Author: DispatchTimes News Desk

A secret Israeli influence campaign targeting Qatar was launched in the weeks after the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023, with its organisers seeking to pressure Doha over its relationship with Hamas, according to a report by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. The initiative was presented as a civilian campaign and aimed to build international pressure on Qatar in the hope that it would use its ties with Hamas to help secure the release of 251 captives taken to Gaza, the report said. About 30 people were recruited, including political advisers and specialists in influence operations and psychological warfare. A WhatsApp…

A new artificial intelligence poll has found voters divided over which party is better placed to deal with the technology, while a clear majority oppose the construction of the data centres needed to power it. With less than two months until the US midterm elections, 42 per cent of voters said they trusted Republicans more on artificial intelligence, compared with 40 per cent who favoured the Democrats. The poll was conducted by The New York Times and Siena University. Democrats held an advantage on every other issue tested, including immigration, the economy and foreign wars. Artificial intelligence was named as…

Bernie Sanders and California congressman Mark Takano have reintroduced a 32-hour workweek bill that would make employers pay overtime when covered workers exceed four days or 32 hours a week. The proposal is being presented as a response to the rapid advance of artificial intelligence and robotics, with Sanders arguing that productivity gains should give working families more time rather than primarily increasing the wealth of corporate executives and billionaires. “At a time when artificial intelligence and robotics will radically transform our economy, it is imperative that the financial gains from this new technology benefit working families, not just a…

Andrew Gillum has completed a 30-day rehabilitation stay after testing positive for meth, allowing the former Florida gubernatorial candidate to return home while his criminal case continues. Court documents state that Mr Gillum can leave the Tennessee area where the treatment centre was located and return to Florida, where he lives with his wife and children. He will remain on bond and must wear a GPS ankle monitor, while continuing to comply with all other laws and conditions of his release. Mr Gillum was arrested in Alabama in July after police allegedly found him with three grams of meth, eight…

A truck crash knocked out power to four schools in Fayette County, Georgia, on Tuesday, forcing an early dismissal for some pupils and changes to the normal collection arrangements. The vehicle struck a power pole away from the school grounds, leaving Spring Hill Elementary, Fayette LIFE Academy, Sara Harp Minter Elementary and Whitewater High School without electricity. All pupils were reported to be safe, while staff adapted lunch arrangements. Spring Hill Elementary allowed children being collected by car to leave at 1pm, with bus passengers and daycare pupils due to depart at the usual time of 2.20pm. The staggered timetable…

A motion calling for Fremantle tree removals to be halted across the city, including the felling of 26 mature trees at Hilton Park, has narrowly passed after a tense public meeting in Western Australia. About 300 residents packed Fremantle Town Hall on Tuesday night, with the dispute centred on whether the trees should be protected or cleared to make way for a new junior Australian rules football oval. The meeting was triggered by a petition signed by 583 electors. Resident Mark Woodcock’s motion called for an immediate pause on mature tree removals and demanded that future infrastructure, sports and masterplan…

A Pennsylvania man accused of preparing an ISIS-inspired attack has been arrested after investigators said they found weapons, ammunition and evidence of planned violence. Jonathan Kramer, 21, of Valencia, was detained on Saturday outside a hotel in Cranberry Township, about 25 miles north of Pittsburgh. Federal officials said he had armed himself to carry out a mass-casualty attack after pledging allegiance to the Islamic State. Richard Evanchec, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Pittsburgh field office, described the alleged plot as an “imminent threat of violence inspired by ISIS”. Officials did not disclose where or when the attack was…

Senior managers at the Countess of Chester Hospital were criticised for failing to act on doctors’ concerns about Lucy Letby, with the Thirlwall Inquiry finding that loyalty to the nurse hindered efforts to safeguard babies. The report said several senior figures dismissed fears that Letby was responsible for a rise in baby deaths, while failing to consider whether police or safeguarding authorities should be alerted. Ian Harvey, the hospital’s former medical director, was found to have failed in his duty to consider whether steps should be taken to protect other babies on the unit. Lady Justice Thirlwall wrote: “He had…

The US Supreme Court has blocked Donald Trump’s plan to give the Postal Service power to screen mail-in ballots and decide which ones would be delivered, saying the administration was likely to lose a legal challenge to the policy. The unsigned ruling came after election officials from both parties warned that the proposal could disenfranchise millions of voters. The justices had declined to intervene three weeks earlier, saying the case was not yet ready for a decision, but made clear that the delay did not amount to approval. The court’s brief order did not disclose the vote count. Justices Clarence…

The US Treasury chief has attributed rising bond yields to “global issues”, pointing to international factors behind the increase. No further details were provided on which global issues were contributing to the rise.