RAF fighter jets scrambled to threat of Russian drones on Nato border

TwoRAF jetswere scrambled in the early hours of Saturday morning to respond to the threat ofRussian droneson the Nato border.

The Romanian defence ministry said it recovered drone fragments in the southeastern city of Galati after an overnight Russian attack on neighbouringUkraine, with an electricity ​pole and a household annex damaged.

It is understood that two Eurofighter Typhoons were scrambled from Borcea Air Base in Romania, which shares a 650-km land border with Ukraine ⁠and has seen Russian drones repeatedly breach its airspace as Moscow attacks Ukraine ports on ​the other side of the Danube river.

However, UK Ministry of Defence sources stressed that RAF Typhoons did not enter Ukrainian airspace, nor did they engage any Russian assets. The two aircraft have now returned to base.

Romanian emergency services were forced to evacuate the area where drone fragments were recovered over fears they could contain explosives. The fragments will now be disposed of in a secure location.

While drone fragments have routinely fallen on Romania, Saturday ​marked the first time property had been damaged.

"The defence ministry firmly condemns the irresponsible actions of the Russian Federation and emphasises that these represent a new challenge to regional security and stability in ​the Black Sea area," the Romanian defence ministry said in a statement.

"Such incidents demonstrate the Russian Federation's lack ​of respect for the norms of international law and endanger not only the safety of Romanian citizens, ‌but ⁠also the collective security of Nato."

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It comes amid mounting tension ​along Europe's eastern flank ​in recent months ⁠after suspected Russian drones breached the airspace of several Nato states.

Romanian law allows it to shoot down drones during peacetime if lives ​or property are at risk, but it has not yet ​done so.

Overnight on Saturday, Russian forces launched more than 600 drones and 47 missiles acrossUkraine,the country’s air force said.

At least four people were killed and more than 30 wounded across Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky said, calling for “immediate and decisive action” from partners.

It comes amid fears that Vladimir Putin could make progress in his offensive in Ukraine as the world’s attention is diverted to the Middle East, with the Russian president profiting off soaring gas and oil prices caused by the Iran war.

Last month, defence secretary John Healey confirmed that the UK and allies tracked a Russian attack submarine and two spy submarines loitering over critical undersea cables in the North Atlantic for a month before they retreated.

He said Putin had sought to capitalise on the world being “distracted” by the Iran war and that he poses “the primary threat to UK security”.

Mr Healey told a press conference in Downing Street on Thursday that in the past few weeks – while many eyes were trained on the Middle East crisis – the UK, in partnership with Norway and other allies, responded to “increased Russian activity” in the Atlantic north of the UK.

Addressing the Russian president, Mr Healey said: “We see your activity over our cables and our pipelines, and you should know that any attempt to damage them will not be tolerated and will have serious consequences.”

byAlpha World

in

April 25, 2026

RAF fighter jets scrambled to threat of Russian drones on Nato border

TwoRAF jetswere scrambled in the early hours of Saturday morning to respond to the threat ofRussian droneson the Nato border. The ...

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Appeals court says Trump's order suspending asylum claims at the border is unlawful

An appeals court on Friday affirmed adistrict court's rulingthat an executive order invoked by President Donald Trump to suspend immigration asylum claims is unlawful.

In a divided 2-1 ruling, the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit affirmed a court order saying the Immigration and Nationality Act allows migrants who cross the southern border apply for asylum.

Judge blocks Trump's asylum ban at southern border

"The INA does not allow the President to remove Plaintiffs under summary removal procedures of his own making," the court wrote. "Nor does it allow the Executive to suspend Plaintiffs' right to apply for asylum, deny Plaintiffs' access to withholding of removal under the INA, or curtail mandatory procedures for adjudicating Plaintiffs' Convention Against Torture claims."

On Day 1 of his second term in office, President Trump issued anexecutive orderhe called "Guaranteeing the States Protection Against Invasion," which aimed to block immigrants from seeking asylum and other forms of relief once they enter the United States and to allow for their swift removal from the country.

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Friday's ruling means that migrants who make it to U.S. soil, whether at a legal port of entry or in between, can legally seek asylum as has been allowed in previous administrations.

The Trump administration will likely appeal the decision, which could set up a possible showdown at the Supreme Court.

"This decision will potentially save the lives of thousands of people fleeing grave danger who were denied even a hearing under the Trump administration's horrific asylum ban," said ACLU attorney Lee Gelernt, who argued the appeal.

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said they "strongly disagree" with the ruling and that "this will not be the last word on this matter."

"America's asylum system was never intended to be used as a de facto amnesty program or a catch-all, get-out-of-deportation-free card. President Trump's top priority remains the screening and vetting of all aliens seeking to come, live, or work in the United States," the spokesperson said. "We will use all of the tools in our toolbox to ensure that the integrity of our legal immigration system is upheld, fraud is uncovered and expeditiously addressed, and illegal aliens are removed from the country."

byAlpha World

in

April 24, 2026

Appeals court says Trump's order suspending asylum claims at the border is unlawful

An appeals court on Friday affirmed adistrict court's rulingthat an executive order invoked by President Donald Trump to suspend im...

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Soccer player Dos Santos signs first pro deal after surviving fatal bar fire in Switzerland

METZ, France (AP) — After surviving afatal bar fire in Switzerlandon New Year’s Day, French soccer player Tahirys Dos Santos has signed his first professional contract with Metz.

Fire Victim Pro Contract

TheLigue 1 club announced the one-year contractsigning late Monday, nine days after the 19-year-old defender returned to play for its reserves team.

Dos Santos was severely burned in the fire ata bar in ski resort Crans-Montanain the early hours of Jan. 1 that killed 41 people and injured more than 100.

“This moment has an even more special meaning after the difficult months I went through in the hospital,” Dos Santos said in a club statement. “This test made me stronger and taught me to never give up.”

The French teenager, who has family ties to Cape Verde, joined his local club Metz at age eight. His return to action on April 11 was in the French fifth-tier division.

Metz is last in Ligue 1 and will be relegated to play in the second tier next season.

A product of Metz’ youth academy, Dos Santos is described by the club as “a tireless worker and exemplary both on and off the field.”

After being named captain of the reserve team at the start of the season, he began training with the first team and earned his first call-up at the end of December for a French Cup match.

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“I am very happy and proud to sign my first professional contract with my training club. It’s the culmination of many years of work, sacrifice, and determination to achieve my childhood dream,” he said.

That dream could have come to an abrupt end in Crans-Montana. But Dos Santos managed to survive the inferno.

While he could have escaped before the fire spread, he turned back to rescue his girlfriend Coline from the restroom.

“We had been in the bar for thirty or forty minutes, the atmosphere was good,” he told L’Equipe newspaper earlier this year. “Coline wanted to go to the restroom, so I went with her. I came out before she did and headed toward the exit. That’s when I saw the flames. I immediately understood we were in danger. I didn’t think — I turned back to get her. I shouted her name, and she immediately saw in my eyes that something was wrong. She followed me right away.”

Dos Santos recalled that he was separated from his girlfriend after they both slipped in a staircase as panic spread. L’Equipe reported that Dos Santos suffered burns to his back, face, hands and arms, and underwent a skin graft. Coline was evacuated to a hospital in Belgium and spent three weeks in a coma, undergoing surgery three times.

“I want to send all my support to everyone who is still fighting, never lose hope,” Dos Santos said.

AP soccer:https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

byAlpha World

in

April 24, 2026

Soccer player Dos Santos signs first pro deal after surviving fatal bar fire in Switzerland

METZ, France (AP) — After surviving afatal bar fire in Switzerlandon New Year’s Day, French soccer player Tahirys Dos Santos has signed...

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Will British Airways flights to Guernsey thrive after a 40-year absence?

British Airwaysis going through a relaunch phase. Kuala Lumpur flights were restored last year. Colombo returns to the BA route network in autumn. From January 2027, the long-dormant Heathrow-Melbourne link will be revived, with the refuelling point switched from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur.

Yet none of these longhaul routes will be as emotional as the return ofBritish Airways’ 170-mile connection betweenLondon HeathrowandGuernsey.

At lunchtime on Sunday an Airbus A319 commanded by a Guernseyman took off for the second-largest Channel Island.

Captain Stef Loveridge announced: “This is a special day forGuernsey, for British Airways, and also for some of us on board as we are returning to serve the island after more than 40 years.”

The cabin crew serving champagne on the flight were not yet around in 1980 when BA left the route. All but one were born and bred on Guernsey (the odd one out was conferred with honorary citizenship of the island for the afternoon).

Now, Melbourne has around 80 times more people than Guernsey (which has a population of approximately 65,000). So why the big fuss about a small island?

Over to David and Sarah McGreevy, who live in Guernsey and were on the flight. I met them at the terminal on arrival, where an excellent school choir sang aviation classics to passengers, meeters and greeters.

“Fantastic,” they chorused.

But Guernsey has long been connected with the world by its own airline,Aurigny. The departures board showed multiple departures to Southampton, Gatwick, London City, Manchester…

So what has BA brought to the table? “It’s really nice to have the connection going to the rest of the world,” said Sarah. “Going in and out of Heathrow is a game-changer.”

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Rival – sorry,sister– island, Jersey already has multiple daily flights to LHR. The biggest Channel Island has a substantially bigger population (about 105,000) than Guernsey and, crucially, a much larger financial services sector. Many of the passengers on the 7am departure from Jersey to Heathrow are connecting to longhaul destinations, a highly lucrative link for British Airways.

Judging by the traffic in Guernsey, the people here are not short of a few bob either. I don’t think I have ever seen so many Range Rovers in the wild. (This is an island where the average road is a country lane and the maximum speed is 35mph.)

BA’s Guernsey restoration is the answer to an operational question: “What can we do with this Airbus A319 for a quick there-and-back in the middle of the day?”

The link might prove a damp, loss-making squib. But it could instead prove to be a big commercial success. Within a couple of hours of arrival at Heathrow Terminal 5 from Guernsey, passengers can connect to New York, Los Angeles, Delhi and Mumbai.

WhileAurignyoffers a spread of six flights during the day to Gatwick, the Sussex airport simply cannot offer anything like the same intercontinental connectivity.

“For the consumer choice is everything,” Zoe Gosling told me. She is lead marketing officer for the States of Guernsey. “If this provides an easier way for people to reach us, then that can only be a good thing for the islands.”

“Easier” is good – and so is “cheaper”. I paid £84 to fly from Gatwick to Guernsey on Aurigny, but only £37 back to Heathrow on British Airways. The Club Europe cabin was completely full; down the back, about one third of the seats were empty. “That’s Guernsey for you,” a senior aviation figure told me.

Aurigny is not exactly delighted that BA is now parking Airbuses on its lawn. The home team airline faces financial challenges, and will not wish its poshest passengers to switch to British Airways. But the evidence is that everyone benefits from increased competition.

For now, those empty economy seats on BA are yours for the taking. Right now you can pay £107 return from Heathrow to Guernsey on the weekend of 9 to 11 May – an ideal introduction to the island that was the first place to which I ever flew, aged six.

Read more Plane and Train Talk from Simon Calder here

byAlpha World

in

April 24, 2026

Will British Airways flights to Guernsey thrive after a 40-year absence?

British Airwaysis going through a relaunch phase. Kuala Lumpur flights were restored last year. Colombo returns to the BA route network...

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How will DC residents receive money from $9.9 million Live Nation settlement?

Washington DC has won nearly $10 million through a settlement with Live Nation over deceptive Ticketmaster pricing practices, and local residents may soon see money back in their pockets.

What triggered the settlement secured byAttorney General Brian Schwalb, and how can people in DC receive their share of the settlement?

Here's what to know.

What did the attorney general investigation reveal?

The attorney general's office said it was awarded $9.9 million after an investigation found Live Nation "misled customers about ticket prices, charged deceptive fees and used illegal pressure tactics to get fans to buy tickets for a decade."

Live Nation is accused of violating the District of Columbia's Consumer Protection Procedures Act through what the attorney general's office calls "deceptive bait-and switch" tactics.

“For at least a decade, Live Nation and Ticketmaster boosted profits by charging predatory, hidden fees — taking advantage of DC residents buying tickets for their favorite artist or team and pricing others out entirely,” Schwalb said Monday. “With this settlement, we’re putting millions of dollars back into the pockets of DC fans and ensuring that the price fans see when they first start shopping for tickets is the price they actually pay.”

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Live Nation made changes to its procedures last year after the attorney general's investigation.

What are the terms of the settlement?

Of the $9.9 million the District will receive, $8.9 million will go to Live Nation customers. The other $1 million will he paid to DC.

Live Nation is now required to show the full price of tickets up front, and they must share information about the purpose of extra fees and who profits from it.

How will DC residents get paid through Live Nation?

The attorney general's office said it will announce in the coming months how people can make claims to get their refunds.

For now, the details are still being worked out.

“It definitely will be based on what they paid in terms of fees. Whether we will be able to refund 100% of every single fee for 10 years, that's what we're trying to figure out,” Beth Mellen, assistant deputy attorney general in the public advocacy division, toldNBC Washington. “Our goal is to get as much of the $8.9 million out the door to consumers in their pockets."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:DC gets $9.9 million in settlement with Live Nation, Ticketmaster

byAlpha World

in

April 24, 2026

How will DC residents receive money from $9.9 million Live Nation settlement?

Washington DC has won nearly $10 million through a settlement with Live Nation over deceptive Ticketmaster pricing practices, and local...

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