Author: DispatchTimes News Desk

The widely repeated prediction of a 2027 Chinese invasion of Taiwan is being challenged by evidence of long-term economic investment and continuing efforts to manage tensions between Beijing and Washington. The issue appeared to have a low-key role at the September summit in Washington between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump. Taiwan was discussed, but it was not among the meeting’s leading subjects, which included trade, tariffs and technological competition. That does not mean the Taiwan Strait has ceased to be a major source of tension. Taiwan remains central to Beijing’s interests, while both China and the…

A SWAT standoff at a house in Lowell, Indiana, ended on Thursday evening after police surrounded the property for several hours, with the Lake County coroner’s office later attending the scene. Authorities have not confirmed whether anyone died or explained what prompted the operation. ([fox32chicago.com](https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/swat-standoff-lowell-indiana-ends-after-police-surround-home)) Lowell police and other law enforcement agencies were called to a home on Northview Drive during the afternoon of October 22, 2026. Tactical officers took positions around the property, including behind an armoured vehicle in the driveway and in the back garden. By about 5pm, SWAT officers were using shields as they approached the house,…

Flagship Minerals has renegotiated its option to acquire the Rosario copper-silver project in Chile, extending the agreement to October 2028 and cutting the final payment for 100 per cent ownership by half to US$1 million. The revised deal with vendor Sociedad Minera Rajo SpA gives the company additional time to assess the high-grade project while directing capital towards its more advanced Isidora gold project, also in Chile’s Atacama region. Flagship has paid US$100,000 for the current year and is due to make a further US$100,000 payment later this month. It can settle the payments in cash or shares, while the…

New York City Council has approved a bill to ban horse-drawn carriage rides in the city by June 2028, bringing an end to an industry that has operated in Central Park for more than 160 years. The legislation, known as Romanch’s Law, is named after 18-year-old Romanch Mahajan, who died during a carriage accident in Central Park in June. It will now go to Mayor Zohran Mamdani, whose office said he would sign it. “We want to make sure Romanch’s death was not in vain,” Saggar Chadha, an attorney for the Mahajan family, said. “Not just for Romanch, but so…

New DNA testing in the murder case of 10-year-old Debbie Smith has failed to identify her killer but has renewed hopes that modern forensic techniques could solve one of north-east Ohio’s most troubling cold cases. Massillon police revisited the investigation after the Porchlight Project, a non-profit organisation supporting unsolved murder cases, contacted them in October 2024. Officers subsequently sent clothing and other items recovered during the original inquiry for further analysis. The testing found no match to Robert Buell, the man convicted of abducting and killing 11-year-old Krista Harrison in 1984. It also failed to identify anyone else. Detective Shaun…

Erin Foster has responded to Adam Brody’s comments on Israel and Palestine, saying she disagrees with her Nobody Wants This co-star while stressing that the Netflix series remains “a love letter to Judaism”. Brody, who plays a Jewish rabbi in the show, voiced support for the “Free Palestine” movement in a recent interview with GQ. Asked about Israel and Palestine, he said: “Put me down as thinking it’s a genocide. Put me down as wanting a free Palestine.” He added: “It’s awful that it’s taken so much death and misery, but it does feel like it’s reaching a breaking point…

A suspect was wounded and two Woodstock police officers suffered minor injuries during a police shooting in Georgia on Thursday evening, authorities said. Officers were sent to the area of Paden Street and Maple Street at about 6.48pm after receiving a report of a suspicious person. Shots were fired during the encounter, according to the Woodstock Police Department. The suspect was given emergency treatment at the scene by crews from the Woodstock Fire Department and Cherokee County Fire & Rescue before being taken to a local hospital. The extent of the injuries has not been disclosed. Both injured officers were…

The Philadelphia 76ers staged a remarkable fightback to overturn a 29-point deficit and defeat the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers in an NBA home victory. Philadelphia recovered from its difficult start to punish the Cavaliers and complete an impressive comeback.

Richard Hammond has described the period after his divorce as among the happiest of his life, despite losing his father, dog, home and a substantial amount of money before finding love again with therapist Kiki Glen. The former Top Gear presenter, 56, spoke about the upheaval during an appearance on the High Performance podcast, recalling the year he spent living alone in a rented cottage in the countryside. Hammond said: “In the last two years I lost my father, my dog, my marriage, my house, most of the chunk of the money I earned from The Grand Tour. “And I…

The yen has strengthened as jitters surrounding artificial intelligence prompted a rush towards safe-haven assets. The move reflects heightened caution among investors, with the Japanese currency benefiting as concerns over AI helped drive demand for perceived havens.