Author: DispatchTimes News Desk

An Afghan man accused of raping an autistic 14-year-old girl in the toilets of a train told a court he believed she was at least 17 because she was wearing make-up and carrying a drink. Baryalai Rahimi, 25, is alleged to have raped the teenager three times on a London-bound Southeastern service on 5 February. His friend, Mirebadurahman Sadat, 29, is accused of assaulting her afterwards. The two men are alleged to have followed the girl from a station in rural Kent on to the train. Both deny a total of 20 charges, including rape, sexual assault and sexual activity…

Japan will remain vigilant to movements in financial markets while prioritising efforts to strengthen the economy, Prime Minister Takaichi said. Her remarks set out a focus on supporting economic growth alongside close attention to market developments.

Kris Jenner and Corey Gamble have sparked marriage rumours after Gamble referred to the reality star as his “wife” in a birthday tribute. Gamble, 45, shared the message on Instagram on Thursday to mark Jenner’s 71st birthday, describing her as “the greatest mother, Lovey & Honey to all your kids” before adding that he was “blessed to have you in my life lil wife”. “Happiest Birthday to the Holy Grail …. Love you forever!!” he wrote. “Keep being Great. You’re the greatest mother, Lovey & Honey to all your kids and I’m blessed to have you in my life lil…

Milwaukee County supervisors have approved a $1.5 billion budget for 2027 despite discovering a $4.6 million shortfall caused by an automated budgeting error just one day before the vote. The spending plan passed by 17 votes to one on Thursday, amid anger that the discrepancy had been identified more than two weeks earlier but was not disclosed to most board members until after County Executive David Crowley had been elected Wisconsin’s next governor. Milwaukee County 2027 budget approved despite shortfall The error was traced to an automated spreadsheet formula used during the preparation of the budget. County budget director Nicholas…

Political jitters are weighing on the artificial intelligence trade as concerns grow over whether the technology can deliver a return on the enormous sums being invested in it. The doubts have unsettled confidence in AI-related investments, with the scale of spending prompting renewed scrutiny of the financial benefits expected from the technology. The concerns come as the AI trade faces pressure from questions over whether its anticipated returns will justify the vast sums being poured into the sector.

Democrats will take control of Congress in January after sweeping Republican election defeats, setting up two years of investigations, budget battles and clashes with President Donald Trump. Mr Trump has offered mixed signals about how he intends to deal with the new political reality. As the losses mounted, he told Politico: “We’re going to work with the Democrats.” But before polling stations had closed, he told CBS News: “I have the ultimate power, it’s called ‘veto’.” By the following day, the president was combining both positions. “I’ll get along, probably, with the Democrats, unless they want to be destructive, but…

Nithya Raman has defeated incumbent Karen Bass in the Los Angeles mayoral race, putting her on course to become the first South Asian to lead America’s second-largest city. The Associated Press called the contest for Raman on Thursday, with the progressive Los Angeles City Council member holding 52 per cent of the vote. Her victory makes her the latest high-profile figure backed by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) to win elected office. Raman, 45, overcame support for Bass from prominent Democrats including California Governor Gavin Newsom, former vice-president Kamala Harris and former House speaker Nancy Pelosi. Her campaign had…

“90 Day Fiancé” star Rick Van Vactor claims he was acting in self-defence during an alleged domestic violence incident involving his new girlfriend. Van Vactor, whose legal name is Douglas Van Vactor, was arrested on October 27 and later released on bond. A source with direct knowledge of the incident said he maintains that his girlfriend instigated the altercation. The pair reportedly began dating in March after meeting online. The source said the incident was the first time an argument between them had escalated to that level. They have not lived together since the alleged confrontation, and Van Vactor is…

Starbucks’ annual Red Cup Day giveaway will return to Seattle and participating stores across the US on 17 November, with customers offered a limited-edition reusable holiday cup when they buy a handcrafted seasonal drink. The cup will be available while stocks last, making the event one of the busiest dates in the coffee chain’s festive calendar. Starbucks has not yet revealed the full design of this year’s giveaway cup. Starbucks Red Cup Day returns on 17 November The promotion follows the launch of Starbucks’ 2026 holiday menu on 5 November, which includes new Tiramisu Velvet Latte and Tiramisu Velvet Cold…

A crackdown on illegal e-bikes in New South Wales has continued in the Hunter region, taking the number of vehicles seized during three operations over the past three months to 68. Traffic and Highway Patrol officers worked with Transport for NSW on Thursday to confiscate 10 illegal or modified e-bikes in Maitland, East Maitland, Rutherford, Metford and surrounding areas. Officers also seized two bicycles fitted with petrol motors, two e-scooters and a trail bike. A total of 26 penalty notices were issued for speeding and unregistered vehicle offences. The Hunter operation was the third joint e-bike blitz since September, when…