Latest News
- Trump announces Venezuela deal aimed at reducing US gas prices ahead of midterms
- Trans voice therapy helps individual connect authentically with their father
- Partial results show ‘No’ leading in Iceland’s EU referendum votes
- Nepal floods death toll rises to 675 with nearly 2,500 still missing
- Byelection scheduled for September 26 as B.C. Conservative leader faces scrutiny over leaked audio
- Milo Yiannopoulos deported after immigration arrest for visa overstay
- Florida man convicted for smuggling nearly $1 million in aircraft parts to Russia
- Iceland sees higher voter turnout in EU referendum than 2024 elections
LIVE German 2025 Election Results as they come in and analysi on who will be the next German Chancellor.
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Global Reaction to DE Elections
Trump announces Venezuela deal aimed at reducing US gas prices ahead of midterms
2:00 am
Get you up to speed: Trump claims new deal with Venezuela will help lower elevated gas prices as midterms approach
President Trump announced a new deal with Venezuela that aims to give the U.S. control of billions of oil barrels. The claim was made on Friday and is linked to an expectation of lowering gas prices in the U.S.
The deal is expected to significantly impact U.S. energy markets, although specific mechanisms for implementation have yet to be disclosed. Investigators continue to examine the broader implications of the agreement on international relations and market dynamics.
President Trump announced that the new deal with Venezuela is expected to lead to decreased gas prices in the U.S., citing control over billions of oil barrels. The administration did not provide specific details on the implementation timeline or further negotiations required for this agreement.
What remains unclear — Details regarding the terms of the deal and its potential impact on gas prices have not been specified.
Trump announces Venezuela deal aimed at reducing US gas prices ahead of midterms
President Trump claimed Friday that a new deal with Venezuela, which will give the U.S. control of billions of oil barrels, is set to lower gas prices in the U.S. Olivia Gazis reports.
Trans voice therapy helps individual connect authentically with their father
1:00 am
Get you up to speed: ‘Trans voice therapy allowed my dad to finally hear the real me’ | News World
Trans individuals are using voice training services like Undead Voice to align their voices with their gender identity, addressing issues such as voice dysphoria. In the UK, about 85% of trans people experience voice dysphoria, with limited access to voice and communication therapy through NHS gender-affirming healthcare.
Undead Voice provides non-surgical voice training to trans individuals, addressing the voice dysphoria experienced by around 85% of this community. In the UK, patients face significant delays for NHS gender-affirming healthcare, with private vocal surgeries costing thousands, making access to speech therapy challenging.
The founder of Undead Voice, Nicole Gress, emphasised the importance of voice for connection, stating, “You have to use your voice every day to build connection, to be understood, to exist in the world.” As awareness of trans voice dysphoria increases, private training options are being recognised yet accessibility remains limited, sparking calls for improvements in NHS gender-affirming healthcare services.
What remains unclear — It is not specified how many trans individuals in the UK are currently on waiting lists for voice and communication therapy through NHS services.
Trans voice therapy helps individual connect authentically with their father
Trans dysphoria is the mental and emotional anguish caused by your voice and gender identity not aligning (Picture: WTX/Getty Images)
Opal always hated the sound of her voice. Speaking on the phone, hailing a cab or ordering a drink – all of it was nerve-wracking.
But there was just one person that she wanted to hear her after coming out as trans – her father, who was suffering from hearing loss.
So Opal spent weeks doing vocal warm-ups, reading menus aloud and speaking in character voices to move her pitch to a range he could hear.
‘To be able to talk to my dad, in public, and not have to choose between being heard and being gendered correctly?
‘That made all the practice it took to get a voice I love worth it,’ she tells WTX.
Opal did this by undergoing trans voice training five years ago. Sometimes called speech therapy, it’s a non-surgical way for a trans person to fine-tune their voice via vocal exercises.
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Trans people say the therapy helped their voice align with their gender identity (Picture: Getty Images)
It’s similar to vocal training, used to treat stuttering, muscle tension and throat cancer recovery.
Opal is now a coach at the trans voice coaching and training service that supported her, Undead Voice.
Around 85% of trans people suffer from voice dysphoria, according to the company.
The condition is the discomfort felt when your voice doesn’t sync with your gender identity, explains Undead Voice founder Nicole Gress.
‘You have to use your voice every day to build connection, to be understood, to exist in the world,’ the speech-language pathologist adds.
‘Someone might be in a conversation trying to stay present, while also thinking, “How do I sound right now? What are they hearing?”’
In the UK, NHS gender-affirming healthcare services may offer voice and communication therapy, but waiting lists can stretch years.
Private surgeries that can make voices sound more feminine, such as vocal tract surgery, meanwhile, cost thousands of pounds.
Only 7% of trans people in the US have access to voice training, with health insurance rarely covering it.
What does trans speech therapy involve?
Gress, who lives in San Francisco, California, says their programme focuses on the ‘five pillars of voice transition’:
Weight, how booming our voice is.
Tilt, the emotional tone, from anger and sadness to joy and empathy.
Resonance, the ‘level of brightness and darkness in your tone’, as Undead Voice puts it to avoid gendered words.
Pitch, how high or low our voice feels.
Dynamics, making the voice ‘unique’.
‘I lost the “me” in my voice’
But these don’t work for everyone, as Undead Voice patient Rosalie discovered.
A lot of her hobbies involve speaking, like singing or the role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons.
And her job, too. As a scheduler, she makes 100 phone calls a day to people who sometimes assume she’s a man.
‘Being misgendered on the phone over and over was truly soul-crushing,’ Rosalie tells WTX.
At the time, she was undergoing hormone replacement therapy, which involved taking oestrogen to develop feminine physical traits, like breasts.
Very few trans Americans have access to speech training (Picture: Getty Images)
The hormone, however, has little impact on how people sound.
Rosalie tried to copy how trans YouTubers talk, only to find she lost the ‘me’ in her voice.
But it was also YouTube where Rosalie found Undead Voice.
‘Now almost everyone tends to assume I’m a cis woman – even folks in the trans community,’ she says.
‘I find I have to drop my voice sometimes and let them know, “Hey no, it’s ok – I’m trans, too!”‘
‘Voices don’t have gender, people do’
The sound of our voice is created by cords vibrating in our throats, which can evolve over the course of a lifetime and can also be impacted by our body, upbringing and culture.
As we know, hormones make voices drop during puberty, as does menopause, while we talk higher or lower depending on if we’re chatting to a friend or a boss.
Some trans patients worried that, because of their voice, they wouldn’t ‘pass’, or be perceived as their true gender (Picture: Getty Images North America)
‘Voices don’t have gender, people do,’ says Nicole.
‘What we perceive as gender in a voice comes from a set of cues that we’ve been trained to interpret in certain ways.’
What Opal and Rosalie changed is what voice trainers call a ‘reflexive’ voice – the sound that comes out naturally when you speak.
Through training, they formed a different voice that, over time, became their reflexive one. However, as voice coaching doesn’t surgically alter the vocal cords, trans people can switch between their ‘dead voice’ – how they used to sound – and their new one.
For Daneilla, another trans woman, undergoing speech training meant realising that her previous voice wasn’t a ‘defect’.
Her hormone replacement therapy provider emailed her to say it was offering treatment with Undead Voice.
‘I’ve been on HRT long enough now that I really don’t see the prior person anymore,’ Daniella says.
‘So getting my voice to align with what I feel on the inside – and now see on the outside – has helped create a sense of near completion in my transition journey.’
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Partial results show ‘No’ leading in Iceland’s EU referendum votes
12:00 am
Partial results show ‘No’ leading in Iceland’s EU referendum votes
Referendum results
Partial results from the Southern Constituency indicate ‘No’ leads with 59.8% of the votes, while ‘Yes’ has 40.2%, based on nearly 10,000 votes counted.
Partial results from the Southern Constituency indicate ‘No’ leads with 59.8% of the votes, while ‘Yes’ has 40.2%, based on nearly 10,000 votes counted.
Voter turnout
Preliminary figures indicate that voter turnout may exceed 80%, underscoring significant public engagement in this pivotal decision regarding EU accession negotiations.
Preliminary figures indicate that voter turnout may exceed 80%, underscoring significant public engagement in this pivotal decision regarding EU accession negotiations.
Voting Insights
“Preliminary figures indicate a significant preference for the ‘No’ option, reflecting the area’s strong concerns regarding EU membership.”
“Preliminary figures indicate a significant preference for the ‘No’ option, reflecting the area’s strong concerns regarding EU membership.”
Iceland’s EU referendum: first partial results start to flow in
Published on •Updated
Partial results from the Southern Constituency give ‘No’ a significant advantage with 59.8% of the votes, against 40.2% for ‘Yes’, with nearly 10,000 votes scrutinised.
The partial results are consistent with expectations, as fisheries, a key concern for EU membership, is particularly important for this region. More generally, rural areas are expected to be more Eurosceptic, whilst the capital Reykjavík is expected to be more pro-EU.
Polling stations closed at 10:00 pm local time on Saturday for Iceland’s high-stakes EU referendum. Vote counting is currently underway, and new results are steadily coming in.
On Saturday, Icelanders were called to vote on whether to resume accession negotiations with the European Union or abandon any prospect of joining the bloc for the foreseeable future. Around 272,000 individuals were eligible to vote.
According to preliminary figures, voter turnout was higher than, or at least comparable to, the 2024 parliamentary elections, when it reached 80%, according to local media.
Until a few days before the vote, polls suggested a neck-and-neck race, with the pro-European camp’s advantage steadily eroding.
“Should Iceland resume accession negotiations with the European Union?” was the question on the ballot.
Iceland applied for EU membership following the 2009 financial crisis, but froze the talks after the election of a Eurosceptic government in 2013.
Further results are expected through the night as counting continues.
This story is constantly being updated with new information.
Nepal floods death toll rises to 675 with nearly 2,500 still missing
11:00 pm
Media Lens: Nepal floods death toll rises to 675 with nearly 2,500 still missing
Severe floods in Nepal have left at least 675 people dead, with nearly 2,500 individuals reported missing. Rescue efforts continue amidst the devastation, as the country faces significant challenges in recovery.
Quick links: What has happened | Status quo | Confirmed facts | Preconceptions | Elisions | One story, four angles | Related links
What has happened
Severe flooding has devastated parts of Nepal and Tibet, resulting in at least 675 deaths and leaving nearly 2,500 people missing. Rescue operations are ongoing in affected areas, where authorities are struggling to locate survivors amid the destruction caused by torrential rain and landslides.
The floods have been particularly severe in Nepal, with widespread damage reported across various regions. Emergency services have been deployed to conduct search and rescue efforts, and the situation remains critical as the death toll continues to rise.
Status quo
Severe flooding has recently affected regions in Nepal and Tibet, leading to significant loss and devastation. As of now, the death toll has reached 675, with nearly 2,500 individuals reported missing. Rescue operations are actively ongoing, as authorities strive to locate those unaccounted for amid the widespread destruction caused by the floods.
Confirmed facts
- The death toll from the floods in Nepal has risen to 675.
- Nearly 2,500 people remain missing following the floods.
- Rescue efforts in Nepal have entered their fifth day.
- The floods have affected regions in both Nepal and Tibet.
Preconceptions
- NBC News prioritises the death toll in Nepal, emphasizing specific numbers such as “675 dead” and “2,500 missing,” while CNN combines the situation in both Nepal and China, thereby reducing focus on specific fatalities in either country.
- CNN’s coverage offers live updates on the broader catastrophe, emphasizing ongoing developments, whereas BBC News presents a more static report on the rescue efforts without frequent updates.
- The New York Times highlights potential long-term implications of climate change on the region, providing a thematic context, while NBC focuses strictly on the immediate aftermath without delving into causes or future consequences.
- BBC underscores rescue efforts entering a fifth day, giving a sense of urgency and on-ground action, whereas NBC’s approach appears more reactionary, reporting on the rising death toll without an emphasis on ongoing operations.
Elisions
- While CNN reports a death toll of over 675 with nearly 2,500 missing in Nepal, NBC News indicates a rising concern over rescue operations’ ineffectiveness without mentioning specific rescue efforts or resources being deployed.
- The BBC highlights that rescue efforts have entered the “fifth day” since the floods began, emphasizing the scale of aid needed, while CNN does not specify the length of response time, potentially obscuring the urgency of the situation.
- ABC News focuses on the broader implications of climate change on Himalayan flooding, linking weather patterns to systemic issues, whereas NBC News and CNN’s reports primarily concentrate on immediate human casualties and logistical challenges, lacking this environmental context.
One story, four angles
NBC News – Nepal flood death toll rises to 675 as nearly 2,500 remain missing
Publication: NBC News | Intensity: (8/10) | Sentiment: Neutral | Legal precision: High
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Espresso Shot: The initial focus is on the rising death toll and the significant number of people still missing, emphasizing human tragedy first.
Key differences:
– Insight on Death Toll: NBC provides a precise figure of the death toll (675), emphasizing the scale of the disaster versus other outlets that mention the situation more generally.
– Missing Persons: The use of “nearly 2,500 remain missing” highlights the ongoing crisis and potential for further tragedy.
– Urgency in Reporting: The phrase “rises to” indicates evolving urgency, ranking it higher than just stating facts.
Bias: Selection: Chooses to highlight numerical figures prominently; Language: Direct language conveys urgency; Omission: Lacks specific survivor stories or local impacts.
Assessment: Readers perceive the flood situation as a dire and escalating crisis with significant human ramifications.
CNN – Live updates: Death toll rises and thousands still missing in Nepal and China after catastrophic floods
Publication: CNN | Intensity: (9/10) | Sentiment: Negative | Legal precision: High
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Espresso Shot: Focus is on live updates and the increasing complexity of the disaster, prioritizing continuous coverage and community impacts.
Key differences:
– Live Updates: CNN’s use of “live updates” underscores immediacy, which is more dynamic compared to static headlines from others.
– Geographical Scope: Mentioning “Nepal and China” expands the disaster’s geographical implications, unlike more localized reports.
– Use of “catastrophic”: The language evokes stronger emotional reactions, suggesting deeper implications than just numbers.
Bias: Selection: Prioritizes immediate coverage and continuous updates; Language: Chooses emotionally charged words; Omission: Less focus on recovery efforts or personal stories.
Assessment: Readers believe they are witnessing a rapidly unfolding and severe crisis impacting multiple regions.
BBC – Nepal floods latest: Rescue efforts enter fifth day with more than 2,400 missing after flash flood
Publication: BBC | Intensity: (7/10) | Sentiment: Neutral | Legal precision: Medium
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Espresso Shot: The headline emphasizes ongoing rescue efforts, shifting focus towards action being taken rather than just the crisis.
Key differences:
– Narrative of Rescue: The wording “rescue efforts enter fifth day” creates a narrative of proactive response, unlike other outlets emphasizing the impact more.
– Missing Figures: “More than 2,400 missing” presents a stark number, enhancing the urgency without detailing death rates.
– Timeframe: Mentioning the “fifth day” frames the crisis as prolonged, suggesting evolving implications over time.
Bias: Selection: Prioritizes ongoing rescue efforts; Language: Uses terms that evoke a proactive rather than reactive tone; Omission: Less detail about the human impact and emotional aspect of the crisis.
Assessment: Readers believe the ongoing efforts offer hope amid a challenging humanitarian crisis.
The New York Times – In the Age of Global Warming, Some Fear ‘the Entire Himalayas Are Melting’
Publication: The New York Times | Intensity: (6/10) | Sentiment: Mixed | Legal precision: High
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Espresso Shot: The headline’s focus on climate change implications invites readers to consider a broader context rather than immediate crisis specifics.
Key differences:
– Climate Focus: The perspective on melting Himalayas links the floods to a larger narrative of climate change, which is less emphasized by other outlets.
– Use of “Fear”: This word choice elicits emotional engagement, inviting readers to consider personal concerns about environmental shifts.
– Broader Implications: The framing suggests ongoing risks tied to climate change, indicating that floods are just one aspect of a larger environmental crisis.
Bias: Selection: Centers the discussion around climate issues; Language: Descriptive and evocative terms enhance emotional engagement; Omission: Focuses less on immediate human responses or personal stories tied to the floods.
Assessment: Readers perceive the floods as a symptom of a larger environmental crisis, reinforcing concerns tied to climate change.
In examining the coverage of the recent catastrophic floods in Nepal and Tibet, NBC News adopts a direct and urgent tone by reporting on the rising death toll and the number of individuals still missing, emphasizing the immediate impact of the disaster. Conversely, CNN employs a more escalatory framing, referring to the floods as part of a broader catastrophic event and highlighting ongoing rescue efforts, which can heighten perceptions of chaos. Meanwhile, BBC’s focus on rescue efforts underscores a methodical response. The New York Times contextualizes the floods within climate change narratives. The facts do not change. What changes is where scrutiny lands.
Related links
NBC News
Nepal flood death toll rises to 675 as nearly 2,500 remain missing
CNN
BBC
Nepal floods latest: Rescue efforts enter fifth day with more than 2,400 missing after flash flood
The New York Times
In the Age of Global Warming, Some Fear ‘the Entire Himalayas Are Melting’
Byelection scheduled for September 26 as B.C. Conservative leader faces scrutiny over leaked audio
9:00 pm
Get you up to speed: Byelection called as B.C. Conservative leader faces questions over leaked audio
B.C. Conservative Leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay is contesting a byelection on September 26. She currently does not hold a seat in the legislature.
The byelection for the vacant seat in the legislature is scheduled for September 26. Kerry-Lynne Findlay, the leader of the B.C. Conservative party, is currently without a seat in the legislature.
B.C. Conservative Leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay has announced her candidacy for a seat in the upcoming byelection on September 26. The party is poised to focus on local issues and engage with the electorate to strengthen its presence in the legislature.
What remains unclear — It is uncertain whether Kerry-Lynne Findlay will secure a seat in the legislature during the upcoming byelection on September 26.
Byelection scheduled for September 26 as B.C. Conservative leader faces scrutiny over leaked audio
B.C. Conservative Leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay currently does not hold a seat in the legislature. The byelection is set for Sept. 26.
Milo Yiannopoulos deported after immigration arrest for visa overstay
7:00 pm
Get you up to speed: Far-right commentator Milo Yiannopoulos deported after U.S. immigration arrest, officials say
Milo Yiannopoulos was deported from the United States on Friday after being arrested a day earlier at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport for overstaying his visa. His deportation follows a final order of removal issued by an immigration judge on July 22 after he failed to attend an immigration hearing.
Milo Yiannopoulos was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport on Thursday before his deportation on Friday. An immigration judge had issued a final order of removal on July 22 after Yiannopoulos failed to attend a scheduled hearing.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed that Milo Yiannopoulos was deported after an immigration judge ordered his removal due to his failure to attend a hearing. DHS underscored its commitment to reversing previous leniencies in immigration enforcement, stating, “Under President Trump, DHS will no longer tolerate this.”
What remains unclear — It is not clear how Yiannopoulos’ deportation will affect his political activities and associations in the UK.
Milo Yiannopoulos deported after immigration arrest for visa overstay
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Jake Rosen is a reporter covering the Department of Justice. He was previously a campaign digital reporter covering President Trump’s 2024 campaign and also served as an associate producer for “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan.”
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Far-right political commentator and deportation advocate Milo Yiannopoulos was deported Friday, a day after his arrest by immigration authorities for overstaying his visa, U.S. officials said Saturday.
Yiannopoulos, who is British, was returned to his home country on Friday after being accused of overstaying his visa after entering the country legally in May 2019, a U.S. Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said. An immigration judge had issued a final order of removal on July 22 after he failed to show up for an immigration hearing.
Yiannopoulos was arrested Thursday at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport in Louisiana and detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“DHS reversed the horrendous Biden-era policy that allowed aliens in our country illegally to jet around our country. Under President Trump, DHS will no longer tolerate this,” the DHS spokesperson said in a statement. “This administration is working diligently to ensure that aliens in our country illegally can no longer fly unless it is out of our country to self-deport.”
Reports indicated that Yiannopoulos was in New Orleans ahead of a concert by the formerly known as Kanye West. Yiannopoulos has done work for the political and corporate ambitions of West, who’s now known as Ye.
Yiannopoulos, who was banned from Twitter for several years for hateful attacks against comedian Leslie Jones, is a well-known champion of conservative causes and has frequently taken provocative public positions criticizing feminism, Islam and immigrants. He has also been a supporter of ICE’s immigration enforcement efforts in the past.
“California needs ICE checkpoints at supermarket entrances, gas stations, strip malls, intersections and government buildings, with on the spot deportation for anyone who can’t prove they are in the US legally,” he posted on social media in June 2025.
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