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Maine investigates claim that 250 unmarked ballots found in Amazon box

Maine investigates claim that 250 unmarked ballots found in Amazon box

Maine authorities are investigating after a resident claimed her Amazon order arrived containing hundreds of unmarked absentee ballots last week. The ballots, sent out ahead of November’s election, were reported missing by the town of Elsworth, Maine, on the same day that the woman said she found the ballots on her doorstep. Maine’s Secretary of State Shenna Bellows said that state law enforcement and the FBI are investigating the incident. “This year, it seems that there may have been attempts to interrupt the distribution of ballots and ballot materials,” Bellows said at a press conference. “I have full confidence that law enforcement will determine who is responsible, and any bad actor will be held accountable,” she added. NEW TWIST IN THE MOST COMBUSTIBLE REPUBLICAN SENATE PRIMARY IN THE COUNTRY Maine’s Nov. 4 election features a Republican-backed ballot initiative that would impose photo ID requirements for voting and reduce the reliance on drop boxes. TRUMP’S SHADOW LOOMS LARGE IN 2025 ELECTION SHOWDOWNS “What this means is that Mainers need to turn out in force, and every single person that supports voter ID and securing our elections needs to get out and vote between now and Nov. 4 to ensure that we secure our elections,” said Republican state Rep. Laurel Libby said in a statement, according to The Associated Press. Maine Republicans called on the FBI and U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate the incident in a letter last week. Meanwhile, Amazon has said it is not responsible for the mishandling of the ballots. “Based on our initial findings, it appears that this package was tampered with outside of our fulfillment and delivery network, and not by an Amazon employee or partner,” the company said in a statement. HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING ON THE 2025 ELECTIONS The company said it is cooperating with the state investigation. The Associated Press contributed to this report

Abbott deploys ‘elite Texas National Guard’ after Trump calls for reinforcements: ‘Ever ready’

Abbott deploys ‘elite Texas National Guard’ after Trump calls for reinforcements: ‘Ever ready’

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced Monday on X that the Lone Star State’s elite National Guard units are deploying “now” after receiving a request to help protect federal property.  In the brief post, Abbott wrote, “The elite Texas National Guard. Ever ready. Deploying now.”  The short but commanding message underlines the governor’s confidence in the state’s ability and willingness to act in defense of the nation. Texas officials say the deployment is being coordinated with the White House’s plans to reinforce security in several cities that have seen spikes in protests targeting federal facilities, including Chicago and Portland. PRITZKER SAYS TRUMP ORDERING 400 MEMBERS OF THE TEXAS NATIONAL GUARD TO ILLINOIS, OREGON AND OTHER LOCATIONS President Donald Trump called for the additional support from cooperating states, saying that the troops would “protect federal workers and property from escalating threats.” Democratic governors, however, are pushing back. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker called the move “an invasion,” and Oregon officials are seeking to block deployments through court orders. “It started with federal agents. It will soon include deploying federalized members of the Illinois National Guard against our wishes, and it will now involve sending in another state’s military troops,” Pritzker said. CHICAGO ANTI-ICE PROTESTERS BLOCK VEHICLES, GET HIT WITH TEAR GAS AND PEPPER BALLS Texas Gov. Greg Abbott defended Trump’s decision, writing on X that he had “fully authorized the President to call up 400 members of the Texas National Guard to ensure safety for federal officials.” He added that federal and state leaders must “either fully enforce protection for federal employees or get out of the way and let the Texas Guard do it,” while praising the Guard’s “training, skill and expertise.” Legal challenges are continuing in some states, but in Texas, officials say they are ready.  Abbott’s post has received millions of views within hours and struck a chord with supporters praising his decisive leadership. As legal battles play out, the governor’s message remains simple: “Ever ready.”

Day one of Gaza peace talks ends on ‘positive’ note in Egypt

Day one of Gaza peace talks ends on ‘positive’ note in Egypt

Sources familiar with the mediated talks between Israel and Hamas say that progress was made on Monday, with negotiations to continue. The first day of resumed indirect talks between Israel and Hamas in Egypt ended on a positive note, amid hopes of a potential deal to implement US President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan to end the war on Gaza, multiple sources told Al Jazeera and other media outlets. Negotiators are set to return for more discussions on Tuesday. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list Sources told Al Jazeera Arabic that the meeting in the Red Sea resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday was “positive” and that a roadmap was drawn up for how the current round of talks would continue. The Hamas delegation told mediators that Israel’s continued bombing of Gaza poses a challenge to negotiations on the release of captives, Al Jazeera Arabic reported. The Hamas delegation included Hamas leaders Khalil al-Hayya and Zaher Jabarin, two negotiators who survived an Israeli assassination attempt in central Doha that killed five people last month. Talks on day one covered the proposed exchange of prisoners and captives, a ceasefire, and humanitarian aid entering Gaza, according to Egypt’s state-linked Al-Qahera News. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also said Trump was pushing for an early exchange of Israeli captives and Palestinian prisoners, in a bid to build “momentum” to implement other parts of his plan to end the Gaza war. “The technical teams are discussing that as we speak, to ensure that the environment is perfect to release those hostages,” Leavitt said, adding that teams were “going over the list of both the Israeli hostages and also the political prisoners who will be released.” Advertisement Trump, speaking to reporters from the Oval Office on Monday afternoon, said that “we have a really good chance of making a deal”, while also noting that he still has his own “red lines”. “But I think we’re doing very well. And I think Hamas has been agreeing to things that are very important”, Trump added. Al Jazeera’s Rosiland Jordan reporting from Washington, DC, said that Trump had not “not given any details of how he thinks the discussions are going beyond his general positive assessment.” “The US President also was very complimentary of the joint Arab-Turkish support to keep Hamas at the bargaining table, he was complimentary of the Israeli people and of course, he was complimentary about his own special envoy, Steve Witkoff, who was leading the US delegation in these negotiations,” said Jordan. Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, a real estate developer, is also reportedly part of the US delegation. Egypt’s Al-Qahera News, meanwhile, confirmed that the talks were expected to continue on Tuesday, which marks two years since the Hamas attack on Israel that killed 1,139 people and saw about 200 people taken captive. Since then, Israeli forces have killed at least 67,160 Palestinians and wounded 169,679 in Gaza, in a war that has been described as genocidal by a United Nations inquiry, leading genocide scholars and leading human rights groups — including Israeli non-profits. And even as the talks were held on Monday, Israeli forces killed at least 10 Palestinians in attacks across Gaza, including three who were seeking humanitarian aid, according to Al Jazeera sources. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres shared a social media post late on Monday, New York time, acknowledging the two year anniversary of Hamas’s “abhorrent large-scale terror attack on Israel”, on October 7, 2023. Guterres also said that the “recent proposal” put forward by Trump “presents an opportunity that must be seized to bring this tragic conflict to an end.” “A permanent ceasefire and a credible political process are essential to prevent further bloodshed and pave the way for peace,” the UN chief wrote. Adblock test (Why?)

Trump walks back offer to talk to Democrats as government shutdown extends

Trump walks back offer to talk to Democrats as government shutdown extends

Published On 7 Oct 20257 Oct 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share US President Donald Trump suggested on Monday that he was ready to negotiate with Democrats over healthcare subsidies to break a deadlock over the continuing government shutdown, before walking back on that offer. Trump put the blame for the shutdown — which is entering its seventh day — on Democrats in a post on social media, where he said they must end the shutdown before substantive negotiations can begin over healthcare policy – the key issue underlying the shutdown. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list “I am happy to work with the Democrats on their Failed Healthcare Policies, or anything else, but first they must allow our Government to re-open. In fact, they should open our Government tonight! ” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Monday evening. Just hours earlier at the Oval Office, Trump told reporters he would like to “see a deal made for great healthcare,” according to CBS News. “We have a negotiation going on right now with the Democrats that could lead to very good things, and I’m talking about good things with regard to healthcare,” Trump was quoted as saying. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, one of the Democratic Party’s highest-ranking members, quickly denied that Democrats were in talks with Trump. “This isn’t true,” Schumer said in a statement shared on X. “If Republicans are finally ready to sit down and get something done on healthcare for American families, Democrats will be there – ready to make it happen,” Schumer added. THIS ISN’T TRUE. For months, Democrats have been demanding Trump and Republicans come to the table and work with us to deliver lower costs and better healthcare for the American people. If Republicans are finally ready to sit down and get something done on health care for… https://t.co/dvm4kGVJwq — Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) October 6, 2025 Advertisement Trump’s remarks came as the Senate on Monday evening again failed to pass a Republican-sponsored bill to extend government spending until the end of November. The vote of 52 in favour, 42 against, was eight votes short of the 60-vote threshold needed to pass the bill, according to Senate vote records. Democrats hold a minority in both houses of Congress, and they are trying to use the spending bill to force Republicans to negotiate over critical healthcare spending. Democrats want Congress to extend expiring subsidies before the US healthcare enrolment period begins in November and reverse cuts to Medicaid assistance for low-income and disabled US residents. A Democratic version of the spending bill that extends funding through October 31 and makes the subsidies permanent also failed 45 to 55 on Monday in a vote along party lines. The Kaiser Family Foundation, a non-partisan non-profit focused on healthcare policy, predicts that once the subsidies expire, healthcare premiums will “more than double what subsidised enrollees currently pay annually for premiums.” Adblock test (Why?)

How Ladakh protest leader Sonam Wangchuk went from Indian hero to ‘traitor’

How Ladakh protest leader Sonam Wangchuk went from Indian hero to ‘traitor’

New Delhi, India — On the night of August 5, 2019, hundreds of Kashmiris were arrested amid a crackdown by Indian security forces that followed the Indian government’s decision to strip the region of its special rights and status as a state. Sonam Wangchuk celebrated, and thanked Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “THANK YOU PRIME MINISTER,” he wrote on X, then Twitter, “for fulfilling Ladakh’s longstanding dream.” One of India’s best-known innovators and education reformers, Wangchuk was referring to a decades-long demand from many in Ladakh, for the cold desert bordering China to be separated from Jammu and Kashmir, the Indian-administered part of the disputed region that Pakistan also claims. Until August 2019, Ladakh was part of Jammu and Kashmir. With the Modi government’s move, it had been made a separate administrative entity, a so-called union territory to be governed federally by New Delhi. But while the rest of Jammu and Kashmir — also reduced to a union territory from a state — was allowed to keep a locally elected legislature, Ladakh was not. That lack of any say over their future would slowly turn the peaceful Ladakh into a tinderbox of political unrest against Modi’s government in the subsequent six years. And leading that protest movement is a disillusioned Wangchuk. On September 26, Wangchuk was arrested and transported more than a thousand miles from home to jail in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, charged with “anti-national” activities, conspiring to overthrow the government, after a breakaway group from his protest engaged in violent clashes with security forces. Indian paramilitary soldiers shot dead four protesters, after they had set the local office of Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party on fire, and authorities accused Wangchuk of instigating the violence. Advertisement The same BJP and Modi government had previously turned to Wangchuk for promotional campaigns in Ladakh. BJP-led governments in other states had sought his advice as an educationist. Today, that one-time poster child, the inspiration for one of Bollywood’s most iconic and successful movies ever, stands accused of treason — with officials imputing a possible Pakistan hand behind his campaign for constitutional rights for Ladakh. “Suddenly, in a month, the same government that was decorating him is calling him an anti-national,” Gitanjali Angmo, Wangchuk’s wife, told Al Jazeera. “The writing is on the wall: this is to silence him, to scare him because they could not buy him.” A police vehicle is set on fire during a protest by locals demanding federal statehood from the Indian government, in the high-altitude Leh town, in the region of Ladakh, India, Wednesday, September 24, 2025 [AP Photo] ‘Grief in Leh’ Early in September, local activists in Ladakh, led by Wangchuk, began a hunger strike. It was the latest in a series of peaceful protests they had held in recent years demanding constitutional protections under what is known as the Sixth Schedule. That statute allows parts of India that are predominantly inhabited by Indigenous tribes autonomous administrative and governance structures. More than 90 percent of Ladakh’s population consists of such tribes. But on the 15th day of the strike, some youth-led demonstrators broke away and torched the BJP office in Leh, Ladakh’s capital, on September 24. Security forces fired back: Four people, including a veteran soldier, were killed and dozens were left injured. The administration then launched a massive crackdown, detaining over 80 people, including the protest leaders who had been earlier sitting on a peaceful hunger strike. Wangchuk was arrested under the National Security Act, a preventive detention law that allows imprisonment without trial for a year. Over a dozen local activists surrendered to the police in solidarity with Wangchuk and other detainees. It was the worst violence and crackdown in the modern history of Ladakh. Stanzin Dorje, a local businessman in Leh in his late thirties, had sat next to Wangchuk and others, joining the hunger strike. But amid the crackdown, he was — like the rest of Ladakh — restricted to his home under an unprecedented curfew-like deployment of armed forces on the streets of Leh. Dorje grew increasingly despondent, his friends said. On Wednesday, Stanzin died by suicide. He is survived by his wife and two children. Advertisement “He was Sonam’s fan. He kept asking about him, kept taking his name,” said Tsering Dorje, the president of Ladakh Buddhist Association, a local group central to protests. Stanzin was also a member of the association’s general council. “He felt agitated and very sad. We are all asking, ‘What was [Wangchuk’s] crime? He was just sitting there. Why did they arrest him and send him to a jail outside [Ladakh]?” said Dorje. Wangchuk’s rise from an engineer next door to an icon of Indian ingenuity and sustainable living made him a local icon, Dorje said, where young people looked up to him. “We are all grieving in Leh for our people, martyred or jailed,” he added. A national hero Born in Uleytokpo, a mountain village about 70km from Leh, in 1966, Wangchuk was home-schooled by his mother, Tsering Wangmo, till he was nine. In 1975, when his father, Sonam Wangyal, a politician, became a minister in the Jammu and Kashmir government, the family moved to Srinagar, the capital of Indian-administered Kashmir. But Wangchuk struggled in Srinagar schools because he spoke only Ladakhi, while classes were taught in Urdu and Kashmiri. So he moved to a school in New Delhi for high school, and went on to study mechanical engineering at the National Institute of Technology in Srinagar. In 1988, soon after graduating, he co-founded the alternative school model SECMOL, or Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh, with other students to reform the education system in Ladakh. Until then, nearly 95 percent of Ladakhi students failed their state exams amid a struggle with the curriculum which was in Urdu — a language alien to many in Ladakh — and other cultural barriers. Urdu, spoken much more widely in Kashmir, was the dominant language of the state when it was a unified entity. At SECMOL, the number of students clearing