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- U.S. charges 11 in alleged marriage fraud scheme aiding Chinese nationals
- Swimmer mistaken for shark’s target by 300kg tuna on Spanish beach
- Mount Etna eruption disrupts air traffic in Sicily for sixth consecutive day
- Colombia earthquake death toll surpasses 250 as search for survivors continues
- Putin threatens to seize European vessels in response to cargo seizures
- Calgary and Rockyview County partner to advance Prairie Economic Gateway
- Strait of Hormuz traffic declines to one-week low as Houthis kill six in Red Sea
- Strikes impact UK services: how coverage differs
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U.S. charges 11 in alleged marriage fraud scheme aiding Chinese nationals
5:00 pm
Get you up to speed: U.S. charges 11 for alleged sham marriage scheme to help Chinese nationals gain green cards
The Justice Department charged 11 individuals, including Amy Cheng, Xiao Mei Chan, and Gang Zheng, in New York’s Southern District for their involvement in a marriage fraud scheme allegedly involving over 1,000 sham marriages between Chinese nationals and U.S. citizens. The indictment claims the fraudulent marriages, which aimed to assist Chinese nationals in obtaining U.S. green cards, occurred from 2016 to 2026 and involved substantial payments for immigration services.
The indictment, secured in New York’s Southern District, spans activities from 2016 to 2026, with facilitators reportedly earning commissions of around £5,000 for each arranged sham marriage. The Justice Department’s investigation has revealed that the scheme involved orchestrating sham marriages not only in New York but also across multiple states including Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Florida, as well as internationally in the People’s Republic of China.
The Justice Department’s indictment underlines a significant crackdown on widespread marriage fraud, with 11 individuals charged for facilitating over 1,000 sham marriages to aid Chinese nationals in obtaining U.S. green cards. Officials have indicated that further investigations are underway, and additional legal actions may follow as the case progresses through the courts.
What remains unclear — The Justice Department has not disclosed the specific identities or roles of all 11 individuals charged in the case.
U.S. charges 11 in alleged marriage fraud scheme aiding Chinese nationals
Washington — The Justice Department unveiled criminal charges against 11 people on Wednesday, alleging they participated in an “extensive marriage fraud scheme” that involved more than 1,000 “sham marriages” between Chinese nationals and U.S. citizens.
The 21-page indictment, secured in New York’s Southern District, alleged that the marriage scheme ran from 2016 to 2026, and was facilitated by defendants Amy Cheng, Xiao Mei Chan and Gang Zheng.
The alleged sham marriages were arranged to help assist Chinese nationals obtain green cards in the United States, the indictment said.
The defendants “used word of mouth, social media, and various forms of advertising to market fraudulent immigration services to foreign nationals — primarily citizens of the People’s Republic of China — including their ability to arrange sham marriages to facilitate fraudulent applications for lawful permanent resident status in the United States,” according to the indictment.
“Foreign nationals paid facilitators as much as approximately $100,000 for assistance in obtaining a sham marriage and applying for a Green Card,” it added. Facilitators of the arrangements, meanwhile, allegedly made a commission of about $5,000.
The indictment included photos of alleged sham marriage ceremonies that prosecutors said the defendants submitted to U.S. immigration officials.
Justice Department 
“In some cases, these sham wedding ceremonies were held at nearby restaurants, where the foreign nationals and United States citizens changed into traditional Chinese wedding attire, and the facilitator, recruiter, foreign national, and United States citizen invited friends and family to create the appearance of a legitimate wedding,” the indictment said.
While many of the recruiters operated in New York, the indictment alleged they orchestrated the marriages throughout the United States and abroad, in places such as Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Vanuatu, and the People’s Republic of China.
Swimmer mistaken for shark’s target by 300kg tuna on Spanish beach
4:00 pm
Get you up to speed: Swimmer thought he was being chased by a shark but it was a 300kg tuna | News World
A man swimming at Ancón beach in Marbella was pursued onto the shore by a 300kg tuna, which caused alarm among onlookers. The tuna was later seen thrashing in the shallows and was assisted back into the sea using deckchairs and umbrellas.
Local reporters indicated that the tuna, estimated to weigh around 300kg, likely became disoriented after being injured by a fishing vessel. Despite attempts to return the fish to the sea using deckchairs and umbrellas, it was observed bleeding from its gills.
Local authorities are investigating the incident involving a large tuna mistakenly identified as a shark, which caused panic among beachgoers in Marbella. In response to growing concerns about shark sightings in the Mediterranean, experts are urging the public to remain vigilant while swimming in coastal areas.
What remains unclear — It is uncertain what specific injuries the tuna sustained that led it to swim towards the beach.
Swimmer mistaken for shark’s target by 300kg tuna on Spanish beach
A man swimming in the shallows of a Spanish beach was given a scare when what looked like a shark chased him onto the shore – but it turned out to be a 300kg tuna.
Video footage showed a fin breaking through the surface of the water close to the beach in Marbella.
Onlookers at the Ancón beach stepped out of the water and shouted to warn nearby swimmers.
The fin then travelled quickly towards two swimmers. When one man spotted the creature, he begins to swim to the shore – but the animal followed him, causing the crowd on the beach to scream.
Onlookers gather at the shoreline to watch the spectacle, and just as the man reaches the beach, the animal surfaces, thrashing violently through the shallows.
Beachgoers were stunned to see the massive fish (Picture: SolarPix)
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But instead of a shark, a huge tuna can be seen writhing in distress. Local reporters estimated the tuna would weigh around 300kg.
Later footage posted in a local Facebook group showed people helping the fish back into the sea using deckchairs and umbrellas, despite it bleeding from its gills.
While sharks do live off the Spanish coast, they tend to stay far away from the beaches and spend their time hunting in deep waters.
Similarly, adult tunas spend most of their time in deep water.
Local reporters said that it was likely that the tuna was injured by a fishing vessel, which had caused it to become disoriented, swimming to the beach.
A fear of sharks in the Mediterranean has grown after it was revealed that Great White Sharks could be breeding in the warm waters.
In January, scientists said they believed great white sharks may be breeding in the Mediterranean after a juvenile was found by fishermen off the eastern coast of Spain.
The large fish was filmed thrashing about (Picture: SolarPix)
The creature, which was about 210cm long and weighed between 12st 8lb and 14st 2lb (80kg to 90kg) was accidentally captured on a fishing vessel.
Breeding populations of great whites were thought to have disappeared from the Mediterranean some time ago, so the discovery of a young shark led scientists to investigate.
They concluded that while the species remains a so-called “ghost” population in the region, it has not disappeared altogether.
Great white sharks gained notoriety in popular culture after Steven Spielberg’s classic Jaws broke box office records in 1975.
They are most commonly found off the coasts of Australia, South Africa and off the west coast of the US. Sightings in the Mediterranean are rare.
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Mount Etna eruption disrupts air traffic in Sicily for sixth consecutive day
2:00 pm
Mount Etna eruption disrupts air traffic in Sicily for sixth consecutive day
Airport Closure
On Wednesday, Catania–Fontanarossa Airport suspended all arrivals and departures until 6 pm due to the ongoing eruption of Mount Etna.
On Wednesday, Catania–Fontanarossa Airport suspended all arrivals and departures until 6 pm due to the ongoing eruption of Mount Etna.
Operational disruptions
The six-day eruption has led to the cancellation of approximately 443 flights and significantly impacted regional airports, highlighting ongoing vulnerabilities in Sicilian air travel infrastructure.
The six-day eruption has led to the cancellation of approximately 443 flights and significantly impacted regional airports, highlighting ongoing vulnerabilities in Sicilian air travel infrastructure.
Minister’s Insight
“The events of recent days show just one thing: it is not the volcano that is in the wrong place, but the airport,” stated Minister Nello Musumeci.
“The events of recent days show just one thing: it is not the volcano that is in the wrong place, but the airport,” stated Minister Nello Musumeci.
Mount Etna eruption: Catania airport closes and ash cloud reaches as far as Libya
The eruption of Sicil’s Mount Etna volcano, now in its sixth consecutive day, continues to disrupt air traffic in the island at the height of the summer season.
On Wednesday, Catania–Fontanarossa Airport was forced to suspend all arrivals and departures until 6 pm.
According to data from the airport’s tracking system, around 55 outbound flights have been cancelled, on top of roughly 388 departures scrapped between the start of the eruption and the previous day.
Dozens of other flights have been rescheduled or diverted to other airports in the region, notably Palermo, Trapani and Comiso.
At the latter airport, operations were halted for several hours on Wednesday morning, until 10 am, because of volcanic ash.
The airport later resumed operations, with both departures and arrivals restored.
Etna causes disruption beyond Italy’s borders
Etna is Europe’s most active volcano, located around 220 kilometres north of Malta. The impact of its activity has spread beyond Italy’s borders.
Ash clouds have forced some aircraft arriving in and departing from Malta to alter their routes.
The disruption has also affected some local celebrations on the island. The Socjeta Muzikali La Stella Levantina of Attard postponed the fireworks display scheduled for Tuesday, the Feast of Santa Marija.
The organiser explained that the fireworks launch site is close to the runway approach path and that, after consulting with authorities, it decided to postpone the display for as long as operational restrictions remain in force at the airport.
The Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre in Toulouse (VAAC) has noted that the volcanic ash cloud continues to drift south and southwest.
According to a VAAC bulletin issued on Tuesday evening, the highest concentration of ash remains over Sicily, while lower levels have been reported between eastern Malta and as far as northern Libya.
A political issue
Catania airport, just a few kilometres from the volcano, has been forced to close several times in recent weeks, with numerous flights cancelled or diverted to Palermo at the height of the summer season. The repeated shutdowns have reignited a political and infrastructure debate.
The Minister for Civil Protection and Maritime Policies, Nello Musumeci, has weighed in on the issue.
“What has been happening in recent days at the airports of Catania and Comiso, with cancellations, delays and serious disruption for thousands of citizens and tourists at the height of the summer season, brings back to the fore a problem that Sicily has known about for a long time,” the minister said.
The minister said this is an issue he had already highlighted during his time as president of the Province of Catania, when he put forward a plan for the Sicilian airport that failed to win support.
“As far back as 1999, as president of the Province of Catania, I had pointed out the limitations of the Fontanarossa airport and its particular vulnerability linked to its proximity to Etna,” he said.
“We did not stop at raising the issue: we included in the provincial spatial plan a proposal to relocate the airport. We also commissioned a preliminary study for a new airport on the plain between Catania and Enna, designed to serve seven of the island’s nine provinces.”
“That idea of mine did not receive any backing,” Musumeci added, explaining that he returned to the issue when he was president of the region, only to encounter opposition from the airport operator and indifference from local authorities.
“The events of recent days show just one thing: it is not the volcano that is in the wrong place, but the airport.”
Colombia earthquake death toll surpasses 250 as search for survivors continues
1:01 pm
Media Lens: Colombia earthquake death toll surpasses 250 as search for survivors continues
Rescuers search for survivors after a recent earthquake struck Colombia. The disaster left significant destruction and prompted urgent recovery efforts across the affected areas.
Quick links: What has happened | Status quo | Confirmed facts | Preconceptions | Elisions | One story, four angles | Related links
What has happened
A powerful earthquake struck Colombia, resulting in significant damage and a rising death toll currently estimated at over 250. Rescuers have been deployed to search for survivors amidst the rubble, with reported efforts concentrated in areas heavily impacted by the quake.
Amid the rescue operations, miraculous stories have emerged, including a baby being found alive after being trapped for several hours. Teams continue to work tirelessly in hopes of locating more survivors as the situation remains critical across affected regions.
Status quo
A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck Colombia, leading to a rising death toll currently reported at over 250. Rescue operations are ongoing, focusing on finding survivors among the rubble. Reports indicate individuals have been pulled alive after extensive efforts lasting over 36 hours. This seismic event has prompted significant emergency response efforts across the region as authorities continue to assess damage and assist affected communities.
Confirmed facts
- A devastating earthquake struck Colombia, resulting in significant damage and loss of life.
- The current death toll from the earthquake stands at over 250, according to multiple reports.
- Rescue operations are ongoing, with efforts to find survivors continuing despite challenging conditions.
- A woman was pulled from the rubble alive 36 hours after the earthquake, showcasing the ongoing hopes for rescues.
- Rescue teams have been mobilized from various regions to assist in the recovery efforts.
Preconceptions
- CNN prioritizes individual rescue stories, highlighting miraculous events such as the linked article about a baby being rescued from rubble, focusing on human interest.
- BBC emphasizes survival narratives with personal accounts, showcasing individuals being extracted hours after the quake, while reducing statistical analysis of the overall death toll.
- The New York Times prioritizes the death toll and broader implications of the earthquake, stressing the scale of the disaster and response efforts, yet downplaying individual rescue stories.
- Reuters focuses heavily on rapid updates regarding casualties and rescue efforts, presenting facts efficiently, and minimizing emotional storytelling found in other publications.
Elisions
- The **New York Times** reports a confirmed death toll of at least **250**, while **CNN** indicates a lower toll of **181**. This discrepancy highlights varying information regarding the extent of casualties.
- **BBC** features a story about a “woman pulled alive 36 hours after the quake,” which is absent in **Reuters**’s reports, suggesting coverage gaps in individual survivor stories versus general casualty counts.
- **CNN** focuses on rescue efforts with ongoing survivor searches, while the **New York Times** emphasizes the rising death toll and aftermath, indicating differing editorial priorities in reporting the crisis’s impact.
One story, four angles
CNN – A whisper from the rubble led to baby’s rescue after Colombia earthquake
Publication: CNN | Intensity: (7/10) | Sentiment: Positive | Legal precision: Medium
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Espresso Shot: The focus is on a poignant rescue that highlights human resilience amidst disaster.
Key differences:
1. CNN emphasizes personal stories, showcasing a baby’s rescue through empathetic storytelling, which evokes an emotional response.
2. The article details investigations into specific rescue techniques used, notably the use of “whispers” as part of the strategy, offering a unique perspective.
3. The tone is uplifting, framing the narrative around hope, unlike other outlets that detail casualty numbers more heavily.
Bias: Selection: Focuses on miraculous rescues over broader fatalities | Language: Uses emotive language like “whisper” to evoke empathy | Omission: Lacks detailed stats on overall casualties compared to other reports.
Assessment: Readers are led to believe that despite the tragedy, there are remarkable stories of survival and hope.
BBC – Woman pulled alive from rubble 36 hours after Colombia quake
Publication: BBC | Intensity: (8/10) | Sentiment: Positive | Legal precision: High
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Espresso Shot: The article prominently features a miraculous survival story, spotlighting resilience.
Key differences:
1. BBC leads with a specific individual’s survival, underlining personal triumph amidst tragedy, differing from focus on broader impacts.
2. The coverage includes logistical details of rescue efforts, which provide a comprehensive view of actions taken during the crisis, unlike CNN’s emotional framing.
3. The use of statistics is balanced, with attention to how many are still missing; it contrasts with CNN’s optimistic presentation.
Bias: Selection: Highlights individual stories while statistically informing on the remaining missing | Language: Utilizes clear, factual language that prioritizes accuracy | Omission: Less emotional language, focusing instead on reporting facts over feelings.
Assessment: Readers are primed to acknowledge individual heroics while remaining aware of the larger tragedy unfolding.
The New York Times – As Death Toll From Colombia Earthquake Rises to at Least 181, Rescuers Hunt for Survivors
Publication: The New York Times | Intensity: (9/10) | Sentiment: Neutral | Legal precision: High
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Espresso Shot: Focus is heavily on the rising death toll, framing the narrative around the magnitude of the disaster.
Key differences:
1. The NYT stresses statistics, notably the rising number of fatalities, which sets a sobering tone amid the chaos.
2. The article addresses the emergency response in a more technical manner, indicating ongoing searches, unlike the emotionally driven narratives of other outlets.
3. It’s less focused on personal stories; instead, it amplifies the collective tragedy affecting many families.
Bias: Selection: Concentrates on the death toll and its implications over individual rescue stories | Language: Utilizes stark, formal language emphasizing tragedy | Omission: Less focus on survival stories; highlights suffering and loss predominantly.
Assessment: Readers grapple with the disaster’s scale and human suffering, primarily viewing the event through a lens of loss.
Reuters – Colombia quake death toll tops 250 as rescuers race to find survivors
Publication: Reuters | Intensity: (8/10) | Sentiment: Negative | Legal precision: High
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Espresso Shot: The distressing focus on the rising death toll steers attention toward urgency and calamity.
Key differences:
1. Reuters presents fatality data up front, creating a sense of immediacy about the crisis, contrasting with CNN’s softer stories of survival.
2. The “race” to find survivors is portrayed more as a daunting task, painting a dire picture with words like “tops 250” to underline the tragedy’s scale.
3. Insight into governmental response is more pronounced, showcasing the logistical challenges involved.
Bias: Selection: Prioritizes casualty figures significantly in reporting | Language: Uses alarming language to instill urgency and a sense of crisis | Omission: Lesser emphasis on personal stories and survival moments compared to peers.
Assessment: Readers perceive a dire situation heavily influenced by statistics, emphasizing the overwhelming tragedy rather than individual stories.
The BBC’s report on the Colombia earthquake focuses on a woman being rescued alive after 36 hours, emphasizing hope amid tragedy. CNN highlights a baby’s rescue with a similarly uplifting lens. In contrast, The New York Times adopts a more grim framing, stressing the rising death toll of at least 181 while detailing search efforts—reflecting a stark awareness of the unfolding crisis. Reuters amplifies this urgency, reporting catastrophic impacts with a death toll exceeding 250. Therefore, while CNN and the BBC present a hopeful narrative, The New York Times and Reuters depict a more urgent and escalatory situation.
The facts do not change. What changes is where scrutiny lands.
Related links
CNN
A whisper from the rubble led to baby’s rescue after Colombia earthquake
bbc.com
Woman pulled alive from rubble 36 hours after Colombia quake
The New York Times
As Death Toll From Colombia Earthquake Rises to at Least 181, Rescuers Hunt for Survivors
Reuters
Colombia quake death toll tops 250 as rescuers race to find survivors
Putin threatens to seize European vessels in response to cargo seizures
12:00 pm
Get you up to speed: Putin warns of tit-for-tat seizures of European vessels
Vladimir Putin warned that Russia would seize European vessels if European states continue to intercept ships carrying Russian cargo, stating this while aboard a cruiser off Sakhalin during military drills. The warning follows recent European actions against vessels suspected of being part of Russia’s “shadow fleet” and comes amid new sanctions that permit seizure and sale of such ships’ cargo.
Putin instructed Russia’s Ministry of Defence and the Pacific Fleet to prepare for potential vessel seizures if European countries proceed with their plans. The sanctions allowing the seizure of Russian ships were implemented last month, increasing the urgency of the tensions highlighted by Russia’s recent naval drills in the West Pacific.
Vladimir Putin has instructed Russia’s Ministry of Defence to respond to any European seizures of Russian vessels, labelling such actions “piracy and robbery.” The European Union’s recent sanctions, which allow member states to sell seized cargo from intercepted ships, may escalate tensions further as both sides prepare for potential maritime confrontations.
What remains unclear — It is not specified how Russia plans to implement retaliatory measures against seized European vessels.
Putin threatens to seize European vessels in response to cargo seizures
News|Russia-Ukraine warPutin warns of tit-for-tat seizures of European vessels
If European states seize vessels with Russian cargo, Moscow will respond in kind ‘wherever necessary’, says Putin.
Published On 12 Aug 202612 Aug 2026
Published On 12 Aug 202612 Aug 2026Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has threatened to seize European vessels if European states follow through on plans to seize more commercial ships with Russian cargo.
Putin delivered the warning on Wednesday while on board a Russian cruiser off the Pacific island of Sakhalin, where Russia’s navy was conducting a drill. He said Russia would be ready to carry out its own seizures “wherever we deem it necessary and appropriate,” according to Russia’s TASS news agency.
The statement comes after several European countries intercepted ships suspected of being part of Moscow’s so-called “shadow fleet”, carrying Russian oil in contravention of European sanctions.
New sanctions passed last month permit European Union members to sell the oil or any other cargo seized from the ships.
Putin appeared to reference the sanctions, saying some countries are trying to “restrict the movement of vessels belonging to our economic operators” and recently “came up with the idea of possibly seizing our ships and selling off property stolen from us”.
“If these plans are put into practice, we will have to respond in kind,” Putin said in comments carried by Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency, calling the moves “piracy and robbery”.
He said “relevant instructions” had already been delivered to Russia’s Ministry of Defence and Pacific Fleet, the naval fleet responsible for Russia’s maritime military interests in the Pacific.
NATO ‘making inroads in Asia Pacific’
Putin also accused the NATO military alliance of making inroads into the Asia Pacific region and heightening tension in the Arctic. “NATO is making inroads into the region, new military-political blocs are being formed, and new weapons systems that pose a threat to Russia are being deployed or are slated for deployment,” the Russian leader said.
Russia’s naval exercises in the West Pacific come a week before joint US-South Korean war games, designed to simulate a possible invasion from North Korea.
Tensions are high in the region amid accusations from Kyiv and Seoul that Pyongyang and Moscow are further intensifying their military cooperation.
On Tuesday, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of using North Korean missiles in a deadly air raid across Ukraine. A day earlier, he had warned that Moscow was receiving more ballistic projectiles and troops from its ally Pyongyang, a development he said posed dangers not only for Ukraine but for countries in East Asia.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has already sent thousands of troops and plentiful supplies of weapons to support Putin’s four-year invasion.
Calgary and Rockyview County partner to advance Prairie Economic Gateway
11:00 am
Get you up to speed: City of Calgary, Rockyview County sign partnership to accelerate Prairie Economic Gateway
Calgary and Rockyview County are collaborating on the Prairie Economic Gateway, a significant logistics and manufacturing hub planned for the southeast area of the city. The project aims to enhance economic opportunities in the region.
The Prairie Economic Gateway is set for development in the southeast of Calgary, with active collaboration between the City of Calgary and Rockyview County. Further details on the project’s timeline and specific operational phases have yet to be disclosed.
Calgary and Rockyview County officials have confirmed their collaboration on the Prairie Economic Gateway, aimed at enhancing logistics and manufacturing capabilities in the region. Local leaders are set to outline further development plans in a public meeting next month, focusing on potential economic impacts and community engagement.
What remains unclear — Details regarding the timeline for the Prairie Economic Gateway’s construction and completion have not been released.
Calgary and Rockyview County partner to advance Prairie Economic Gateway
The Prairie Economic Gateway is a major logistics and manufacturing hub planned for the city’s southeast, in partnership between Calgary and Rockyview County.
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