Archaeologists Found a Lost Temple in the Sand That Solves a Major Historical Puzzle
Archaeologists Found a Lost Temple in the Sand That Solves a Major Historical Puzzle
Archaeologists recently found the lost ruins of a ceremonial temple—covered in sand and 4,000 to 5,000 years old—in northwestern Peru. The excavation team first discovered the walls, and subsequently unearthed a mix of features indicating that the structure was once a temple. And then came the skeletal remains of three adults tucked between walls.
“We may be facing a 5,000-year-old religious site that constitutes an architectural space defined by walls built by rammed earth,” Luis Armando Muro Ynoñán, director of the Cultural Landscapes Archaeological Project of Ucupe — Valle de Zaña, said in a translated statement from the Peruvian Ministry of Culture.
The oldest portion of the site features not only the up-to-5,000-year-old walls, but also various architectural features that help define the site as a ceremonial temple. “We have what would have been a central staircase from which one would ascend to a kind of stage in the central part,” Muro Ynoñán said, noting that the stage could have hosted ritual performances in front of an audience.
The ruins include friezes with images of cats, the claws of a reptile, and a human body with the head of a bird. The designs are preserved in “fine plaster,” which has helped scientists nail down the exact age of the site and the origins of the religion. The team plans to study the chemical makeup of the pigments in the murals painted on the walls to help confirm how old the site is this fall.
But it wasn’t just architecture located in these sand dunes—there were human remains, too. According to Reuters, the excavation team located the remains of three adult bodies positioned between the walls of the temple. Nearby was also a bundle wrapped in linen that potentially served as an offering.
“It was amazing,” said Muro Ynoñán, according to a statement from the Field Museum in Chicago. “This discovery tells us about the early origins of religion in Peru. We still know very little about how and under which circumstances complex belief systems emerged in the Andes, and now we have evidence about some of the earliest religious spaces that people were creating in this part of the world.”
Muro Ynoñán said that the newfound temple likely contains more information about a people group that predated the known inhabitants of the region. “We don’t know what these people called themselves,” he said, “or how other people referred to them. All we know about them comes from what they created: their houses, temples, and funerary goods.”
The excavation team was invited to the site after the local government observed looting in the area. “It was so surprising that these very ancient structures were so close to the modern surface,” Muro Ynoñán said. “We think that a large temple was built into the side of the mountain, and we’ve found one section of it.”
Archaeologists also found a more recent temple, dated to sometime between 600 and 700 A.D. Muro Ynoñán believes the second site comes from the Moche culture. This one also features remains—those of a young child, possibly between 5 and 6 years old—but from a more recent time.
“The people here created complex religious systems and perceptions about their cosmos,” Muro Ynoñán said. “Religion was an important aspect of the emergence of political authority.”
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Hollywood Stars Celebrate Mother's Day – TMZ
Hollywood Stars Celebrate Mother's Day – TMZ
Hollywood Stars Celebrate Mother’s Day TMZMother’s Day 2025: Kareena Kapoor, Shilpa Shetty And Other Stars’ Sweet Posts For Their Moms NDTVCelebrity moms and their comebacks: A Mother’s Day tribute to the grit behind the glamour Times of IndiaMother’s Day 2025: Allu Arjun, Sunny Deol and more Bollywood stars celebrate their moms Hindustan TimesExclusive: Janhvi Kapoor, Ishaan Khatter & More Celebs Talk About Their Mom | Filmfare.com Filmfare
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Bomb targeting a vehicle carrying police killed 2 officers in northwest Pakistan
Bomb targeting a vehicle carrying police killed 2 officers in northwest Pakistan
PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — A powerful bomb exploded near a vehicle carrying police officers in northwestern Pakistan on Sunday, killing at least two officers and injuring three others, police said.
The attack happened near a roadside open market in Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, a local police chief, Masood Khan, said.
He said the dead and wounded were transported to a nearby hospital.
No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but suspicion is likely to fall on the Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, who often target security forces and civilians.
TTP is a separate group but a close ally of the Afghan Taliban, who seized power in neighboring Afghanistan in August 2021.
Many TTP leaders and fighters have found sanctuaries and have even been living openly in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover, which also emboldened the Pakistani Taliban.
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Top US officials emerge from China trade talks touting ‘substantial progress’ and ‘agreement’ – CNN
Top US officials emerge from China trade talks touting ‘substantial progress’ and ‘agreement’ – CNN
Top US officials emerge from China trade talks touting ‘substantial progress’ and ‘agreement’ CNNTrump says ‘total reset negotiated’ with China during tariff talks in Geneva Fox NewsUS and China have hammered out a trade deal, US trade representative says New York PostU.S. and China tariff deal talks: What to know about trade negotiations between the economic giants NBC NewsU.S. and China Meet for Second Day of Trade Talks The New York Times
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1 Stock to Buy, 1 Stock to Sell This Week: Alibaba, Walmart
1 Stock to Buy, 1 Stock to Sell This Week: Alibaba, Walmart
U.S.-China trade talks, CPI inflation, and retail sales will be in focus this week.
Alibaba is a buy with strong earnings, guidance beat on deck.
Walmart is a sell with disappointing profit growth, outlook expected.
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U.S. stocks ended the week on a quiet note on Friday to cap a losing week, as investors awaited much-anticipated talks between U.S. and China officials on trade and economic issues.
For the week, the fell about 0.2%, the dipped around 0.5%, while the tech-heavy shed roughly 0.3%.
Source: Investing.com
More volatility could be in store this week as investors continue to assess the outlook for the economy, inflation, interest rates and corporate earnings amid President Donald Trump’s trade war.
On the economic calendar, most important will be Tuesday’s U.S. consumer price inflation report, which is forecast to show headline annual CPI rising 2.4% year-over-year in April. The CPI data will be accompanied by the release of the latest retail sales figures as well as a report on producer prices, will help fill out the inflation picture.
Source: Investing.com
That will be accompanied by a heavy slate of Fed speakers, including Chairman Jerome Powell. Interest rate futures suggest traders see an 85% chance that the Fed will keep rates unchanged at its June meeting, according to the Investing.com .
Meanwhile, the reporting season’s last big week sees earnings roll in from notable companies such as Walmart (NYSE:), Cisco (NASDAQ:), CoreWeave (NASDAQ:), Applied Materials (NASDAQ:), Deere (NYSE:), and Alibaba (NYSE:).
Regardless of which direction the market goes, below I highlight one stock likely to be in demand and another which could see fresh downside. Remember though, my timeframe is just for the week ahead, Monday, May 12 – Friday, May 16.
Stock To Buy: Alibaba
Alibaba is shaping up as a compelling turnaround story, making it a stock to buy this week. The ******** e-commerce and cloud computing giant appears positioned for a positive surprise when it reports its March-ended quarter results before the market opens on Thursday at 5:35AM ET.
Recent optimism has been evident, with profit estimates revised upward ten times in the weeks leading up to the report—compared to only three downward revisions, according to InvestingPro. Market participants foresee a possible implied move of 5.9% in either direction after the print drops.
Source: InvestingPro
Consensus calls for Alibaba to report a robust 24% increase in adjusted profit, reaching ¥12.81 ($1.73) per share. This would mark the second consecutive quarter of accelerating earnings growth, a strong signal of improving fundamentals.
Revenue is projected to climb 8% year-over-year to ¥240 billion ($32.9 billion), up from 5% growth in the prior quarter, reflecting momentum in its core businesses. A key driver of this momentum is Alibaba’s cloud business, where AI-related product revenue has grown by triple digits for six straight quarters.
Looking ahead, the ******** tech titan looks poised to deliver strong forward-looking guidance as AI applications continue to expand across various industries. In late January, Alibaba unveiled an AI model that it claims outperforms rival DeepSeek’s models and rivals top-tier global models, positioning the company as a serious contender in the AI race.
Besides earnings, Alibaba could also get a boost as market sentiment shows a positive response to recent progress on trade talks between Washington and Beijing.
Source: Investing.com
Despite a recent dip below its 50-day moving average, Alibaba’s stock has surged 47.8% year-to-date, indicating strong investor confidence. Shares – which have staged an impressive rally off their April 9 low of $95.73 – closed at $125.33 on Friday.
It is worth mentioning that Alibaba stands out with a “GREAT” financial health label and an overall score of 3.11, as per the quantitative models in InvestingPro, showing robust fundamentals and strong profit capability alongside healthy cash flow.
Be sure to check out InvestingPro to stay in sync with the market trend and what it means for your trading. Subscribe now and position your portfolio one step ahead of everyone else!
Stock to Sell: Walmart
Walmart, on the other hand, faces a more challenging near-term outlook as it prepares to announce its first-quarter earnings on Thursday morning at 6:55AM ET. Analysts expect lackluster results, citing a less favorable product mix, rising expenses, and changing consumer behavior.
An InvestingPro survey of analyst earnings revisions points to growing pessimism, with all 24 of the analysts covering WMT cutting their profit estimates ahead of the print. Options trading suggests a 6% move in Walmart’s share price post-earnings, higher than the typical implied volatility, reflecting market uncertainty.
Source: InvestingPro
Wall Street expects the retail giant to report a 3.3% decline in earnings per share to $0.58, alongside revenue of $164.5 billion.
With macroeconomic pressures like inflation and shifting consumer spending patterns adding headwinds, Walmart’s near-term upside appears limited. Investors may want to trim exposure ahead of the earnings report and reassess after clarity emerges on the company’s outlook.
While management is likely to reaffirm full-year guidance, the retail behemoth has already flagged a wider range of outcomes for Q1 operating income, signaling potential volatility.
Given these potential pressures on profitability and the cautious signals, Walmart may be a stock to approach with caution this week.
Source: Investing.com
Shares – which are up 7% in 2025 – ended Friday’s session at $96.72. With a market cap of roughly $774 billion, Walmart is the world’s most valuable brick-and-mortar retailer and the 10th largest company trading on the U.S. stock exchange.
Be aware that Walmart remains extremely overvalued as per the Fair Value models on InvestingPro, which point to a potential downside of -26% to about $72/share.
Whether you’re a novice investor or a seasoned trader, leveraging InvestingPro can unlock a world of investment opportunities while minimizing risks amid the challenging market backdrop.
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Disclosure: At the time of writing, I am long on the S&P 500, and the via the SPDR® S&P 500 ETF (SPY), and the Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (QQQ). I am also long on the Invesco Top QQQ ETF (QBIG), and Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF (RSP).
I regularly rebalance my portfolio of individual stocks and ETFs based on ongoing risk assessment of both the macroeconomic environment and companies’ financials.
The views discussed in this article are solely the opinion of the author and should not be taken as investment advice.
Follow Jesse Cohen on X/Twitter @JesseCohenInv for more stock market analysis and insight.
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Face the Nation: Lujan-Grisham, Cupich, Mandelson
Face the Nation: Lujan-Grisham, Cupich, Mandelson
Face the Nation: Lujan-Grisham, Cupich, Mandelson – CBS News
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Missed the second half of the show? The latest on…Democratic New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, Cardinal Blase Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago, and U.K. Ambassador Peter Mandelson join.
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Dogs React to Roll Call on Pup Bus
Dogs React to Roll Call on Pup Bus
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what’s in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience.Generate Key Takeaways
Everyone is familiar with roll calls from their school days. In a cute video that has gained much attention on Instagram, several dogs got to experience the same. In the clip, the carers quickly checked the attendance before starting the pup bus. Moreover, the canines diligently responded to their names whenever it was called. The adorable video melted the hearts of many, racking up thousands of views and likes.
Dogs respond to their names in cute attendance video
**** boarding service, Escape to the Country, posted a video of their dogs’ roll call earlier this year, grabbing the attention of the internet. The clip garnered 977k views and 17.4k likes, with the canines being oh-so-disciplined while seated in the pup bus. All of them stayed in their designated areas throughout the Instagram Reel. However, one of them was catching a nap in their spot at the back of the bus.
The video began with the carers announcing it was “roll call” time. They went down the list, calling the pets’ names one by one. However, the best part about the clip is that the canines responded promptly. They brought their snouts forward towards the person checking the attendance. The gesture was very reminiscent of a student saying “yes ma’am” when their name was called.
Netizens could not help but find the Instagram Reel adorable. A user said, “Cannot believe they are so well behaved. Love the faces.” Another found joy in the batch having two dogs named Willow, with the carers distinguishing them by calling them “Willow Yellow Lab” and “Willow ****** Lab Cross.” They commented, “The two Willows…like David A and David P in school.”
In a video from 2023, the **** boarding service revealed that the canines ride the pup bus to a dog park. They get to enjoy an hour of the wind blowing in their face before reaching their destination. After having the time of their lives at the private park, they return to the “Doggy Camp” at Escape to the Country.
The post Video: Dogs React to Roll Call on Pup Bus appeared first on DogTime.
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Trump Is to Accept a Luxury 747 From Qatar for Use as Air Force One – The New York Times
Trump Is to Accept a Luxury 747 From Qatar for Use as Air Force One – The New York Times
Trump Is to Accept a Luxury 747 From Qatar for Use as Air Force One The New York TimesTrump administration poised to accept ‘palace in the sky’ as a gift for Trump from Qatar: Sources ABC NewsQatar to give Trump $400m jet to replace Air Force One The TelegraphTrump Is Said to Be Getting Qatari 747 for Air Force One, and Post-Presidency Travel: Live Updates The New York TimesTrump administration will accept a luxury jet from Qatar to use as Air Force One NBC News
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US says latest round of nuclear talks with Iran were ‘encouraging’
US says latest round of nuclear talks with Iran were ‘encouraging’
A fourth round of talks between the US and Iran over Tehran’s nuclear programme have taken place in Oman, with both sides agreeing to meet again.
US Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff said the discussions in Muscat were encouraging, while Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described them as “difficult but useful”.
The US has insisted that Iran must scrap its uranium enrichment to prevent the country developing nuclear weapons, but Tehran denies it has such an aim and on Sunday again stressed it did not intend to give up the programme.
Donald Trump pulled out of a previous nuclear agreement between Iran and five other world powers in 2018.
He previously warned of possible military action against Iran’s nuclear facilities if the fresh set of talks, which began in April, do not succeed.
Two previous rounds of the negotiations were held in Muscat with one taking place in the Omani embassy in Rome.
A senior US official said the latest discussions lasted more than three hours, adding: “Agreement was reached to move forward with the talks to continue working through technical elements.
“We are encouraged by today’s outcome and look forward to our next meeting, which will happen in the near future.”
Speaking to Iranian state TV, Araghchi said the talks had been “more serious and more direct” than on previous occasions.
“The two sides have now a better understanding of each other’s positions. We can characterise the talks today as moving forward.”
But Araghchi said “contradictory positions taken by the US in the media is not acceptable to us as they do not help the negotiations”.
The talks came in the same week that Witkoff said in an interview with US media outlet Breitbart News that the US expects Iran to dismantle its uranium enrichment activities.
Araghchi said: “Enrichment is an issue that Iran will not give up and there is no room for compromise on it. However, its dimensions, levels, or amounts might change for a ******* to allow confidence-building.”
Iran insists its nuclear activities are entirely peaceful and that it will never seek to develop or acquire nuclear weapons.
However, since Trump pulled out of the 2015 agreement – which expires later this year – Iran has increasingly breached restrictions imposed by the existing nuclear deal in retaliation for crippling US sanctions reinstated seven years ago, and has stockpiled enough highly-enriched uranium to make several bombs.
Under the terms of the 2015 deal, Iran agreed to only enrich uranium up to 3.67% purity for the next 15 years.
In February, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) nuclear watchdog reported that Tehran had stockpiled uranium enriched to 60% purity and could swiftly move to 90%, which would be weapons-grade.
The 2015 nuclear deal took nearly two years of intensive negotiations. At the start of this new effort to reach an agreement, Iran’s programme is far more developed and complex, and the wider region is far more volatile.
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Brand-New $350 Google Pixel Watch Is on ***** for Only $60, and Buyers Say It’s ‘Fantastic’
Brand-New $350 Google Pixel Watch Is on ***** for Only $60, and Buyers Say It’s ‘Fantastic’
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If you’ve been waiting for a stellar deal on a new name-brand smartwatch, your wait is over today.
Right now, Woot, an Amazon company, is selling a New Google Pixel Watch (1st Gen) for $60. That’s a savings of 83% off the original list price of $350, which means you’re saving $290.
The first generation of the Google Pixel Watch was released in October 2022. Woot has two styles of the smartwatch available for purchase. The Matte ****** Stainless Steel Case/Obsidian Band (WiFi Only) that is pictured below is the one priced at $60. A Silver Stainless Steel Case/Charcoal Band (WiFi + LTE) is priced at $70. Both are stunning deals.
Both styles of this smartwatch available for purchase on Woot are brand-new and come with the watch, small and large active bands, a USB-C magnetic charging cable, and a quick start guide. Woot is limiting the purchase quantity to three per customer. This deal ends in six days or until the watches sell out (it’s likely the watches will sell out first).
Shop It!
The product description on Woot says: “The Google Pixel Watch has a beautiful circular, domed design and a new experience with Wear OS by Google. Live healthier with sleep, heart rate, and activity tracking on Fitbit and get things done on the go with Google Assistant, Maps, Wallet, Calendar, and Gmail. And with the 4G LTE option, leave your phone at home. Works with most phones running on Android 8.0 or newer.”
The Woot listing features reviews for this Google Pixel Watch from Amazon. The average rating of those reviews is 4.2 stars out of five.
“I’ve gone back and forth between Apple and Android, and I’ve always thought that the best thing about iPhones was the Apple Watch. I’ve always been disappointed that Android users didn’t have a really good smartwatch option. But now we do! The Pixel Watch does everything I want it to do, plus it looks great and is very comfortable for my narrow wrists,” says one happy buyer.
“I don’t often give products a five-star rating, but this is an exception. I bought this for myself around the same time I bought a Samsung watch for my wife. The reason? I have a Pixel phone and she has a Samsung phone. Quite frankly, I found the Pixel Watch easier to set up, and it has some advantages, like better access to Fitbit. Also, the notifications are better on the Pixel Watch, and I think the watch face options are better on the Pixel,” says another reviewer.
“I’ve had my Google Pixel watch for about a week now, and I’ll share my first impressions. I’m sixty-three years old and this technology is something I’ve been waiting on for over fifty years … It looks fantastic, sleek and thin. It’s a beautiful expression of technology and styling. It does everything I need it to do, and it does it well. I’m running the cardio monitor to detect a-fib, so the battery life is pretty short. It’s a small price to pay for a good cardiac monitor. If I have to charge it every day, it’s all good. I love the screen, and the fact that I can read and respond to text messages and email by voice—very cool. The only complaint I could possibly have is the battery life—it’s very short … Other than that, I’m loving the new watch. It is very cool! Edit: after the watch did all the updates, the battery life improved dramatically. I easily get two days of use per charge. It charges very quickly (in about an hour) and I am very pleased with my decision to purchase a Google Pixel Watch!” says a third reviewer.
Woot! offers free shipping to Amazon Prime members and $6 flat rate shipping for everyone else.
Related: ‘Amazing’ Beats Wireless Earbuds Are on ***** for $50 Off: ‘Best Earbuds You Can Buy’
Related: ‘Superb’ Oakley Sunglasses Are on ***** for Over 70% Off
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Barcelona 4-3 Real Madrid (May 11, 2025) Game Analysis – ESPN
Barcelona 4-3 Real Madrid (May 11, 2025) Game Analysis – ESPN
Barcelona 4-3 Real Madrid (May 11, 2025) Game Analysis ESPNBarcelona 4 Real Madrid 3 – Barca with one hand on La Liga title despite Kylian Mbappe hat-trick The New York TimesLIVE: Barcelona vs Real Madrid – El Clasico La Liga Al JazeeraLa Liga Soccer Livestream: How to Watch Barcelona vs. Real Madrid From Anywhere CNETBarcelona 4-3 Real Madrid: El Clásico – live La Liga reaction The Guardian
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Second arrest over MSC Virtuosa cruise ship death
Second arrest over MSC Virtuosa cruise ship death
A second man has been arrested after a 60-year-old man died following an altercation on a cruise ship.
James Messham, from West Sussex, was reported dead about two-and-a-half hours after MSC Virtuosa departed Southampton on 3 May.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said a 56-year-old man from Richmond, London, had been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter.
A 57-year-old man from Exeter, Devon, who was arrested on suspicion of ******* on 5 May was released on bail.
The vessel left Southampton at 18:00 BST for a two-night voyage to Bruges, Belgium, returning at 06:00 on Monday.
The MSC Virtuosa is operated by MSC Cruises and has capacity for 6,334 guests.
MSC Cruises previously said: “Following an incident on board our ship, the relevant authorities were contacted and we are cooperating fully with their investigations.
“We are providing full support to those impacted and thoughts are with the family and friends at this difficult time.”
Police said they still wanted to hear from anyone who was aboard the ship.
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US’ Bessent hails ‘substantial progress’ in trade talks with China
US’ Bessent hails ‘substantial progress’ in trade talks with China
GENEVA (Reuters) -U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Sunday that there had been “substantial progress” in talks between his team and that of ******** Vice Premier He Lifeng in Geneva on defusing a trade war between the world’s two largest economies.
Bessent said he would give more details on Monday, while U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, also at the talks, said the differences between the two sides were not as great as previously thought.
“I’m happy to report that we’ve made substantial progress between the United States and China in the very important trade talks,” Bessent told reporters.
Bessent said he had informed President Donald Trump of the progress of the talks, and there would be a complete briefing on details on Monday.
The talks had continued into a second day on Sunday as both sides discussed how to de-escalate a trade war that threatens to inflict major damage on the world economy.
(Reporting by Emma Farge and John Revill; Editing by Hugh Lawson and Ros Russell)
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Amber Heard announces birth of twins in Mother's Day post – BBC
Amber Heard announces birth of twins in Mother's Day post – BBC
Amber Heard announces birth of twins in Mother’s Day post BBCAmber Heard Reveals She Welcomed Twins in Surprise Mother’s Day Announcement E! OnlineAmber Heard Welcomes Twins, Is Now a Mom of 3! Just JaredAmber Heard Twins: Actress Welcomes Babies Agnes and Ocean Us Weekly
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Taliban suspends chess in Afghanistan over gambling concerns
Taliban suspends chess in Afghanistan over gambling concerns
Thomas Mackintosh
BBC News, London
AFP via Getty Images
A stock image of a man playing chess in a tournament in Kandahar in June 2022
The Taliban government in Afghanistan has banned chess until further notice due to fears the game is a source of gambling.
Officials said the game has been prohibited indefinitely until its compatibility with Islamic law can be determined.
Chess is the latest sport to be restricted by the Taliban. Women are essentially barred from participating in sport at all.
Since seizing power in August 2021, the Taliban has steadily imposed laws and regulations that reflect its austere vision of Islamic law.
On Sunday, Atal Mashwani, the spokesman of the Taliban government’s sports directorate, said chess in Islamic sharia law is “considered a means of gambling”.
“There are religious considerations regarding the sport of chess,” he told AFP news agency.
“Until these considerations are addressed, the sport of chess is suspended in Afghanistan.”
One cafe owner in Kabul, who has hosted informal chess competitions in recent years, said he would respect the decision but it would hurt his business.
“Young people don’t have a lot of activities these days, so many came here everyday,” Azizullah Gulzada said.
“They would have a cup of tea and challenge their friends to a game of chess.”
He also noted that chess is played in other *******-majority countries.
Last year, the authorities banned free fighting such as mixed martial arts (MMA) in professional competition, saying it was too “violent” and “problematic with respect to sharia”.
“It was found that the sport is problematic with respect to Sharia and it has many aspects which are contradictory to the teachings of Islam,” a Taliban spokesperson said last August.
MMA competitions were effectively outlawed in 2021 when the Taliban introduced legislation prohibiting “face-punching”.
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Thousands come together for Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon
Thousands come together for Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon
Chloe Aslett
BBC News, Yorkshire
PA Media
To a backdrop of cheers, runners set off from the Headingley Stadium earlier
Thousands of runners have taken part in the Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon – the first to be held since the rugby league star’s death.
Leeds Rhinos legend Burrow died last June aged 41 after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND) in 2019.
His wife Lindsey and best friend Kevin Sinfield were among those taking part to help raise money for MND.
Sinfield told the crowds that Burrow would be “looking down on us, proud as punch of what we have created here.”
Speaking before the run, the former Rhinos captain said: “Today is about looking after each other. Today is about making sure we get to the finish line. Today is about running for our little mate Rob Burrow.”
Sinfield, along with Lindsey, joined more than 10,000 people for the event, which is now in its third year.
PA Media
Lindsey Burrow was cheered on by her children Maya, Jackson and Macy
It was the second marathon in the space of two weeks for Mrs Burrow, who completed the London Marathon last month.
Speaking to BBC Radio Leeds after finishing the race, she said: “The city of Leeds have shown their support for Rob right from his diagnosis and to finish at Headingley Stadium is just so special.”
The race got underway at the stadium – the home of Leeds Rhinos – at 09:00 BST with the route passing through Woodhouse Moor, Adel, Bramhope, Pool in Wharfedale and Otley.
Runners were followed an hour later by those taking part in the half marathon.
Paul Green, from Doncaster, was one of thousands of people inspired by the Burrow family’s story.
The 71-year-old said he was running his first half marathon in memory of his wife who died from MND in 2017.
Katy Lambert/BBC
Paul Green has dyed his beard bright orange to symbolise his fundraising for the MND Association
“It has been eight years, but it is still hard,” he said.
“I am running in memory of Joy. Hopefully she is approving of my lunacy doing it at this age.”
As well as fundraising for the MND Association, Mr Green volunteers as a “befriender”, helping to support people with the disease.
Mr Green, whose grandsons were running alongside him, said: “Hopefully together, we will get there and we will do this.”
Also taking part, Rob Tiffney, said he “knew nothing” about MND before hearing Mr Burrow’s story.
Katy Lambert/BBC
Rob Tiffney planned to raise £5,000, but has already made seven times his initial goal
The 49-year-old is on day 406 of a 500-day challenge to run 5,000 miles.
Mr Tiffney said he was hoping to raise £35,000 for the MND Association.
“Everyday for 500 days, whatever the weather, I get out and raise as much money and awareness as I can.
“Rob definitely influenced others – look at all the people here today.
PA Media
Kevin Sinfield said Burrow would be “immensely proud” of Leeds
Jack Cummings, the fastest male marathon runner, said: “The support around the course was like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. It was insane.”
Katie Brown, who clocked up the fastest female time, described being “in shock” as she crossed the line.
“Coming through and seeing the tape and seeing the stadium was unbelievable.”
Meanwhile Sinfield, who famously carried Burrow over the finish line of the 2023 Leeds Marathon, ended the race hand in hand with rugby league player Jamie Jones-Buchanan and friend Dave Spencer.
He said: “I hope people are really proud of their runs. Rob would be immensely proud of what Leeds have done today.
“He sent the sunshine.”
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Deadzone Rogue: Co-Op Gameplay | N4G
Deadzone Rogue: Co-Op Gameplay | N4G
CG writes: Another game popped up out of nowhere whilst browsing Reddit. An AD. for Deadzone: Rogue, a first-person-shooter rogue-like. There’s a demo on Steam and the game is fun to play and mildly addictive. Level-up your character during each run, and get better, and more powerful depending on your choices. We, especially like the knife attack stealth mode if you happen across that perk.
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Transcript: U.K. Ambassador Peter Mandelson on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,” May 11, 2025
Transcript: U.K. Ambassador Peter Mandelson on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,” May 11, 2025
The following is the transcript of an interview with Peter Mandelson, United Kingdom’s Ambassador to the United States, that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on May 11, 2025.
ED O’KEEFE: We’re delighted to turn now to the United Kingdom’s Ambassador to the United States, Peter Mandelson, who’s here making his Face the Nation debut. Ambassador, thank you for being here.
AMB. PETER MANDELSON: It’s great to be here, and Happy Mother’s Day to all those moms out there.
ED O’KEEFE: Indeed, to all of them, wherever they are. I wanted to start with the fact that the United States and the United Kingdom have now announced a framework, a framework for a trade deal that covers all sorts of things, steel, aluminum, cars, beef. You’re scrapping a 20 percent tariff on U.S. beef, you’re raising a quota on its imports. Do you have any sense of how soon this deal is going to be finalized, and do you trust that the United States is going to hold up its end of the bargain?
AMB. MANDELSON: Oh, yes, we regard it as finalized. A deal is a deal, and I have absolutely no doubt that the President and his colleagues, Secretary Lutnick and USTR Jamieson Greer, having said they would do a deal, have been true to their word. They delivered this deal, and I have absolute confidence that they’ll see it through. And it reflects the confid- the sort of amazing, confident relationship between our two countries, and the cordial relationship personally between the president and the prime minister and now we can build on it. I mean, we can look at- look to other trade barriers that we can bring down so as to create more jobs in the United States, and also something very close to my heart, I want to see us build a close U.S.-U.K. technology partnership. To invest, to build future industries in both our countries, which are science based and driven by technology. That would be a great gain–
ED O’KEEFE: –and it’s not part of this deal–
AMB. MANDELSON: — oh yes-
ED O’KEEFE: –So it requires another round.
AMB. MANDELSON: No, no, it’s- it’s featured in the deal, but it requires now work right to design it.
ED O’KEEFE: My read in the British press, I’m going to pin this on the British press, is that you’ve accepted a worse deal than the U.K. had before just to get out from the shadow of the tariff threat. Is it that you guys perhaps rushed to be first before all other countries?
AMB. MANDELSON: I don’t- I don’t- literally don’t understand the logic of that. The fact is that-
ED O’KEEFE: –Well, you’re paying more tariff than you were before, right? That’s part of it.
AMB. MANDELSON: Well, in some cases, but in other cases, we’re not. I mean, in some cases, we’re down to zero. So- and in other cases, for example, in autos, we’ve got absolutely secure quotas for exports to the United States. So it’s a good deal, and I’m very pleased that we’ve achieved it, but now we have to build on it.
ED O’KEEFE: The other tariff thing that came up this week that has the potential to adversely affect the British economy is the idea of a 100 percent tariff on any movies produced outside the United States. Have you discussed that year with the administration? Do you have any sense of how that could adversely affect the British film industry?
AMB. MANDELSON: Well, we touched on it, but this is American film production taking place in Britain, and we want to protect the American film industry and tariffs, if you can put a tariff on a film, is not going to do that. But whether it be in respect of films or pharmaceuticals that may be coming down the track towards us, we have an agreement in this deal that British interests will be protected alongside those of the United States.
ED O’KEEFE: I want to turn to Russia and Ukraine, because that was a great focus of your Prime Minister this weekend. He said, after the announcement of the proposed ceasefire this weekend, that if Putin, quote, “is serious about peace, he has a chance to show it,” but he’s basically ignored the ceasefire proposal and is now once again, calling for one-on-one talks. Do you- is the assessment of your government that Russia is at all serious about this?
AMB. MANDELSON: Look at face value it’s constructive that he’s offered direct talks for Putin with- with the Ukrainians. But then when you look at the small print, you see what he- you see that he wants these talks so as to call into question the very existence of Ukraine as a free, democratic and sovereign nation. And in the meantime, overnight, this weekend, we’ve had Russian munitions and drones raining down on Ukraine and killing Ukrainian people. It doesn’t seem serious to us, and we’re very glad that the Ukrainians have embraced this ceasefire, as the President asked them to do. But the truth is that it looks as if President Putin is engaging in brinkmanship with President Trump, and certainly, as far as we’re concerned in Britain, we only want one president to prevail in this standoff, and that’s President Trump, not President Putin, and that may require, therefore, additional pressure being mounted on Russia in order to bring them to the negotiating table.
ED O’KEEFE: And I’m curious, you’ve been around the president in recent days. He’s been clearly charmed by you, and you’ve been talking to the administration about a host of things. Is it your sense that he and his administration has, in essence, turned the corner on the Ukraine-Russia conflict in the last few weeks, siding more now, clearly with Ukraine?
AMB. MANDELSON: I think we are at a defining moment in this conflict, this war between- that Russia has launched on Ukraine. And that’s why I think that the administration now needs to consider how it’s going to pursue its goal of peace. That goal can only be realized if Russia, Putin matches what Zelensky and Ukrainians have offered, which is a 30-day ceasefire during which proper negotiations can take place. That’s what we need to see.
ED O’KEEFE: Does the United States need to pass a new round of sanctions against Russia if they don’t follow through in the next few days?
AMB. MANDELSON: Well, Senator Lindsey Graham has a bill–
ED O’KEEFE: He does, yes.
AMB. MANDELSON: –with his colleagues up on the- on the Hill, and I think the administration will want to judge the timeliness, appropriateness of backing that bill.
ED O’KEEFE: All right. Ambassador Peter Mandelson, thank you so much for stopping by. Don’t be a stranger. Come again.
AMB. MANDELSON: I’d love to.
ED O’KEEFE: All right, thank you. We’ll be back in a moment. Stay with us.
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He Was Ready To Pay $750,000 for His New House. Then the Appraisal Came In.
He Was Ready To Pay $750,000 for His New House. Then the Appraisal Came In.
Patrick Haley never thought he would be arguing to pay more for a house than it was supposedly worth.
Haley, who works in home-construction technology, was in the process of relocating from Texas to North Carolina a few weeks ago when he found his dream home in Charlotte. The $750,000, four-bedroom home spanned 2,700 square feet and backed into a state park.
Haley wanted to be close to family, so he didn’t mind the steep price tag, part of which would be covered with proceeds from the ***** of a previous home he had sold in San Antonio.
What he did mind was the appraisal gap. The property appraiser, sent by the lender he was working with, had determined the market value of the home he wanted to buy was just $698,000 — $52,000 less than what he had agreed to pay the seller.
That wouldn’t work for Haley. Lenders need to know the value of a home as a safeguard to ensure that they don’t overextend loans for more than they are worth.
And with the appraised value being lower than the asking price, that left Haley with a gap. He could only take out a mortgage for $698,000, and as the asking price was $52,000 more, he would need to pay the remainder out of his own pocket.
“I also disagreed with that appraisal,” Haley told MarketWatch. The property’s proximity to a state park made it unique. Not many properties like that came up for ***** often, he said, so there were no comparable sales on which to base the home’s value.
Haley’s experience shows how tricky the home-appraisal process can be at a time when home sales have stalled, partially due to a lack of homes on the market.
At the same time, since the market has become less competitive, more buyers are finding they have more time to spend on the appraisal process to make sure they are getting a fair price. In March, the National Association of Realtors saw a fall in the share of buyers skipping an appraisal contingency to 19% from 24% the previous month.
An appraisal contingency is a clause that allows the buyer to back out of a deal if the property is appraised at less than the price they agreed to pay the seller. In other words, it’s a way for buyers to avoid overpaying for a house.
When should a home buyer waive a home-appraisal contingency?
During the pandemic, it was more common for buyers to skip the appraisal contingency to expedite the process of buying a home. But in general, waiving the appraisal contingency is not a good idea, real-estate experts told MarketWatch.
“For cash buyers, it is the buyer’s decision,” Lawrence Yun, chief economist at the NAR, told MarketWatch. Nevertheless, an appraisal contingency is “generally advisable unless the property is clearly considered underpriced or multiple offers are expected.”
In most cases, such as Haley’s, the lenders require an appraisal before they can originate a loan. “Most appraisals are at the lender’s request to ensure the loan amount given is not too much,” Yun said. They will require the buyer to pay the cost of the appraisal, which can be between $300 and $500, according to an analysis by LendingTree, a comparison-shopping site.
What appraisers look for in a home
An appraiser looks at various aspects of a home to gauge its value. These can include the condition the home is in, the square footage and recent home sales in the neighborhood.
Appraisals can be a sensitive process for sellers to navigate. Homeowners who are selling have particularly strong feelings about appraisals that come in lower than they expect. “Homeowners are very often very emotional, and what they think moves the needle doesn’t move the needle at all,” Megan Judd, an Orlando, Fla.-based home appraiser and owner of Metropolis Appraisal Services, told MarketWatch.
Judd, who’s been appraising homes for over 30 years, says the length of time an appraisal takes depends on the property. If she’s evaluating a home that is newly constructed and fairly straightforward, such as a tract home, she would take an hour to do research before she gets to the house, 45 minutes to look through it, 45 minutes to drive around the neighborhood and take photos of comparable properties, and then three to four hours to type the appraisal report out.
“And that’s a very simple one,” Judd said. “I tend to spend a workday and a half, maybe 10 to 12 hours on a complex property — such as if it’s a lakefront property … or anything out of the ordinary.”
How one home buyer resolved an appraisal gap
The appraisal gap is slightly more common among small homes. Roughly 9% of homes in the closing process were appraised below the contract-sales price, according to a report by Cotality that looked at home sales in June 2024, the latest month for which data were available. Nearly a tenth of starter homes were appraised below the contract-***** price, the report said, versus 7.1% of more expensive homes.
The fact that the appraisal gap is higher among starter homes could reflect “a higher risk of overpayment by inexperienced first-time home buyers,” the company said.
Back in North Carolina, the homeowners who were selling their home to Haley were also facing the possibility of their home being undervalued.
Haley, who was a repeat buyer, was not pleased with the number the appraiser came up with, and didn’t think they had done a very thorough job. The person from the appraisal company “never set foot in the home,” Haley said, and didn’t stray farther than 20 feet from where their car was parked outside.
He theoretically had two choices at this point: Either walk away from the home and start looking for another, or get another lender and hope for the home to be appraised at a higher price.
But giving up wasn’t in the cards. Haley needed the appraisal to get the mortgage. He wasn’t in a rush, since the home was being sold off-market by the owners, whom he knew through a family member. He was told to try a different lender, so he went to a local one.
After Haley switched from a national mortgage lender to a local lender that did its own appraisal, the difference was day and night. “Everyone wants my business, so they probably told me what I wanted to hear,” he said, “but at the same time, they were really helpful” in terms of explaining what they said was their different approach to valuing homes like the one he sought to buy.
One way in which this new appraisal differed: The appraiser sent by the local lender looked at homes sold in the neighborhood over a longer ******* of time since there were few comparable transactions in recent years, rather than looking at homes sold recently in the surrounding areas, some of which were pretty far away. “I don’t think a home in that neighborhood has sold for the last five years,” Haley said, “so there was no direct comparison.”
The lender ended up appraising Haley’s dream home for $785,000 — $100,000 more than what the national lender had estimated — which meant he could get a conventional mortgage to cover the price of the home. Haley is currently under contract for the property.
“We were able to come up with what I thought was a more just appraisal,” Haley said.
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Rümeysa Öztürk, Tufts student held by Ice, vows to continue legal action after jail release – The Guardian
Rümeysa Öztürk, Tufts student held by Ice, vows to continue legal action after jail release – The Guardian
Rümeysa Öztürk, Tufts student held by Ice, vows to continue legal action after jail release The Guardian‘America is the greatest democracy in the world,’ Rümeysa Öztürk says as she returns to Massachusetts The Boston GlobeTufts Student Returns to Massachusetts After 6 Weeks in Immigration Detention The New York TimesÖztürk arrives at Logan Airport after 6 weeks in ICE detention WBURJudge orders immediate release of Rumeysa Ozturk, Tufts student detained by ICE Politico
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Amber Heard announces birth of twins in Mother’s Day post
Amber Heard announces birth of twins in Mother’s Day post
Amber Heard has announced the arrival of twins in an Instagram post shared on Mother’s Day in the United States.
The American actor revealed that she had welcomed daughter Agnes and son Ocean and was “elated beyond words” to celebrate the “completion” of her family.
Heard, 39, welcomed her first daughter, Oonagh, in 2021.
Under a picture of three pairs of feet, Heard wrote: “Becoming a mother by myself and on my own terms despite my own fertility challenges has been the most humbling experience of my life.”
The actor said she had chosen motherhood “responsibly and thoughtfully” and “couldn’t possibly burst with more joy”.
She described her family as one she had “strived to build for years”.
“To all the moms, wherever you are today and however you got here, my dream family and I are celebrating with you,” she added.
When Heard announced the birth of her first daughter in 2021, she spoke about her desire for it to be “normalised to not want a ring in order to have a crib”.
“I now appreciate how radical it is for us as women to think about one of the most fundamental parts of our destinies in this way,” she wrote on Instagram at the time.
Heard is best known for her films The Rum Diary, Drive Angry, Zombieland and Aquaman.
She was married to actor Johnny Depp from 2015 to 2016.
After their marriage ended, the pair accused each other of domestic abuse and engaged in two lengthy and high-profile defamation cases, the Depp v. NGN trial and the widely publicised Depp v. Heard trial, where Heard was found liable for defaming Depp.
For six weeks in 2022, a court in the US state of Virginia heard details of the couple’s volatile relationship.
Depp sued his ex-wife for defamation over an opinion article she wrote for the Washington Post that alleged she was a domestic abuse victim, although it did not mention him by name. Heard counter-sued.
Jurors awarded Depp – who denied abusing Heard – $15m (£12m) in compensatory and punitive damages.
Heard won one of three counter-claims against Depp and was awarded $2m in compensatory damages.
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‘Major’ ****** shuts M4 motorway in both directions
‘Major’ ****** shuts M4 motorway in both directions
A motorway has been closed in both directions following a major ******.
National Highways said the M4 in Berkshire was closed eastbound, between junctions 11 and 10, and westbound, between junctions 8/9 and 11, because of a “serious injury incident involving an overturned vehicle” on the link road from the motorway to the A329M.
South Central Ambulance Service confirmed it had five critical care units and six ambulances at the scene near Reading on Sunday afternoon.
Thames Valley Air Ambulance, Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue and Thames Valley Police were also there, National Highways said.
Just before 16:00 BST, police said the closure would likely be in place “for the foreseeable future” and asked drivers to avoid the area.
National Highways described the ****** as “major” and said there were “severe” delays approaching the closures in both directions, partly because of broken down vehicles in the queues.
The BBC has contacted Thames Valley Air Ambulance and Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue.
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Transcript: Rep. Michael McCaul on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,” May 11, 2025
Transcript: Rep. Michael McCaul on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,” May 11, 2025
The following is the transcript of an interview with Rep. Michael McCaul, Republican of Texas, that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on May 11, 2025.
ED O’KEEFE: Now we turn to Texas Republican Congressman Michael McCaul, who joins us from Austin. He is a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Homeland Security Committee. Congressman, thank you for being with us. I wanted to start first with the situation in Ukraine, because over the weekend, the U.S., Europe and Ukraine, put forward a proposal now for a 30-day cease-fire that would start on Monday. President Putin has essentially flouted it and is calling for direct talks again with Ukraine to be held in Turkey at some point, without conditions. How close are we, do you think, to a breakthrough?
REP. MICHAEL MCCAUL: If I could first, Ed, say Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers, especially my wife, Linda. Now getting on to the subject at hand. It’s- it’s very intense. You know, there was a 30-day cease-fire called for. Mr. Putin decided to bomb Ukraine on Palm Sunday. He’s not making any concessions at all, while Zelenskyy seems to be making all the concessions. So if- the bottom line is Putin has to agree to a 30-day cease-fire for any peace talks to go forward, and the land that he is asking for is- you know, even JD Vance talked about this, and the president, you know, land that- that Russia has not even occupied in Ukraine, so he has to operate in good faith. We want peace, but not peace at any price, because peace at any price is like appeasement, like we saw with Chamberlain and Hitler, and that’s unacceptable.
ED O’KEEFE: Now, the president has suggested in the past week that the U.S. might impose additional sanctions on Russia if they don’t agree to this cease-fire. You know that South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham has at least 70 of his colleagues in the Senate on board with a new sanctions bill. You’re on the House version of it as well. How likely is that legislation to get to the floor?
REP. MCCAUL: That’s really up to Mr. Putin. I mean, whether there are sanctions or another supplemental bill to fund this conflict, we’d like to see this thing over with the Pope, who I’m so proud of being a Catholic and an American Pope, called for peace, but not at any price. And so if Mr. Putin does not agree to a 30-day ceasefire, I think the sanctions are almost certain, not only from the Congress, but from the White House.
ED O’KEEFE: Well, okay, that’s one way to call out Russia. The other- I suppose we need to put pressure on Russia by continuing to arm Ukraine. You were instrumental in getting that last round of military aid for Ukraine passed, but Speaker Johnson has said there’s no plan to bring a new round of military aid to the House floor. What do you need to do now to convince the Speaker to hold a vote on that legislation?
REP. MCCAUL: Well, getting it passed the last time was a major accomplishment. Had we not accomplished that, Ed, Russia would be occupying Ukraine today. No question in my mind. There is presidential drawdown authorities for more weapons to go into Ukraine if Mr. Putin decides to not negotiate in good faith. So again, it’s really, up to Mr. Putin who so far has not been negotiating in good faith, as to how we proceed from here. And we all want this war to end. We all want peace, but we want a just peace.
ED O’KEEFE: The President, as we mentioned, is headed to the Middle East tomorrow, on Monday, there are reports he’s no longer demanding Saudi recognition of Israel as a condition for a nuclear deal with the United States. Is that a mistake, or is this nuclear agreement so critical that not acknowledging Ukraine, letting that go is okay?
REP. MCCAUL: We don’t have all the details. I know he’s there to discuss an economic alliance with the Saudis, with the UAE- UAE, with the Arab nations. And that’s important, just like the minerals deal that the Ukraine parliament voted for. The more economically we’re tied to the Middle East, the more we’re security tied, and that- that will push China out of the region. The ultimate goal here, though, is a normalization agreement with Israel. We were getting close to that, until Iran decided, through its proxy in you know in Gaza and ******, to invade on October 7. So, the point is, we need to be talking about all this as a package. But again, we cannot have normalization until you have a cease-fire in Gaza. And I think that’s the more difficult piece here.
ED O’KEEFE: There’s so many conflicts in the world, I of course meant Israel. You acknowledge that in your answer, the idea of normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel. A lot of issues around the world. There is one issue, though, back here at home, I want to talk to you about again, because you’re a member of the House Homeland Security Committee. Over the weekend, we saw Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrest the mayor of Newark, New Jersey outside a federal detention center, and they’re now threatening to arrest three Democratic members of Congress for allegedly assaulting or touching an ICE agent there on the scene. I’m just curious, should ICE be arresting or even threatening to arrest members of Congress?
REP. MCCAUL: I mean, that’s obviously a very drastic move. I would only do that if they were complicit with a crime. I don’t know all the facts behind this. If they were just visiting a detention center. That’s- I’ve done that many times. If they’re disrupting law enforcement, that’s another question. So, you know, we can peacefully protest in this country, but you cannot be complicit with gang violence against our law enforcement. And I think perhaps that’s what it comes down to. Ed, if I could just add one last thing on the Gaza, Governor David Beasley, who won the Nobel Peace Prize has been recently tasked into an effort, if you will. And I just talked to him on the phone, had many conversations with the Arab nations to try to get this aid into Gaza. He was a former World Food Programme president. If anybody can get this thing done, it’s him. And so I hold great hope that he may be able to bring an end to this conflict in Gaza, then we can get to normalization, that for the first time in our lifetime, we could see true peace in the Middle East.
ED O’KEEFE: There were reports that Beasley was going to be in charge of some kind of new effort. Are you telling us that he’s officially told you that’s the plan, now that he’s been hired to do it?
REP. MCCAUL: Well, it’s not official yet. I anticipate it will be. And he’s had the conversations with the Arab nations who very much trust him based on his prior performance.
ED O’KEEFE: Sure, absolutely and well known for his work with the World Food Programme. I do want to ask you one other thing, though, in the homeland security realm, because this past week, as well, White House senior advisor Stephen Miller said habeas corpus can be suspended at the time of an invasion, saying the administration is looking at ways to potentially do away with due process for undocumented immigrants. You’re an attorney, you’re someone who deals with Homeland Security issues and immigration being there from the Lone Star State. Is suspending habeas corpus for undocumented immigrants a good idea?
REP. MCCAUL: Well, this is- was done by President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War. It’s a very extreme measure, you know, to take. Any person in the United States under the Constitution has due process rights. So, I think the courts are going to decide this one, as to whether this invasion, in fact, constitutes what would be a state of war. Some would say it would. People in my state of Texas see an invasion and the drug cartels and the danger that they bring into my state in this country. I think that will be a very interesting legal argument before the court.
ED O’KEEFE: Well, curious to call in an invasion, especially when the administration likes to remind us that border crossings are, of course, at a historic low. So that’ll be part of the legal debate. I suppose, Congressman–
REP. MCCAUL: — They have gone down substantial, yes.
ED O’KEEFE: They sure have. Congressman Michael McCaul, thank you for globetrotting with us this morning. We appreciate it, and we’ll be right back.
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Aussies take mixed 4x400m silver in World Relays
Aussies take mixed 4x400m silver in World Relays
Australia’s 4x400m mixed relay quartet of Luke van Ratingen, Ellie Beer, Terrell Thorne and Carla Bull are celebrating the country’s second ever silver medal at the World Athletics Relays championship in China after another record-breaking run.
The Aussie ********* couldn’t match the American champions in Guangzhou on Sunday but, for the second day running, lowered the national and Oceanian record to take the silver in 3min 12.20sec.
On a fine final session of the two-day event, their medals were the icing on the cake as four *********** teams booked their places for the world championships in Tokyo, including the men’s 4x100m, who could feature both sprint stars Lachlan Kennedy and Gout Gout in Japan.
SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED Australia’s 4x100m men have held their nerve at the World Athletics Relays to book their ticket to the World Athletics Championships, with the team of Lachlan Kennedy, Joshua Azzopardi, Christopher Ius and Prince Jackson clinching second place in… pic.twitter.com/h35wBnsU2P— *********** Athletics (@AustralianAths) May 11, 2025
The mixed, women’s and men’s 4x400m teams also all made it to the global showpiece in September.
Pride of place, though, went to the mixed quartet, which demonstrated its strength in depth in the final, being much changed from the ********* of Bull, Cooper Sherman, Reece Holder and Alanah Yukich who had broken the Oceanian record in 3:12.34 in the heats on Saturday.
The American quartet of Chris Robinson, Courtney Okolo, Johnnie Blockburger and Lynna Irby-Jackson were in a class of their own as they broke the championship record in 3:09.54, but the Australians matched the nation’s best ever result in the seven editions of the event.
The only other silver they had won was in 2019 in Yokohama when Catriona Bisset and Josh Ralph finished second in the 2 x 2 x 400m relay.
“I couldn’t be any more stoked. We were so ecstatic to make the final and coming away with a silver medal, we are just so happy. We got all of our 400m crews to the world championships which is so exciting,” said Beer, Gold Coast’s 22-year-old Olympian who had earlier also helped the women’s 4×400 qualify.
Queenslander Bull’s big night saw her also just miss out on another medal as the youthful mixed 4x100m team – alongside Olivia Dodds, Connor Bond and Josiah John – clocked 41.22sec to finish fourth in the final behind the victorious ********* four.
The men’s 4x100m outfit of world indoor 60m silver medallist Kennedy, Joshua Azzopardi, Christopher Ius and Prince Jackson clocked 38.31sec to claim second place in qualifying round 2 and book the *********** place at the global championships.
“We are really stepping up our standards this year coming off the national record of 37.8 in Sydney,” said Azzopardi, who know the team could be bolstered by 17-year-olf Gout Gout in September.
“We feel like we can really push for those medals and that will be the goal. We will be ready come the world championships in September and that’s the main thing.”
The men’s 4x400m – Sherman, Reece Holder, Aidan Murphy and Tom Reynolds – clocked 2:59.73 to clinch their place in Tokyo, just 0.03sec outside the venerable 41-year-old *********** record.
The international highlight came with Britain’s 4x100m women’s team – Nia Wedderburn-Goodison, Amy Hunt, Bianca Williams and Success Eduan – stunning both Jamaica, whose team included Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson, and the USA to claim victory.
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