Author: DispatchTimes News Desk

Fairfax County officials have recommended restoring high school crossing guards and introducing a series of new traffic-safety measures after the service was cut in a budget reduction earlier this year. Deputy County Executive Tom Arnold’s report proposes reinstating crossing guards at the 10 high schools affected by the cuts, using 11 positions at an estimated cost of $707,908. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors is expected to consider the plan on Tuesday, 15 September. The recommendation follows mounting concern among parents and community leaders after a 16-year-old South Lakes High School pupil was struck by a car while walking to…

An Optus network outage disrupted Triple Zero calls across parts of Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory on Friday afternoon, with more than 39 callers reportedly experiencing difficulties connecting to emergency services. The outage lasted just over an hour, prompting police to carry out welfare checks on people who had attempted to reach Triple Zero during the disruption. The incident has renewed concerns about the reliability of Australia’s telecommunications networks and the ability of customers to contact emergency services when a major network failure occurs. Optus outage prompts welfare checks Telcos have advised that when a mobile phone…

The FBI is warning of potential attacks on 9/11 remembrance ceremonies as terrorist groups call for fresh strikes on US soil. The alert comes 25 years after the September 11 attacks, with the bureau highlighting the possible threat to events commemorating the victims and the day’s anniversary. The warning was reported by journalist Anna Schecter, who examined the new dangers identified by the FBI.

Crypto billionaire Ben Delo has given Reform UK a record £36 million donation, saying he wants Nigel Farage’s party to have a “fair fight” at the next general election. Mr Delo, co-founder of cryptocurrency trading platform BitMEX, said the money would allow Reform to concentrate on preparing for government rather than continuing to raise funds. He was already the party’s second-largest donor, having previously given £8 million. The latest contribution takes his total support for Reform to £44 million, putting him ahead of fellow crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne, who has donated £9 million. Mr Delo had pledged to give Reform…

Top Gear bosses believed the programme was unlikely to return to television after seeing the extent of Freddie Flintoff’s injuries following his terrifying crash in 2022. The accident left the future of the motoring show in serious doubt, with those in charge reportedly thinking there was little chance of it appearing on screens again.

Nashville International Airport has moved closer to being renamed in honour of Dolly Parton after the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority voted unanimously to begin the process. The board voted 6-0 on Friday, September 11, to amend its existing naming policy and explore incorporating the late country music star’s name into the airport’s official title. The decision does not yet determine the final name. The authority said it was working with the relevant parties to decide how best to reflect Parton’s legacy, with further details expected in the coming months. ([upi.com](https://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/2026/09/11/nashville-airport-dolly-parton/9371789144947/?utm_source=openai)) The move follows a proposal announced by Tennessee Governor Bill…

Residents in Darwin and some of Australia’s northernmost suburbs were shaken overnight after a 5.9 magnitude earthquake struck offshore in the Banda Sea. The earthquake occurred off the eastern coast of Timor-Leste at about 9.28pm on Friday. Seismologists initially recorded the event as a magnitude 6.1 earthquake at a depth of 102km before revising it to magnitude 5.9 at a depth of 73km. A smaller magnitude 5.2 earthquake had struck the same area earlier on Friday.

Andy Card, the former White House chief of staff, has revisited the moment he told President George W. Bush that a second plane had crashed into the World Trade Center on the morning of September 11, 2001. Card delivered the news to Mr Bush in a Florida classroom, where the president was attending an event. The attack would become a defining moment in modern history. Speaking to CBS News chief Washington correspondent Major Garrett, Card reflected on the moment and the 25 years that have followed the attacks. His account centres on the brief classroom encounter in which he informed…

Migrant hotels will be exempt from the proposed uncapped visitor levy on accommodation, while families staying in hotels, bed and breakfasts and holiday lets could face higher bills under powers given to regional mayors. The Department for Housing, Communities and Local Government has said taxpayer-funded hotels housing asylum seekers are classed as “temporary accommodation” and would therefore not be covered by the charge. The exemption has prompted criticism from the hospitality industry and the Conservatives, amid suggestions that it could make accommodating asylum seekers more attractive to hotels than taking bookings from paying guests. The levy will be available to…

Channel Ten presenter Tayla Meath has died aged 30 after losing her battle with an aggressive form of cancer. Meath died on September 1.