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Princess Diana 90s time capsule contains Kylie CD and pocket TV

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Getty Images Princess Diana, wearing a blue Chanel suit, speaks to a young girl playing with play-doh. The girl, who is looking at Diana, is wearing a floral jumper and has a sphere of play-doh in her hands.Getty Images

Princess Diana visited Great Ormond Street Hospital in March 1991

A time capsule buried by Diana, Princess of Wales at Great Ormond Street Hospital (Gosh) in 1991 has been opened, revealing a Kylie Minogue CD, a solar-powered calculator and a passport.

The lead-encased wooden box was sealed to mark the laying of the foundation stone of the hospital’s Variety Club Building, which opened in 1994.

The items in the capsule were selected by two children who won a Blue Peter competition and were intended to represent life in the 1990s. Other objects included a pocket TV, a snowflake hologram and a photo of Princess Diana.

The time capsule was meant to be unearthed in “hundreds of years” but was dug up to make way for the construction of a children’s cancer centre.

Princess Diana became president of Gosh in 1989 and visited the children’s hospital several times before her death in 1997.

She helped the two children select the items to be placed in the time capsule.

The CD of Kylie Minogue’s Rhythm of Love album, which was released in 1990 and features the songs ‘Better the Devil You Know’, ‘What Do I Have to Do’, and ‘Shocked’ was one of the 10 items included.

The CD was chosen by David Watson, then aged 11, from Paignton, Devon. He also selected a sheet of recycled paper and a passport.

Sylvia Foulkes, then aged 9, from Norwich, chose a collection of British coins, a container with five tree seeds, and the snowflake hologram.

Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children The CD of Kylie Minogue's album Rhythm of Love is open on a table. There is rust and dirt on different areas of the CD, which is metallic silver in colour. Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children

Kylie Minogue’s third studio album Rhythm of Love was in the time capsule

The box also included a copy of the Times newspaper from the date of the capsule’s burial.

Headlines on its front page include: “Cooked meats bring out Soviet voters in droves” – alongside a photo of former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev – and “US rejects Iraqi warplanes plea as rebels close in”.

Images released by archivists show some damage to the objects, but they are largely intact.

Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children A box of a Casio pocket TV.Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children

A Casio pocket TV was also included in the time capsule

Staff who were either born in 1991 or were already working at the hospital in 1991 helped to remove it.

The burial of the time capsule was similar to a ceremony in 1872 during which the then Princess of Wales, Alexandra, laid a foundation stone at the hospital, also sealing a time capsule.

That time capsule, which contained a photo of Queen Victoria, has not been found.

The new children’s cancer centre at Gosh will be a “national resource of the treatment of childhood cancers”, according to a statement.

Its design will help clinical teams develop “kinder, more effective treatments” for children staying at the hospital.

Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children A lead-encased wooden box is on the table. On the outside, there is information written about the date of its burial. Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children

The lead-encased box that contained the objects

Indiana Republicans visit White House amid redistricting push

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President Trump and Vice President Vance on Tuesday met with a delegation of Indiana state GOP lawmakers as the White House pushes for the Hoosier State to undertake a redistricting effort that could net the party additional House seats.

Dozens of Indiana Republicans met with White House officials in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, with Vance joining for part of those discussions, a source confirmed to The Hill.

Politico first reported that Trump met privately in the Oval Office with Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston and Senate President Rodric Bray.

State Rep. Jim Lucas (R) told the IndyStar that he was “not as opposed to” redistricting as he had been before the meeting.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment on the meeting.

Tuesday’s meeting had been on the calendar for weeks after White House officials invited Indiana lawmakers to the nation’s capital amid some resistance about redrawing congressional maps in the state.

The White House has urged Republican states to move forward with redistricting efforts, following in the footsteps of Texas.

But a handful of Indiana state Republicans have expressed reservations about doing so, arguing that it would set a problematic precedent and could lead to backlash against the party.

Republicans control 70 out of 100 seats in the state House and 40 out of 50 seats in the state Senate, meaning a sizable number of GOP lawmakers would need to oppose the effort to block it.

Some Trump allies have raised the prospect of backing primary challengers for Indiana state lawmakers who do not fall in line, an indication the White House is using its full political might to get the Hoosier State on board with redistricting efforts.

The Texas state Senate last week signed off on a new congressional map that would give Republicans five additional seats, sending the legislation to Gov. Greg Abbott (R) to sign into law ahead of the 2026 midterms.

Texas’ efforts have set off a chain reaction of other states eyeing plans to draw new maps ahead of the midterms, including California, Ohio, New York and Missouri.

Corn and Soybean Bulls Are Coming Back to Life

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Corn (ZCZ25) and soybean (ZSX25) futures bulls came out of hibernation last week, helped in part by the annual Pro Farmer Crop Tour results that showed diseases have cropped up in some regions of the Corn Belt as the growing season for corn and soybeans progresses.

December corn gained 6 cents a bushel last week, which is impressive given the early week losses. November soybean futures hit a two-month high on Friday and rose 15 1/2 cents for the week. September soybean meal (ZMU25) hit a nine-week high Friday and on the week rose $13.80 a ton. Soybean and bean oil (ZLZ25) markets closed at technically bullish weekly highs on Friday.

Pro Farmer crop scouts last week found a big U.S. corn crop, but one that’s projected by Pro Farmer to average 182.7 bushels per acre – 6.1 bu. below the USDA’s latest 188.8-bushel projection.

“When we put the yield estimate out, it comes with a plus or minus 1% for corn and a plus or minus 2% for soybeans, and that’s because we know things can change yet,” said Chip Flory, host of Farm Journal’s AgriTalk radio program and lead scout on the western leg of the tour. “The other thing is the yield models that we use give us a range, and then, based on conditions, we can move within that range with the yield estimate that we’re going to pull,” he said.

The 2025 growing season has seen disease crop up in many of the corn and soybean fields Pro Farmer scouts evaluated last week. “We know disease can speed up the maturation of plants, making it difficult to keep them healthy long enough for optimal grain fill before harvest,” said Lane Akre, Pro Farmer economist and lead scout on the eastern leg of the tour. “We are concerned diseases like southern rust and tar spot could negatively impact corn yields in some of these states during the next few weeks.” USDA’s August estimate for the U.S. soybean yield average is just slightly above what Pro Farmer scouts found in fields last week. Pro Farmer put the U.S. soybean yield average at 53.0 bu. per acre, with a total crop size of 4.246 billion bushels. By comparison, the USDA projects soybeans to average a record high 53.6 bu. per acre, with a total crop of 4.29 billion bushels.

Donald Trump’s 50% tariff on India kicks in as PM Modi urges self-reliance

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Bloomberg via Getty Images Narendra Modi, India's prime minister, wearing a bright saffron turban, points to crowds during the nation's Independence Day ceremony at Red Fort in New Delhi, India, on Friday, 15 August, 2025. Bloomberg via Getty Images

Modi has urged small shop owners and businesses to put up “Made in India” boards outside their stores

Donald Trump’s steep 50% tariffs on India have kicked in, weeks after the US president issued an executive order hitting the Asian country with an additional 25% penalty over its purchases of Russian oil and weapons.

This makes India – one of the US’s strongest partners in the Indo-Pacific – among the countries paying the highest tariffs in the world. This could deal a blow to exports and growth in the world’s fifth largest economy, given that the US was, until recently, India’s largest trading partner.

The tariff setback has sent the Indian government into firefighting mode.

Earlier this month, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a promise.

He said that a Diwali gift in the form of a “massive tax bonanza” was on its way for the common man and the millions of small businesses that power Asia’s third largest economy.

Wearing a bright saffron turban and addressing crowds of spectators from the ramparts of Delhi’s Red Fort during Independence Day celebrations, Modi also made a rallying cry for self-reliance, urging small shop owners and businesses to put up boards of “Swadeshi” or “Made in India” outside their stores.

“We should become self-reliant – not out of desperation, but out of pride,” he said. “Economic selfishness is on the rise globally and we mustn’t sit and cry about our difficulties, we must rise above and not allow others to hold us in their clutches.”

He has since repeated these comments in at least two other public addresses this week.

For many watching, this is clearly aimed at countering Donald Trump’s brutal 50% tariff rate on India which will disrupt millions of livelihoods across the country’s export-driven industries that supply everything from clothes to diamonds and shrimp to American consumers.

Amid the blow, Modi’s message to his countrymen has been loud and clear – make in India and spend in India.

The former has proved increasingly difficult, with the share of manufacturing as part of India’s gross domestic product (GDP) stagnating at 15% levels, despite his government rolling out subsidies and production incentives over the years.

But spurring long-pending tax reforms that immediately put more money into the hands of people could help the government soften some of the blow, experts say.

And so, after a $12bn income tax giveaway announced in the budget earlier this year, Modi is now aiming for an overhaul of India’s indirect tax architecture – a reduction and simplification of the goods & service tax (GST).

AFP via Getty Images A burnt effigy of US President Donald Trump seen with flaming embers. Activists from different unions were part of a protest against the tariff hikes imposed by the US on India during a demonstration in Kolkata on August 13, 2025. AFP via Getty Images

Donald Trump’s 50% tariff rate on India comes into effect on 27 August

GST, which was introduced eight years ago, replaced a maze of indirect taxes to reduce compliance and the cost of doing business.

But experts say it has too many thresholds and exemptions, making the system extremely complicated. They’ve repeatedly called for it to be revamped.

Now, Modi has precisely promised that, with India’s finance ministry putting out a proposal for a simplified two-tier GST system.

“Combined with the income tax cut in place from April 2025… the GST rate reforms [likely worth US$20bn; £14.7bn] should together provide a meaningful push to consumption,” analysts from Jeffries, a US brokerage house, said after the announcement.

Private consumption is a mainstay of India’s economy, contributing to nearly 60% of the country’s GDP. While rural spending – supported by a bumper harvest – has remained strong, demand for goods and services in cities has continued to slow down due to lower wages and job cuts in major sectors like IT, post the pandemic.

Modi’s “fiscal stimulus” or tax cuts should help ensure a consumption recovery, according to investment banking firm Morgan Stanley. It will push GDP up and drag inflation down.

“This is particularly crucial amid headwinds from ongoing global geopolitical tensions and adverse global tariff-related developments that might impair external demand,” Morgan Stanley said.

Among the sectors most likely to benefit from the tax breaks are consumer-facing ones such as, scooters, small cars, garments and even things like cement that goes into making homes, where demand typically picks up pace around Diwali.

While the specifics are unknown, most analysts estimate that the revenue loss on account of a lower GST would be offset by surplus levy collections and higher than budgeted dividends from India’s central bank.

According to Swiss investment bank UBS, the GST cuts will also have a larger “multiplier effect” than the previous corporate and income tax cuts undertaken by Modi, as they “directly affect consumption at the point of purchase, potentially leading to higher consumer spending”.

AFP via Getty Images A garment worker wearing a green dress and saffron scarf sorts tailored shirts at an apparel manufacturing unit in Bengaluru on August 25, 2025.AFP via Getty Images

Tariffs disrupt millions of livelihoods across the country’s export-driven industries such as textiles

Modi’s tax handouts could also increase the probability of a further interest rate reduction by India’s central bank, which has already slashed rates by 1% in the past few months – something that is likely to spur more lending, according to analysts.

This, along with a boost in the salaries of some half a million government employees that kicks in early next year, will help India’s economy retain its growth momentum, they say.

India’s stock markets have cheered these announcements. And despite the panic caused by trade uncertainties, earlier this month, India also got a rare sovereign rating upgrade from S&P Global, after a gap of 18 years. A sovereign rating measures how risky it is to lend to a government or invest in a country.

This is significant because it could lower the government’s borrowing costs and improve foreign investment flows into the country.

But even as Modi rushes through with long-delayed reforms, India’s growth prospects have slowed significantly from the 8% levels seen a few years ago, and its external crisis shows no sign of ebbing.

The war of words between Delhi and Washington, especially over the latter’s energy purchases from Russia, have only intensified and trade negotiations which were set to begin earlier this week, have been called off.

Meanwhile, at 50%, the tariffs on India are akin to a sanction on trade between the world’s biggest and fastest growing economies, say experts – a scenario that would have been unthinkable even just a few months ago.

Follow BBC News India on Instagram, YouTube, X and Facebook.



Key takeaways from Tuesday's special elections in Iowa and Georgia

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Democrats continued their winning streak in key special elections this year with another victory in a contested state Senate seat in Iowa. 

The party eyed the seat as a pickup opportunity to break up a Republican supermajority in the body and demonstrate further enthusiasm among the Democratic base in an off-year election. The party’s candidate in a Georgia state Senate election also appears poised to advance to a runoff against a Republican opponent in a deeply conservative district. 

Here’s what to know from Tuesday night’s results. 

Democrats get another notable win 

The Democratic Party has been struggling to unify itself and get energized in the aftermath of its devastating loss to President Trump in the 2024 presidential election and other key races last November. 

But even amid voter dissatisfaction with party leaders and disapproval with the party brand as a whole, one positive sign for Democrats has been the multiple victories they have achieved in the handful of elections this year. 

Democrat Catelin Drey’s win in Iowa Senate District 1 by more than 10 points, as of the latest vote count, over Republican Christopher Prosch is just the latest in a string of Democratic electoral successes this year that is likely to give the party hope heading into the midterms.

The first one came in January in a neighboring state Senate district in Iowa, when Democrats flipped that seat from red to blue, just after Trump took office. They did the same in an equally Trump-friendly state Senate district in Pennsylvania in March. 

Trump had carried both Iowa districts and the Pennsylvania one by double digits in November. 

Along with a win for a contested seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, Democrats have put up impressive wins in these lower-turnout off-year elections. The data is limited as far as being indicative of what’s to come in larger races later this year and next year, even in a statewide contest in a battleground like Wisconsin. 

But the results give Democrats some reassurance that they have momentum with voters most likely to turn out. And the Democratic National Committee’s effort to rally voters in the district appears to have paid off. 

A race with outsized impact in Iowa politics

Drey’s win will also alter the political dynamic in Des Moines in a small but significant way.

The GOP controls both houses of the state legislature, as well as the governor’s mansion. But Drey will help break a supermajority in the state Senate, which carries an important implication.

Nominees from the governor to state agencies, boards and commissions need a two-thirds vote in the state Senate for approval. With Drey’s win, the split in the Senate will now be 33 Republicans to 17 Democrats, denying the GOP that two-thirds and requiring that nominees from Reynolds need at least one Democratic vote in favor to be approved. 

The two-thirds margin is also symbolic in Iowa, as that’s the amount needed to override a veto from the Gov. Kim Reynolds (R). Iowa hasn’t elected a Democratic governor in more than a decade, but Democrats are hopeful that they may have a chance to win the gubernatorial race next year, particularly as Reynolds has struggled with her popularity in office. 

If they can win the office, keeping Republican control of the state legislature under two-thirds will be key to protect the governor’s veto from being overridden. 

Georgia outcome will likely get punted to next month 

Georgia also had a contested state Senate race Tuesday to replace former state Sen. Brandon Beach (R) after Trump chose him to become the U.S. treasurer. 

Democrats have a much steeper battle in this district than they did in the Iowa one, but they’ll likely get a second chance to try to pull off an upset. Democrat Debra Shigley appears poised to advance to the runoff against one of her Republican opponents. 

Shigley and a half dozen Republicans all competed on the same ballot for the seat Tuesday, and with no candidate likely to win a majority of the vote, the top two will advance to a runoff set for next month. 

Shigley appears likely to finish in first, ahead of the rest of the pack, while her Republican opponent will look to unify the GOP behind their candidacy. 

Winning in this seat would be likely even more challenging than in any of the other special elections where Democrats won this year. The district, located in the northern Atlanta suburbs, voted for Trump by 34 points, much higher than either of the Iowa districts or the Pennsylvania one. 

Still, Shigley consolidated Democratic support behind her and appears on track to perform somewhat better than former Vice President Harris did in November, the sign Democrats are looking for in the deep red areas.

Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) Is Up 19% Since Jim Cramer’s Quantum Computing Comments

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We recently published Jim Cramer’s 13 Quantum Computing & Nuclear Stock Predictions – See How They Played Out! Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer recently discussed.

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT), the world’s largest technology company, has gained 19% since Cramer commented on the firm in the context of quantum computing. Most of the stock’s gains are not due to quantum computing. Instead, Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) has performed modestly well so far, as investors believe that the firm’s Azure cloud computing business is growing adequately to justify its multi-billion-dollar artificial intelligence investments. Here’s what Cramer said about Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) and quantum computing:

“[A MSFT blog about quantum] I love the people at Microsoft. But the idea that this is quantum’s hour, they’re the only, well it’s easy to say it [inaudible], the problem is, is it commercial? And there isn’t anyone who thinks that the companies that are currently trading are commercial companies.”

Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) Is Up 19% Since Jim Cramer's Quantum Computing Comments
Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) Is Up 19% Since Jim Cramer’s Quantum Computing Comments

manaemedia / Shutterstock.com

Cramer’s recent comments about Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) have commented on its Azure cloud business:

“Azure, I think it might even be four, five percent. Meaning 39 get knocked back to [34, 35% growth]. Yeah so then Amazon doesn’t look as stupid and horrible as everybody says with Amazon Web Services falling behind. A lot of companies do write, younger companies want want to write on chat [ChatGPT], they want to write on OpenAI.”

While we acknowledge the potential of MSFT as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an extremely cheap AI stock that is also a major beneficiary of Trump tariffs and onshoring, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock.

READ NEXT: 30 Stocks That Should Double in 3 Years and 11 Hidden AI Stocks to Buy Right Now.

Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.

Kpop Demon Hunters becomes Netflix’s most viewed film ever

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The animated musical KPop Demon Hunters has climbed “up, up, up” Netflix’s charts to become its most viewed movie ever, the streaming platform says.

Since its release in June, the film has been watched more than 236 million times, overtaking the action comedy Red Notice to take the top spot.

It is the latest in a series of chart-topping achievements by the film which has become a surprise global hit.

Songs from the movie have also been some of the most streamed online on Spotify, while the track Golden hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 earlier this month.

Produced by Sony Pictures Animation, Kpop Demon Hunters follows the adventures of fictional K-pop girl band Huntr/x as its three members use their music and fighting skills to protect humans from demons.

It was launched in June with a relatively low-key premiere at Netflix’s Tudum theatre in Los Angeles.

But over the summer the film gained momentum through word of mouth, boosted by viral videos and memes on social media.

Many have praised it for its eye-catching animation and its depiction of both traditional and modern Korean culture.

But the biggest attraction for many has been the movie’s catchy K-pop songs. Some of the soundtrack’s producers and songwriters are K-pop industry veterans who have worked with groups such as BTS and Twice.

Maggie Kang, the Korean-Canadian co-director of the film, previously said that they had wanted the film’s music to be “really incredible and really speak to the K-pop fans and be legitimately fit into the K-pop space”.

Capitalising on the songs’ popularity, Netflix released a sing-along version in cinemas in the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand last weekend.

This netted Netflix its first number one film at the US box office.

It has since released the sing-along version worldwide on its platform.

Many songs on the soundtrack have since entered the top 10 of Spotify’s global chart, with Golden currently still at number one.

That track, along with Your Idol by Saja Boys, the arch enemies of Huntr/x in the film, have at different times topped the US Spotify chart.

This has made Huntr/x and Saja Boys the highest charting female and male K-pop groups in US Spotify history – surpassing real-life K-pop juggernauts BTS and Blackpink.

The Kpop Demon Hunters soundtrack has also become the first to have four simultaneous Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100.

Talks about a film sequel are reportedly in the early stages.

Putin put forward peace proposal involving Donetsk, Witkoff says

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Russian President Vladimir Putin has put forward a peace proposal to end the war that involves the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, an offer that Ukraine is unlikely to accept, according to President Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff. 

“The Russians have put a peace proposal on the table. It involves Donetsk. It may not be, it may not be something that the Ukrainians can take, but no one’s ever made that kind of progress here, and it’s because of his [Trump’s] force of personality and his motivation to end the conflict and the death that we’re at this, this place where we think the end is in sight,” Witkoff, who was one of three U.S. officials who met with Putin along with Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Alaska this month, said during his Tuesday appearance on Fox News’ “Special Report.” 

Since returning to the White House, the president has pushed both Ukraine and Russia to agree to a peace deal. But Kyiv and Moscow remain far apart on key concessions, particularly regarding security guarantees and the distribution of territory.

Donetsk and Luhansk are the two regions in eastern Ukraine that make up Donbas. The Russian military has so far taken nearly all of Luhansk, and it controls about 75 percent of the Donetsk region. 

Trump told reporters on Monday that “we haven’t even discussed the specifics” of security guarantees regarding Ukraine, adding the U.S. will be “involved from the standpoint of backup. We’re going to help them.” 

Last week, the president floated the idea of offering U.S. pilots and warplanes as part of security guarantees for Ukraine. Trump said Europeans are willing to put troops on the ground in Ukraine as part of a potential peacekeeping force and that “we’re willing to help them with things, especially, probably, if you talk about by air because nobody has stuff we have.”

The U.S. told European officials in recent days that Washington is ready to provide “strategic enablers” including intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), control, command and air defense assets, to allow for a potential European-led deployment of armed peacekeepers, The Financial Times reported on Tuesday, citing European and Ukrainian officials who briefed on the discussions. 

After meeting with Putin in Alaska earlier this month, and huddling days later with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders at the White House, Trump advocated for a bilateral meeting between the Ukrainian leader and Putin. The Kremlin has rejected the proposal. 

Witkoff told host Bret Baier on Tuesday that he is meeting with Ukraine’s officials “this week” in New York City and added that the U.S. side is talking with Russian officials “every day.” 

“I think that we may end up seeing a bilateral meeting. My own opinion is, is that the President is going to need, going to be needed at the table to finish a deal,” Witkoff said.

Trump’s Ukraine envoy, Keith Kellogg, met with Zelensky in Kyiv on Monday, touching on a range of topics, including security guarantees, the return of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia during the war, ways to compel Russia to “engage in real negotiations” and end the three-and-a-half-year war in Eastern Europe. 

“In particular, the discussion concerned sanctions and tariff pressure, the possibility of applying which must remain on the agenda,” Zelensky’s office said.

Witkoff told Baier on Tuesday that Putin told U.S. officials in Alaska that he wants to bring an end to the war. 

“He has certainly said that and hopefully he stands, he stands by that,” the special envoy, who has met with Putin five times this year, said on Fox News. 

Vice President Vance said over the weekend that sanctions “aren’t off the table,” but emphasized the Trump administration is going to make “these determinations on a case-by-case basis.” 

“What do we think is actually going to exert the right kind of leverage to bring the Russians to the table? Now, you said sanctions were not going to lead to a ceasefire. I think that’s obviously correct. If you look at the way the Russians have conducted themselves, they don’t want a ceasefire,” Vance told NBC’s “Meet the Press” host Kristen Welker.

Trump on Tuesday dismissed Russia’s questioning of Zelensky’s legitimacy, saying it “doesn’t matter what they say.” 

“Everybody’s posturing. It’s all bulls‑‑‑-,” he said during a lengthy Cabinet meeting.

When asked if he would again set a firm timeline for Putin to agree to some kind of ceasefire or have Russia face additional economic penalties, Trump was noncommittal, saying he wants to “see that deal end.” 

“It’s very serious, what I have in mind, if I have to do it,” the president added. “But I want to see it end.” 

Russia has continued to make advances on the battlefield, conquering two villages, Zaporizske and Novoheorhiivka, in the Dnipropetrovsk region this week, according to DeepState, a Ukrainian government-affiliated group that closely tracks the advancements in the war. 

The Russian Defense Ministry stated on Tuesday that it had seized the two villages in the Dnipropetrovsk region, an area the Kremlin military has crossed into for the first time in June. Ukrainian officials in the region said the fighting has continued. 

“Yes, the Russians have entered and are trying to gain a foothold. Ours are fighting to hold their positions,” the spokesperson for Dnipro Regional Administrative District, Viktor Trehubov, told Ukrainian news agency RBC-Ukraine. 

The Russian military incursion in the region was carried out by infantry, drones and other military support, DeepStates’s analysts said on Telegram, adding that the Kremlin’s armed forces are now “entrenching themselves,” and gathering additional infantry to potentially advance further in the area.

Chase launches a new home equity product

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With mortgage rates barely budging, it doesn’t make sense for a lot of homeowners to refinance and replace their low-rate mortgages. To access cash, home equity lines of credit often make more sense right now. Now, a major national lender is entering the HELOC arena after years of sitting on the sidelines.

Chase Home Lending has rolled out a new HELOC product. The bank exited the second mortgage market five years ago during the pandemic. It began a limited rollout of HELOCs earlier this year, but is now launching a line of credit for equity access nationwide, except in Texas.

HELOCs are a home equity borrowing solution. When rates were falling, a more popular tool for tapping home equity was the cash-out refinance. Now that so many homeowners have a primary mortgage rate lower than prevailing market rates, a refinance is not an appealing option.

“As home valuations reach historic highs, homeowners are looking for more options to tap into their home’s equity. We’re proud to offer customers the ability to secure a HELOC through Chase,” Erik Schmitt, digital channel executive at Chase, said in a release.

Dig deeper: Is now a good time to take out a HELOC?

The Chase HELOC will allow borrowers to access up to 80% of their home’s value. However, customers have to tap most of their line of credit (85%) as a lump sum. The rest of the available line can be drawn over the next three years.

While that may be exactly what borrowers who prefer cash-out refinancing may be looking for, it limits the usual on-demand flexibility of a HELOC. Taking smaller, up-front draws from a line of credit allows you to pay less interest over the years.

Some lenders don’t require a minimum draw, so if you don’t need such a large initial cash amount, shop for a HELOC lender without the lump-sum stipulation.

While Chase hasn’t announced any introductory rate offers, many providers allow borrowers to lock in a below-market rate for six months to one year before the adjustable rate begins. This is another good reason to shop HELOC lenders for the best offers.

Learn more: How does a HELOC draw period work?

The new Chase HELOC allows interest-only payments for the first 10 years. Following the interest-only period, there is a 20-year repayment term when you’ll make payments toward both interest and the principal. Credit lines are available from $25,000 to $400,000.

Chase will also be rolling out a new HELOC calculator where potential borrowers can enter their home address and receive an estimate of fees and the monthly payment.

UN demands justice over Israeli double strike that killed 20

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André Rhoden-Paul

BBC News

How the double strike on Gaza’s Nasser Hospital unfolded

The UN has said “there needs to be justice” following Israel’s double strike on a Gaza hospital which killed at least 20 people, as an initial Israeli military probe said the strike had targeted a “camera positioned by Hamas”.

Condemnation of the attack, whose victims included five journalists and four health workers, has been mounting, with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer describing it as “completely indefensible”.

Later on Tuesday the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) released its initial inquiry, which identified several “gaps” for further investigation.

It came as Israelis launched a day of nationwide protests calling on their government to accept a deal to release the hostages.

Monday’s attack on Nasser hospital in Khan Younis saw an initial strike kill at least one person, a Reuters cameraman who was operating a live TV feed from a staircase on the side of the hospital building. A second strike in the same location about 10 minutes later hit journalists and rescuers who were attending the scene.

At least 20 people were killed including four health workers and five journalists who worked for international media outlets, including the Associated Press, Reuters, Al Jazeera and Middle East Eye.

“This is a shock and this unacceptable,” UN human rights office spokesperson Thameen al-Kheetan said on Tuesday.

“This raises many, many questions about the targeting of journalists and all of these incidents must absolutely be investigated and those responsible must be held accountable.”

Speaking about past Israeli investigations into deaths in Gaza, he added: “These investigations need to yield results. There needs to be justice. We haven’t seen results or accountability measures yet.”

In its statement, the IDF said it identified a camera positioned by Hamas in the area of the hospital “used to observe the activity of IDF troops”, without providing evidence.

“The troops operated to remove the threat by striking and dismantling the camera,” the statement said. It alleged that six of those killed were “terrorists”. A military spokesperson later said that journalists working for Reuters and the Associated Press had not been a target.

The IDF report appears to be a shift in tone from Prime Minister Netanyahu’s statement on Monday evening, which characterised the incident as a “tragic mishap”.

However the IDF did not explain why a second attack was launched minutes after the first. It instead said further investigation was needed into the authorisation process, including the ammunition used and the military’s “decision-making process in the field”.

Israel has repeatedly targeted hospitals in Gaza throughout the war, despite the protections they receive in international law, saying that the medical facilities are being used by Hamas.

In Israel, protesters blocked highways with burning tyres and held demonstrations in Tel Aviv and other cities to demand their government agree a ceasefire deal to return the remaining hostages held by Hamas, and end the war.

Watch: Israeli hostage families and demonstrators hold day of protests

The Israeli government has so far dismissed a ceasefire proposal agreed to by Hamas, despite its having previously signing up to it.

Netanyahu says the government now wants a different deal that would see all hostages released in one exchange.

Israel believes that only 20 of the 50 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza are still alive after 22 months of war.

“Israel is standing against Netanyahu and his regime,” said Yehuda Cohen, father of Nimrod Cohen, who was taken hostage in the Hamas attack of 7 October 2023.

“Another day for protest, another day to make sure the issue of the hostages stays a high priority. Another day to pressure Netanyahu and force him to end the war and get a hostage deal.”

In Jerusalem, hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside the prime minister’s office where a security cabinet meeting was taking place.

Qatar, one of the parties involved in ceasefire talks – said mediators were still “waiting for an answer” from Israel to the latest proposal.

“The responsibility now lies on the Israeli side to respond to an offer that is on the table. Anything else is political posturing,” said foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari.

US envoy Steve Witkoff meanwhile said President Donald Trump would chair a meeting on a post-war plan for Gaza at the White House on Wednesday.

“We think that we’re going to settle this one way or another, certainly before the end of this year,” he told Fox News.

Anadolu via Getty Images Palestinian flees northern GazaAnadolu via Getty Images

Palestinians were fleeing northern Gaza on Tuesday

The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza said on Tuesday that the bodies of 75 Palestinians had arrived at its facilities over the previous 24 hours.

Israel has unveiled a plan for its army to take control of Gaza City, despite widespread international and domestic opposition. Israel’s defence minister has said Gaza City will be destroyed if Hamas does not agree to disarm and release all hostages.

A UN-backed body has confirmed a famine is taking place in Gaza City and its surrounding areas. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) says more than half a million people across Gaza are facing “catastrophic” conditions characterised by “starvation, destitution and death”.

The report was labelled an “outright lie” by Israel, which has denied there is starvation in the territory.

Israel’s military launched a campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.

At least 62,819 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory’s health ministry.

Most of Gaza’s population has also been displaced multiple times; more than 90% of homes are estimated to be damaged or destroyed; and the healthcare, water, sanitation and hygiene systems have collapsed.

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