Author: DispatchTimes News Desk

One man has died and 13 others have been injured after gunmen opened fire on a crowd in Chicago’s Washington Park neighbourhood, police said. The shooting took place at about 11.37pm on Saturday, 29 August, in the 5400 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue on the city’s South Side, as officers were attempting to disperse a large gathering. Chicago Police Department said several unknown attackers fired into the crowd. A 35-year-old man was shot multiple times and taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he later died. The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the man as Rontonio…

Returning to China after four decades, an Australian traveller found that the country’s unfamiliar technology and sheer scale were less daunting than expected — particularly once a first bowl of spicy lamb noodle soup had been paid for using Alipay. Travelling alone in Shanghai, the writer admitted to feeling out of practice after years away from the uncertainty of backpacking. Even the simple act of buying bottled water became a test of confidence, with China’s all-purpose payment app initially appearing to be a potential obstacle. Instead, the transaction at a 7-Eleven went smoothly. At a small restaurant nearby, ordering was…

A British husband has travelled to Nepal to search for his newlywed wife, who has been missing since flash floods swept through the country on Wednesday, August 26. Pramod Poudel, 34, who lives in Uckfield, East Sussex, has not been able to contact 25-year-old Sumitra Sapkota since the disaster struck near the Nepal-Tibet border. The couple had married in June. Sumitra was staying with Mr Poudel’s family in the village of Sole while he was back in Britain, where he runs a food truck business. He told The Sun that their final conversation took place only hours before the floods.…

Halloween star Nick Castle has been pictured on a rare outing in Los Angeles, looking markedly different from the masked figure that made him a horror icon. The 78-year-old actor and filmmaker was seen wearing an orange T-shirt, cargo trousers, a baseball cap and sunglasses. A full white beard further obscured his appearance. Castle played Michael Myers in John Carpenter’s 1978 film Halloween, appearing for much of the film behind the character’s expressionless mask. The mask was created from a commercially available Captain Kirk design based on William Shatner’s face. Production designer Tommy Lee Wallace altered it by widening the…

Six workers were injured during the post-concert load-out at Ford Field in Detroit, shortly after Ed Sheeran performed there on Saturday 29 August. The Detroit Fire Department was called to the stadium at about 11pm following reports of an accident, according to a department spokesperson. The incident took place in the venue’s vehicle tunnel and involved six workers, including a member of the Ford Field team. Firefighters provided triage support because of the number of people hurt. All six workers were taken to hospitals in the area. Officials said two were in a serious condition and four were stable when…

Thousands of former civil servants and public-sector employees received exit packages totalling £336 million in the 2025/26 financial year, an audit of Government accounts has found. The payments went to about 6,000 staff who left public bodies, equating to an average settlement of roughly £56,000 per person. The figures come as ministers pursue a programme of cuts and restructuring across Whitehall, with departments under pressure to reduce administrative spending while reshaping their workforces. Exit packages issued as Government cuts costs The Government’s 2025 Spending Review set aside £150 million to support employee exit schemes. It also outlined plans to reduce…

Cruz Beckham took to the stage at Leeds Festival on Sunday as the young musician followed his Reading appearance with a second performance of the weekend. The 21-year-old performed with his band, The Breakers, at The Canopy at Bramham Park, with the festival listing the set between 3pm and 3.30pm. His Leeds appearance came a day after David and Victoria Beckham watched him perform at Reading Festival, where Cruz and the band made their debut at the event’s Canopy stage. The weekend marks a significant run of festival dates for Cruz as he continues to build his music career under…

One man has died and nine others have been injured after gunmen opened fire on a large gathering in Chicago’s Washington Park, police said. The shooting happened at about 11.37pm on Saturday, August 29, in the 5400 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue in the city’s South Side. Officers were at the scene attempting to disperse the crowd when shots were fired. A 35-year-old man who was shot several times was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Centre, where he later died. Six of the other victims, aged between 26 and 45, were taken to hospitals including the University…

England sealed a first Test series victory since December 2024 by defeating Pakistan by 194 runs at Lord’s, taking an unassailable 2-0 lead with one match remaining. Set 389 to win on the fourth day, Pakistan were dismissed for 194 as England’s seam attack completed a commanding performance at the Home of Cricket. Ollie Robinson was the outstanding bowler, claiming four wickets for 24 runs in the second innings after taking four for 11 in Pakistan’s first. His match figures of eight wickets underlined his decisive contribution to England’s success. Pakistan’s hopes rested on Saud Shakeel, who made 97 and…

Warning: This article contains graphic descriptions of sexual violence. Hannah was 16 when Boko Haram militants abducted her in north-eastern Nigeria, turning an ordinary day into months of captivity, forced religious conversion and sexual abuse. The teenager, who has been identified by her first name, was taken to a militant camp in a forest stronghold after fighters attacked her community. She later described being beaten and threatened with death when she resisted demands that she abandon her Christian faith. At one point, Hannah said, the militants tied a rope around her neck and dragged her along the ground. She was…