PARIS PROSECUTORS DROP PROBE INTO EPSTEIN-LINKED MODELLING SCOUT DANIEL SIAD AFTER HIS DEATH BUT WIDER TRAFFICKING INVESTIGATION CONTINUES

Prosecutors in Paris have dropped the investigation specifically targeting Daniel Siad, a French-Swedish modelling scout linked to Jeffrey Epstein, after the 69-year-old was found dead at his home on the outskirts of the French capital on Monday.

The Paris prosecutor's office says the broader inquiry into alleged human trafficking and criminal conspiracy connected to Epstein in France will continue, with at least 24 women so far identified.

Siad had denied the allegations against him and had never been formally questioned by investigators, who said they had not gathered enough evidence to arrest him.

Ross Cullen reports from Paris.

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TRUMP THREATENS 'MAJOR MILITARY PUNISHMENT' FOR IRAN OVER HOUTHI ATTACKS ON SAUDI OIL TANKERS

US President Donald Trump has warned he will hold Iran responsible for any further Houthi attacks on shipping, threatening what he called major military punishment against both Tehran and the Yemen-based group.

The warning came after the Houthis said on Wednesday that they had struck two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea with drones and missiles, in what would be the first attack since the Iran-backed group declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia.

The European Union's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has condemned the assault as unacceptable and illegal.

Jagruti Dave reports from Washington.

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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also cast doubt on the prospect of a deal with Tehran, saying Iran is not yet prepared to reach an agreement it would honour.

Jagruti Dave has the story from Washington.

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OUT: “...higher and higher.”
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HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH CONDEMNS 'EXCESSIVE FORCE' BY INDIAN POLICE AGAINST STUDENT PROTESTERS IN NEW DELHI

Human Rights Watch has called on India's government to investigate what it described as the unnecessary and excessive use of force by security forces who used tear gas and batons against largely peaceful student protesters in New Delhi.

The condemnation came as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government offered to hold open-ended discussions with leaders of the protest movement, which is demanding the resignation of the country's education minister.

India now ranks as the highest-risk country on a leading civil unrest index, with protest participation more than doubling over the past year.

Neha Poonia reports from New Delhi.

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Neha Poonia in New Delhi says the Cockroach Janta Party has rejected the government's invitation to hold talks at a minister's residence, insisting instead on a neutral venue.

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Neha Poonia, reporting from New Delhi, says the crowd at the Jantar Mantar protest site has grown significantly since the police crackdown, despite authorities shutting metro stations and restricting internet access.

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EU NAVAL FORCE WARNS SHIPS WITH US, ISRAELI OR SAUDI LINKS TO AVOID RED SEA AS HOUTHI BLOCKADE BITES

The European Union's Aspides naval force has warned ships with links to Israel, the United States or Saudi Arabia to avoid the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, amid growing Houthi threats to international shipping.

Yemen's Houthi movement announced a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia on Monday and followed through on Tuesday with drone and missile strikes on two Saudi oil tankers — the first attacks under the new blockade.

Maritime tracking data shows tanker traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait has dropped sharply, with vessels diverting to longer routes.

Blake Sifton reports from Tel Aviv.

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Blake Sifton, reporting from Tel Aviv, says some US officials are worried that opening a new front against the Houthis could overstretch American forces already engaged in the war with Iran.

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Blake Sifton in Tel Aviv says US President Donald Trump has threatened to hit bridges and power plants in Iran for every ship attacked in the Strait of Hormuz — and Tehran has promised to respond in kind.

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EU approves 21st Russian sanctions package

 The European Union has reached agreement on a 21st Russian sanctions package. 

It’s a watered down measure amid concerns from Greece over the economic impact of a full ban on the transport of Russian liquified natural gas. 

William Denselow reports from Brussels.

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INDIA'S SUPREME COURT REFUSES TO HEAR PETITION ON POLICE VIOLENCE AGAINST STUDENT PROTESTERS AS COCKROACH MOVEMENT ENTERS DAY 34

India's Supreme Court refused on Wednesday to hear an urgent petition on police violence against student protesters, as the youth-led Cockroach movement's occupation of Jantar Mantar in New Delhi entered its thirty-fourth day.

The Indian government airlifted around two thousand paramilitary personnel from the eastern city of Kolkata to the capital overnight to bolster security, while opposition leader Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka were detained on Tuesday during a sit-in outside the prime minister's residence.

Opposition lawmakers disrupted both houses of parliament on Wednesday in solidarity with the demonstrators.

Neha Poonia has more from New Delhi.

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Neha Poonia in New Delhi says the protest movement is receiving widespread public support, with volunteers sending food and doctors offering free medical treatment to demonstrators.

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OUT: “...with the CJP.”
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CHANCELLOR HEALEY PLEDGES SUPPORT FOR PUBS AND LIVE MUSIC VENUES AS BURNHAM GOVERNMENT FACES CRITICISM OVER UNFUNDED PROMISES

British Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey has pledged the government's full backing for pubs, clubs and live music venues, as the new administration of Prime Minister Andy Burnham seeks to demonstrate it is tackling the cost of living from day one.

The British Beer and Pub Association says nearly two pubs closed every day in the first three months of the year, despite a fifteen per cent business rates relief that came into force in April.

Opposition parties say the government's pledges lack detail on how they will be funded.

Olly Barratt reports from London.

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Olly Barratt in London says opposition parties are challenging the new government over how it intends to fund the measures it has announced since taking office.

IN: “The government says...”
OUT: “...of living challenges.”
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INDIA'S SUPREME COURT REFUSES URGENT PETITION ON POLICE ATTACKS AGAINST STUDENT PROTESTERS

India's Supreme Court has refused to hear an urgent petition on police attacks against student protesters in New Delhi, as opposition lawmakers led by Rahul Gandhi disrupted both houses of parliament on Wednesday demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

The protests, which grew out of a satirical online movement called the Cockroach Janata Party, saw tens of thousands march to the gates of parliament on Monday, with nearly 180 people injured in clashes between demonstrators and police.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has now broken his silence on the crisis.

Ishan Garg reports from New Delhi.

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OUT: “...promising fast-track courts.”
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TRUMP ATTENDS DOVER TRANSFER FOR FALLEN TROOPS THEN CALLS IRAN WAR A 'SKIRMISH' AT GEORGIA RALLY

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday received the remains of four American service members killed in Iranian attacks at Dover Air Force Base — his first dignified transfer since declaring the ceasefire over on the eighth of July.

The president later called the conflict a "skirmish" at a rally in Georgia and said Tehran wants to negotiate but is "not ready" for a deal, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned at the ASEAN Summit that there would be consequences if Iran continues to violate its commitments.

But after nearly a fortnight of sustained air strikes, there is little sign of a breakthrough.

From Washington, Kate Fisher reports.

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US AND SAUDI ARABIA SIGN THIRTY-YEAR NUCLEAR DEAL WITHOUT REQUIRING RIYADH TO FORGO URANIUM ENRICHMENT

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman signed a thirty-year civilian nuclear cooperation agreement on Wednesday — a deal that crucially does not require Saudi Arabia to give up uranium enrichment, breaking with the stricter conditions Washington imposed on the UAE.

Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut said the agreement would set off a nuclear race in the region, while the Foundation for Defense of Democracies has urged Congress to block the accord during its ninety-day review period under the Atomic Energy Act.

The deal has also provoked a backlash in Israel, where opposition politicians have warned that enriched nuclear fuel could eventually allow Riyadh to develop nuclear weapons.

Kate Fisher has more from Washington.

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DRC BUNDIBUGYO EBOLA DEATH TOLL NEARS ONE THOUSAND AS OUTBREAK SPREADS ACROSS FIVE PROVINCES

The death toll from the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has reached nine hundred and ninety-nine, with nearly two and a half thousand confirmed cases recorded since the virus emerged in May.

The World Health Organization and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention are supporting the DRC government's response, but the outbreak is spreading rapidly across five provinces in the east of the country, with Ituri province the worst affected.

The DRC's previous deadliest Ebola outbreak, which began in 2018, killed around two thousand three hundred people over two years — but the current outbreak has reached comparable levels in just two months.

Chris Ocamringa reports from Kinshasa.

IN: “We're told there...”
OUT: “...to their countries.”
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Chris Ocamringa, reporting from Kinshasa, says armed conflict and community resistance to health workers are among the biggest obstacles to containing the virus in Ituri province.

IN: “We're told now...”
OUT: “...and get treatment.”
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US AND SAUDI ARABIA SET TO SIGN NUCLEAR DEAL GIVING RIYADH PATHWAY TO URANIUM ENRICHMENT

The United States and Saudi Arabia are expected to sign a landmark civilian nuclear cooperation agreement on Wednesday, with US Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Saudi Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman due to put pen to paper on a deal worth tens of billions of dollars.

The Trump administration says the pact will give Washington oversight of the Saudi programme and prevent any military use, but Israeli officials and some Democrats in Congress warn it risks fuelling a nuclear arms race in the Middle East.

The agreement could eventually allow the kingdom to enrich uranium on its own soil.

Kate Fisher reports from Washington.

IN: “The deal is...”
OUT: “...would be warranted.”
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US 25% TARIFF ON BRAZILIAN GOODS TAKES EFFECT AS WASHINGTON'S TRADE OFFENSIVE WIDENS

A twenty-five per cent tariff on Brazilian goods has taken effect in the United States, with Washington accusing Brazil of unfair trade practices against American businesses.

The duty covers more than eleven billion dollars' worth of Brazilian exports, though key commodities including coffee, beef and orange juice have been exempted.

Brazil's Vice President Geraldo Alckmin has signalled Brasília will seek to resolve the dispute through negotiation rather than retaliation.

Mitch Mccann reports from New York.

IN: “The U.S. says...”
OUT: “...combat illegal deforestation.”
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Mitch Mccann in New York says the tariff could have a significant impact on Brazilian footwear exports, with the United States being the largest market for shoes produced in Brazil.

IN: “Now if we...”
OUT: “...big impact there.”
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FRANCE BECOMES FIRST EU COUNTRY TO BAN SOCIAL MEDIA FOR UNDER-15S AS PARLIAMENT PASSES LANDMARK LAW

France's parliament has passed a law banning children under 15 from using social media — making it the first country in the European Union to impose such a restriction.

The National Assembly approved the measure on Tuesday by 279 votes to 81, after the Senate also backed it the same day. French President Emmanuel Macron has said the Constitutional Council must now rule on the law before it can take effect, with the government pushing for enforcement by September.

The legislation targets platforms including TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram, and also prohibits mobile phones in secondary schools.

Ross Cullen reports from Paris.

IN: “A mobile phone...”
OUT: “...have to pass.”
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TRUMP TRAVELS TO DOVER AIR FORCE BASE FOR DIGNIFIED TRANSFER AS US DEATH TOLL IN IRAN WAR REACHES EIGHTEEN

US President Donald Trump is travelling to Dover Air Force Base on Wednesday for the dignified transfer of fallen service members, as the war with Iran widens on multiple fronts.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking at a foreign ministers' meeting in the Philippine capital Manila, has warned that Iran must not be allowed to control the Strait of Hormuz, saying freedom of navigation and the global economy are at stake.

President Trump has separately warned that Washington will act if Houthi rebels try to impose a blockade in the Red Sea.

Jagruti Dave has the story from Washington.

IN: “The US's top...”
OUT: “...of Iranian ports.”
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UKRAINE EXTENDS DRONE CAMPAIGN AGAINST RUSSIAN WAREHOUSES AS WILDBERRIES FACILITIES HIT IN SOUTHERN RUSSIA

Ukrainian drones have struck two warehouses belonging to Russia's largest online retailer Wildberries on Wednesday, with casualties reported in the southern regions of Krasnodar and Stavropol.

The Kremlin says the attacks are terroristic in nature and amount to strikes on purely civilian infrastructure, firmly denying any military connection to the warehouses.

Ukraine has been steadily broadening its drone campaign inside Russia, hitting energy facilities, logistics hubs, and food processing plants.

Dasha Chernyshova has more from Moscow.

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TEHRAN WARNS US STRIKE ON PICKAXE MOUNTAIN NUCLEAR SITE WOULD EXPAND REGIONAL WAR

Tehran has warned that any American attack on Iran's underground nuclear facility at Pickaxe Mountain near Natanz would amount to a major expansion of the regional war, after US President Donald Trump said the military would hit the site "pretty soon".

The threat comes as the United States has carried out eleven consecutive nights of strikes on Iranian military targets, and as the American death toll in the conflict has reached eighteen.

The war has so far cost thirty-seven-and-a-half billion dollars, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told lawmakers on Tuesday.

Jagruti Dave reports from Washington.

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OUT: “...in the future.”
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Jagruti Dave in Washington says the conflict over the Strait of Hormuz highlights the leverage Iran holds, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warning the situation sets a dangerous precedent for maritime disputes worldwide.

IN: “There's perhaps pressure...”
OUT: “...over that waterway.”
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Zelenskyy fires army chief after protests

Ukraine’s President Volodymyrr Zelenskyy has announced the firing of the country’s commander in chief.

The decision follows protests sparked by the decision to sack the popular Defense Minister Mykhailo Federov.

Meanwhile in Brussels EU ambassadors are working to reach consensus on a 21st Russian sanctions package.

William Denselow reports from the Belgian capital. 

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INDIA'S RAHUL GANDHI RELEASED AFTER DETENTION AT MODI'S RESIDENCE DURING EDUCATION PROTESTS

Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi has been released after police detained him during a sit-in protest outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence in New Delhi on Tuesday.

Gandhi and other Congress party members, including his sister Priyanka Vadra, were forcibly removed after lying on the road outside the prime minister's home in solidarity with growing demonstrations over the education system.

The release comes a day after more than ten thousand protesters marched on parliament, with Delhi police saying nearly a hundred and eighty people were injured in clashes involving tear gas and baton charges.

Neha Poonia reports from New Delhi.

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UK GOVT LOWERS BUS FARES

The UK government says it will cap most bus fares in England at a lower level in its latest cost-of-living measure.

The cap on fares outside of London will come down from £3 to £2 in January.

The opposition Conservatives are questioning the government's explanation of how the measure will be funded.

But Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander says new Prime Minister Andy Burnham is focusing on the cost of living as a major priority.

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OUT: ...to see.”
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