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- Pentagon revokes Frank Kendall’s security clearance for disclosing classified Air Force One information
- Boy, 12, left with minor injuries after being dragged under lorry in Brazil
- Europe experiences temperature rise at double the global average rate.
- Abelardo de la Espriella sworn in as Colombia’s president, pledges crackdown on armed groups
- Winnipeg family expresses frustration after mother waits 20 hours in ER
- U.S. citizen Reza Valizadeh updates on conditions in Iran’s Evin Prison
- Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo may be mutating as cases rise
- Belarus declares Euronews “extremist” in response to critical reporting
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Pentagon revokes Frank Kendall’s security clearance for disclosing classified Air Force One information
5:00 am
Get you up to speed: Pentagon revokes security clearance of former Air Force chief for disclosing “classified information regarding Air Force One’s capabilities”
The Pentagon revoked former U.S. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall’s eligibility to access classified information, citing his alleged disclosure of sensitive information about Air Force One’s capabilities. Kendall, who served under President Joe Biden, expressed confusion over the revocation and maintained he had not shared any classified details.
The Pentagon has barred Frank Kendall from holding any sensitive position following his alleged disclosure of classified information regarding Air Force One. Investigations are ongoing, but the Pentagon has not confirmed whether Kendall will be referred for prosecution.
The Pentagon announced the revocation of Frank Kendall’s eligibility for classified information, citing his alleged disclosure of sensitive details regarding Air Force One’s capabilities. Meanwhile, the Air Force has acknowledged the new plane’s deficiencies and stated that upgrades will occur in the fall, a process expected to take approximately one month.
What remains unclear — It is uncertain whether Frank Kendall will face prosecution for the alleged disclosure of classified information.
Pentagon revokes Frank Kendall’s security clearance for disclosing classified Air Force One information
The Pentagon revoked former U.S. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall’s “eligibility” to access classified information and barred him from holding “any sensitive position,” alleging Friday that he disclosed sensitive information about Air Force One’s capabilities to the media.
“This action follows his unauthorized disclosure of classified information regarding Air Force One’s capabilities to a media outlet,” Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said in a social media post.
It follows reporting last month, including from The New York Times, on security concerns over the new, Qatari-gifted Air Force One, including that it lacked the advanced antimissile capabilities of its predecessor.
Kendall told The Associated Press late Friday that he was “completely mystified” by the revocation.
“I’ve always been extremely careful to not say anything classified, and as far as I know I have not,” Kendall said. “No one has said anything to me about what I’m asserted to have revealed and I can’t imagine what it could be.”
The plane underwent a $400 million retrofit and upgrade. It was put into service domestically and President Trump also flew on it to Turkey last month for the NATO summit. But he used an older model Air Force One jet to leave the NATO summit, as the U.S. launched airstrikes on Iran and Tehran attacked three Gulf Arab states.
U.S. officials previously told WTX US News that Mr. Trump returned on the old Air Force One following a credible threat to the president from Iran and allied proxy groups. The officials told WTX US News that the U.S. detected a credible plot to fire a missile at the plane. Upon receiving the intelligence, the U.S. Secret Service swiftly swapped to a backup strategy.
The Secret Service suggested that the president take the old plane, which is equipped with secure communication systems and sophisticated military defenses, according to people briefed on the situation who spoke to WTX US News last month.
The new plane donated by Qatar was hurried into service and is lacking some desired capabilities, U.S. officials told WTX US News.
Mr. Trump last month denied to reporters that the swap was due to security concerns, although he also said he is under threat “all the time” and is Iran’s “No. 1” target.
The White House later announced that Mr. Trump would continue using the old Air Force One while the Qatari-donated plane receives “additional upgrades and enhancements in the fall which will take approximately one month to complete.”
In the Times article, Kendall, who served under President Joe Biden, is quoted as saying that the time for upgrades to the plane would not have been enough for “all the normal Air Force One modifications,” and he was surprised that the plane was used outside the U.S.
Kendall said Friday, “I’ve been comfortable being on the record with reporters and on national television about the Qatari 747 because I’m confident that I haven’t said anything classified.”
In response to the reporting, the Justice Department subpoenaed the Times’ reporters to try to compel them to out their sources, which stirred fears over press freedoms. The department, after criticism from the judge for sloppy legal work, grudgingly withdrew the subpoenas last month.
The Air Force has argued that the rapid conversion of the jet was done “without accepting any risk regarding security, safety, or secure communications,” but it also has acknowledged the different capabilities. It said “several highly complex engineering modifications” required for the new U.S.-made Air Force One aircraft were intentionally excluded in the modifications to the plane from Qatar. The Air Force acknowledged it did not widen the doors leading out of the aircraft or include multiple stairs built into the hull of the plane.
Parnell didn’t specify which media outlet Kendall was accused of sharing classified information with.
“Safeguarding classified information is a non-negotiable duty,” he wrote. “Those who violate that trust forfeit the privilege of access and any role requiring it.”
It’s not the first time the Trump administration has revoked security clearances, including of 37 then-current and former national security officials last year. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also pulled security protections and clearance for Gen. Mark Milley, the retired Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, soon after the administration took office.
Parnell didn’t say if Kendall was being referred for prosecution, and the Pentagon declined to provide more information. Typically, such accusations are partnered with referrals for prosecution over violations of the Espionage Act.
A well-known example was when the Obama administration filed charges against Edward Snowden, a former intelligence agency contractor who publicly disclosed a massive trove of secret documents about U.S. surveillance operations before fleeing to Russia.
More recently, a federal judge sentenced a Massachusetts Air National Guard member to 15 years in prison in 2024 for leaking classified military documents about the war in Ukraine. That was the most consequential national security breach in years.
Boy, 12, left with minor injuries after being dragged under lorry in Brazil
4:00 am
Get you up to speed: Miraculous moment boy, 12, survives unscathed after being dragged under lorry | News World
A 12-year-old boy was struck by a lorry while pushing his bicycle across Avenida Joaquim David in Firminopolis, Goias, on August 5. Although he suffered a fractured left wrist and grazes to his elbow, he was treated at Hospital Santa Gemma and is expected to undergo surgery at Dr Valdemiro Cruz (Hugol) in Goiânia.
The boy was transferred to Dr Valdemiro Cruz (Hugol) in Goiânia, where he is expected to undergo surgery for a fractured wrist. The lorry driver has contacted the Military Police and expressed intentions to support the boy’s family with medical expenses while the police conduct their investigation.
The lorry driver has expressed intentions to support the boy’s family and cover his medical expenses, having acknowledged he was unaware of the collision due to a blind spot. Local authorities are conducting an investigation into the incident, which has drawn public attention following the boy’s remarkable survival.
What remains unclear — Authorities have not disclosed whether any charges will be brought against the lorry driver involved in the incident.
Boy, 12, left with minor injuries after being dragged under lorry in Brazil
In a moment that must be seen to be believed, a 12-year-old boy miraculously avoided being flattened after a lorry dragged him underneath.
The boy was casually pushing his bicycle when he stopped and waited to cross as the lorry turned a corner.
But at the last second, the youngster was caught up in the vehicle’s manoeuvre and shoved down onto the road with a thud.
CCTV footage captured the extraordinary incident on Avenida Joaquim David in the city of Firminopolis, in the Brazilian state of Goias, on August 5.
Footage showed the boy even getting hit by the lorry’s wheels, which luckily only appeared to push him along the tarmac before he could roll free.
He was then seen rising to his feet without struggle and walking back to collect his bike, moments after the rear of the truck cleared him.
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A 12-year-old boy was seen pushing his bike… (Picture: Clipzilla)
Before he was knocked over by a lorry turning the corner (Picture: Clipzilla)
The lorry, a Volvo FH 540, was turning onto the GO-060 highway at the time, and the boy had been making his way home from school.
Staff from a nearby chemist witnessed the collision, gave first aid at the roadside, and drove him to Hospital Santa Gemma.
Medics there found he had fractured his left wrist and grazed his elbow.
While he was subsequently transferred to the Goiás State Emergency Hospital, Dr Valdemiro Cruz (Hugol) in Goiânia, where he is expected to undergo an operation, the outcome could’ve been far worse.
As for the lorry driver, he had been travelling to a rural property to load up the vehicle and contacted the Military Police several hours after the accident.
He was even hit by the wheels (Picture: Clipzilla)
Amazingly, he escaped with minor injuries in comparison to what could have been (Picture: Clipzilla)
He explained to officers that he had carried on driving because the child had been in a blind spot behind his mirrors, and he had no idea he had struck anyone.
He then asked for the contact details of the boy’s parents, adding that he intends to support the family and offering to meet the costs of his medical treatment.
The police are investigating the incident.
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Europe experiences temperature rise at double the global average rate.
2:00 am
Europe experiences temperature rise at double the global average rate.
Climate Shift
Europe’s temperatures are increasing at approximately twice the global average, making it the fastest-warming continent in the world.
Europe’s temperatures are increasing at approximately twice the global average, making it the fastest-warming continent in the world.
Climate Urgency
Europe’s rapid temperature increases, at twice the global rate, underscore the critical need for effective climate action and policy reform to mitigate severe environmental effects.
Europe’s rapid temperature increases, at twice the global rate, underscore the critical need for effective climate action and policy reform to mitigate severe environmental effects.
Rising Temperatures
“Europe is experiencing temperatures warming at approximately twice the global average, highlighting a pressing climate crisis that demands urgent action.”
“Europe is experiencing temperatures warming at approximately twice the global average, highlighting a pressing climate crisis that demands urgent action.”
Wildfires continue to rage as Europe swelters under extreme heat
Europe is the world’s fastest-warming continent, with temperatures rising at around twice the global average.
Abelardo de la Espriella sworn in as Colombia’s president, pledges crackdown on armed groups
1:00 am
Get you up to speed: De la Espriella sworn in as Colombia’s leader, vows armed group crackdown
Abelardo de la Espriella was sworn in as Colombia’s president in Cali on 7 August 2026, following his victory over former president Gustavo Petro. The inauguration was marked by heavy security, with soldiers and armoured vehicles present, as unrest included protests against de la Espriella in several cities.
Security measures were heightened during the inauguration ceremony, with soldiers and armoured vehicles positioned near the venue and police conducting vehicle checks for explosives. Protests occurred in several cities on inauguration day, as demonstrators expressed opposition to the new president’s policies and election legitimacy.
Abelardo de la Espriella’s inauguration as Colombia’s president was marked by heightened security and widespread protests, with demonstrators voicing opposition to his leadership. Following his vow to dismantle armed groups and cut government spending, de la Espriella has committed to joining the US-backed “Shield of the Americas” coalition against drug trafficking.
What remains unclear — It is uncertain what specific measures de la Espriella plans to implement to combat the armed groups.
Abelardo de la Espriella sworn in as Colombia’s president, pledges crackdown on armed groups
News|PoliticsDe la Espriella sworn in as Colombia’s leader, vows armed group crackdown
New president, who replaces leftist Gustavo Petro, continues rightward political shift in Latin America.
Published On 8 Aug 20268 Aug 2026
Right-wing lawyer Abelardo de la Espriella has been sworn in as Colombia‘s president after winning a run-off election on promises to crack down on the armed groups, cut government spending by as much as 40 percent, and revive the South American country’s oil and gas industry.
De la Espriella, 48, took the oath of office on Friday, breaking with tradition by holding the ceremony not in the capital, Bogota, but in Cali, a city in Colombia’s volatile southwest that has long borne the brunt of the government’s conflict with armed groups.
The choice signaled a decisive break from the strategy of negotiated peace with those groups pursued by outgoing leftist leader Gustavo Petro, whom de la Espriella defeated in June’s runoff. De La Espriella has dismissed Petro’s policy as a failure.
“There will be no room for maneuvers that undermine the stability of the nation,” de la Espriella said on Friday, as he pledged to “relentlessly defeat narco-terrorism”.
He added that “the option of dialogue is completely exhausted”.
A political newcomer known to supporters as “El Tigre”, The Tiger, de la Espriella built his fortune and public profile as a lawyer and businessman rather than through elected office, largely self-financing his campaign as an outsider candidate.
His arrival in power marks a sharp ideological reversal for a country that, for the past four years, was led by a former rebel fighter who was frequently critical of the drug and immigration policies of United States President Donald Trump.
De la Espriella has, in contrast, hewed closed to Trump and his militaristic approach to drug crime in Latin America.
Security dominated Friday’s ceremony, which was held at a university auditorium before Congress. Soldiers and armoured vehicles lined roads near the venue, and police manned checkpoints screening vehicles for explosives in the preceding days.
Guests at Universidad Santiago de Cali watch Colombia’s new President Abelardo de la Espriella deliver a speech from the Pichincha Battalion on a giant screen during his inauguration ceremony in Cali. [AFP/Luis Acosta]
After the ceremony, de la Espriella travelled to a nearby military battalion to address troops directly, framing the visit as both a morale boost for the armed forces and a signal to the country’s armed groups of the approach he plans to take.
Colombia’s southwest remains contested territory for dissident factions of the demobilised FARC rebel movement who rejected the peace deal signed a decade ago. The Clan del Golfo drug cartel, and the National Liberation Army, or ELN guerrilla group are also active in the area.
The new president has also pledged to join the so-called “Shield of the Americas”, a US-backed regional coalition against drug trafficking that grew out of a summit hosted by the Trump administration in March. He has vowed to restored diplomatic relations with Israel and sever ties with Cuba and Nicaragua, branding them “tyrannies”.
Petro had initially refused to accept the election result, alleging that vote tallies had been manipulated. The claim was dismissed by international observers and Colombia’s own electoral authorities. Petro ultimately conceded he would respect the outcome.
Still protests broke out in Cali, Bogota and Barranquilla on inauguration day.
In Cali’s Puerto Resistencia neighbourhood, once the epicentre of mass anti-government demonstrations in 2021, 25-year-old protester Sebastian Ocampo said residents were “defending dignity” against a president he said had not won their support.
De la Espriella’s win extends a run of electoral victories by conservatives across Latin America, with seven elected since Trump returned to the White House in January 2025. That includes Peru’s Keiko Fujimori, Jose Antonio Kast in Chile, and Argentina’s Javier Milei.
Trump personally endorsed de la Espriella’s campaign.
Leaders in attendance at Friday’s event included Spain’s King Felipe VI, acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche, FIFA president Gianni Infantino, and several of Latin America’s other conservative leaders, including Milei and Kast.
Winnipeg family expresses frustration after mother waits 20 hours in ER
12:00 am
Get you up to speed: Winnipeg family frustrated after terminally-ill mother waits 20 hours in ER
A Winnipeg family reported that their terminally ill mother spent 20 hours waiting in an emergency department. They expressed frustration over the prolonged wait time for treatment.
The family has expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of timely care during their mother’s prolonged wait. The investigation into the emergency department’s staffing and operational efficiency is ongoing.
The Winnipeg family expressed dissatisfaction with the hospital’s emergency care, highlighting the excessive 20-hour wait for their terminally ill mother. In response, health authorities are reviewing emergency protocols to address the delays and improve patient care standards.
What remains unclear — It is unknown what specific steps the hospital will take to address the family’s concerns.
Winnipeg family expresses frustration after mother waits 20 hours in ER
A Winnipeg family is voicing frustrations after they say their terminally ill mother waited in an emergency department for 20 hours.
U.S. citizen Reza Valizadeh updates on conditions in Iran’s Evin Prison
10:00 pm
Get you up to speed: From inside Iran’s Evin Prison, U.S. citizen Reza Valizadeh gives update on conditions, fears exposure to disease
Reza Valizadeh, a U.S. citizen and journalist, provided an update on his condition from inside Evin Prison in Iran, where he is one of five U.S. citizens detained. Kamran Hekmati, another American prisoner also at Evin, was ordered back to prison after a brief medical leave for cancer treatment.
Prison conditions at Evin Prison reportedly include a lack of medical care, with many diseases returning, including tuberculosis, and prisoners only receiving basic medications. Kamran Hekmati has been ordered back to prison after a brief medical leave, despite needing chemotherapy for cancer, as the State Department considers him and Reza Valizadeh to be wrongfully detained.
US officials continue to monitor the cases of Reza Valizadeh and Kamran Hekmati, with a statement from the Trump administration indicating they are “working diligently” to secure their release. Valizadeh’s attorney, Ryan Fayhee, has urged President Trump to prioritise the release of “wrongfully detained Americans” in negotiations with Iran.
What remains unclear — It is uncertain how many other American citizens are currently imprisoned in Iran beyond those mentioned.
U.S. citizen Reza Valizadeh updates on conditions in Iran’s Evin Prison
This week, WTX US News received another recording from inside the notorious Evin Prison in Iran with an update from U.S. citizen and journalist Reza Valizadeh.
He last reached out in June, and he wants his most recent statement to be made public, as well, according to his attorney Ryan Fayhee.
Valizadeh is one of the five U.S. citizens still trapped in Iran, two of them at Evin. Three others are believed to be under exit bans, which means Iranian authorities are preventing them from leaving the country.
In this latest recording obtained by WTX US News, Valizadeh shared updates about his condition and that of fellow American Kamran Hekmati, who was just ordered back to prison after having been granted medical leave that lasted under 30 days.
Foley Foundation 
Hekmati attempted to get medical care for what is believed to be a recurring cancer, according to his U.S.-based advocate, Kieran Ramsey, of Global Reach. He was unable to obtain chemotherapy treatment, however. Hekmati is a Jewish Iranian-American from New York, and about to turn 62 next week. He was arrested after the 12-day Israel-Iran war in 2025 on charges related to past travel to Israel. The State Department considers both Hekmati and Valizadeh to be wrongfully detained.
Valizadeh is a dual Iranian American citizen who used to work for Radio Free Europe’s Persian language service and has been imprisoned in Iran since 2024. He said that for the past five months, the Iranian authorities haven’t allowed his family to visit, which he believes is punishment.
Courtesy of Valizadeh Family 
He said he is also worried about exposure to a fellow prisoner who was suffering symptoms of tuberculosis, like coughing up blood, and says for more than a year now the prisoners have had little to no medical care. WTX US News shared the remarks with the Iranian mission based at the United Nations, and was told it had no comment.
Valizadeh’s lawyer, Ryan Fayhee, said in a statement that it is essential that President Trump prioritize the release of wrongfully detained Americans in his negotiations with Iran.
The Trump administration has never publicly confirmed that it has raised the specific cases of the American detainees in Iran during past months of negotiations.
In June, a Trump administration official told WTX US News in a statement that the administration is closely tracking Valizadeh’s case, along with the other U.S. citizens currently detained in Iran, and is “working diligently” to secure their release.
It is risky for Valizadeh to release this message, but he’s desperate.
Here is a transcript of the part of Valizadeh’s voice memo from inside Evin Prison that WTX US News received this week and that has been cleared for release by his attorney and advocate:
We, the prisoners of Evin Prison, have been denied access to the prison library and sport facilities for more than a year. Medical care in the prison is almost non-existent. Only the most basic medications are available.
Even worse, many medicines purchased and delivered by prisoners’ families are stolen by prison staff before reaching the prisoners. The prison’s doctors are rude, unmotivated and lack professional competence. As a result, most prisoners avoid seeking medical treatment unless they have no other choice.
Diseases that were eradicated decades ago have returned inside the prison, including pulmonary and gastrointestinal tuberculosis. One prisoner suffered TB symptoms, including coughing up blood and severe weight loss for six months. He was sent to a hospital outside the prison only when his condition became life-threatening. Before that, he had lived in close quarters with other prisoners for about 10 months. No one knows how many inmates may have been exposed to or infected with tuberculosis.
On the other hand, because of the poor quality of prison food, most prisoners refuse to eat the meals provided by the prison. Recently, authorities have started transferring non-political prisoners, mainly those convicted of financial crimes, from other prisons into our ward. This appears to be an attempt to weaken the unity of political prisoners and change the composition of our ward. Our ward already lacks the space and facilities to accommodate more prisoners.
Whenever prisoners raise even minor protests about prison conditions, they are punished by losing family visits and phone calls.
For example, I have not been allowed to see my family for the past five months. Part of this has been imposed as punishment, while the rest has been justified by the authorities due to the wartime situation…. Regarding other American citizens imprisoned in Evin, my knowledge is limited to Kamran Hekmati. Based on what I know, there are no other U.S. citizens in my ward, and they are most likely being held in another prison.
Kamran Hekmati, an Iranian American prisoner, was guaranteed medical leave for cancer treatment. However, after only one month and before the end of his approved 45-day medical furlough, he was ordered back to prison. This happened, even though his leave should have been extended so he could begin chemotherapy.
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