Fitness boost for England as Fin Smith given green light to face Australia

The Independent - Nov 6, 2026

Smith starts at fly-half after coming through Friday’s final training session.

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3 charged in scheme to use AI to impersonate CEOs, attorneys to steal $129 mil.
Nov 6, 2026
3 charged in scheme to use AI to impersonate CEOs, attorneys to steal $129 mil.

NEW YORK — Three people accused of using artificial intelligence to impersonate corporate executives and attorneys to steal about $129 million have been indicted on charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, prosecutors said Thursday. Over more than a year and a half, Jacob Soall, 41, Sharon Hazan, 54, and Guy Sheetrit, 42, targeted thousands of companies across the world in their AI scheme, according to the indictment filed in a U.S. District Court in New York. Their victims included hospital systems in Missouri and California, a bank in Rhode Island, a financial technology company in the United Kingdom, a mutual fund company in Massachusetts and a pet food company in Florida, according to court documents. The defendants, from Spain, the UK, Israel and United Arab Emirates, were also charged with money laundering, according to the indictment. The case docket, which typically lists information on defense lawyers, was still listed as sealed in online court records as of Thursday evening. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York did not immediately res

4 Cornell lawsuit defendants join effort to oust Letitia James from criminal investigation
Nov 6, 2026
4 Cornell lawsuit defendants join effort to oust Letitia James from criminal investigation

NEW YORK — Four men named in a former Cornell University student’s lawsuit are joining a co-defendant’s effort to block New York’s attorney general from leading a reopened criminal investigation into the woman’s gang rape allegations, according to court filings on Thursday. The co-defendant’s lawyers said the men agreed to be added to a court petition that seeks Attorney General Letitia James' removal from the case because of social media posts she made prior to her involvement in which she condemned the alleged assault and expressed support for the accuser. The development comes a day after James appointed Jacqueline Kelly, a former federal prosecutor who oversaw sex crimes cases against music mogul Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs , as outside counsel for the investigation. She and a team of lawyers and investigators will be responsible for evidence gathering, witness interviews and other investigative steps. They will report to James. A judge heard arguments last week on one of the accused men’s request to remove James but said he wouldn't rule without knowing if the six other la

Texas governor-elect says state will have laws to shield citizens from data centers
Nov 6, 2026
Texas governor-elect says state will have laws to shield citizens from data centers

WASHINGTON — Texas Governor-elect Gina Hinojosa said on Thursday that the state will introduce laws to protect its residents with regards to data centers, citing their impact on rural communities. With plentiful energy supplies, relatively cheap land and a pro-business policy, Texas has become one of the leading regions in the world for data center developments. "Data centers have moved into mostly rural communities, and there are no rules and laws to protect Texans," Democrat Hinojosa, who beat Republican incumbent Greg Abbott in Tuesday's election, told CNN in an interview. "We will have laws to protect Texans, and we need to stop what we are doing with data centers until we have those protections," she said, adding that communities should have "a seat at the table" on if and how data centers operate in their areas. US President Donald Trump's administration has strongly backed data center expansion as a national priority, but the public is increasingly opposed to such projects, citing concerns about electricity demand, water consumption, wildlife impacts and public access to federal

Hegseth vows to keep fighting from Pentagon, defends Iran war
Nov 6, 2026
Hegseth vows to keep fighting from Pentagon, defends Iran war

WASHINGTON — US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a video message on Thursday vowing to fight efforts in Congress to impeach him and defending the Iran war as “courageous and historic” after voters punished Republicans over it in this week’s midterm elections. Hegseth's remarks, posted on social media, came as taunts from his foes in Congress intensified and President Donald Trump swatted away questions about whether he might fire Hegseth. Trump has commended his Pentagon chief. The top Democrat in the House of Representatives, Hakeem Jeffries, asked in a post: "Why is Pete Hegseth still around?" Hegseth, a former Fox News host, has been a polarizing figure who has made enemies even within his own Republican Party. Critics in Congress are targeting his conduct of the Iran war, which Vice President JD Vance has said cost Republicans control of Congress, his firing of top military officers and strained relations with lawmakers as the administration seeks a $1.5 trillion defense spending package. Democrats, who won control of Congress in Tuesday's elections, have promised to inv

Wisconsin reports infant death linked to measles outbreak
Nov 6, 2026
Wisconsin reports infant death linked to measles outbreak

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services said on Thursday that an infant had died in connection with the ongoing measles outbreak in the state. The coroner listed measles as the immediate cause of death, the department said, declining to release further details to protect the family's privacy. The death comes as the United States faces its highest number of measles cases in decades, fueled by outbreaks in several states and declining childhood vaccination rates in some communities. Wisconsin had reported 431 cases across 13 counties as of November 3, with nine people hospitalized for severe symptoms. "This is the largest number of measles cases we've seen in Wisconsin in more than 35 years," state epidemiologist Ryan Westergaard said in a media call. "The 431 cases we've identified are almost certainly an underestimate. Not everyone who becomes infected gets tested or comes to the attention of public health," he added. State health officials said they have worked with local and Tribal health departments to respond to the outbreak through case tracking, testing and vaccination efforts. Th

Rohingya Muslim refugees who fled persecution in Myanmar face new challenges in Malaysia
Nov 6, 2026
Rohingya Muslim refugees who fled persecution in Myanmar face new challenges in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Nur Sadek was once on track to become an Islamic scholar. His mother dreamed of raising a son who would serve as a faith leader in their western Myanmar village. Sadek’s family belongs to the Rohingya ethnic minority. The predominantly Muslim group shares an area in Myanmar's Rakhine State with Buddhists and a smaller Hindu population. Ethnic and religious divisions have long shaped the region’s history. He fled alongside loved ones in 2017 after soldiers opened fire on his community and bullets struck the tin roof of his home. He ran with nothing but the clothes on his back and never returned. Around 700,000 Rohingya escaped a military crackdown that year and crossed into neighboring Bangladesh , according to the U.N. refugee agency, known as UNHCR. More have sought refuge in other countries across Asia, including India, Indonesia and Thailand. As of February 2026, about 126,000 Rohingya were registered with UNHCR in Malaysia , a Muslim-majority country where Sadek now studies law and advocates for Rohingya rights. The Southeast Asian nation does not legall

Russia and Ukraine exchange airstrikes as US envoy describes renewed security talks as productive
Nov 6, 2026
Russia and Ukraine exchange airstrikes as US envoy describes renewed security talks as productive

KYIV, Ukraine — Russia and Ukraine exchanged airstrikes overnight as the second day of talks on Ukraine’s postwar reconstruction and security guarantees once the fighting ends wrapped up in Brussels on Thursday. The latest Russian aerial barrage underscored the scale of the rebuilding task, as did the continuing search for people missing beneath the rubble after a deadly airstrike in southern Ukraine on Monday. Ukraine launched hundreds of drones at Russian targets. Russia’s Defense Ministry said its forces shot down nearly 500 drones overnight. A Ukrainian attack on a bus killed five people and wounded 13 others Thursday in Ukraine’s Russian-occupied Luhansk region, according to Leonid Pasechnik, the region’s Moscow-backed leader. Further details were not immediately available. Meanwhile, rescue teams continued searching for more than 30 people believed trapped in the wreckage of a former school and a nearby shelter hit by Russian guided bombs on Monday. The attack in Komyshuvakha, near the front line in the Zaporizhzhia region, struck as residents waited for humanitarian aid.

Koreans in US welcome Democratic wins, but doubts linger over what comes next
Nov 6, 2026
Koreans in US welcome Democratic wins, but doubts linger over what comes next

SEATTLE — The Democrats' sweeping victories in Tuesday's (local time) U.S. midterm elections brought relief to many Koreans frustrated with President Donald Trump, but that relief did not necessarily translate into support for the Democratic Party. "Democrats didn't win. Republicans lost." That was how Bo Young Lee, a Korean American business executive, summed up the election results. "Ultimately, the results on Tuesday were a byproduct of citizens' frustration with the Trump administration, rising costs, and the attacks on democracy," Lee, an international speaker specializing in artificial intelligence ethics and corporate diversity, told The Korea Times. Another Korean American voter, a 47-year-old Texas resident who has traditionally supported Republicans, said she crossed party lines for the first time in Tuesday's election. "I voted Democratic simply because I wanted anyone but the Republicans," she said on condition of anonymity. "It was the first time in my life I'd ever voted for a Democrat." Her decision came as Texas, long considered a Republican stronghold, delivered some of

Melania Trump calls for lasting peace after brokering local Russia-Ukraine ceasefire
Nov 6, 2026
Melania Trump calls for lasting peace after brokering local Russia-Ukraine ceasefire

WASHINGTON — U.S. first lady Melania Trump on Thursday called for continued cooperation between Russia and Ukraine toward lasting peace after helping broker a local ceasefire in southern Ukraine last month. Speaking at the White House with representatives from both countries in attendance, the first lady highlighted the humanitarian achievements of the recent ceasefire in Oleshky in Ukraine's southern Kherson region. The ceasefire, which began Oct. 27, lasted six days, according to foreign media reports. "Every significant transformation begins with a small spark," she said. "Ignite hope, foster cooperation and brighten a path toward lasting peace." The first lady said she began working with Russian and Ukrainian officials through her representative, Marc Beckman, in September after learning of the humanitarian crisis in Oleshky. She said both countries signed written agreements recognizing her as the exclusive intermediary, leading to a ceasefire agreement on Oct. 23. "We have chosen humanity over war," she said, expressing hope that the local ceasefire would help pave the way for broa

90 mil. displaced people at risk from climate threats, UN refugee agency says
Nov 6, 2026
90 mil. displaced people at risk from climate threats, UN refugee agency says

GENEVA — Nearly 90 million forcibly displaced people are living in countries increasingly exposed to climate-related droughts, floods and extreme heat, the UN refugee agency said on Friday, warning ahead of the COP31 climate summit that more funding is needed to help vulnerable communities adapt. Nearly three-quarters of the world's forcibly displaced people are living in countries such as Afghanistan and Bangladesh that are exposed to severe climate-related risks, according to the report by the agency, known as UNHCR, published ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference in Antalya, Turkey. The findings show the overlap between conflict, displacement and climate change, the report said. "Climate adaptation in fragile and displacement-affected areas is a matter of survival," said Anton Leis Garcia, UNHCR's assistant high commissioner for operations. "We need climate financing to reach the communities where the needs are greatest," he said. The report highlighted the experience of a Sudanese refugee who fled conflict in al-Fashir in June 2023 to the Farchana refugee settlement in eastern

More than dozen flights in Europe receive bomb threats that an official calls 'malicious' hoaxes
Nov 6, 2026
More than dozen flights in Europe receive bomb threats that an official calls 'malicious' hoaxes

MILAN — Bomb threats targeted more than a dozen flights in Europe on Thursday, leading to a slew of emergency landings and military escorts in some cases, authorities said. No hazardous or suspicious materials have been found in what a British official called “malicious" hoaxes. Several similar threats targeted planes earlier this week, prompting searches and diversions, with at least 25 flights targeted, officials said. Europe has experienced a slew of other disruptions recently, such as attacks on supermarket refrigeration systems, drone incursions and mysterious triggers to alert apps. While fake bomb threats are relatively common, it is unusual to see so many in a single day. They come at a time of increased geopolitical tensions and warnings from authorities that Russia may be ramping up so-called hybrid threats in Europe. It wasn't known whether this week's threats were linked, who sent them or what they hoped to achieve. An email containing the threat to Rome-bound planes was sent on behalf of a group that described itself as anti-feminist, according to a copy provided by an a

10 nations urge end to 'unjust prosecutions' after Hong Kong activist sentenced
Nov 6, 2026
10 nations urge end to 'unjust prosecutions' after Hong Kong activist sentenced

LONDON — Ten countries including the U.K. Friday urged an immediate end to "unjust prosecutions" under Hong Kong laws after pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong was sentenced to 10 more years in prison. Wong, 30, on Thursday received a new sentence for colluding with foreign powers after spending almost six years behind bars for subversion under the national security law imposed on Hong Kong by the Chinese government. This law is being used "to target individuals for political expression," a joint statement by four European Union states as well as Japan, Britain, the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand said. They called for an "immediate end to all unjust prosecutions" and urged the authorities in China and Hong Kong to uphold their international commitments. They also urged the Chinese authorities to honor the rights and freedoms guaranteed to the people of Hong Kong under an internationally binding agreement signed by Britain and China ahead of its 1997 handover. Wong first rose to prominence during earlier protests in 2014, known as the Umbrella Movement, and has been in a

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