CHERNECHCHYNA, Ukraine (BN24) — A Russian drone strike overnight killed an entire Ukrainian family in the northeastern Sumy region, according to local officials, as Moscow intensifies its aerial attacks across the country.
Oleh Hryhorov, the regional governor of Sumy, said a residential building in the village of Chernechchyna was directly hit during a wave of drone assaults. Emergency responders later recovered the bodies of two young boys, ages four and six, alongside their mother and father, from the ruins.
“This is a tragedy that we will never forget or forgive,” Hryhorov wrote Tuesday morning on Telegram, accusing Russian forces of deliberately targeting the civilian home.
Ukraine’s State Emergency Service reported that two residential buildings were partially destroyed in the strike. Photos shared by the agency showed firefighters battling flames in the aftermath of the attack.
The Ukrainian Air Force said it intercepted 46 of the 65 drones launched overnight, but acknowledged that 19 drones struck six different regions directly. Russia’s Defense Ministry, while not commenting on the Sumy incident, claimed it had destroyed 81 Ukrainian drones over five of its own regions in the same period. No casualties were reported in those cases.
The deadly attack comes amid a sharp escalation in Russia’s use of drones and missiles in recent weeks. Ukrainian officials have pleaded for increased Western support, particularly in the form of advanced air defense systems capable of repelling near-daily attacks.
Kyiv has also intensified its calls for long-range weapons, arguing that the ability to strike deep into Russian territory could cripple Moscow’s military-industrial infrastructure and force President Vladimir Putin into serious negotiations.
Last week, U.S. Vice President JD Vance confirmed that Washington is considering Ukraine’s request for Tomahawk cruise missiles, which would place major Russian cities, including Moscow, within range.
In Brussels, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Tuesday that the EU and Ukraine had agreed to allocate €2 billion ($2.1 billion) toward drone technology. “This allows Ukraine to scale up and to use its full capacity. And of course, it will also allow the European Union to benefit from this technology,” she said.
The war in Ukraine, now well into its third year following Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, shows little sign of resolution. Western leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump and top European officials, have repeatedly pushed for a ceasefire, but Putin continues to reject those calls. Kyiv and its allies accuse Moscow of using peace overtures as cover for continued military gains.
As Russian forces press slowly forward on the battlefield, often incurring high casualties, the toll on civilians continues to mount — with the loss of an entire family in Sumy now standing as another grim chapter in the war’s unfolding tragedy.
Washington (BN24) – President Donald Trump announced the upcoming launch of a new federal website called TrumpRx, a direct-to-consumer platform that will allow Americans to purchase prescription drugs at discounted rates. The announcement came Tuesday, September 30, as part of a broader agreement reached between the White House and Pfizer, the first pharmaceutical company to commit to lowering drug prices under Trump’s push for most-favored-nation pricing.
Trump said the new initiative will make prescription medications more affordable by allowing patients, particularly those in Medicaid, to buy medicines directly online from the government without relying on foreign alternatives. “It increases transparency; in many instances, prices are 80% lower than they are today,” said Chris Klomp, Medicare Director and Deputy Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
According to the White House, “virtually all drugs” will be available on TrumpRx, including Pfizer treatments such as Eucrisa, Duavee, Zavzpret and Xeljanz. Pfizer pledged to cut the prices of most of its primary care drugs by an average of 50% and up to 85% in some cases. For example, Duavee, a menopause drug that typically costs more than $200 for 30 tablets, will be priced around $30.
TrumpRx is expected to launch in early 2026 and will be operated by the federal government. Trump said the site will not only reduce costs for low-income Americans covered by Medicaid but will also serve the uninsured. He emphasized that future agreements with other drugmakers will expand access and create a competitive market for prescription drugs in the U.S.
Still, health policy experts have raised doubts about the program’s reach. Stacie Dusetzina, a professor at Vanderbilt University, said the site is “not going to help the average person,” particularly those who obtain their medications through employer-based insurance or Medicare. “This is good PR for drug companies, but it won’t address the broader issue of tariffs, which could drive prices up for consumers,” she said.
Drew Altman, president of the Kaiser Family Foundation, echoed that concern, noting that the Trump-Pfizer deal is limited to a single company and does not address the broader industry. He added that the rollout comes as the Trump administration continues to push for 100% tariffs on pharmaceuticals made overseas, which could reshape the market.
The deal also secured Pfizer a three-year grace period on those tariffs, provided it increases domestic manufacturing and invests in U.S.-based production. Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla confirmed the company will commit billions in investment over the next three years to meet the administration’s conditions.
Despite the skepticism, Trump hailed the initiative as a major step in reshaping the pharmaceutical industry. “The United States is done subsidizing healthcare for the rest of the world,” he said, pledging more agreements with other companies in the coming months.
Washington (BN24) – President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that Pfizer will cut the price of all prescription drugs in the Medicaid program for low-income Americans and sell new medicines at a “most-favored-nation” price in exchange for relief from looming tariffs on pharmaceuticals.
The agreement makes Pfizer the first major drugmaker to comply with Trump’s demand that companies lower U.S. drug costs to match or beat the prices paid in other wealthy countries. The White House said the deal will also include Pfizer’s participation in a new direct-to-consumer platform, TrumpRx, slated to launch in 2026.
“The United States is done subsidizing the healthcare of the rest of the world,” Trump declared at the Oval Office event, where he was joined by Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and other administration officials. Trump said he expected other pharmaceutical companies to follow Pfizer’s lead.
The announcement came just days before a self-imposed deadline. On September 25, Trump had threatened to impose a 100% tariff on imported branded or patented pharmaceuticals starting October 1 unless manufacturers shifted production to the United States. Pfizer secured a three-year grace period exempting its drugs from the tariffs, provided it invests heavily in domestic manufacturing and relocates products to U.S. facilities. Bourla said Pfizer plans to invest $70 billion in research, development and local production.
According to Pfizer, discounts will reach as high as 85% on some treatments, with an average reduction of about 50%. Among the drugs listed for immediate savings were the rheumatoid arthritis therapy Xeljanz, migraine treatment Zavzpret, dermatitis drug Eucrisa and osteoporosis medication Duavee. Shares of Pfizer jumped more than 6% following the announcement, while other major drugmakers including Eli Lilly, Merck, Amgen, AbbVie and GlaxoSmithKline also saw gains on investor relief that tariffs might be avoided.
The deal comes amid growing concerns over the soaring cost of new drugs in the U.S. A Reuters analysis found that launch prices for new medications more than doubled last year, with a median annual price tag of $370,000. Trump’s most-favored-nation pricing policy aims to tether U.S. costs to the lowest rates paid abroad after rebates.
While Medicaid is the immediate focus — covering more than 70 million Americans — Medicare, the government program for seniors and people with disabilities, was not included in Tuesday’s announcement. Medicare’s drug spending reached $216 billion in 2021, compared with $80 billion gross for Medicaid, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Analysts said the financial impact on Pfizer is likely to be limited in the short term, but the deal could mark the beginning of broader negotiations with the pharmaceutical sector. “Today’s announcement appears to be the beginning of the rebound,” said Bernstein analyst Courtney Breen.
Trump’s administration has pressed companies for months to accept the new framework. In July, the president sent letters to 17 leading drugmakers demanding binding commitments to slash prices by late September. Industry insiders told Reuters that Tuesday’s announcement caught many of them by surprise, with executives tuning in to the press conference to learn the details in real time.
MIAMI (BN24) — A Nigerian national has been extradited from Poland to face federal charges for operating a transnational criminal organization that defrauded elderly Americans of millions of dollars through an elaborate inheritance scam, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Monday.
Tochukwu Nnebocha, 43, made his initial appearance in federal court in Miami following his extradition from the Republic of Poland, where he had been held in custody since Polish authorities arrested him in April based on an indictment filed in the Southern District of Florida.
According to court documents, Nnebocha is charged with operating an inheritance fraud scheme spanning more than five years. He and his accomplices allegedly sent personalized letters to elderly consumers throughout the United States, falsely claiming that recipients were entitled to multimillion-dollar inheritances from deceased relatives in Spain.
Victims were instructed to pay delivery fees, taxes or other payments to avoid questioning by government authorities before they could receive their supposed inheritance, the Justice Department said. However, victims who sent money never received any of the purported inheritance funds.
The payments were routed through a complex network of U.S.-based former victims who were manipulated into forwarding money to the defendants or their associates, according to DOJ statements. This layering technique helped obscure the money trail and complicated law enforcement efforts to track the fraud proceeds.
Nnebocha faces charges including conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, as well as substantive mail and wire fraud counts. If convicted, he could face a maximum prison sentence of 20 years, though a federal district court judge will determine his sentence after considering U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Two other defendants previously connected to the scheme have already been sentenced. Okezie Bonaventure Ogbata, extradited from Portugal, and Ehis Lawrence Akhimie, extradited from the United Kingdom, both pleaded guilty and were sentenced to 97 months in prison for their roles in the fraud operation.
The Justice Department highlighted the case as part of ongoing efforts to protect American seniors from domestic and foreign scams, including romance fraud, lottery fraud, tech support fraud and grandparent scams that exploit the vulnerability of elderly populations.
“These confidence schemes exploit the vulnerability of seniors and often result in significant financial losses,” the DOJ statement said, emphasizing the devastating impact such frauds have on victims who are often living on fixed incomes.
Romance fraud schemes involve perpetrators feigning romantic interest to extract money or property from victims, while lottery fraud schemes convince victims they have won prizes in non-existent lotteries to collect fake fees. Tech support scams trick victims into believing their devices are infected or broken, and grandparent scams exploit familial trust to coerce victims into sending emergency funds for fabricated emergencies.
Senior Trial Attorney and Transnational Criminal Litigation Coordinator Phil Toomajian, alongside Trial Attorney Josh Rothman of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch, are prosecuting the case against Nnebocha.
The investigation involved extensive collaboration between multiple agencies including the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, the Federal Bureau of Investigation Legal Attaché in Poland, INTERPOL and Polish authorities.
“This extradition underscores our commitment to holding perpetrators accountable, no matter where they operate, and to safeguarding seniors from fraudulent schemes that can devastate lives,” the DOJ statement emphasized, reflecting the government’s determination to pursue international fraud cases.
Nnebocha’s extradition marks another chapter in the U.S. government’s crackdown on transnational fraud, particularly schemes targeting vulnerable populations both abroad and within the United States. The successful extradition demonstrates international cooperation in pursuing criminals who operate across borders to exploit American victims.
The case follows a pattern of Nigerian nationals being extradited to the United States to face fraud charges. Recently, Chukwuemeka Amachukwu, a 39-year-old Nigerian residing in France, was extradited to New York to face charges of computer hacking, fraud and identity theft after being arrested at U.S. request.
The inheritance fraud scheme’s sophisticated structure, involving multiple countries and layers of money transfers, illustrates the increasingly complex nature of international fraud operations that require coordination between law enforcement agencies across continents.
Federal prosecutors emphasize that elderly Americans remain particularly vulnerable to these schemes due to factors including social isolation, cognitive decline, and generational trust in written correspondence. The personalized nature of the letters sent to victims added credibility to the false inheritance claims.
The Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch has prioritized cases involving fraud against senior citizens, recognizing that such crimes can have catastrophic effects on victims’ financial security and quality of life during retirement years.
Nnebocha’s prosecution serves as a warning to international fraud operators that U.S. authorities will pursue charges regardless of where perpetrators are located, utilizing extradition treaties and international law enforcement partnerships to bring suspects to American courts.
The case remains ongoing as Nnebocha proceeds through the federal court system in Miami, where he will face trial on the charges unless he reaches a plea agreement with prosecutors.
PARIS (BN24) — Emmanuel Nkosinathi Mthethwa, South Africa’s ambassador to France, has died after falling from the 22nd floor of the Hyatt Hotel in Paris. His body was discovered early today following a day-long search, after the 58-year-old diplomat was reported missing by his wife the previous evening. Mthethwa, who had been staying at the hotel, was last seen in his room on the 22nd floor, where police later found that a secure window had been forced open.
The South African ambassador was last in contact with his wife, who received a worrying message from him late Monday evening, prompting her to report his disappearance. Following the alarming message, French police launched an extensive search for Mthethwa, initially focusing on the Bois de Boulogne, a large park in western Paris where his phone had last been traced. However, despite the deployment of dogs from the canine brigade, the search in the park proved unsuccessful.
Fearing the possibility of a suicide, police turned their attention to the Hyatt Hotel, where Mthethwa had checked into a room on the hotel’s 22nd floor. His body was discovered outside the hotel, near the Porte Maillot district, just a short distance from the hotel.
Mthethwa had been serving as South Africa’s ambassador to France since February 2024 and was also the country’s permanent delegate to UNESCO. In his final public appearance, Mthethwa participated in the 109th Anniversary of the Battle of Delville Wood in Longueval, France, on Saturday.
Before his diplomatic post in Paris, Mthethwa had a distinguished career in South Africa’s government. He served as the country’s Minister of Arts and Culture from May 2014 to 2019 and later as the Minister of Sport, Arts, and Culture between 2019 and 2023. Additionally, Mthethwa had been a prominent member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the African National Congress (ANC) from 2007 to 2022.
In the wake of his death, French police have launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fall, with the Brigade for the Suppression of Crimes Against Persons (BRDP) of the Paris judicial police leading the probe. The duty magistrate has also been dispatched to the scene. Investigators have reportedly questioned Mthethwa’s family members as part of the inquiry.
At the time of writing, neither South African nor French officials have commented publicly on the nature of the incident.
As investigations continue, tributes have poured in from colleagues and diplomats, who have expressed shock and sadness over the untimely death of the former government minister and esteemed diplomat. South African authorities have yet to make a formal statement on the cause of death, and questions remain about the circumstances surrounding his tragic fall.
QUANTICO, Va. (BN240 — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth summoned hundreds of U.S. military officials to an extraordinary in-person meeting Tuesday, announcing sweeping directives that include implementing gender-neutral or male-level physical fitness standards and eliminating what he characterized as “woke” culture from the armed forces.
“The era of politically correct, overly sensitive don’t-hurt-anyone’s-feelings leadership ends right now at every level,” Hegseth declared during the unusual gathering at Marine Corps Base Quantico, where generals and admirals from around the world had been called without initially being informed of the meeting’s purpose.
Hegseth told military leaders they should “do the honorable thing and resign” if they disagree with his new approach, marking a confrontational tone unprecedented in recent Pentagon leadership. The defense secretary used the platform to criticize physical fitness and grooming standards, environmental policies and transgender troops while announcing loosened disciplinary rules and weakened hazing protections.
The secretary outlined 10 new Defense Department directives involving physical fitness requirements, grooming standards and return to what he called “the highest male standard” for combat positions. He specifically criticized overweight service members and senior officers.
“If you do not meet the male level physical standards for combat positions, cannot pass a PT test or don’t want to shave and look professional, it’s time for a new position or a new profession,” Hegseth said, adding that “it’s tiring to look out at combat formations, or really any formation, and see fat troops.”
Hegseth escalated his criticism of senior leadership appearance, stating that “it’s completely unacceptable to see fat generals and admirals in the halls of the Pentagon and leading commands around the world. It’s a bad look.” He said he does not want his son serving with out-of-shape troops or alongside females who cannot meet the same combat arms physical standards as men.
The defense secretary emphasized restoring what he termed “a ruthless, dispassionate and commonsense application of standards” while announcing an end to shaving exemptions. “No more beardos, the era of rampant and ridiculous shaving profiles are done,” he said, declaring that “the era of unprofessional appearance is over.”
Hegseth announced he would overhaul the Pentagon’s inspector general and the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity and Military Equal Opportunity program under what he called the “no more walking on eggshells” policy. “We are liberating commanders and NCOs,” he said. “We are liberating you.”
The secretary criticized what he characterized as a “poisonous culture of risk aversion” and demanded that senior military leaders ensure troops can trust that warriors alongside them in battle are “capable, truly, physically capable of doing what is necessary under fire.”
Addressing his controversial firing of senior military officers soon after his confirmation, Hegseth defended the decisions by arguing that “it’s nearly impossible to change a culture with the same people who helped create or even benefited from that culture.” However, he acknowledged those fired leaders were “following elected political leadership.”
“An entire generation of generals and admirals were told that they must parrot the insane fallacy that ‘our diversity is our strength,'” Hegseth said, adding that “the new compass heading is clear: Out with the Chiarellis, the McKenzies and the Millies,” apparently referencing former Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley, former U.S. Central Command Commander Gen. Frank McKenzie and retired Gen. Peter Chiarelli.
Hegseth claimed the Pentagon under his leadership is “ending the war on warriors” and alleged his predecessors promoted leaders based on race, gender quotas and “historic so-called firsts.” He blamed “foolish and reckless politicians” for focusing on “the wrong things” and said he aims to fix “decades of decay.”
“We lost our way and we became the ‘woke’ department, but not anymore,” Hegseth declared, stating that warfighters are entitled to be led by the “best and most capable leaders” rather than those selected based on what he characterized as diversity considerations.
The secretary announced a full review of the department’s definitions of “toxic leadership, bullying and hazing, to empower leaders to enforce standards without fear of retribution or second-guessing.” He argued that terms like “bullying and hazing and toxic” have been “weaponized and bastardized inside our formations, undercutting commanders and NCOs.”
“Real toxic leadership is promoting destructive ideologies that are an anathema to the Constitution and the laws of nature and nature’s God, as Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of Independence,” Hegseth said. “The definition of toxic has been turned upside down, and we’re correcting that.”
The defense secretary also announced new “proactive social media policies” aimed at eliminating criticism of commanders on anonymous platforms. “Anonymous, online or keyboard complaining is not worthy of a warrior,” he said. “It’s cowardice masquerading as conscience. Anonymous, unit level social media pages that trash commanders, demoralize troops and undermine unit cohesion must not be tolerated.”
Hegseth suggested welcoming a loosening of rules of engagement, stating that “we untie the hands of our warfighters to intimidate, demoralize, hunt and kill the enemies of our country.” He added that there would be “no more politically correct and overbearing rules of engagement.”
The secretary repeatedly referenced President Trump’s executive order renaming the Defense Department as the Department of War, though the name can only officially be changed by Congress. Hegseth claimed that since the War Department’s name was changed in 1947, the United States has not won a “major theater war.”
He likened the new military standards to Trump’s global tariffs announced in April, which the president called “Liberation Day,” characterizing his directives as marking the “liberation of America’s warriors, in name, indeed, and in authorities.” Hegseth told assembled officers, “You kill people and break things for a living.”
The defense secretary urged military leaders to say “never again to nation building and nebulous end states,” drawing parallels to veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan. He said “this clear-eyed view all the way to the White House” and Trump’s “military buildup” would position the United States for future victories.
“We embrace the War Department, and we must,” Hegseth said. “We are preparing every day to win, not just to defend. Defense is something you do all the time. It’s inherently reactionary and can lead to overuse, overreach and mission creep.”
President Trump also addressed the generals during the meeting, saying “together, we’re reawakening the warrior spirit.” His remarks, exceeding an hour, included discussions of the Nobel Peace Prize, peace negotiations between Israel and Hamas and his enthusiasm for tariffs. Trump said his administration is committing $1 trillion in 2026 for military spending.
Neither Trump nor Hegseth addressed the looming government shutdown during their remarks. Active-duty troops will be required to report for duty if the government shuts down, but their pay will be delayed until funding resumes.
The extraordinary meeting and sweeping policy announcements represent one of the most dramatic attempts to reshape military culture and leadership in recent Pentagon history, with Hegseth making clear that officers who cannot embrace his vision should leave military service.
DALLAS (BN240 — A second detainee wounded in last week’s attack on a Dallas immigration field office has died, his family announced Tuesday, bringing the death toll from the Sept. 24 shooting to two victims.
Miguel Ángel García-Hernández, 32, succumbed to his injuries after being removed from life support, his family confirmed in a statement shared by the League of United Latin American Citizens. The Mexican national leaves behind a pregnant wife and four children, with a fifth child expected soon.
García-Hernández was one of three detainees shot when gunman Joshua Jahn, 29, opened fire from a nearby rooftop at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility. The attack killed Norlan Guzman-Fuentes and left García-Hernández and another detainee critically wounded. No ICE personnel were injured in the assault.
Authorities said Jahn harbored hatred for the U.S. government and intended to incite terror by killing federal agents. He fired indiscriminately at the facility before taking his own life following the attack.
The shooting occurred amid heightened immigration enforcement that has generated backlash against ICE agents and stirred fear throughout immigrant communities nationwide. The Trump administration’s expanded deportation operations have intensified tensions surrounding immigration policy and enforcement.
García-Hernández’s widow, Stephany Gauffeny, described her husband as a devoted family man who worked tirelessly to provide for his children. “My husband Miguel was a good man, a loving father, and the provider for our family,” Gauffeny said in the statement. “We had just bought our first home together, and he worked hard every single day to make sure our children had what they needed.”
The family had recently achieved a milestone by purchasing their first home, representing years of García-Hernández’s labor and dedication to building a stable life for his family. His death has devastated those he left behind.
“His death is a senseless tragedy that has left our family shattered,” Gauffeny continued. “I do not know how to explain to our children that their father is gone.”
LULAC confirmed that Gauffeny is expecting the couple’s fifth child, adding another layer of tragedy to the family’s loss. García-Hernández will never meet his youngest child, who will grow up without knowing their father.
The attack on the Dallas ICE facility represents one of the deadliest incidents targeting immigration enforcement operations in recent memory. The targeting of detainees rather than ICE personnel raised questions about the gunman’s specific motivations and planning.
Federal investigators have been examining Jahn’s background and the circumstances that led to the attack. Authorities recovered evidence at the scene, including ammunition with anti-ICE messaging, suggesting ideological opposition to immigration enforcement operations.
The deaths of García-Hernández and Guzman-Fuentes underscore the vulnerability of individuals held in immigration detention facilities. Both men were in ICE custody awaiting immigration proceedings when they became victims of the violent assault.
Immigration advocacy organizations have expressed grief over the losses while renewing calls for comprehensive immigration reform and improved security measures at detention facilities. The incident has sparked discussions about protecting detained individuals from external threats.
The third detainee wounded in the attack remains hospitalized, though their current condition has not been publicly disclosed by authorities. Medical personnel have not provided updates on their prognosis or expected recovery timeline.
García-Hernández’s death occurred days after the initial shooting, following his family’s difficult decision to remove life support after medical professionals determined his injuries were unsurvivable. The family faced the agonizing choice of when to end life-sustaining treatment.
The League of United Latin American Citizens has been supporting García-Hernández’s family during this difficult period, helping coordinate funeral arrangements and providing assistance with immediate needs. The organization has also advocated for the family’s privacy as they grieve.
Community members in Dallas and beyond have expressed condolences to both families affected by the shooting. Vigils and memorial services have been organized to honor the victims and support their surviving family members.
The attack has reignited debates about immigration enforcement policies and their broader societal impacts. Advocates on various sides of immigration issues have cited the incident to support their respective positions on enforcement approaches.
Federal officials continue investigating whether Jahn had connections to broader anti-government or anti-immigration enforcement networks, or whether he acted independently. The FBI and other agencies are examining his communications and activities leading up to the attack.
The Dallas shooting occurred as the Trump administration has ramped up immigration enforcement operations across the country, including increased detention capacity and expanded deportation efforts that have generated significant controversy and legal challenges.
García-Hernández’s death leaves his family facing an uncertain future without their primary provider. Community organizations and family supporters are working to establish assistance funds to help Gauffeny and her children navigate the financial hardship resulting from his death.
The tragedy highlights the human cost of violence targeting immigration facilities and the lasting impact on families when detainees become victims of attacks they could not have anticipated or prevented while in federal custody.
A powerful car bomb exploded outside the headquarters of Pakistan’s paramilitary Frontier Constabulary in Quetta on Tuesday, killing at least eight people and wounding several others in one of the deadliest recent attacks in the insurgency-hit province of Balochistan.
Police said four assailants exited the vehicle before detonating it and opened fire on security forces, sparking an intense gun battle. Security personnel returned fire, killing all four attackers in the exchange.
Residents reported that the blast was so strong it was heard miles away. Ambulances rushed to the scene to evacuate the wounded to hospitals as rescuers combed through debris and shattered glass in the city’s center. Windows of surrounding buildings were blown out, and nearby cars were mangled by the force of the explosion, according to witnesses and CCTV footage broadcast on local television.
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti condemned the bombing, praising the quick response of security forces. “Terrorists cannot break the nation’s resolve through cowardly acts, and the sacrifices of our people and security forces will not go in vain,” he said in a statement. Bugti added that his government remained committed to restoring peace and security in the province.
No group immediately claimed responsibility, though suspicion is likely to fall on separatist organizations such as the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army, which has waged a long-running insurgency in Balochistan. The province, where Quetta serves as the capital, has frequently seen militants target civilians and security installations in their campaign for independence from Pakistan’s central government.
Provincial health minister Bakhat Kakar warned that the death toll could rise, given the severity of injuries among those hospitalized.
The latest attack comes just weeks after a suicide bomber struck near a Quetta stadium, killing 13 and wounding 30 as supporters left a nationalist party rally. Analysts say the repeated attacks underscore the fragile security situation in the province despite ongoing counterinsurgency efforts.
East Java, Ind. (BN24) – Rescue teams in Indonesia were racing Tuesday to locate dozens of students still believed to be trapped beneath the rubble of a collapsed Islamic boarding school in East Java, where at least three people have been confirmed dead and nearly 100 others injured.
The Al Khoziny Islamic Boarding School in Sidoarjo, about 480 miles east of Jakarta, suddenly gave way during afternoon prayers on Monday. Disaster officials said the collapse occurred as unauthorized construction work was underway on the building, which could not bear the weight of new concrete floors.
Chief of Indonesia’s national search and rescue agency, Mohammad Syafii, confirmed that 99 people survived the disaster, though many were hospitalized with critical injuries. Nearly 80 students remain under medical care, while 38 others are feared buried under unstable slabs of concrete.
Hundreds of rescue workers, police and soldiers dug through the night, managing to pull eight survivors alive, though weak and injured, from the wreckage. Search operations were briefly halted Tuesday when the collapsed structure shifted dangerously, prompting rescuers and onlookers to flee. Crews later resumed carefully, avoiding heavy machinery to prevent further collapse.
Families gathered at a command post set up inside the school compound, scanning lists of the missing written on a whiteboard. Many broke down in tears. “Oh my God, my son is still buried,” one mother sobbed, while a father clutched the hand of a rescuer, begging, “Please find my child immediately.”
Rescue chief Nanang Sigit said oxygen and water were being funneled into pockets of debris to help sustain those still alive beneath the rubble. “We are working as quickly as possible, but safety is our priority,” he said.
Police spokesperson Jules Abraham Abast said the collapse happened during an expansion project that had not been authorized. “The foundation could not support two additional concrete floors,” he said, adding that female students praying in another section of the building managed to escape unharmed.
Video footage from local broadcaster KompasTV showed families waiting anxiously, some clinging to hope as rescuers continued their search. Officials said the number of dead could rise in the coming hours as operations continue.
Caretaker Abdus Salam Mujib told state news agency Antara that construction work had ended before prayers began, but conceded the foundation was not strong enough to support the added structure. Authorities have launched an investigation into the collapse.
WASHINGTON — Congressional leaders emerged from a White House meeting with President Donald Trump Monday afternoon with no breakthrough to prevent an imminent government shutdown, as Democrats and Republicans remained entrenched in opposing positions over federal funding legislation that must pass by Tuesday night.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and Vice President JD Vance offered starkly different assessments of the negotiations following Trump’s first meeting with the “big four” congressional leaders since returning to office, with both sides placing blame on the other party for the impending funding lapse.
“There are still large differences between us,” Schumer said as he departed the White House, while Vance told reporters, “I think we’re headed into a shutdown because the Democrats won’t do the right thing.”
The meeting included Schumer, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, House Speaker Mike Johnson and House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, but failed to produce the compromise necessary to keep government offices operating and prevent furloughs of nonexempt federal employees.
Without congressional passage and presidential signature of funding legislation by Tuesday night, many government offices nationwide will temporarily close, adding economic strain on federal workers and the broader economy. Federal agencies were already distributing contingency plans detailing which offices would remain open and which employees would face furloughs if funding lapses at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday.
Democrats are leveraging one of their few negotiating positions to demand legislation extending Affordable Care Act tax credits that have subsidized health insurance for millions of Americans since the COVID-19 pandemic. The credits, designed to expand coverage for low- and middle-income people, expire at year’s end.
Republicans refuse to include the health care provisions in the short-term funding measure and are challenging Democrats to vote against legislation that would maintain government funding at current levels. The Republican-controlled House has already passed a bill to extend government funding for seven weeks while Congress develops annual spending legislation.
Trump has demonstrated minimal interest in accommodating Democratic demands regarding health care, though he agreed to Monday’s sit-down meeting with congressional leadership. The president repeatedly stated before the meeting that he fully expects the government to enter shutdown this week.
“They’re going to have to do some things because their ideas are not very good ones,” Trump said as he entered the meeting, making clear his unwillingness to negotiate on Democratic terms.
However, Schumer suggested after the session that Trump proved more receptive to Democratic proposals than Republican leaders present at the meeting. “The president was really listening to us,” Schumer said, adding, “It’s in his hands.” Vance confirmed that Trump found several policy points of agreement during discussions.
Jeffries emphasized Democratic commitment to protecting health care access. “Democrats are fighting to protect the health care of the American people,” the New York Democrat said. “We are not going to support a partisan Republican spending bill that continues to gut the health care of everyday Americans.”
Some Republicans have expressed openness to extending tax credits with modifications, but Thune has pressed Democrats to approve the funding bill and address tax credit debates separately. “We’re willing to sit down and work with them on some of the issues they want to talk about,” the South Dakota Republican told reporters, adding, “But as of right now, this is a hijacking of the American people, and it’s the American people who are going to pay the price.”
Senate Democrats face an uncomfortable political position to maintain negotiating leverage, likely requiring them to vote against temporary government funding extension just hours before shutdown, contradicting their long-standing denunciation of shutdowns as pointless and destructive.
Any government funding legislation requires support from at least 60 senators in the 100-member chamber, meaning at least eight Democrats must vote for the short-term measure since Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky is expected to oppose it.
During the March near-shutdown, Schumer and nine other Democrats voted to break a filibuster allowing Republican-led funding legislation to advance. The decision triggered fierce backlash within his party, with some members calling for his removal as Democratic leader.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., talks to reporters outside the West Wing of the White House, Monday, Sept. 29, 2025, in Washington, as House Speaker Mike Johnson of La., and Vice President JD Vance, listen. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Senate Democrats have begun discussing potential responses if shutdown occurs, including possibly proposing a one- or two-week stopgap if Republicans negotiate on health care fixes, according to people familiar with private discussions who requested anonymity. However, no caucus consensus exists on proceeding, and no guarantees exist that Republicans and Trump would negotiate.
The Trump administration is using shutdown preparations to potentially implement additional federal employee layoffs, increasing pressure on Democratic lawmakers to abandon their demands. Budget Director Russ Vought told White House reporters that shutdown would be managed “appropriately, but it is something that can all be avoided” if Senate Democrats accepted the House-passed bill.
Vought, who previously advised hardline conservatives to use shutdown threats for policy concessions before joining the administration, criticized Democrats Monday for employing similar tactics. “This is hostage taking. It is not something that we are going to accept,” he said.
The impasse demonstrates continuing partisan divisions over government funding priorities and health care policy, with neither side showing willingness to compromise as the shutdown deadline approaches. The standoff threatens to disrupt government services and federal employee paychecks while Congress remains deadlocked over competing priorities.
Federal contingency plans detail essential operations that would continue during shutdown, including national security functions, while outlining which services would cease and which employees would face temporary unpaid leave until funding resumes.
