Author: DispatchTimes News Desk

Donald Trump gave cash gifts of $45,000 each to three White House aides and a further $20,000 to another senior employee, financial disclosures released by the administration show. Natalie Harp, Margo Martin and Chamberlain Harris each listed the payment as a “cash gift for holidays”. Walt Nauta, the director of Oval Office operations, reported receiving $20,000. Harp, Martin and Harris each earn $150,000 a year in their White House roles, while Nauta’s salary is $175,000. The gifts were made last year and were disclosed in the aides’ annual financial filings. A White House spokesperson, Davis Ingle, said Mr Trump had…

King Haakon VIII and Prince William met in their new roles for the first time on Wednesday as Norway held the funeral of the late King Harald V in Oslo. The Prince of Wales represented King Charles at the service in Oslo Cathedral, while Princess Anne attended in a personal capacity as the new Norwegian monarch’s godmother. William later offered words of comfort to King Haakon and Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra at a reception at the Royal Palace. ([itv.com](https://www.itv.com/news/2026-09-09/william-and-anne-join-foreign-royals-at-funeral-for-king-harald-v-of-norway)) Haakon, 53, had spent more than three decades as Crown Prince before succeeding his father, who died aged 89 on August…

Republicans gathered in Dallas on Wednesday facing a worsening cost-of-living crisis that threatens to overwhelm the party’s message ahead of November’s US midterm elections, as President Donald Trump’s trade policies and war with Iran pushed fresh pressure on prices. The Republican National Committee’s two-day midterm convention at the American Airlines Center was intended to showcase the party’s achievements and energise candidates. Instead, lawmakers and campaign strategists were privately discussing how to protect vulnerable seats as oil rose above $100 a barrel and the trade dispute with Canada intensified. ([gopconvention.com](https://gopconvention.com/?utm_source=openai)) The Dallas gathering is the first Republican midterm convention of its…

Donald Trump’s war with Iran could continue until the end of his presidency in January 2029, despite public claims from the White House that the conflict is close to ending, the Wall Street Journal has reported. The newspaper said senior advisers, including Vice-President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, had discussed the possibility that fighting could last beyond the next presidential inauguration. The private assessments contrast with Mr Trump’s latest public prediction. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, he said the conflict would end “immediately after” the US midterm elections on November 3, arguing that Iran would not be…

Horror icon Cassandra Peterson, best known as Elvira, is joining the cast of R.L. Stine’s Pumpkinhead 2 as a mysterious witch in the upcoming Tubi original. Peterson, 74, will play a character named Cassandra in the sequel, which is due to premiere on Tubi on 9 October 2026 as part of the streaming service’s horror line-up. The character is described as being wise and deeply connected to ancient magic, with knowledge of the dark forces threatening the town of Redhaven and the sacrifice that may be needed to stop them. “R.L. Stine and I have been in the business of…

Matt Mullenweg, the founder and chief executive of Automattic, has been placed on paid leave by the company’s board and replaced temporarily by its chief financial officer, Mark Davies. The decision was disclosed by Mr Mullenweg in a message to Automattic employees on Wednesday. He said he had opposed the move and claimed the board had acted without giving him sufficient time to obtain independent legal advice. “Mark Davies has conspired with Ann Dunwoody, Toni, and Sue Decker behind my back and they voted to put me on a paid leave of absence,” Mr Mullenweg wrote in the Slack message.…

Joe Cole hailed Martin Ødegaard as being at “the peak of his powers” after the Arsenal captain’s stunning strike secured a 1-0 Champions League victory over Napoli in Naples. Ødegaard broke the deadlock in the 75th minute, firing into the corner from the edge of the penalty area after Arsenal had dominated possession but squandered several chances. His effort, which went in off the post, gave Mikel Arteta’s side a winning start to their European campaign. Joe Cole praises Martin Ødegaard after Napoli winner Speaking on TNT Sports after the match, former England international Cole said Arsenal’s attacking play increasingly…

Milwaukee police are searching for the driver involved in a fatal hit-and-run that killed 24-year-old Nora Winkels near North Teutonia Avenue and West Ruby Avenue. Winkels was struck by a southbound vehicle at about 11.15pm on Monday, September 7, police said. The driver left the scene without stopping. A 44-year-old passer-by stopped to help, but a second southbound vehicle then hit both the injured woman and the bystander. Winkels was pronounced dead at the scene, while the man was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the second vehicle remained at the scene and is co-operating with investigators.…

Australian authorities are to gain wider powers to prosecute businesses selling illegal tobacco, with low prices, unusual packaging and concealed products potentially being used as evidence of criminality. Legislation being introduced to federal parliament on Thursday will overhaul customs rules and remove the need to prove that illicit tobacco was knowingly imported illegally before enforcement action can be taken. Under the proposed changes, cigarettes sold for less than the combined value of excise and GST could be treated as evidence of illegal trading. Products in non-standard packaging or hidden from view would also provide grounds for authorities to bring charges.…

Donald Trump has predicted that the Iran war will end immediately after the US midterm elections, while conceding that petrol prices are unlikely to fall before the November 3 vote. The president made the claim on Wednesday as he travelled from Joint Base Andrews to Dallas for a Republican midterm convention. He said Iran was attempting to prolong the conflict in the hope of influencing the election and weakening his party’s position in Congress. “I think the war’s going to end immediately after the election because they can’t hold out any longer,” Mr Trump told reporters. He also said oil…