Author: DispatchTimes News Desk

DNA evidence has led to the conviction of Michael Lance Gamez over two attempted sexual assaults in Austin, Texas, more than 25 years after the attacks took place. Gamez, who pleaded guilty to attempted aggravated sexual assault on 20 May 2026, was sentenced to 15 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice on 3 August. DNA evidence linked Austin attacks The first incident happened on 9 September 1999 at the Capital Metro Pavilion Park and Ride on Research Boulevard, after a woman arrived on a northbound bus from Leander. Police said an unknown man approached her as she sat…

Isabella Nichols has withdrawn from the Fiji Pro final after suffering a left-ankle injury in her semi-final, handing the World Surf League event title to Canadian Erin Brooks, whom the Australian considers a little sister. Nichols injured herself while riding a barrel at Cloudbreak but returned to the water to protect her lead against Costa Rica’s Brisa Hennessy. She eventually won the closely fought semi-final 10.67 to 10.50. The Australian was initially taken away on a jet ski and had her ankle strapped after being unable to put weight on it. Scans were arranged before she made the decision to…

Two people have been killed and several others injured after gunfire at an apartment block in Minneapolis. Emergency crews and police responded to the scene, with a substantial operation in place as investigators began collecting evidence. Officials have not disclosed a motive or any suspects, and no further details have been released. The investigation into the shooting is continuing.

Labour has been accused of creating a “massive new quango” while promising to streamline the state and shift power away from Whitehall. Louise Haigh, the First Secretary of State, announced the creation of the OneGov Delivery Agency as part of plans to “rewire” government, alongside three new taskforces focused on the cost of living, essential services and community renewal. But Alex Burghart, the Conservative deputy leader, said the new agency risked leaving ministers accountable for important services while stripping them of control over how they were run. “It is unfortunate that the First Secretary of State has today announced the…

Foreign investors, entrepreneurs and technology executives are travelling to China in growing numbers to inspect its factories, artificial-intelligence firms and robotics companies, as concern mounts that the country may be pulling ahead in advanced manufacturing. The visits, often costing thousands of dollars, offer access to production lines and research facilities that remain largely out of reach to ordinary tourists. They reflect a widening belief in Western boardrooms that China’s progress in electric vehicles, batteries, AI and humanoid robots demands first-hand scrutiny. Robert Wu, chief executive of Shanghai-based research firm Baiguan, has organised two tours for more than two dozen investors,…

MapQuest has surged to the top of US app-store rankings after its refusal to adopt a controversial map change attracted renewed attention, prompting the long-established navigation service to accelerate work on Android Auto support. The mapping app was ranked eighth among free iPhone apps on the US App Store on 30 August, while it reached fifth place on the Google Play Store. MapQuest said the positions were the highest in its 30-year history and that usage had risen to roughly 50 times its usual level. The sudden increase followed MapQuest’s decision not to update its mapping of Lake Ontario in…

Dallas City Council has rejected a proposal to withdraw $1.5 million in funding for the city’s remaining Flock security cameras, despite growing opposition to the surveillance technology. Only three council members backed the measure, put forward by Councilman Adam Bazaldua, a prominent critic of the automated number-plate reader system. Had it passed, about 300 cameras still operating in Dallas would have been switched off. The vote took place on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, as the council considered amendments to the city’s forthcoming budget. Bazaldua had proposed redirecting $1 million towards infrastructure such as pavements and street lighting, with the remaining…

A man is fighting for his life after suffering severe burns in a suspicious fire at a tobacco shop in Melton, north-west of Melbourne. The unidentified man was found near The Boss tobacco store after emergency services were called to the blaze at about 2.53am on Thursday. Fire Rescue Victoria crews arrived within four minutes to find the premises fully alight. The man was taken into the care of Ambulance Victoria before being airlifted to hospital in a critical condition. There was nobody else inside the building when firefighters arrived, authorities said. Crews wearing breathing apparatus tackled the flames as…

A Maltese jury has acquitted businessman Yorgen Fenech of helping to arrange the murder of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, ending the long-running trial over a killing that shook Europe and triggered the resignation of Malta’s prime minister. Fenech, 44, was found not guilty by eight votes to one on both charges: complicity in the journalist’s murder and association with others to commit a crime. He had denied prosecutors’ allegations that he ordered and paid for the assassination. The verdict was delivered on Wednesday at Malta’s law courts in Valletta after about eight hours of deliberations by a nine-member jury.…

Peter Hitchens has welcomed a new French film for presenting Winston Churchill as a flawed and uncertain politician rather than the faultless wartime hero often seen on screen. The film is Antonin Baudry’s two-part biopic about Charles de Gaulle, covering the French general’s flight to London after France’s collapse in June 1940 and the creation of the Free French movement. British actor Simon Russell Beale plays Churchill, while Simon Abkarian portrays de Gaulle. The story centres on the uneasy relationship between the two men as they attempt to continue the fight against Nazi Germany. Hitchens has criticised the tendency of…