Author: DispatchTimes News Desk

A Syrian man has recovered his books from behind a secret wall in his home, 15 years after hiding them from the country’s former Assad regime. Abu Bilal built the concealed space to protect his precious books, unsure whether he would ever be able to retrieve them. With the help of a hammer, he finally broke through the wall and found the hidden collection still there.

The Federal Reserve has raised interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point, taking its target range to 3.75% to 4%, as chairman Kevin M Warsh signalled that the US central bank is likely to tighten policy further to combat persistent inflation. The decision was widely anticipated by financial markets, but officials’ latest projections pointed to at least one more increase before the end of the year. Sixteen of the 18 policymakers who submitted forecasts expected rates to rise by another quarter of a point. That would put the range at 4% to 4.25%. Most officials also expected rates…

Manchester United’s recruitment strategy has been branded “utterly stupid” by Athletic journalist Adam Crafton after the club’s latest defensive collapse against Brighton. Michael Carrick’s side surrendered a two-goal lead in Wednesday’s 3-2 Carabao Cup defeat at Old Trafford, their third loss in six matches this season. The result has intensified scrutiny of both the manager and the squad assembled under INEOS. United’s approach has been to rebuild the team in stages, focusing on different areas of the pitch across successive transfer windows. That plan is now being questioned after another performance exposed weaknesses at the back. Adam Crafton questions Manchester…

US strikes in Iran may amount to war crimes, according to UN-commissioned human rights experts who said there were “reasonable grounds” to believe two attacks killed at least 178 civilians. The UN fact-finding mission on Iran said the strikes, carried out after the United States and Israel launched attacks on 28 February, may have involved indiscriminate attacks against civilians and civilian objects. “Following the United States and Israeli attacks on 28 February, the mission found reasonable grounds to believe the United States committed the war crime of launching indiscriminate attacks resulting in the loss of life or injury to civilians…

America’s “everywhere millionaires” are more likely to run dental practices, heating and air-conditioning firms or restaurant chains than work in Silicon Valley or on Wall Street, economists Owen Zidar and Eric Zwick say. The pair’s research suggests that wealth on this scale is often built through conventional businesses operated over many years, rather than through a highly paid salary or a high-profile technology venture. They estimate that about five million US households have a net worth of at least $5 million, with their combined wealth exceeding 13 times that of the Forbes 400. Around three million private business owners form…

The headmistress of a £20,000-a-year London preparatory school has pleaded guilty to dangerous driving after a cyclist fractured his wrists when he fell from his bike. Catherine Hitchcock, 49, was driving her Peugeot when she pulled into the path of Robert Atkinson at a mini-roundabout on Belvedere Grove, Wimbledon, on February 10. Although the car did not strike Mr Atkinson, the incident caused him to fall forward on to his handlebars and then off the bicycle. The crash happened in Wimbledon Village, between Donhead Preparatory School and Ms Hitchcock’s £1.8 million home. Ms Hitchcock was absent from Lavender Hill Magistrates’…

Uncertainty remains over the guest list for a state dinner and other key logistical arrangements ahead of the China-US summit. Tension over the unresolved details comes as China prepares for a major visit to the United States, with important elements of the event still unclear.

An 18-year-old girl was stabbed six times during a brawl at a reserve in Melbourne’s west, after allegedly being dragged by her hair, punched and kicked by a group of people. The teenager and a 20-year-old friend had been meeting people at Robert Bruce Reserve on Gould Street, Deer Park, at about 7.15pm on Wednesday when the violence broke out. Victoria Police said the two groups were known to each other and may have arranged the meeting after an online dispute. Mobile phone footage appears to show at least a dozen youths fleeing the park as the attack unfolded. The…

Ed Sheeran has been drawn into a bitter dispute after Macklemore was removed from the British singer’s US stadium tour following pro-Palestinian speeches and displays of support for Gaza. People close to Sheeran, 35, say he is “absolutely furious” and believes he has been “thrown under a bus” by friends, although the singer has insisted that the decision to drop Macklemore was made by the tour promoter. The controversy began at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where Macklemore was supporting Sheeran on September 4. Before performing his protest song Hind’s Hall, the American rapper told the 82,500-strong crowd: “A big…

Australia’s migration overhaul will cut tens of thousands of backpacker places, tighten international student rules and accelerate the removal of unlawful non-citizens, the government has announced as it seeks to regain control of immigration before the next election. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said the changes would move Australia away from a largely demand-driven system that had been in place since the Howard era. The plan aims to reduce net overseas migration to 245,000 by the end of the next financial year and to 225,000 the following year. “That is no longer the experience of Australians,” Mr Burke said. “Effectively…