A US envoy for Iran met on Friday with the family of Iranian-German national Jamshid Sharmahd, who has been imprisoned and sentenced to death in Iran.

“I welcomed the opportunity to meet with Jamshid Sharmahd’s family today. He should have never been detained in Iran, and we hope to see the day he is reunited with his loved ones,” Deputy Special Envoy Abram Paley said in a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, alongside a photo of him with Sharmahd’s son Shayan and daughter Gazelle.

Sharmahd, a longtime US resident, was arrested in 2020 by Iranian authorities who claimed he headed a group accused of a deadly 2008 bombing in the city of Shiraz, according to state run news agencies ISNA and IRNA.

He was sentenced to death last February for “corruption on Earth”, which sparked widespread condemnation from human rights groups and Western governments. Amnesty International said he had been sentenced after a “grossly unfair trial.”

In April, his death sentence was upheld by the Iranian Supreme Court, a decision condemned by the European Union and the United States.

In a statement following the decision, the European Union said Iranian authorities denied consular access to Sharmahd, despite his German nationality.

Earlier this month, the US State Department called the Iranian regime’s treatment of Sharmahd “reprehensible.”

“He has been sentenced to death after a legal proceeding that has been widely criticized as a sham trial. And we condemn this kind of treatment in the strongest of terms,” Vedant Patel, the US State Department’s principal deputy spokesperson said in a briefing on August 14.

In response to Paley’s statement, Gazelle Sharmahd urged the US government to help free her father.

“I told the acting special envoy I need actions. Our father must be part of whatever is agreed to free US nationals. We will continue to urge the Biden Administration to work with stakeholders to #LeaveNoOneBehind or stop negotiations with my dad’s kidnappers,” she wrote in a statement on X.

The Atlanta Braves’ game against the Colorado Rockies on Monday was delayed momentarily when two spectators ran onto the field, approached and made contact with Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. at Denver’s Coors Field.

The incident happened in the middle of the seventh inning, with video showing the one spectator approaching Acuña and giving him a hug in right field. Moments later, two security guards approached the person and tried to get him to let go of the Braves outfielder.

After a third security guard arrived and largely managed to separate the spectator from the player, a second fan rushed up and made contact with Acuña, who fell to the ground, the video shows.

Although several members of the Braves ran to right field to assist, the situation didn’t escalate any further as both spectators were taken off the field by the Rockies’ security staff.

Following the incident, Acuña appeared noticeably relieved, and stayed in the game.

“I was a little scared at first but you know I think the fans were out there and asking for a picture,” Acuna Jr. said via a translator after the game. “Security was able to get there and so I think everything’s okay, everyone’s okay.”

“Just glad he was safe,” Braves third baseman Austin Riley said afterward. “That’s all you can really come down to is just glad that no one got injured. Ronnie’s safe. He means so much to us. So thankful for nothing that seriously happened.”

Earlier in the game, Acuña became the first Major League Baseball player to reach 60 stolen bases in a season since 2017. He finished the game with four hits in five at-bats, and tallied five RBIs, four runs and his 29th home run of the season.

The Braves defeated the Rockies 14-4 to improve to a Major League-best 85-45 on the season.

Coco Guaff survived a minor scare in her first-round match at this year’s US Open in front of an A-list crowd in New York.

The American teenager lost the first set against German qualifier Laura Siegemund before turning things around to win 3-6 6-2 6-4 after nearly three hours.

The 19-year-old is one of the favorites to win the women’s title at Flushing Meadows this year and her opening match was one of the hottest tickets in town.

Barack and Michelle Obama joined the likes of tennis great Billie Jean King, fashion designer Anna Wintour and US ski icon Lindsey Vonn in watching Gauff progress into the next round.

Many of the stars were in town to celebrate the 50th anniversary of equal pay at the US Open, with a ceremony taking place on court.

“I actually just met [the Obamas] right before I came in here,” Gauff told reporters after her win, according to the WTA.

“I’ve met Mrs. Obama before. They told me it was just her initially. Then Mr. Obama was there in the room, too.

“I haven’t soaked it in because I literally just walked in here. I think I’m going to never forget that moment for the rest of my life.”

Gauff initially appeared to struggle under the pressure of opening night at the Arthur Ashe Stadium, deservedly losing the first set against the world No. 121.

The American just couldn’t match the intensity from her 35-year-old opponent in the early exchanges but momentum quickly shifted in the second set.

Gauff began stamping her authority of the match and battled through to set up a tie against 16-year-old Russian Mirra Andreeva in the next round.

“It was a tough match, I wasn’t playing my best tennis. Laura, she’s not an easy opponent. She fights to the end and that’s what she did today,” Gauff told reporters, after a fiery encounter where both players clashed with the umpire over the time each was taking between points.

“I was able to overcome a lot of adversity so I’m happy with how I managed to get through.”

Gauff is bidding for her maiden grand slam after bursting onto the scene as a 15-year-old.

Her best result at a major has so far been reaching the final of the French Open in 2022, but she’s enjoyed an impressive run of form heading into the US Open.

Once a tropical storm strengthens into a hurricane, it earns a category designation on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale: 1 through 5.

Knowing about each category can help predict what damage an incoming storm may inflict – and how best to prepare.

The categories are defined by wind speed, with a storm of Category 3, 4, or 5 considered a major hurricane. And damage is exponential as wind speed increases, meaning a strong Category 3 storm could do up to 60 times as much damage as a weak Category 1 storm.

But it’s not always as simple as ticking up from 1 to 5.

Hurricanes carry many risks not adequately conveyed by the wind speed-based scale, including:

• Storm surge – when winds push water onto shore – which accounted for about half of hurricane fatalities between 1963 and 2012, according to a 2014 report in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society;

• Rainfall-induced flooding and mudslides, which made up about a quarter of such deaths, the report shows;

• A storm’s forward speed: Slower storms are more destructive, with strong gusts or rainstorms that pound the same areas for hours or days;

• Tornadoes, which can spawn by the dozen from any hurricane.

Still, the National Hurricane Center uses categories – set by sustained wind speed – to estimate possible property damage from hurricanes. Here’s what’s expected in each:

Category 1: 74-95 mph

Sustained winds are enough to blow shingles off roofs and damage gutters and vinyl siding, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said.

These winds also can uproot trees and bring down branches, causing power outages and more property damage. They can damage power lines directly, too.

• Hurricane Nicole, a Category 1 storm, made landfall in November 2022 along Florida’s East Coast and impacted places still then recovering from Hurricane Ian less than two months earlier. Nicole caused significant beach erosion and caused more than $1 billion in damages, according to NOAA.

Category 2: 96-110 mph

Sustained winds could cause as much as 20 times the damage as those of a Category 1 storm, including extensive damage to a home’s roof and siding.

Numerous trees and power lines will most likely be damaged, blocking roads, damaging property and knocking out power for days, if not weeks.

• Hurricane Delta struck Louisiana’s coast in October 2020 with winds of 100 mph and made landfall just 12 miles east of where Hurricane Laura had come ashore just six weeks earlier. Delta blew away many tarps on roofs damaged by Laura and did extensive damage to trees, homes and businesses. It also dumped more than a foot of rain across South Louisiana, creating prolonged flooding.

Category 3: 111-129 mph

Now in “major hurricane” territory, wind damage is much more widespread. Well-built homes and other buildings could suffer major damage, and roofs will sustain heavy damage. Numerous trees will be damaged or uprooted.

“Electricity and water will be unavailable for several days to weeks after the storm passes,” NOAA said.

• Hurricane Katrina was a Category 3 storm that struck during the busy 2005 Atlantic hurricane season. It first made landfall along the Florida coast at Category 1 strength before rapidly intensifying in the Gulf of Mexico to Category 5. It weakened before making landfall in southeast Louisiana as a Category 3 storm.

Storm surge was estimated at close to 20 feet along the Mississippi-Alabama border, and estimated winds reached as high as 140 mph near Grand Isle, Louisiana. Levee breaches sent water flooding into much of New Orleans, forcing people onto rooftops for rescue. Katrina killed more than 1,800 people, left as many as 600,000 households displaced for at least a month and became the most costly storm on record, according to NOAA.

Category 4: 130-156 mph

Catastrophic damage can result from these winds. Well-built homes will be heavily damaged, with most of the roof blown away. Trees and power lines will be down. Water and power services could be out for months, with the hardest-hit places uninhabitable for weeks.

• Hurricane Ian made landfall in September 2022 along the southwest Florida coast as a Category 4 storm. It killed 150 people and became the costliest storm on record in Florida. Its enormous size and snail’s pace made it exceedingly destructive, with 150-mph winds that battered coastal communities for hours.

Ian brought record storm surge to Fort Myers and Naples, estimated at 10 to 15 feet, NOAA said. For days after landfall, the storm dumped unprecedented volumes of rain across Florida, triggering tremendous river flooding in the weeks that followed.

Category 5: 157 mph or greater

These are the most powerful storms on Earth. Most well-built homes will be destroyed, many stripped to the foundation. Power outages could last for months, and the areas hardest hit could be uninhabitable for months.

• Hurricane Andrew in August 1992 was one of the worst storms to ever hit the United States, devastating a whole region after it made landfall near Homestead, Florida. Andrew grew from a Category 1 storm to a Category 5 storm in just 36 hours, with maximum winds near Homestead around 165 mph, according to NOAA.

At the time, Andrew was the “costliest and most damaging hurricane ever to hit the United States,” the National Weather Service said.

Hurricane Idalia is expected to intensify considerably as it heads toward Florida, where officials already have told people to flee, closed schools and shuttered a major airport ahead of a predicted landfall Wednesday along the Gulf Coast.

With powerful winds and life-threatening storm surge, the hurricane is due to hit at Category 3 strength, and millions are under storm warnings, the National Hurricane Center said Tuesday.

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The National Guard is on call and evacuations underway as the storm could deliver a devastating blow to parts of Florida’s Gulf Coast. It is expected to make landfall well north of Tampa, in Florida’s Big Bend region – but a small shift in the track could put the vulnerable population center more at risk.

Before landfall, Idalia could produce a few tornadoes Tuesday along the west central Florida coast and by Tuesday night northward into the Big Bend.

Storm surge – when a storm’s winds push the ocean onshore – could force water to rise up to 12 feet in parts of northern Florida, with “the deepest water … along the immediate coast in areas of onshore winds, where the surge will be accompanied by large and dangerous waves,” the hurricane center warned.

Heavy rain could produce flash flooding Tuesday into Wednesday across portions of the Florida’s west coast and panhandle and southern Georgia, spreading Wednesday into Thursday into portions of the eastern Carolinas. Four to 8 inches of rain could fall from Tuesday to Thursday in those places, flooding streets.

“This is going to be a major hurricane,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a Monday news conference.

The storm was churning early Tuesday with maximum winds of 75 miles per hour roughly 370 miles southwest of Tampa, the hurricane center said in a 5 a.m. update.

Track Idalia here >>

As the storm makes its way to Florida, preparations could be seen across the state. Here’s the latest:

• Airports close: Tampa International Airport will suspend all commercial operations beginning Tuesday and stay closed until it can assess any damages later in the week, airport officials announced. The St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport Terminal building will close Tuesday afternoon.

• Evacuations in at least 10 counties: Hillsborough, Franklin, Taylor, Levy, Citrus, Manatee, Pasco, Hernando, Pinellas and Sarasota counties have all called for residents to evacuate certain at-risk areas.

• Schools close: 32 county school districts have issued closures, as have colleges and universities, including Florida State University, the University of Florida and Florida A&M University.

• Emergencies declared: DeSantis expanded an emergency declaration to 46 of 67 Florida counties on Monday morning. Several local jurisdictions have also declared emergencies.

• The Florida National Guard activated: More than 5,000 National Guard members were activated to help respond to the storm.

• US Navy ships begin leaving: Navy ships have begun leaving Florida ahead of Idalia’s landfall, the Navy said Monday.

• Power outages expected: DeSantis told residents to prepare to be without power. “If you are in the path of the storm, you should expect power outages so please prepare for that,” the governor told residents Sunday.

• Hospital system suspending services: Patients will be transferred from at least three hospitals: HCA Florida Pasadena Hospital, HCA Florida Trinity West Hospital and HCA Florida West Tampa Hospital.

“We want everyone to take this storm seriously,” Barbara Tripp, Tampa’s Fire Rescue Chief said during a news conference, adding residents also should clear debris from property and look out for neighbors who may need help.

“Once the wind reaches a certain miles per hour, Tampa Fire Rescue will not be able to respond,” Tripp warned.

With the storm forecast to strengthen quickly as it tracks through the Gulf of Mexico, it’ll be tapping into some of the warmest waters on the planet ahead of making landfall in Florida. If it does, it would join a growing list of devastating storms like monster Hurricane Ian – which leveled coastal Florida and left more than 100 dead – to rapidly intensify before landfall in recent years.

Idalia posed a “notable risk” of this phenomenon, the National Hurricane Center warned Monday, as it travels through the Gulf of Mexico.

Water temperatures around southern Florida climbed to 100 degrees Fahrenheit in some areas this summer, and temperatures in the Gulf overall have been record-warm, with more than enough heat to support rapid strengthening.

Storm surge will be ‘life-threatening’

Deadly storm surge up to 12 feet is possible in Florida’s Big Bend, a danger that only will be worsened by waves fueled by hurricane-force winds stronger than 100 mph. Storm surge accounts for nearly half of all hurricane-related fatalities, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says, and is the reason behind most storm evacuations.

Cedar Key could be cut off by the high storm surge, National Hurricane Center Deputy Director Jamie Rhome said.

“I’m especially concerned for them,” Rhome said during a briefing on Facebook Live. “If you’re watching from Cedar Key, it is imperative that you take this very seriously and if ordered to evacuate, heed those evacuations immediately. The entire island could be completely cut off with conditions like that.”

Evacuation orders along the coast are in place because of the projected storm surge, Rhome stressed.

But it’s not just the coastal areas that could flood. Inland areas that receive evacuees could see hazardous flooding and heavy rainfall from Idalia. Heavy rainfall-related hazards can also occur as far as 100 miles away from where the storm center tracks, warned Andrew Kruczkiewicz, senior researcher at the Columbia University’s Climate School.

American travelers – at least those of the cautious variety – might be familiar with the US State Department’s travel advisories.

The agency monitors the world for potential trouble and issues warnings from “Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions” to “Level 4: Do Not Travel,” alerting would-be visitors to terrorism threats, war, arbitrary enforcement of local laws, high crime rates and other personal security issues.

But have you ever wondered how other countries’ governments caution their citizens about coming to the United States? What kind of reputation does America have?

After all, the rate of gun-related deaths in the United States has been going up in recent years.

Mass shootings have become downright commonplace: 690 in 2021; 647 in 2022; and 476 as of 6 a.m. ET August 29, 2023, according to Gun Violence Archive.

The worst of the mass shootings make headlines – not just in the United States but worldwide. And while mass shootings generate the most attention, they account for a small fraction of the overall gun-related deaths in the United States.

Would-be visitors aren’t being warned off entirely as if America is an active war zone. Each nation has its own approach, but a general theme boils down to this: The United States is more violent than what you’re used to. Learn to take precautions that you might not have to take at home.

The other takeaway: Violent crime rarely involves tourists.

Here’s more on what nine countries – which account for a good chunk of the international tourism traffic to the United States – have to say:

Australia

In 1996, 35 people were killed in a mass shooting in Port Arthur on the island of Tasmania. In the wake of the massacre, Australia passed stricter gun control laws that included “a near ban on all fully automatic or semiautomatic firearms,” according to Britannica online encyclopedia.

So for more than 25 years, Australians have lived in quite a different gun culture than that of Americans.

The Australian government warns its citizens who plan to visit the United States that violent crime is more common than in Australia and gun crime is possible in all areas. It instructs Australians to follow local guidance and instructions. They’re encouraged to learn active shooter drills if they live in the United States.

On its SmartTraveller website, the Australian government also reminds would-be travelers that “although tourists are rarely targeted, there is always a risk of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.” It does not provide notice of specific incidents “unless there’s a significant risk to Australians.”

Still, it’s not warning its citizens off US travel. As of August 29, it advised to “exercise normal safety precautions in the United States of America.”

Canada

Canada advises its citizens to “take normal security precautions” when visiting the United States.

The Canadian government cautions its citizens about crossing the US-Mexico border by car, citing “criminal incidents associated with drug trafficking.” It tells its citizens to avoid traveling at night at the border.

It also warns about gang- and organized crime-related violence in large urban areas, noting that violent crime “rarely affects tourists,” but cautioning travelers to be mindful of their surroundings.

The government also reminds Canadians of the frequent mass shootings in the United States. “Incidences of mass shootings occur, resulting most often in casualties. Although tourists are rarely involved, there is a risk of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom reminds would-be visitors to America that “incidents of mass shooting can occur, but account for a very small percentage of homicide deaths.” It advises UK citizens to read over an active shooter guide (PDF) from the US Department of Homeland Security.

It also tells its citizens that “violent crime, including gun crime, rarely involves tourists, but you should take care when traveling in unfamiliar areas. Avoid walking through less traveled areas alone, especially at night.”

Like Canada, the United Kingdom cautions its people about the US-Mexico border.

Lauren Redfern, a London resident in her early 30s who was completing a PhD in medical anthropology, made extensive trips to the United States in 2018 (Chicago to New Orleans) and 2022 (Los Angeles).

But while staying in an Airbnb in New Orleans, she was doing laundry in a common area when someone cracked open a door and poked in the barrel of a shotgun.

No shots were fired, but “it was this weird, out-of-body experience where it really made me think and appreciate and understand ‘oh, this is very real’ on a level I have never experienced and will never experience in the UK.”

“That experience definitely changed my sense of personal safety while traveling in the US,” Redfern said.

It didn’t deter her from making another US trip, but “it changed the way I thought about American culture.” She’s much less likely now to venture out alone when visiting the United States versus London, where she has no worries about doing so.

Israel

Israel is a very security-minded country with special ties to the United States.

It issues warnings on a scale of 01 to 04, the latter being of the highest risk level. Israel’s travel warnings are focused on terrorism directed specifically at its citizens when abroad vs. more general crime worries.

For example, people are warned away from the North African nation of Algeria, which has an 04 ranking because of terror groups and “hostility towards Israel on the Algerian street.”

However, the United States is rated at 01 (“ordinary precautions”) despite a rise in anti-Semitic incidents.

France

The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs has a different take.

It says generally “the United States of America is among the safest countries,” but it does warn French citizens about some urban areas and notes an increase in carjackings.

Interestingly, the ministry breaks down potential threats to specific neighborhoods in cities. A couple of examples:

• In Boston, “it is recommended to avoid traveling alone, on foot and at night, in certain parts of Dorchester, Mattapan and Roxbury.”

• In Atlanta, French visitors are told to “be vigilant in isolated areas of the city center (downtown) after the close of business and favor taxi travel at night.”

Germany

Germany is another US ally with strong tourism ties, and it has strict gun laws and a much lower rate of firearm homicides compared with the United States. It’s even lower than some of its European neighbors and allies.

Its Ministry of Foreign Affairs tells German citizens that “it is easy to obtain guns in the United States, leading to increased use of guns and occasional killing sprees. The number of arms and ammunition purchases has increased significantly during the Covid-19 pandemic.”

It also warns would-be visitors to the US about the possibilities of domestic clashes over racism and police violence, advising them to “avoid gatherings of people in the vicinity of which violence could possibly occur.”

Interestingly, the German government also warns its citizens – who are more used to going bare – about skinny dipping and topless sunbathing.

Mexico

The Mexican government has recently overhauled its travel website for its citizens planning to visit the United States.

Before the overhaul, the Mexican government had warnings that “historical racial and ethnic tension, including opposition to immigration, have led to attacks by violent extremist groups” and advised its citizens to avoid large crowds in the United States.

As of August 28, the site no longer carried any warnings about mass shootings or general crime in the United States. However, visitors planning a trip to Florida were cautioned about the state’s new immigration law, specifically about transporting people to the state who aren’t in the United States legally.

The site also cautioned that “the Florida authorities authorized several bills that could have an unfavorable impact on the LGBTQ+ community” and warned about “the prohibition of transgender people to use bathrooms and changing rooms that align with the way they live their lives in publicly owned or leased buildings, and even in airports, government buildings, convention centers, parks, school campuses and stadiums.”

Japan

Despite the shocking assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in July 2022, Japan has a homicide rate far below the United States.

So it’s no surprise that the government warns that “it is important to recognize that the security situation is very different between the United States and Japan, and to understand what kind of crime victims are at high risk in what areas.”

It says “one of the main security concerns in the United States is gun crime” and offers a lot of advice for getting out of or hunkering down in possible active shooter situations, including:

• Find security exits in a new place and have an evacuation plan
• Hide in a room and barricade the door using heavy furniture
• Keep quiet and mute cell phones

If a Japanese tourist can’t escape or hide, they’re advised to “throw objects nearby at the criminal or use them as weapons.”

New Zealand

As of August 28, Australia’s island neighbor had an “exercise increased caution (level 2 of 4)” alert for the United States “due to the threat of terrorism.”

New Zealand’s SAFETRAVEL website goes on to warn its citizens that “there is a higher incidence of violent crime and firearm possession than in New Zealand. In many states, it is legal for United States citizens to openly carry firearms in public.

“Violent crime has targeted individuals and groups from the LGBTQIA+ community and those with diverse ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds. However, crime rates vary considerably across cities and suburbs and while tourists are rarely targeted, there is always a risk of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

It suggests that people coming to the United States research their specific destinations before traveling and seek local advice.

SAFETRAVEL guides New Zealanders to an active shooter response pamphlet put out by the US Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency.

Travelers have been warned that the chaos brought about by a UK air traffic control failure earlier this week will continue for days.

During an interview on Tuesday, Mark Harper, the Transport Secretary for the UK acknowledged that the “technical issue,” which lasted for several hours, had impacted thousands of passengers and would last for “some days.”

“Lots of flights were canceled and it is going to take some days to get people back to where they should be,” Harper told the BBC.

The news comes as passengers headed to or from the UK faced “significant delays,” or flight cancellations after Britain’s National Air Traffic Services (NATS) flight planning system experienced a “network-wide failure.”

The fault came on the last day of a summer public holiday weekend in the UK, meaning many vacationers would be affected.

Although NATS confirmed in a statement yesterday that the glitch had been “identified and remedied,” the disruption caused by the failure, which led to the cancelation of at least 790 departures and 785 flight arrivals at British airports, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium, is continuing.

After waiting at the airport for an update, Palladino, who lives in the UK, was informed that the flight was canceled.

While Palladino was able to get on to another flight scheduled to leave on Tuesday, and had a place to stay overnight, she explains that some of her fellow passengers had resolved to stay at the airport.

“I feel very lucky,” she says.

Meanwhile, traveler Lee Vanstone, who is based in the UK, shared a photo of fellow passengers waiting at Pisa Airport on Monday after his flight was delayed, and then canceled, on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

“There is no flights for days,” he wrote. “We have been searching from various locations. “We are stranded here. Found somewhere to sleep tonight.”

Several UK airports and airlines have issued statements notifying passengers of potential delays today due to the knock-on effect of the glitch.

“Due to yesterday’s technical issues suffered by UK Air Traffic Control, there may be some continuing disruption on some routes, including flight cancellations,” reads a statement from London’s Heathrow Airport on Tuesday.

The UK’s second-busiest airport Gatwick stated on Tuesday that while it “plans to operate a normal schedule,” passengers should “check the status of their flight with the airline before traveling to the airport.”

London Gatwick plans to operate a normal schedule on Tuesday 29 August following disruption today (28 August). Passengers are however advised to check the status of their flight with the airline before travelling to the airport.

— London Gatwick LGW (@Gatwick_Airport) August 28, 2023

Various airlines, including easyJet and British Airways, are also advising passengers to or from the UK to check the status of their flight before going to the airport.

“We have identified and remedied the technical issue affecting our flight planning system this morning,” a statement on NATS’ website said on Monday.

“We are now working closely with airlines and airports to manage the flights affected as efficiently as possible.

“Our priority is always to ensure that every flight in the UK remains safe and we are sincerely sorry for the disruption this is causing. Please contact your airline for information on how this may affect your flight,” it added.

Russian President Vladimir Putin made his first public comments Thursday on the plane crash believed to have killed Yevgeny Prigozhin, saying the Wagner leader was “talented” but made “serious mistakes in life.”

The crash Wednesday took place northwest of Moscow and killed all on board, said Russia’s aviation agency, including Prigozhin, chief of the mercenary group that gained prominence for its brutal methods worldwide and its battleground victories in the Ukraine war. Authorities are still identifying the bodies.

“First of all, I want to express my sincere condolences to the families of all the victims, this is always a tragedy,” said Putin.

“Indeed, if they were there, it seems … preliminary information suggests that Wagner Group employees were also on board,” Putin said during a meeting with the head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) Denis Pushilin in the Kremlin. 

Speaking about Prigozhin in the past tense, Putin said he’d known the Wagner chief “for a very long time,” and that he was “a talented man, a talented businessman.”

“He was a man of difficult fate, and he made serious mistakes in life, and he achieved the results needed both for himself and when I asked him about it – for a common cause, as in these last months,” the Russian president said.

The crash of Prigozhin’s plane happened two months after Prigozhin and Wagner staged their insurrection, the biggest challenge to Putin’s authority during his long rule.

Just days after the mutiny, a furious Putin made it clear that he viewed the actions of Wagner as a form of treason. While he did not mention Prigozhin by name, he accused “the organizers of the rebellion” of betraying Russia itself.

A witness to the crash told Reuters he saw a wing fly off the plane before it headed toward the ground on Wednesday. “It glided down on one wing. It didn’t nose-dive, it was gliding,” he said.

Prigozhin’s apparent death follows a series of incidents in which Kremlin critics have died or had attempts made on their life.

No evidence has been presented that points to the involvement of the Kremlin or Russian security services in the crash. The cause of the crash is unknown and Russian authorities have launched a criminal investigation.

Putin pledged this investigation would be thorough. “But what is absolutely certain, the head of the Investigative Committee reported to me this morning. They have already launched a preliminary investigation into this incident. And it will be carried out in full and brought to completion,” Putin said. 

At the same time, people familiar with the intelligence do believe that the downing of the plane was deliberate and that the goal was to kill Prigozhin.

Pentagon spokesman Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder said the Pentagon “doesn’t have any information to indicate right now” that the plane Prigozhin was on was shot down by a surface-to-air missile, adding that the Defense Department’s belief that Prigozhin was indeed killed in the crash.

US President Joe Biden, prominent Russia critic Bill Browder and Ukrainian presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak have all suggested they believe Putin was behind the crash.

Some openly speculated about its cause. “He was killed by Putin, who does not forgive betrayal,” said Alexey from Moscow. “Putin was behind it or it could have been his Politburo but Putin knew and approved.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky denied that his country was involved, Ukrainian state media reported.

“First, we have nothing to do with this situation, that’s for sure. But I think everyone realizes who has,” he said.

Three US Marines who died when their Osprey aircraft crashed during a military exercise in Australia have been identified by their unit.

Corporal Spencer R. Collart, 21, Captain Eleanor V. LeBeau, 29, and Major Tobin J. Lewis, 37, were among 23 Marines on board the MV-22B Osprey when it crashed on Melville Island around 9:30 a.m. local time Sunday.

Collart was the Osprey crew chief, LeBeau a pilot and Lewis the executive officer of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 363 (VMM-363), their unit said Monday.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of three respected and beloved members of the MRF-D (Marine Rotational Force-Darwin) family,” said Col Brendan Sullivan, their commanding officer of the unit. “Our thoughts and prayers remain with the families and with all involved.”

Of the other 20 Marines, three are still being treated in Royal Darwin Hospital. One of them is in critical condition, the other two are stable. The remaining 17 were treated for minor injuries and released.

The cause of the crash is under investigation.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin offered his condolences to the families of those killed and injured.

“These Marines served our country with courage and pride, and my thoughts and prayers are with their families today, with the other troops who were injured in the crash, and with the entire USMC family,” he said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The aircraft that crashed was one of two US Marine Osprey aircraft that left Darwin Sunday morning and flew towards the Tiwi Islands, about 80 kilometers away, Australia’s Northern Territory Police Commissioner Michael Murphy said.

Sullivan thanked the Australian forces and other groups who helped the Marines following the incident.

“We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Australian Defence Force, Northern Territory Police, Northern Territory Government, CareFlight Air and Mobile Services, NT Health, National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre, and Tiwi Island Government, who have come together to assist us in this difficult time,” Sullivan said.

The crash comes just a month after four Australian army aircrew members died after an MRH-90 Taipan helicopter crashed into the sea near Hamilton Island off the east coast of Australia during an exercise that was part of joint drills with the United States.

A history of crashes

July 20, 1992: Seven people are killed during testing when an Osprey crashes in Virginia.

April 8, 2000: A crash during training in Arizona kills 19 Marines. The crash is blamed on pilot error, with investigators concluding the pilot tried to land too fast and at too steep an angle, causing a loss of lift.

December 11, 2000: Four Marines are killed when an Osprey crashes in North Carolina. The accident is later blamed on problems with a hydraulic part and a software anomaly in the aircraft’s computer system.

April 8, 2010: US Air Force Osprey crashes in southern Afghanistan, killing three US service members and one civilian employee.

April 11, 2012: Two US personnel are killed in an Osprey crash in Morocco.

June 13, 2012: An Air Force CV-22 Osprey crashes during a routine training mission north of Navarre, Florida, injuring five.

May 17, 2015: A Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey crashes at Bellows training ground on Oahu, Hawaii, leaving two Marines dead.

December 13, 2016: An MV-22B Osprey lands in shallow waters off Okinawa, Japan, injuring two.

August 5, 2017: An MV-22B Osprey crashes off the coast of Australia, leaving three Marines dead.

September 28, 2017: A Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey crashes in Syria, injuring two service members.

March 18, 2022: Four US service members are killed when the MV-22 Osprey they are traveling in crashes during NATO training exercises in Norway.

June 8, 2022: Five US Marines die after an MV-22 Osprey crashes during a training mission Wednesday near Glamis, California.

When leaders of the BRICS nations gathered for group photos at the end of their summit in Johannesburg last week, it offered a glimpse of the contours of the new world order Beijing is trying to shape.

Standing at the front and center was Xi Jinping, China’s powerful leader, surrounded by a stage of leaders from emerging markets and developing countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America.

The summit was the largest the BRICS have ever held, with more than 60 countries attending alongside member nations Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

Flanking the current BRICS leaders were counterparts from Argentina, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates – who had just been invited to join the club.

The development is a big win for Xi, who has long pushed to expand the bloc and its clout despite reservations from other members such as India and Brazil.

The expansion, the first since South Africa was added in 2010, is set to more than double the group’s membership and significantly extend its global reach – especially in the Middle East.

“This makes China the clear winner,” said Steve Tsang, director of the SOAS China Institute at the University of London. “Getting six new members is a significant move in its preferred direction of travel.”

For Beijing, as well as Moscow, the expansion is part of its drive to forge the loose economic grouping into a geopolitical counterweight to the West – and Western institutions such as the G7.

That mission has become all the more urgent over the past year given China’s escalating rivalry with the United States, as well as the ramifications of the Ukraine war – which saw Beijing further estranged from the West over its support for Moscow.

As shown by the BRICS expansion and the long waiting list to join, Xi’s offer of an alternative world order is finding receptive ears in the Global South, where many countries feel themselves marginalized in an international system they see as dominated by the US and its wealthy allies.

Echoing their demand for a larger say in global affairs, the BRICS leaders’ declaration repeatedly called for “greater representation of emerging markets and developing countries” in international institutions – from the United Nations and its Security Council to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.

Xi, who peppered his speeches at the summit with criticism of US “hegemony,” hailed the expansion as “historic” and “a new starting point for BRICS cooperation.”

Happymon Jacob, a professor of international studies at New Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University, said the expansion highlights a shift in global geopolitical fault lines.

“Being a leader of non-Western forums and the Global South, which in general is dissatisfied with the US-led institutions, will invariably help China become a counterweight to the US and the world order led by the US,” he said.

The new members

But a wider membership also raises questions about the cohesion and coherence of BRICS, whose existing members already differ widely in political systems, economic prowess and diplomatic goals.

“I am skeptical in terms of the effectiveness of the organization after the expansion, and whether in the end the expansion is more symbolic than substantive,” said Yun Sun, director of the China program at the Stimson Center in Washington.

“The more members there are, the more interests the organization needs to reconcile and accommodate.”

That is particularly true for a consensus-based organization like BRICS, where decisions are only made if all members agree.

The new joiners are a somewhat disparate group. Two are very much struggling economies. Argentina, a serial defaulter that has long struggled with inflation and currency crises, is the biggest borrower from the IMF. Egypt, which is facing its own economic crisis, is the IMF’s second largest debtor.

Ethiopia, the second most populous country in Africa and once one of the continent’s fastest-growing economies, is reeling from the devastation of a two-year civil war in the country’s Tigray region, which ended in December, amid evidence of widespread human rights abuses.

The enlarged bloc will also include three of the world’s largest oil exporters: Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Iran.

The former two are traditionally close allies of America, but have recently fostered closer ties with China which has stepped up its presence in the region amid a perceived power vacuum left by the US.

Iran and Saudi Arabia are arch rivals, though earlier this year they restored diplomatic ties in a deal brokered by China.

That contrasts heavily with a more unified bloc like the G7 which is comprised of like-minded democracies with large industrialized economies.

Helena Legarda, lead analyst at the Mercator Institute for China Studies, a think tank in Berlin, said it is unclear to what extent the BRICS expansion will increase the value and influence of the group.

“Without a shared ideology and clear overarching goal, it is likely that the addition of six new members may instead make BRICS a more divided group.”

Internal divisions

A key dividing issue is the anti-US agenda pushed by China and Russia, which has been strengthened with the inclusion of Iran.

India and Brazil have expressed concerns about the bloc potentially becoming too anti-Western and dominated by Beijing, and some of the new members may be similarly skeptical, according to Legarda.

“Despite the clear geopolitical objectives that China has for the group, many other developing and emerging economies don’t see BRICS as an exclusively geopolitical body. They are also motivated by economic opportunities and the chance of securing privileged access to the Chinese and other markets,” she said.

But China is battling its own economic woes at home – from a spiraling property crisis and mounting local government debt to record youth unemployment and an ageing population. Many economists believe the world’s second largest economy is entering an era of much slower growth, which can have a profound impact on the global economy.

The BRICS expansion is also likely to fuel competition – and potential friction – between China and India, whose ties have already been strained by a simmering border conflict.

“Sino-Indian competition for the leadership of the Global South is now bound to sharpen with China having a clear advantage,” said Jacob in New Delhi.

“While India does have good relations with all of the new BRICS members, China’s deep pockets and its ability to fill the post-American vacuum especially in the Middle East would mean that China will be able to influence the institution far more than India could,” he added.

The rivalry and tensions between China and India, as well as between Iran and Saudi Arabia, mean that issues they can agree upon and jointly act upon are unlikely to be significant in number and in nature, said Sun with the Stimson Center.

“The expansion certainly builds an image of a growing coalition vis-a-vis the West, but having more countries in one organization does not equate to more effectiveness.”