Author: DispatchTimes News Desk

A jewellery shop owner shot at multiple suspects after they used a pickup truck to ram through the front entrance of the business during an attempted armed robbery in Lynnwood, Washington, on Tuesday. Lynnwood Police said officers were called to the 6500 block of 196th Street South-west at about 12.26pm on 6 October after reports of an armed robbery and gunfire. Investigators said the suspects abandoned the pickup and fled in two vehicles – a black SUV and a silver saloon. It was not immediately known whether anyone had been hit by the gunfire. No employees or other people inside…

Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg has urged curators to prepare flatter pitches, warning that a continued run of two-day Test matches could damage the sport financially and undermine its traditional appeal. Greenberg made the intervention at a conference of groundsmen in Durban, an unusual appearance which he said was intended to underline the seriousness of the issue. Three of Australia’s past seven Tests have finished inside two days, including the Perth and Melbourne Ashes matches, with the lost revenue estimated at about $15 million. The Boxing Day Ashes Test was also completed in two days, amid concerns that grassy…

Three years of war in Gaza have left at least 74,000 Palestinians dead and more than 175,000 injured, according to figures from the Palestinian Ministry of Health. The destruction has extended across homes, hospitals, schools and essential water infrastructure, while attacks have continued despite a ceasefire declared in October 2025. The conflict began after Hamas’s armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, and other Palestinian groups attacked southern Israel on October 7 2023, killing 1,139 people and taking about 240 captives. Israel responded with sustained bombardment and tightened its 16-year blockade into a total siege. The ministry’s death toll records people whose…

The Reserve Bank of India has raised its repo rate by 25 basis points, its first increase in three years, as the inflation outlook worsened amid global risks. The decision signals that further rate rises could follow, with the central bank leaving the door open to additional increases. The move marks a shift in the RBI’s approach as it responds to growing concerns over inflation and the wider international economic environment.

Jessica Biel has joined the cast of Playmates, an upcoming film inspired by writer and director Lorraine Nicholson’s childhood experiences at the Playboy Mansion. Biel will play the wife of Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, although her character is not reportedly based on any of Hefner’s real-life wives. Sharing news of her casting on her Instagram story, Biel said: “Absolutely thrilled to join this project with this amazing cast!” Bill Pullman is set to portray Hefner, while Lily-Rose Depp and Indiana Elle are also part of the cast. What is Playmates about? Set in Los Angeles, Playmates follows 13-year-old Elle, played…

A Houston-area family has spoken publicly about the death of 27-year-old Abrianna “Bri” Hall, who was allegedly stabbed by her boyfriend, Aaron McFarland, in Harris County in May. McFarland, 31, was arrested and charged with murder after deputies were called to an apartment complex on Northcrest Drive, near State Highway 99 and Spring Stuebner Road, shortly before 5.30am on May 29. Deputies found Hall suffering from multiple stab wounds. She was taken to hospital but was later pronounced dead, according to authorities. Investigators said McFarland was seen climbing down from the apartment using a ladder and was detained as he…

Australia’s High Court has invalidated approval for a major expansion of the Mount Pleasant coal mine in New South Wales, ruling that planners failed to properly consider emissions produced when exported coal is burned overseas. The decision means NSW planning authorities must reckon with so-called Scope Three emissions when considering whether conditions should be imposed on coal projects. The emissions accounted for 98 per cent of the proposed expansion’s total greenhouse gas output. The case concerned MACH Energy Australia’s open-cut mine in the Hunter region, which received approval in 2022 for an expansion extending its operating life by 22 years.…

A US Marine has been taken into custody in Okinawa on suspicion of murdering a woman in a hotel and stealing her wallet and backpack. Lance Corporal Devin Jacob Ballard, 20, who is stationed at Futenma Air Station, is accused of strangling 39-year-old Anna Yagi in Naha, the capital of Okinawa Prefecture. He has denied any wrongdoing. Yagi was found unconscious in a hotel room after staff became concerned that she had not checked out at the designated time. An employee unlocked the door and discovered her inside. Emergency services were called at about 4.20am, but Yagi was pronounced dead…

The morning briefing poses the question: “Who’s the boss?”

The family of an 83-year-old man killed in a hit-and-run collision in South Los Angeles is calling for the driver to come forward, as investigators continue to search for those responsible. Akil Batani-Khalfani was struck on the evening of September 30 near Central Avenue and 69th Street. His family said the collision happened at about 8.30pm, close to a post office car park. Police said Mr Batani-Khalfani was walking west along Central Avenue, outside a marked crossing, when he was hit by a southbound vehicle. The driver did not stop, identify themselves or provide assistance, according to investigators. Los Angeles…