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- French government supports Slovakia’s call to delist Alisher Usmanov
- CIA releases declassified documents on bin Laden and al-Qaeda ahead of 9/11 anniversary
- Lethbridge firefighters commemorated at annual memorial event
- Former CIA official in plea deal talks after $40 million gold bars discovery
- Remembering the search and rescue dogs of 9/11 on the 25th anniversary
- France opposes EU commission plan to use English-only trade agreements
- US leaders mark 25th anniversary of 9/11 attacks with tributes and speeches
- 13-year-old boy faces weapons charges after firearm seizure at Ajax hotel
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French government supports Slovakia’s call to delist Alisher Usmanov
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French government supports Slovakia’s call to delist Alisher Usmanov
Delisting push
The French government has joined Slovakia in calling for the delisting of Russian-Uzbek businessman Alisher Usmanov from the EU’s sanctions list.
The French government has joined Slovakia in calling for the delisting of Russian-Uzbek businessman Alisher Usmanov from the EU’s sanctions list.
Sanctions Framework
EU sanctions currently affect over 3,000 individuals and entities linked to Russia, making their renewal process critical to ongoing geopolitical stability and collective security efforts.
EU sanctions currently affect over 3,000 individuals and entities linked to Russia, making their renewal process critical to ongoing geopolitical stability and collective security efforts.
French Position
“The delisting of Alisher Usmanov is a political compromise,” stated a French official, highlighting ongoing negotiations amid escalating tensions within the EU.
“The delisting of Alisher Usmanov is a political compromise,” stated a French official, highlighting ongoing negotiations amid escalating tensions within the EU.
France joins Slovakia in asking to delist Russian oligarch Usmanov
By Luca Bertuzzi & Maria Tadeo & Jorge Liboreiro
Published on •Updated
The French government has joined Slovakia in seeking the delisting of Russian-Uzbek businessman Alisher Usmanov, causing “huge frustration” among other EU countries, four EU diplomats told EU News.
Slovakia has long pushed for Usmanov and another Russian oligarch, Mikhail Fridman, to be removed from the EU’s sanctions list targeting individuals close to Vladimir Putin’s regime and the military-industrial complex sustaining the war in Ukraine.
But Bratislava is no longer alone. Paris has also called for Usmanov, who has been under EU sanctions since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, to be delisted.
Usmanov is an Uzbek-born Russian billionaire who built his fortune through investments in metals, mining, telecommunications and technology and is considered close to the Kremlin.
Usmanov denies this.
The French move has caused “huge frustration” among other member states, particularly against the backdrop of escalating hybrid threats in Europe, including the latest case of an attempted drone attack on Leipzig airport in Germany.
“It raised a lot of questions about the motivation — seems mostly economic reasons at play here. Not a lot of understanding on the side of other member states,” an EU diplomat told EU News, speaking on condition of anonymity given the sensitivity of the talks.
The EU sanctions regime currently targets more than 3,000 individuals and entities linked to Russia’s military-industrial complex and its contribution to the invasion of Ukraine. The regime is due for renewal on 15 September, with member states under pressure to reach an agreement by then.
Individual listings have so far been renewed every six months, but a 12-month renewal is now on the table. Sectoral sanctions already shifted from six-month to 12-month renewal cycles in July.
In several meetings of EU ambassadors, Slovakia has opposed the renewal, pushing for both oligarchs to be delisted and the six-month timeframe to remain in place.
The Slovak demands are not new. Bratislava has repeatedly called for the delisting of the two high-profile Russian oligarchs, including when the sanctions were last extended in March.
EU sanctions require unanimous approval for renewal, meaning a single country can veto an extension. Slovakia’s opposition has already caused frustration among member states, but France’s new position is likely to complicate the talks further.
Paris presented Usmanov’s delisting as a political compromise, betting that Slovakia would not abandon its two delisting demands as it did last time.
EU ambassadors are due to meet again on Monday to discuss the renewal and will be under pressure to reach a political agreement before the 15 September deadline.
A French official said Paris supported the renewal of sanctions, but declined to comment on the discussions, citing confidentiality.
CIA releases declassified documents on bin Laden and al-Qaeda ahead of 9/11 anniversary
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Get you up to speed: CIA drops dozens of declassified documents on bin Laden and al-Qaeda
The CIA released several dozen declassified documents detailing intelligence on Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda surrounding the events leading to the September 11, 2001, attacks. CIA Director John Ratcliffe described the release as “an act of exceptional transparency”, marking it as the agency’s largest disclosure of declassified presidential daily briefs.
The declassified documents span from February 1998 to September 2001, illustrating the evolving understanding of Osama bin Laden’s network and potential threats to the US. While the CIA has characterised this release as an act of exceptional transparency, many documents remain redacted, limiting the availability of specific source information.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe described the release of the declassified documents as “an act of exceptional transparency,” highlighting it as the agency’s largest release of presidential daily briefs. These documents illustrate ongoing concerns about al-Qaeda’s threats to the US, with implications for future intelligence assessments and national security measures.
What remains unclear — The exact number of individuals involved in bin Laden’s network who received hijacking training is not specified.
CIA releases declassified documents on bin Laden and al-Qaeda ahead of 9/11 anniversary
News|September 11CIA drops dozens of declassified documents on bin Laden and al-Qaeda
A briefer wrote to then-President Clinton that bin Laden’s ‘preferred option is to strike the US on its own soil in Washington’, and that al-Qaeda ‘may fly an explosive-packed airplane into a US city’.
Published On 12 Sep 202612 Sep 2026
Published On 12 Sep 202612 Sep 2026Several dozen presidential briefing documents declassified on the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, attacks detail intelligence government officials had gathered about Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda leading up to the hijackings that killed nearly 3,000 people and upended the United States’ national security.
The documents illustrate security analysts’ tracking of bin Laden’s movements and support system, as well as concerns about possible threats to US targets. They also detail officials’ understanding of his network in the US and other countries, including how his operations were financed.
Proclaiming it “an act of exceptional transparency”, CIA Director John Ratcliffe said the documents were the agency’s single largest release of declassified presidential daily briefs — the highly classified briefings prepared by the nation’s intelligence community for the government’s most senior leaders.
The documents range from a February 1998 file, prepared for then-President Bill Clinton, titled “Terrorists Seeking WMD Capability” and mentioning bin Laden and other Islamic extremists, to a September 12, 2001, report in which a source indicated the attacks had been planned for two years and had also targeted the US Capitol.
An April 1998 document described the Taliban’s unwillingness to hand over bin Laden, at the time seen as their “guest” in Afghanistan, noting their “gratitude for his assistance during the Soviet occupation” was making them “reluctant to alienate him by monitoring or controlling his activities”.
Five months later, a briefer wrote that bin Laden’s “preferred option is to strike the US on its own soil in Washington” and that al-Qaeda “may fly an explosive-packed airplane into a US city”.
Potential hijackings were also discussed in December 1998, when a briefer described how conspirators “have evaded security checks during a recent trial run at an unidentified New York airport”, and “some members of the Bin Ladin network have received hijack training”.
Other documents detail bin Laden’s pursuit of materials for making “dirty bombs”, conventional weapons infused with radioactive material. By June 1999, according to intelligence officials, his operatives had conducted such experiments with explosives to “increase their energy output”.
Many of the documents were redacted to conceal sources’ names and other identifying information. They didn’t appear to break any new ground on the planning of the attacks or on US officials’ understanding of how they had unfolded.
Lethbridge firefighters commemorated at annual memorial event
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Get you up to speed: Lethbridge firefighters honoured at annual memorial: ‘What we signed up to do’
Members across North America gathered to honour the firefighters killed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks, marking the 25th anniversary of the event. The memorial gatherings took place in various locations, with the focus on remembering the fallen heroes.
Memorial events are scheduled throughout North America to commemorate the anniversary of the attacks on September 11, 2026. Fire departments and local communities are actively organising tributes, although detailed plans for specific ceremonies have not yet been disclosed.
In commemorating the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, officials highlighted ongoing efforts to support and remember first responders who lost their lives. Various fire departments across North America are planning memorial events to ensure the legacy of these heroes is preserved.
What remains unclear — It is unknown how many firefighters are still being recognised in these gatherings each year.
Lethbridge firefighters commemorated at annual memorial event
Twenty-five years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks killed hundreds of firefighters, members across North America still gather to honour the fallen.
Former CIA official in plea deal talks after $40 million gold bars discovery
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Get you up to speed: Former CIA official found with $40 million in gold bars in plea deal talks
The Justice Department has reached a tentative plea deal with former CIA official David Rush, who was found with over $40 million worth of gold bars, cash, and luxury items in his Virginia home. Prosecutors and Rush’s lawyer have requested an extension for the indictment deadline until October 8 to resolve the matter prior to trial.
The Justice Department has requested an extension until 8 October to file an indictment against David Rush, who faces accusations related to theft and fraud. The court document noted that significant litigation over classified materials could arise if the case proceeds to trial.
The Justice Department has proposed extending the deadline for filing an indictment against David Rush to 8 October while working on a tentative plea deal that may resolve the case before formal charges are brought. A federal judge has previously ruled that Rush remains a severe flight risk and must remain in custody pending trial.
What remains unclear — The potential charges that David Rush could plead to have not been disclosed.
Former CIA official in plea deal talks after $40 million gold bars discovery
Washington — The Justice Department has reached a tentative plea deal with a former CIA official who was found with more than $40 million worth of gold bars in his home in May, according to a court filing Friday.
Prosecutors and a lawyer for the former CIA official asked a federal district court in Virginia to extend the deadline to file an indictment until Oct. 8, saying “a pre-indictment resolution promotes the public interest by conserving government and judicial resources.”
“The parties have made significant progress and have a plea agreement in principle that would resolve the matter prior to an indictment,” they wrote, adding that “based on the evidence obtained in the case thus far, the parties assess that proceeding to an indictment and trial would require significant litigation on any classified material.”
The court filing did not indicate what charges the former official, David Rush, could plead to.
A criminal complaint from May charged Rush with one count of stealing public money for timesheet fraud.
In the criminal complaint, the FBI said it found 303 gold bars, $2 million in cash and 35 luxury watches, many of which were Rolex watches, while executing a search warrant at Rush’s Virginia home in May.
The FBI also alleged Rush had provided false information about his education and military service on his government application and fraudulently took military leave after his service ended. The complaint alleges that Rush claimed 744 hours of military leave on his official timesheet, totaling about $77,000 in compensation, after he was honorably discharged in 2015 from the Navy.
According to the FBI, Rush allegedly made several requests to the government for large amounts of foreign currency and tens of millions of dollars in gold bars for work-related expenses, which he received. The complaint added that Rush’s employer was unable to identify “the intended use of these funds.”
In June, a federal judge ordered Rush to remain in custody pending trial, determining that he posed a severe flight risk.
WTX US News has reached out to Rush’s attorney.
Remembering the search and rescue dogs of 9/11 on the 25th anniversary
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Get you up to speed: The hero dogs of 9/11: Remembering them 25 years later | News World
On the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, a remembrance highlighted the contributions of rescue dogs, such as Apollo and Trakr, who helped save lives in New York City. Apollo, the first rescue dog at the scene, and Trakr, who located the last human survivor, exemplified the vital role canines played in recovery efforts following the disaster.
Apollo was the first dog on the scene and worked alongside his handler, Peter Davis, despite facing extreme hazards during recovery efforts. The legacy of these canine heroes has been commemorated, with Bretagne receiving a bronze statue in Texas, recognising her contributions to search and rescue operations over her career.
On the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, commemorations highlight the crucial role of search and rescue dogs, with Apollo, the first dog on the scene, receiving a posthumous Dickin Medal for the efforts of canine rescuers. Plans are underway to further honour these dogs’ contributions, including the unveiling of a life-size bronze statue of Bretagne, the last surviving search dog from Ground Zero, which reflects the ongoing public recognition of their legacy.
What remains unclear — The fate of several dogs after their recovery efforts following the 9/11 attacks is not well documented.
Remembering the search and rescue dogs of 9/11 on the 25th anniversary
WTX looks back at the dogs that helped find and save people during the 9/11 attacks. (Picture: Hero Paws)
No one could ever forget the heroic efforts of the workers who saved lives during the 9/11 attacks in New York.
But many of us often don’t think about the hundreds of dogs who were part of the rescue mission of the September 11th attack, which claimed the lives of almost 3,000 people, including dozens of children.
These hero dogs worked for hours and found survivors, saved those from burning buildings, and helped reunite family members with each other and their belongings.
Today, on the 25th anniversary of the attacks, WTX remembers their legacy and how man’s best friend helped to save the lives of thousands of people.
Apollo
Apollo was the very first dog to arrive at the site of the attack and aid in recovery efforts. (Picture: Hero Paws)
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Apollo, a German shepherd, was the first rescue dog to arrive at the site of the attack.
He rushed to the scene with his handler, Peter Davis, and nearly lost his life to flames and falling debris, but managed to survive after falling into a pool of water and continued working.
Apollo received the Dickin Medal, the animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross, on behalf of the search and rescue dogs who took part in the rescue operations at the World Trade Center site and the Pentagon.
He sadly passed away in November 2006.
Trakr
Trakr was named one of history’s most heroic animals. (Photo: AFP)
Trakr, another German shepherd, worked at the scene despite entering retirement in May 2001 before the horrifying attacks.
He, along with handler James Symington, drove 15 hours to help recovery efforts and found the last survivor of the 9/11 attacks who had been trapped under the rubble for 27 hours.
Genelle Guzman-McMillan, an assistant with the Port Authority of New York, was on the 13th floor of the South Tower when it fell, and she was found on the morning of September 12.
During recovery efforts, Trakr collapsed from smoke inhalation, exhaustion and burns. He was treated for his injuries before returning home in Canada.
Named one of history’s most heroic animals by Time magazine, Trakr suffered from a degenerative neurological disorder experts believe was caused by his work at Ground Zero.
He died in 2009, but his DNA was entered into a cloning contest in June 2005, and five Trakr clones were born shortly after.
Thunder
Washington search through the rubble for victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center September 21, 2001 New York City, NY. (Photo by Andrea Booher/FEMA/Getty Images)” decoding=”async” loading=”lazy”/>
Handler Kent Olson and his dog, Thunder, were deployed from Lakewood, Washington, to search through the rubble for victims. (Photo: Andrea Booher/FEMA/Getty Images)
Thunder, who was usually deployed in the Washington area to look for victims and survivors of avalanches and possible drownings, was sent to search the rubble of the 9/11 attacks for victims with handler Kent Olson.
Details on how Thunder helped in recovery efforts are scarce, as are details about his life and handler Olson.
9/11: 25 years later
It has been 25 years since the horrific 9/11 attacks that brought down the Twin Towers in New York City, claiming the lives of thousands.
Follow WTX’s coverage of the 25th anniversary of 9/11 as we look back on the tragic attack, those who died, survived, and those who helped:
Bretagne
Golden retriever Bretagne worked for 10 days to help in recovery efforts with handler Denise Corliss.
Bretagne was the last surviving search dog who worked at Ground Zero after the attack.
The golden retriever was at the scene for 10 days, along with her handler Denise Corliss, helping to find victims and carry out rescue operations.
Following 9/11 recovery efforts, she was also deployed in response to Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Rita, Hurricane Ivan, and many other disasters.
At 15, Corliss took Bretagne to the 9/11 memorial and enjoyed a taxi ride through Times Square. She was put to sleep at a veterinary clinic in Houston, Texas, in June 2016 at the age of 16.
In 2017, the retriever was honoured with a life-size bronze statue in the residential area of Cypress in Texas.
Coby and Guinness
Following their help in recovery efforts, Coby and Guinness returned to their home in Southern California. (Picture: Happy Tails Animal Rescue)
Two Labrador retrievers named Coby and Guinness were both deployed to help in recovery efforts at the World Trade Center. Both searched relentlessly through the rubble of the collapsed buildings, often for 12 hours during the night.
Both dogs found the remains of dozens of people and covered an area that went beyond the scope of anything they had both been trained for.
Coby, the black lab, was aged only six when he was sent to help. He died in 2011 after losing his hearing.
Details about Guinness, the yellow lab, are scarce, but both dogs returned home in Southern California before passing.
Sage
Sage was a border collie who searched through the rubble of the Pentagon in the aftermath of Sept. 11, 2001. (Picture: American Kennel Club)
Border collie Sage, who became a search and rescue dog at the age of 18 months, scoured the rubble of the Pentagon where she found the body of one of the hijackers of Flight 77.
She was later deployed to Iraq in 2007 to search for U.S. soldiers captured or killed by insurgents.
Sage also helped with rescue efforts during Hurricane Katrina and Rita, was named a 2011 Hero Dog by the American Humane Association, but suffered from two forms of respiratory cancer.
It is unknown when Sage passed.
Jake
Jake was a stray dog with multiple health problems before he was nursed back to health and sent to help at the site of the attack. (Picture: AP)
Black Labrador Jake was a stray dog with a broken leg and injured hip who was rescued at 10 months old.
He was nursed back to health by his handler, Mary Flood, and was flown from Utah to New York to help in search and rescue efforts at the site of 9/11.
Working for a total of 17 days, Jake searched for survivors and human remains at the site before he was treated to a steak dinner at a fancy New York restaurant.
He also went on to help with recovery efforts following Hurricane Katrina, where he successfully found and helped rescue survivors. Later in life, Jake worked as a therapy dog for children and the elderly.
After being taken for one last walk near his home by Mary Flood, he was put to sleep in 2007.
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France opposes EU commission plan to use English-only trade agreements
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France opposes EU commission plan to use English-only trade agreements
Trade Deal Development
On 27 January, the EU–India trade deal was concluded, marking a significant milestone in the European Commission‘s plans for faster ratification processes.
On 27 January, the EU–India trade deal was concluded, marking a significant milestone in the European Commission‘s plans for faster ratification processes.
Economic impact
Failure to ratify the EU–Mercosur trade agreement has resulted in a loss of nearly €300 billion to GDP and over €200 billion in export opportunities since 2021.
Failure to ratify the EU–Mercosur trade agreement has resulted in a loss of nearly €300 billion to GDP and over €200 billion in export opportunities since 2021.
Institutional Response
“As a matter of principle, we defend the use of all the languages of the Union, and in particular French,” stated a French official regarding the English-only proposal.
“As a matter of principle, we defend the use of all the languages of the Union, and in particular French,” stated a French official regarding the English-only proposal.
French blockade looms over Commission’s plan to fast-track trade deals in English
Published on •Updated
France will push back against a European Commission plan to fast-track ratification of trade agreements by circulating only English-language versions during talks with EU governments and lawmakers, skipping translation into the bloc’s 24 official languages, according to several sources.
The slow ratification of the contentious EU–Mercosur trade deal has frustrated the Commission, which wants to accelerate negotiations and bring deals into force more quickly as it seeks new markets amid rising geopolitical tensions.
Translating the agreements into every official EU language can take months due to the legal scrubbing required before the ratification process begins.
the EU executive has confirmed to EU News that trade chief Maroš Šefčovič told EU trade ministers in February that the trade deal with India concluded on 27 January could serve as a test case for using English as the main language during ratification.
“We lost almost €300 billion by not having the Mercosur agreement in place since 2021, if it comes to the GDP, and more than €200 billion in export opportunities,” Šefčovič told journalists after meeting ministers on 20 February, adding that once negotiations end it can take up to 2.5 years before businesses can operate in partner countries.
“In today’s world, we cannot simply lose the time,” he said.
Šefčovič said the Commission would ensure the agreements are translated into all 24 official EU languages once published in the Official Journal, i.e. after ratification. He added the proposal was backed by at least seven member states at the meeting, though not all countries had time to speak.
French sources who spoke to EU News were insistent that Paris would vigorously oppose the move to English-only agreements if necessary.
“As a matter of principle, we defend the use of all the languages of the Union, and in particular French, which is one of the EU’s working languages,” one official told EU News.
‘Transparency, precision and understanding’
Language policy in the bloc’s institutions remains politically sensitive for countries such as France, whose language has declined sharply over the past decades as English massively dominates daily work in the European Union institutions – despite French, German and English being the three official working languages.
“Switching entirely to English raises a legal and democratic issue, and the Commission is well aware of it,” another French official told EU News.
On its website, the European Commission says linguistic diversity is essential and that the EU promotes multilingualism in its institutional work.
The bloc once even had a commissioner dedicated to multilingualism, though the portfolio was gradually merged with others and eventually disappeared.
“I have the impression that in some cases the Commission seizes the opportunity to push the idea that English has a superior status, and that the other official languages are translation languages that can come later,” Michele Gazzola, expert in language policy, said.
He added that relying only on English during ratification could pose problems for Members of the European Parliament, and even more so if national parliaments are involved.
“It’s a matter of transparency, precision and understanding.”
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