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- India withstands New Zealand resurgence to secure T20 opener victory
- B.C. snap election leaves both main parties unprepared for outcome
- El-Sayed and Rogers exchange sharp attacks in final Michigan Senate debate
- Doorman criticises court sentence after attacker avoids jail for assault
- Arsonist sentenced to three and a half years for setting fire to cafe over mayonnaise dispute
- Meta faces class action lawsuit in Australia over alleged harm to children
- Wainwright community holds prayer vigil to support those affected
- Kansas Senate candidates debate amid tightening race, Marshall labels Hamilton a typical Democrat
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India withstands New Zealand resurgence to secure T20 opener victory
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Get you up to speed: India resist New Zealand fightback to win record-setting T20 cricket opener
India secured a four-wicket victory over New Zealand in Christchurch, taking a 1-0 lead in the five-match T20 series. New Zealand set a high total of 225-4, but India’s chase was led by Sanju Samson’s 67 runs and finished by Naman Dhir’s unbeaten 42.
India’s successful chase marks their highest-ever in T20 internationals, while the match set a record for the highest total New Zealand has achieved against them at home. The second T20 match is scheduled for Saturday in Christchurch, as India leads the five-match series 1-0.
India’s captain Shreyas Iyer praised the team’s resilience after weathering a mid-innings wobble to secure a four-wicket victory, stating, “When they [the openers] click, they set up the game for us.” The second T20 match is scheduled for Saturday in Christchurch, where New Zealand’s captain Mitchell Santner acknowledged that his team needs to improve after their performance.
What remains unclear — The impact of India’s bowlers’ performance on future matches in the series has not been assessed.
India withstands New Zealand resurgence to secure T20 opener victory
Sport|CricketIndia resist New Zealand fightback to win record-setting T20 cricket opener
New Zealand reach their highest home total against India, 225-4, but Sanju Samson hits fifty to top the record in chase.
Published On 22 Oct 202622 Oct 2026
India overcame a spirited New Zealand fightback after a blazing start to secure a thrilling four-wicket victory in Christchurch on Thursday and take a 1-0 lead in the five-match T20 series.
India survived a mid-innings wobble in a 226-run chase after openers Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma laid the platform, with Shreyas Iyer’s contribution reviving the chase and Naman Dhir applying the finishing touches to seal victory in 19.4 overs.
“When they [the openers] click, they set up the game for us, and the rest of us try to steady the ship and finish,” India captain Iyer said. “He [Dhir] gives us lots of options. I personally feel the calm and composed nature he showed tonight, it was magnificent.”
Put in to bat, New Zealand made the most of favourable conditions as openers Tim Seifert and Finn Allen set the tone before Glenn Phillips produced a dazzling knock to propel the hosts to 225-4.
The total was New Zealand’s biggest T20 score against India on home soil, but the visitors completed their highest-ever successful run chase despite a stuttering middle phase.
Samson and Abhishek stitched together a 93-run opening stand, with Samson hammering 67 off 33 balls, including eight fours and four sixes, as India surged to 94-1 in the powerplay.
New Zealand hit back by removing three batters in quick succession, but Iyer countered with 42 off 28 balls to wrest back the momentum, before a late flourish from Dhir (42 not out) took India over the line.
“They [Indian openers] put us under pressure. Another big powerplay from them. We were not at our best,” New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner said.
“In the middle, we did well to squeeze them. Tight game and both teams might look at things that could have gone here or there.”
Seifert and Allen had earlier given New Zealand a solid platform, helping the hosts reach 65-1 in the powerplay, with Allen blasting 45 off 24 balls.
Phillips then took charge, producing an unbeaten 82 off 40 deliveries, including eight fours and three sixes, while Bevon Jacobs added 31 before being run out.
India’s bowlers struggled to contain the scoring, with all five used going at 10 runs an over or more.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar, playing his first T20 international in four years after last featuring against New Zealand in 2022, endured an expensive return with figures of 0-49.
The second T20 will be played on Saturday in Christchurch.
B.C. snap election leaves both main parties unprepared for outcome
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Get you up to speed: Why has B.C.’s snap election caught both main parties unprepared?
The NDP has shifted its focus from U.S. President Donald Trump to issues of affordability and the necessity of a stable majority. This change in messaging reflects the party’s strategic direction amidst evolving political dynamics.
The NDP has adjusted its campaign strategy to emphasise affordability and the importance of securing a stable majority. Investigations into voter sentiment suggest a shift in public priorities, as economic concerns continue to dominate discussions ahead of the upcoming election.
The NDP has shifted its focus from criticism of U.S. President Donald Trump to emphasising affordability and the importance of securing a stable majority. This change in messaging comes as the party prepares for upcoming electoral challenges and seeks to address public concerns.
What remains unclear — It is unclear how the NDP plans to achieve a stable majority amidst its messaging shift.
B.C. snap election leaves both main parties unprepared for outcome
The NDP has meanwhile pivoted its messaging from focusing on U.S. President Donald Trump, to affordability, to the need for a stable majority.
El-Sayed and Rogers exchange sharp attacks in final Michigan Senate debate
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Get you up to speed: In final Michigan Senate debate, El-Sayed ties Rogers to Trump, while Rogers says El-Sayed is untrustworthy
Republican Mike Rogers and Democrat Abdul El-Sayed faced off during their final debate in Southfield, Michigan, on 21 October 2026, amid a heated Senate race. The debate featured accusations from El-Sayed that Rogers is a “sock puppet” for Donald Trump, while Rogers claimed El-Sayed is untrustworthy and too extreme for the electorate.
The debate between Mike Rogers and Abdul El-Sayed took place on October 21, 2026, at WXYZ-TV in Southfield, Michigan, marking the conclusion of their final face-off ahead of the upcoming midterm elections. Both candidates are positioning their platforms in opposition to one another, with Rogers warning of the financial implications of El-Sayed’s policies and El-Sayed accusing Rogers of aligning too closely with Donald Trump.
Following the debate, Mike Rogers expressed confidence, stating “there are so many Democrats who are coming out today and saying they can’t vote for Abdul El-Sayed because he’s too extreme.” The race’s significance is underscored by its proximity to the November midterms, with both parties keenly focused on voter sentiment regarding President Trump’s influence and economic concerns.
What remains unclear — It is not clear how much support El-Sayed’s Medicare for All plan has among voters or its expected cost.
El-Sayed and Rogers exchange sharp attacks in final Michigan Senate debate
Republican Mike Rogers and Democrat Abdul El-Sayed clashed onstage Wednesday during the second, and final, debate in the increasingly bitter Michigan Senate race. El-Sayed repeatedly argued his opponent is and would be a “sock puppet” for President Trump in the Senate, while Rogers cast his opponent as untrustworthy and trying to run from past, further-left positions.
The neck-and-neck race is one of the nation’s most closely watched contests in the November midterms and could help determine which party wins control of the Senate. Democrats hope to take advantage of Mr. Trump’s unpopularity and voters’ frustration with inflation and the Iran War. Republicans have sought to capitalize on divisions between progressives like El-Sayed and more moderate Democrats on Middle East policy and Medicare for All.
Robin Buckson-Pool / Getty Images 
El-Sayed called Rogers’ platform a “MAGA vision” and argued the former congressman “stand[s] hip-to-hip with Donald Trump on all of his worst policies, the policies that are raising the price of your gas, making it impossible to afford your groceries.” The Democratic former health official responded to attack lines by inviting the audience to play “MAGA bingo.”
“He’s going to bend to Donald Trump because he is a sock puppet for the man,” said El-Sayed.
Rogers pushed back at one point, saying: “He wants to make this about Donald Trump. The bingo game ought to be: ‘How many times can he put Trump in any answer?'”
Asked by reporters after the debate if he’s planning to attend Mr. Trump’s Michigan rally on Sunday, which El-Sayed brought up, Rogers said he’d go but didn’t know all the final details yet.
During the debate, Rogers argued El-Sayed has not been honest about his platform, accusing him of engaging in a “pattern of deception.”
“Think about this: there are so many Democrats who are coming out today and saying they can’t vote for Abdul El-Sayed because he’s too extreme,” Rogers said. He also claimed he’s “doing exceptionally well with Jewish Democrats who are literally afraid,” alluding to some community members’ reluctance to support El-Sayed, a frequent critic of the Israeli government.
The debate was somewhat tamer than the two candidates’ first faceoff earlier this month, which featured insults and interruptions in virtually every answer. But it was still testy.
One of the more contentious moments came after Rogers tried to link El-Sayed to the Muslim Brotherhood and suggested he had the same supporters as terror groups like Hamas — allegations El-Sayed has vehemently pushed back against.
Earlier this month, several news outlets reported on social media posts by El-Sayed’s half sister suggesting the Democratic candidate’s mother had supported the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist group and political movement founded in her home country of Egypt.
El-Sayed has disavowed any connection to the organization, and has noted that he wasn’t raised by his birthmother since his parents divorced when he was young. Rogers said El-Sayed was trying to make himself look like “a victim.”
“You can grin and you can smile and you can talk real pretty, but I’m going to tell you what, that is a risk to our national security,” Rogers said. He told reporters after the debate that he questions whether El-Sayed can get a security clearance if elected.
El-Sayed called the allegations “shameful.”
“He keeps raising this question about this association with an organization I’ve never been a part of, because [of] my mom, who’s a nurse in Missouri?” the Democrat said. “It doesn’t make any sense, and it’s actually really quite beneath you, Mike.”
El-Sayed pressed Rogers on the Iran war, pointing to the conflict as the cause of high consumer prices and casting the Republican as a hawk who has “a war for everything.”
“We need a War Powers Resolution, rather than a senator who is going to stand hip-to-hip with Donald Trump on this war that made no sense when it started and certainly makes no sense now,” El-Sayed said when asked how he would bring costs down.
Rogers has called on the war to end, but also said on the debate stage that if Iran is allowed to control the Strait of Hormuz or build a nuclear weapon that gas could rise even higher.
The moderators asked El-Sayed whether he views Iran as a significant threat to U.S. national security. It was a variation on a question during the first debate, when El-Sayed was asked whether Iran or Israel is a bigger threat, which he called a “ridiculous hypothetical.”
El-Sayed said Wednesday that “there’s no doubt that Iran has posed a threat,” but he argued “that threat had been contained” by the Obama-era deal that limited Iran’s nuclear program. Mr. Trump ended that deal during his first term in office.
Rogers said Iran is “absolutely” a threat and argued El-Sayed’s previous answers on Iran were “an absolute nonstarter if you’re going to send somebody … to the United States Senate.”
Meanwhile, Rogers pushed El-Sayed on some of his progressive policy views, including his support for Medicare for All, a single-payer healthcare plan.
“Money in your pocket? You’ll be lucky to have a damn pair of pants when you’re done,” said Rogers, arguing El-Sayed’s policies would require significant tax hikes.
El-Sayed responded by saying: “Right now, the folks pulling the money out of your pocket are the big corporations who are buying his campaign.” Asked by WTX US News after the debate about how much the plan would cost, El-Sayed argued if implemented it’d be less expensive than the costs of healthcare currently, and said the platform has bipartisan support.
On tariffs, El-Sayed criticized Mr. Trump’s tariffs but said he is open to some import duties. He said, “You don’t give all the chemo all at once, all at the same time.”
Rogers called the president’s tariffs a “mixed bag,” questioning the trade war with Canada but saying the “reshoring of manufacturing is underway.”
Doorman criticises court sentence after attacker avoids jail for assault
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Get you up to speed: Bouncer fuming after attacker gets ‘slap on wrist’ while his life is in tatters | News UK
Jonathon Proctor, a doorman, was injured during an altercation with Craig Rimmer at the Old Cigar and Olive in Folkestone, Kent, on November 23, 2024. Rimmer was sentenced to pay £2,000 in compensation and spared jail after changing his plea to guilty of actual bodily harm.
Jonathon Proctor is scheduled to undergo surgery for a knee injury that includes a tear in his meniscus and ACL. Craig Rimmer, who has previously been convicted of relevant offences, received a six-week compensation order totalling £2,000 but has avoided further punishment according to the presiding judge.
Jonathon Proctor has expressed his anger at the justice system after Craig Rimmer, who inflicted a serious knee injury, received a £2,000 compensation order without serving jail time. Proctor’s future remains uncertain as he now faces knee surgery due to a tear in his meniscus and ACL, which he asserts has effectively ended his career as a doorman.
What remains unclear — It is not specified when Jonathon Proctor will undergo the operation on his knee or the expected recovery time.
Doorman criticises court sentence after attacker avoids jail for assault
A doorman injured while breaking up a fight has blasted the justice system after his attacker got off with ‘a slap on the wrist’ while his life has been left in tatters.
Jonathon Proctor, 33, was thrown to the floor by Craig Rimmer while escorting him out of the Old Cigar and Olive in Folkestone, Kent, on November 23, 2024.
He suffered a serious knee injury in the fall and still needs crutches nearly two years on. Unable to work since, he is also having to rely on benefits to get by.
Jonathon said he was hoping to face Rimmer in court after he was charged with ABH over the incident.
But he ended up changing his plea when Jonathan wasn’t at court and was sentenced without him being there to see.
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Rimmer was spared jail and ordered to pay £2,000 in compensation.
‘It still makes me so angry,’ Jonathon said.
‘I waited a year, over a year, for literally just to be able to sneak into court at the very last moment, change his plea, and get a £2,000 compensation order – it hurts.
‘It was absolutely ridiculous.’
At the hearing, the court heard that Rimmer, a father-of-three who works as a foreman for construction firm Balfour Beatty, had three ‘relevant’ convictions but had ‘not been in trouble since 2011’.
Defending, Rimmer’s barrister said that ‘he commands an impressive salary, that this could best be met by a fine’.
Sentencing, the judge told Rimmer he didn’t think he ‘deserved or needed to be punished any further’ for his offending and made an order for compensation.
The judge then wished Rimmer luck in getting back to Great Yarmouth.
Jonathon says he feels like Rimmer has got off with a ‘slap on the wrist’ while he still deals with pain related to his injuries.
He said: ‘It’s arrogance for me. Door staff go to work to make sure people like him can have a good night.
‘What I don’t anticipate is having my career destroyed by him.
‘It makes me really angry.
‘My career, my whole entire career has now gone – my knee is unlikely to get back to full strength.
‘I very much doubt I’ll ever be in a mental state or physical state to go back on the doors.
‘What he’s effectively done is destroyed a good portion of what I can do now.’
Jonathon now faces an operation on his knee after a scan revealed a tear in his meniscus, or knee cartilage, and ACL.
Arsonist sentenced to three and a half years for setting fire to cafe over mayonnaise dispute
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Get you up to speed: Arsonist jailed for setting fire to cafe because he ‘couldn’t have mayo’ | News World
Jose Rafael set fire to Las Postas Cafe-Bar in Los Palacios y Villafranca, south of Seville, after being refused mayonnaise for his sandwich. He has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison following his arrest near the scene of the incident, which resulted in significant damage but no reported injuries.
Jose Rafael was sentenced following a plea bargain, resulting in a reduced prison term compared to the 11 years initially sought by prosecutors. He has been incarcerated since August 20, 2025, and will be eligible for release based on time served, while also facing a 10-year restraining order from Las Postas Cafe-Bar.
Jose Rafael has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison for arson, with a 10-year restraining order preventing him from approaching Las Postas Cafe-Bar. The café’s owner, Jose Antonio Caballero, noted the incident as “something surreal” and confirmed that the estimated cost of repairs will range between £6,000 and £7,000.
What remains unclear — The specific reasons behind the plea bargain that led to a significantly reduced prison sentence for Rafael have not been disclosed.
Arsonist sentenced to three and a half years for setting fire to cafe over mayonnaise dispute
An arsonist who set fire to a Spanish cafe-bar after being told that he couldn’t have mayonnaise on his sandwich has been jailed for three and a half years.
Jose Rafael walked to a nearby petrol station to buy a 1.5- litre bottle of petrol after being refused the condiment for a second time at Las Postas Cafe-Bar in Los Palacios y Villafranca, just south of Seville.
CCTV footage then showed him strolling up to the bar counter where he appeared to put a lighter to an object in his hand.
Moments later, huge flames can be seen erupting as customers, including young children and elderly people, scrambled to safety.
The arsonist, who caused thousands of pounds of damage, also set fire to his left hand by mistake and can be seen attempting to use his right hand to stub out the flames before he turned around and exited the building.
Rafael was arrested near the scene of the incident and remanded in custody.
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Jose Rafael can be seen on CCTV putting a lighter to an object in his hand (Picture: solarpix/Natalia Penza)
Huge flames of fire can then be seen (Picture: solarpix/Natalia Penza)
Prosecutors had sought an 11-year prison sentence for Rafael, but he received a much shorter term after reaching a plea bargain through his lawyer.
Before a hearing at a court in Seville, he paid more than €9,200 (£7,715) in compensation for the damage.
As well as his prison sentence, Rafael was given a 10-year restraining order preventing him from going within 500 metres of Las Postas Cafe-Bar.
He has been behind bars since his arrest on August 20, 2025, and the time he has already served will be taken into account when his release date is determined.
Jose Antonio Caballero, the cafe-bar’s owner, previously described the incident as ‘something surreal’.
He said: ‘First one waiter and then another the second time this gentleman asked for mayonnaise gave him the same answer which was that the bar didn’t have a kitchen and the sandwiches came ready-prepared and we didn’t have sauces.
Customers, including young children and elderly people, scrambled to safety (Picture: solarpix/Natalia Penza)
Thousands of pounds worth of damage has been caused to the cafe (Picture: solarpix/Natalia Penza)
‘At that moment he walked to the garage opposite, returned to the bar with a bottle in his hand which we discovered afterwards had petrol inside, and asked the first waiter: ‘Are you sure there’s no mayonnaise?’ without giving him time to reply.
‘There’s no explanation for what happened. It was awful.’
Caballero also said that despite one quick-thinking member of staff using a fire extinguisher to put out the flames, the repairs to the damage is expected to cost between £6,000 and £7,000.
However, he added: ‘The important thing is that nobody was injured,’ he said.
‘There were young children and elderly people around. Imagine if someone had been hurt.’
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Meta faces class action lawsuit in Australia over alleged harm to children
8:00 am
Get you up to speed: Meta faces Australian lawsuit over alleged social media harm to children
Meta is facing a class action lawsuit in Australia filed by MinterEllison in the Federal Court, alleging that its platforms Facebook and Instagram harm children and teenagers through addictive design features. The suit represents eight plaintiffs who claim they were negatively affected by using the platforms while under the age of 18.
The class action, filed by MinterEllison, seeks compensation for individuals who allege harm from Meta’s platforms while under the age of 18. Litigation Lending Services is financing the lawsuit to support Australian families pursuing claims against Meta.
Meta has stated it is “aware of this claim and we will defend ourselves vigorously,” while the Australian Federal Court will consider the case amid heightened scrutiny of social media’s impact on young users. The lawsuit follows a proposed ban on social media for children under 16 in Australia and comes as Litigation Lending Services funds the class action, which aims to help families without means to pursue claims against the technology firm.
What remains unclear — It is not specified how many current and former users are included in the class action lawsuit.
Meta faces class action lawsuit in Australia over alleged harm to children
News|Child RightsMeta faces Australian lawsuit over alleged social media harm to children
Class action could be first in Australia to blame social media for harming its users.
Published On 22 Oct 202622 Oct 2026
Meta and its social media platforms Facebook and Instagram are facing a class action lawsuit in Australia over allegations that addictive design features are harming children and teenagers.
The lawsuit, filed by MinterEllison in the Australian Federal Court, seeks to recover compensation for current and former users of Facebook and Instagram who claim they were exposed to harmful content or developed an addiction to social media as a result of using those platforms, the law firm said in a statement released on Thursday.
“This proceeding raises important questions about the design and operation of social media platforms and their impact on children and teenagers in Australia. Those questions will now be considered through the Federal Court process,” MinterEllison Partner William Nolan said in the statement.
The class action suit was filed on behalf of eight plaintiffs who allege they were harmed by Meta while they were below the age of 18.
In a suppression order on Monday, the court prohibited the reporting of any information that could reveal their identities and the statement of claim.
“We are aware of this claim and we will defend ourselves vigorously,” a Meta spokesperson said.
Litigation Lending Services said it was funding the class action for Australian families who “would have no practical means of pursuing these claims against a global technology giant”.
The lawsuit comes amid rising tensions between Australia and Big Tech after a world-first ban on social media for children below 16 in 2025, and newly proposed rules that could let users switch off algorithm-driven content on their feeds.
Meta agreed in August to pay $18bn to settle with nearly all US states to resolve claims that it designed social media to addict children.
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