love

Ariana Grande’s relationship with Ricky Álvarez first took shape in 2015, when the professional dancer joined the pop superstar on the road for her Honeymoon Tour.

By May 2016, Grande was openly content with where things stood. “We’re happy,” she told Billboard at the time, adding, “I’m a very happy girl. I have a healthy life right now, and I think that’s all anyone cares to know. The end.”

The romance, however, didn’t last long. Grande and Álvarez parted ways in July 2016, bringing their brief but memorable relationship to an end just a few months later.

Years later, the former couple appeared to be on friendly terms. In June 2026, Grande and Álvarez were spotted together during a group lunch at De Nada Cantina in Austin.

The reunion buzz grew even louder the following day, when Grande playfully updated a lyric in her 2018 breakup anthem “thank u, next.” Instead of singing the usual line after “Wrote some songs about Ricky” — “now I listen and laugh” — she told the Austin crowd, “They still really slap.”

Weeks later, she was back at it again, this time singing at her July 13 concert, “We always find our way back.”

Soon after, he found his way onto her grid, with Grande appearing to soft launch their romance on Instagram July 27 ahead of the release of her eighth album Petal. 

As she captioned the post which included a clip of herself clinking olives with Álvarez, “petal season continued …….. !”