Author: DispatchTimes News Desk

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s office must approve any deployment of the NYPD’s Strategic Response Group to detain protesters, despite his campaign promise to disband the controversial unit. The requirement was introduced during the first few months of Mr Mamdani’s administration and gives City Hall the final say over the specialist police unit’s use at demonstrations. It has not previously been reported. The policy came to light after SRG officers arrested activists protesting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s appearance at the United Nations General Assembly last week. Several politicians allied with Mr Mamdani were among those detained. An NYPD spokesman…

Donald Trump and a group of leading artificial intelligence executives have signed a voluntary AI accord that is expected to include internal and external reviews of the technology, the US president said after a White House meeting. Details of the agreement were not immediately released, but Mr Trump said the industry had shown a willingness to regulate itself. “I think I’m seeing tremendous self-policing. And they understand that they have to self-police,” he told reporters. The president also promised that his administration would not restrict the development of AI, despite warnings from some technology leaders that progress should be slowed…

Country singer Ella Langley has been pictured in a leather bra top as part of a feature inviting readers to identify the performer behind the look. The feature says the singer recently broke the record for the most consecutive weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100, with the achievement linked to a hit song contrasting one US state with another. The image focuses on Langley’s tasselled leather outfit and is presented as a “guess who” challenge, with the singer’s identity revealed through the accompanying gallery.

Newcastle United are weighing a move for Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Yasin Ayari ahead of the January transfer window, with the Sweden international reportedly valued at up to €60 million. The 22-year-old has attracted interest from several European clubs after impressing for Brighton and his country. Newcastle are understood to be monitoring his progress closely as they consider strengthening their midfield. Newcastle United interest in Yasin Ayari Ayari’s versatility is believed to be a key part of his appeal. He can play as a box-to-box midfielder, combining pressing, defensive work and the ability to carry the ball forward. He…

Plum Organics has agreed to tighten its testing standards for heavy metals in baby food sold in Texas, following an investigation by the state’s attorney general into potentially unsafe levels of arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury. Ken Paxton said the company was the first manufacturer targeted by his office to adopt the measures. The agreement also requires Plum to improve the information available to parents about the contents of its products. The investigation began after Plum and other US baby food manufacturers received Civil Investigative Demands from the Texas attorney general’s office in August 2025. The demands sought information about…

Doctors at Victorian public hospitals are set to walk off the job this week, marking the first strike by hospital doctors in the state in decades. The planned industrial action will involve doctors working across Victoria’s public hospital system.

Former “American Idol” contestant and pastor Caleb Flynn has been found guilty of murdering his wife, Ashley, after prosecutors argued that he staged a break-in at their home in Tipp City, Ohio, to conceal the killing. Flynn, 40, was accused of shooting Ashley, 37, twice in the back of the head while she was asleep in bed on 16 February. The weapon has not been recovered. He told investigators he was in another room when his wife was killed and claimed an intruder was responsible. Police body-camera footage shown in court captured Flynn crying after calling 911 and asking: “Is…

Todd Rundgren has criticised Taylor Swift in unusually severe terms, calling the pop star the “apotheosis of mediocrity” and arguing that she may have “ruined music”. Rundgren, 78, made the comments in a new interview in which he contrasted Swift with Lady Gaga, whom he praised as a “real musician” and a “classically trained piano player”. “Swift doesn’t do anything particularly great except grow hair. She’s not a great singer. She’s not a great songwriter. She’s not a great dancer,” he said. However, the veteran musician acknowledged Swift’s influence, particularly among younger female listeners and their families. “She’s a role…

The Bank of Canada has said Canadian institutions should not be afraid to use its liquidity facility. The central bank’s message is aimed at institutions that may be reluctant to access the facility, though no further details were provided.

The jury in the Caleb Flynn murder trial has reached a verdict, bringing the week-long case closer to a conclusion. The American Idol alum is accused of killing his wife, Ashley Flynn. Flynn’s lawyers and prosecutors delivered their closing arguments on Tuesday before jurors began considering their decision. The verdict is due to be read in court. Flynn was arrested in February after prosecutors alleged that he shot Ashley twice in the back of the head and staged the scene to make it appear that a break-in had taken place. He faces charges of aggravated murder, murder, felonious assault and…