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KYIV, Ukraine — The Ukrainian air force said on Friday that Russia attacked critical infrastructure in the country with 19 drones overnight. Air defenses shot down nine drones, with seven more likely impacted by electronic jamming, it said in a statement, without saying what happened to the other three. Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said an apartment building was damaged in the capital but reported no casualties. The fire was promptly extinguished there, he added. The attack also damaged a business administrative building in the central region of Kirovohrad, causing light injuries to one of the employees, governor Andriy Raykovych said. Russian forces also hit critical infrastructure, utility facilities and 35 private residences in the past day in the southern Kherson region, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin. Various attacks there killed one and injured four more, he said.

Washington — As a nuclear standoff between the United States and North Korea continues with no diplomatic off-ramp in sight, some experts in Washington say an information campaign aimed at pressing North Korea should be considered as an alternative strategy, while others caution against such an approach. The discussion comes as the North escalates tensions while the U.N. Security Council remains split over how to respond to Pyongyang's increasing threats. Kim Song, North Korea's U.N. ambassador, told the U.N. General Assembly on Monday his country will resolutely hold onto its nuclear weapons, saying "we will never bargain," regardless of who gets elected as the next U.S. president in November. Last month, North Korea's state media outlets released photos showing leader Kim Jong Un visiting what they claimed to be a uranium enrichment facility, another move against international calls to resume talks on denuclearization. It was the first time it had disclosed a uranium enrichment facility publicly. Nuclear standoff Talks between the U.S. and North Korea have been stalled since October 2019. Moreover, Russia, one of five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council with veto power, has blocked U.N. action against the North since February 2022, when it invaded Ukraine. Moscow has deepened military ties with Pyongyang since it started the war. Russia has imported dozens of ballistic missiles and more than 18,000 containers of munitions and munitions-related materiel from North Korea since its invasion of Ukraine, Robert Wood, deputy U.S. ambassador to the U.N., said at a U.N. Security Council meeting in September. Some experts suggest Washington consider launching an information campaign against Pyongyang, separate from the work of Voice of America and Radio Free Asia, U.S. government-funded broadcasters. The two networks reach people inside North Korea through their Korean language broadcasts. David Maxwell, vice president of the Center for Asia Pacific Strategy, said Washington policymakers have long neglected an information campaign aimed at North Korea as a viable strategy for pressing Pyongyang to change its provocative behavior. "We really haven't had an overall information strategy that cuts across everything that is happening," Maxwell told VOA Korean on Tuesday in an interview. Maxwell, a former U.S. Special Forces colonel who served on the Combined Forces Command of the U.S and South Korea, said information is a threat to Pyongyang and could possibly drive the North Korean leader to the negotiating table. The U.S. should respond to every North Korean provocation by actively informing North Korean people of their dire human rights situations, Maxwell argued. "If North Korea conducts a missile test, the response should not just stop at condemning the act," he said. "Kim's deliberate decision to prioritize nuclear weapons and missiles is what is causing the suffering of the Korean people in the North. That should be a routine message that we should be sending in response to every action by North Korea." Targeted information campaign Bruce Bennett, a senior defense analyst at the Rand Corporation, said information could be part of the targeted efforts to put pressure on the Kim regime. "We could tell Kim Jong Un, look, we know you're preparing to do a seventh nuclear weapon test. If you do that, we will send a million USB drives into the Pyongyang area with K-Pop, K-dramas and messages to your senior leaders," he told VOA Korean by phone on Tuesday. Bennett stressed it is time that the U.S. government renews its understanding that information can be a powerful tool. "You go back to World War II, we viewed information as being very powerful," he said. "But we've lost sight of that." Bennett added that the U.S. government should mobilize its experts in psychological operations to put together an effective campaign plan. Some are cautious about using information tactics against North Korea. Robert Rapson, who served as chargé d'affaires and deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul from 2018 to 2021, told VOA Korean on Wednesday via email that an information campaign may complement sanctions and effective diplomacy, but risks could follow. "Turning the volume and intensity of the information campaign way up, as some are now advocating, runs the clear risk of escalating tensions across the demilitarized zone in ways that threaten peace and stability, to include the distinct possibility of war," Rapson said. "The regime would undoubtedly see a high intensity information campaign as a major provocation of existential dimensions and would respond accordingly." Rapson also said significant qualitative improvements are needed in dissemination technology as well as message focus and content, for an enhanced information campaign to have any chance of success, however long-term that might be. Potential risks Joseph DeTrani, who served as the special envoy for six-party denuclearization talks with North Korea from 2003 to 2006, said implementing such an approach would prove challenging but is "doable." "The North Korean regime fears exposing its people to the reality of the outside world — the real situation in South Korea and other countries as compared to the dire economic and health care situation in North Korea," DeTrani told VOA Korean on Wednesday via email. "Mindful of this, inserting truthful information into North Korea must be done with care, given the harsh treatment by the regime to those who dare to listen or read foreign broadcasts, videos, newspapers, etc." Meanwhile, Maxwell said the end goal of the information strategy should be to empower the North Korean people with information. "Only through information can the people be empowered to create conditions where new emerging leadership can come to power," he said. "So that, they change the direction of North Korea and ultimately, their leaders." The U.S. State Department has stressed the need for an effort to facilitate the flow of independent information into North Korea when asked whether the U.S. should consider using information as a pressure tool against the North. "An informed citizenry, with unfettered access to information, is critical for responsive governance and contributes to regional peace, security, and prosperity," a State Department spokesperson said in an emailed response on Thursday to a VOA Korean inquiry. "The United States will continue to coordinate with like-minded governments to cooperate on areas such as access to information and advancing accountability for those responsible for human rights violations and abuses in the DPRK." DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, North Korea's official name. 

Washington — Japan's new prime minister, Shigeru Ishiba, who began his term this week, may advocate for forming a nuclear body with the United States that is similar to an arrangement between the U.S. and South Korea aimed at planning for nuclear warfare contingencies. "The U.S.-ROK [Republic of Korea, or South Korea] approach is probably a good example of where the U.S. and Japan might go in the future if nuclear threats keep increasing," said James Schoff, a senior director of the U.S.-Japan NEXT Alliance Initiative at the Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA. "It's not about nuclear sharing or Japan building its own nuclear forces — both politically impossible at the moment and not necessary — but [about] the alliance taking more practical steps to be prepared for U.S. nuclear retaliation, if it becomes necessary," Schoff said. He said creating such a body would demonstrate resolve, credibility and readiness to any potential adversary and thus deter nuclear use in the first place. Nuclear talk body The new body would resemble the Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) that South Korea and the United States established as part of the Washington Declaration in April 2023. The Washington-Seoul nuclear body is aimed at planning for potential nuclear contingencies caused by North Korea. A U.S.-Japan nuclear consultative body would focus on nuclear threats from China and Russia in addition to North Korea, analysts say. In a joint statement issued at their Security Consultative Committee meeting in July, Tokyo and Washington shared concerns over China's "rapid expansion of its nuclear weapons arsenal" and agreed to strengthen deterrence through their ongoing Extended Deterrence Dialogue. "Ishiba is likely to continue the strategies of [his predecessor Fumio] Kishida against China, and may in fact try to be bolder," said Ryo Hinata-Yamaguchi, a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council's Indo-Pacific Security Initiative and an associate professor at Tokyo International University. Countering China Though he is not entirely anti-China, Ishiba, a former defense minister who analysts say tends to view foreign relations through a security framework, is expected to be tough on China's military assertions. "Prime Minister Ishiba has spoken openly about the serious security challenges China poses to Japan," said Ken Weinstein, the Japan chair at Hudson Institute. "These challenges lie behind his desire for an Asian NATO and nuclear sharing, neither of which is likely to be policy," Weinstein continued. "Instead, we are likely to see a change in tone towards the PRC with a tougher line from the Kantei on Chinese provocations than we saw from the more establishmentarian Kishida government." The People's Republic of China (PRC) is the official name of China, and the Kantei refers to the Japanese prime minister's office. Before Ishiba was elected, he wrote an article published in September by the Hudson Institute, an American conservative non-profit think tank based in Washington D.C., advocating for an Asian version of NATO that would consider sharing U.S. nuclear weapons or introducing nuclear weapons in the region. He said if nuclear threats by China and North Korea escalate in the region, "the U.S. extended deterrence in the region will no longer function." Extended deterrence involves a U.S. commitment to use all military assets, including nuclear weapons, to defend the region. Such a commitment would deter potential adversaries from causing any conflict. But in recent years, there has been growing skepticism among U.S. allies over its extended deterrence commitment, leading South Korea to call for its own nuclear weapons. In January 2023, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said South Korea may have to consider developing its own nuclear weapons or ask the U.S. to redeploy nuclear weapons in South Korea. Yoon later retracted his statement after the NCG was created in April 2023, saying that South Korea will instead focus on enhancing deterrence with the United States to deal with North Korea's nuclear threat. Asian NATO Ishiba's call for a collective security arrangement like an Asian NATO and nuclear deployment and sharing options stems from uncertainty in relying "solely on the security alliance with the U.S.," said Daniel Sneider, a lecturer in international policy focusing on Japanese foreign policy at Stanford University. Ishiba sees "the need to protect Taiwan from Chinese attempts to forcefully reunify" the self-governed island that Beijing considers its own territory. He also wants Japan "to be prepared for any eventualities, including the retreat of the United States from global leadership," amid concerns over U.S. foreign policy after the presidential election in November, Sneider said. Before Japan's own election this month, Ishiba, as a member of the Japanese Liberal Democratic Party, visited Taiwan in August and told Taiwan President Lai Ching-te that enhanced deterrence was necessary to resist China's aggression in the Taiwan Strait. The Sasakawa Peace Foundation's Schoff said Ishiba probably knows that a true Asian NATO is not feasible, but "he is sending a signal to China and Russia that their aggressive use of military forces harassing other countries and penetrating their sovereign space is being noticed and will push Asian countries closer together in collective defense if they keep it up." Japan accused a Chinese spy plane of violating its airspace for the first time in August. Matthew Brummer, a professor at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies in Tokyo, said instead of calling for an Asian NATO, Japan will likely increase cooperation with NATO countries, deepening security agreements, especially regarding joint technology sharing and production. 

HANOI, Vietnam — More than a dozen tigers were incinerated after the animals died after contracted bird flu at a zoo in southern Vietnam, officials said. State media VNExpress cited a caretaker at Vuon Xoai zoo in Bien Hoa city saying the animals were fed raw chicken bought from nearby farms. The panther and 20 tigers, including several cubs, weighed between 10 and 120 kilograms when they died. The bodies were incinerated and buried on the premises. "The tigers died so fast. They looked weak, refused to eat and died after two days of falling sick," said zoo manager Nguyen Ba Phuc. Samples taken from the tigers tested positive for H5N1, the virus that causes bird flu. The virus was first identified in 1959 and grew into a widespread and highly lethal menace to migratory birds and domesticated poultry. It has since evolved, and in recent years H5N1 was detected in a growing number of animals ranging from dogs and cats to sea lions and polar bears. In cats, scientists have found the virus attacking the brain, damaging and clotting blood vessels and causing seizures and death. More than 20 other tigers were isolated for monitoring. The zoo houses some 3,000 other animals including lions, bears, rhinos, hippos and giraffes. The 30 staff members who were taking care of the tigers tested negative for bird flu and were in normal health condition, VNExpress reported. Another outbreak also occurred at a zoo in nearby Long An province, where 27 tigers and three lions died within a week in September, the newspaper said. Unusual flu strains that come from animals are occasionally found in people. Health officials in the United States said Thursday that two dairy workers in California were infected — making 16 total cases detected in the country in 2024. "The deaths of 47 tigers, three lions, and a panther at My Quynh Safari and Vuon Xoai Zoo amid Vietnam's bird flu outbreak are tragic and highlight the risks of keeping wild animals in captivity," PETA Senior Vice President Jason Baker said in a statement sent to The Associated Press. "The exploitation of wild animals also puts global human health at risk by increasing the likelihood of another pandemic," Baker said. Bird flu has caused hundreds of deaths around the world, the vast majority of them involving direct contact between people and infected birds.

BEIRUT/JERUSALEM — Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Friday that Iran and its regional proxies will not back down from Israel hours after an Israeli attack on Beirut that is thought to have targeted the heir apparent to Tehran-backed Hezbollah's slain secretary general. "The brilliant action of our armed forces a couple of nights ago was completely legal and legitimate," Khamenei said in a rare appearance leading Friday prayers in Tehran, referring to Iran's missile attacks on Israel on Tuesday. U.S. President Joe Biden said on Thursday that Israel's response could include a strike on Iran's oil facilities. Beirut's southern suburb of Dahiye, a stronghold of the Iran-backed Hezbollah, came under renewed strikes near midnight on Thursday after Israel ordered people to leave their homes in some areas, residents and security sources said. The air raids targeted Hezbollah official Hashem Safieddine, rumored successor to its assassinated leader Hassan Nasrallah, in an underground bunker, Axios reporter Barak Ravid said on X, citing three Israeli officials. Safieddine's fate was not clear, he said. Israel's military declined to comment and Hezbollah made no comment on Safieddine's fate. His brother Sayyed Abdallah Safieddine, who is Hezbollah's representative to Iran, attended Khamenei's speech in Tehran. Huge explosions shook the sky in the vicinity of Beirut's main airport in the early hours of Friday, and Lebanese civilians said they were living in constant fear. U.S. President Joe Biden said he did not believe there is going to be an "all-out war" in the Middle East, as Israel weighs options for retaliation, but that more needed to be done to prevent one. While the United States, the European Union, and other allies have called for an immediate 21-day ceasefire in the Israel-Lebanon conflict, Biden said the U.S. was discussing with Israel its options for responding to Tehran's assault, which included Israel striking Iran's oil facilities. His comments contributed to a surge in global oil prices, and rising Middle East tension has made traders worry about potential supply disruptions. However, Biden added: "There is nothing going to happen today." Asked later if he was urging Israel not to attack Iran's oil installations, Biden said he would not negotiate in public.

KAOHSIUNG, Taiwan — Work, classes and flights resumed across Taiwan on Friday after Typhoon Krathon brought torrential rainfall to the island but finally dissipated over a mountain range. A heavy rain advisory remained in place for the northern coast and mountainous areas, where two landslides occurred early Friday. Krathon had brought much of the island to a standstill for three days but weakened to a tropical depression early Friday. Its center moved back over the sea after making a "U-turn" across the island's southwestern tip overnight. Schools and businesses reopened with the exception of the city of Kaohsiung, Pingtung County, and some parts of Hualien County and New Taipei. Domestic flights, which had been grounded for two days, resumed. Krathon lashed Kaohsiung with winds up to 126 kph and higher gusts. It felled trees and flooded roads. Heavy rains and flooding also occurred along Taiwan's southern and eastern coasts. Mountainous Taitung County saw 171 centimeters of rain over six days. Two people died earlier in the week and one person remained missing, according to Taiwan's fire department. The missing person was swept off a bridge. Authorities had expected Krathon to bring devastation comparable to a major typhoon that swept Kaohsiung in 1977, causing 37 deaths. But it lost steam shortly after making landfall in Kaohsiung and reaching the mountains northeast of the city, according to the Central Weather Administration. Krathon was one of only two typhoons in recent history to "die" over Taiwan, beside Typhoon Trami, in 2001, the weather agency said.

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un threatened to use nuclear weapons and destroy South Korea permanently if provoked, state media reported Friday, after the South's leader warned that Kim's regime would collapse if he attempted to use nuclear arms. The exchange of such rhetoric between the rival Koreas is nothing new, but the latest comments come during heightened animosities over the North's recent disclosure of a nuclear facility and its continuation of missile tests. Next week, observers say North Korea's rubber-stamp parliament is expected to constitutionally declare a hostile "two-state" system on the Korean Peninsula to formally reject reconciliation with South Korea and codify new national borders. During a visit to a special operation forces unit on Wednesday, Kim said his military "would use without hesitation all the offensive forces it possesses, including nuclear weapons," if South Korea attempts to use armed forces encroaching upon the sovereignty of North Korea, according to the North's official Korean Central News Agency. "If such a situation comes, the permanent existence of Seoul and the Republic of Korea would be impossible," Kim said, using South Korea's official name. Kim's statement was a response to South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's speech at his country's Armed Forces Day on Tuesday. Unveiling South Korea's most powerful Hyunmoo-5 ballistic missile and other conventional weapons that could target North Korea, Yoon said the day that North Korea tries to use nuclear weapons would be the end of the Kim government because Kim would face "the resolute and overwhelming response" of the South Korean-U.S. alliance. Kim responded that Yoon's address fully betrayed his "bellicose temerity" and showed "the security uneasiness and irritating psychology of the puppet forces." In a derisive comment, Kim called Yoon "an abnormal man," saying that "the puppet Yoon bragged about an overwhelming counteraction of military muscle at the doorstep of a state that possesses nuclear weapons." On Thursday, Kim's sister and senior official, Kim Yo Jong, also ridiculed South Korea's showcasing of the Hyunmoo-5 missile, saying there there's no way for South Korea to counter the North Korea's nuclear forces with conventional weapons. Since adopting an escalatory nuclear doctrine in 2022, Kim has repeatedly threatened to use nuclear weapons preemptively. But many foreign experts say it's still unlikely that he would use his nuclear arms first because his military is outmatched by the U.S. and its allied forces. In July, South Korea and the U.S. signed a defense guideline on integrating South Korea's conventional capabilities with the U.S. nuclear forces to better deal with North Korea's advancing nuclear program. South Korea has no nuclear weapons. Animosities between the Koreas are at the worst point in years with Kim's provocative run of missile tests and the South Korean-U.S. military exercises intensifying in a cycle of tit-for-tat. All communication channels and exchange programs between the rivals remain stalled since 2019, when a broader U.S.-North Korea diplomacy on ending the North's nuclear program collapsed. In January, Kim called for rewriting North Korea's constitution to eliminate the idea of a peaceful unification between the war-divided countries and to cement the South as an "invariable principal enemy." He also reiterated that his country does not recognize the Northern Limit Line, a western sea boundary that was drawn by the U.S.-led U.N. Command at the end of the 1950-53 Korean War. He called for the new constitution to include a clear definition of the North's territories. North Korea has traditionally insisted upon a boundary that encroaches deeply into waters currently controlled by South Korea. On Friday, South Korea's military said North Korea was again flying balloons likely carrying trash across the border into South Korea. Since late May, North Korea has launched thousands of rubbish-carrying balloons toward South Korea, prompting South Korea to resume anti-Pyongyang propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts at border areas.

Cairo — The war unleashed by Israel after the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, has ravaged not only the people of Gaza but also taken a toll on neighboring Egypt, keeping its government officials busy and straining its economy -- while also bringing some benefits. The conflict has spawned countless hours of diplomatic activity and a long list of visits by envoys from several countries. Mediation efforts have been unsuccessful, but the conflict has kept diplomats busy, with meetings of the Cairo-based Arab League and consultations involving Egypt, Qatar and the U.S., among others. Said Sadek, professor of peace studies and human rights at the Egypt-Japan University in Alexandria, told VOA Egypt has been one of the key players in mediation efforts between Israel and Hamas. He said its efforts have been successful at times and unsuccessful at others. "Politically (the conflict) highlighted the Egyptian role in being a moderating force in the Middle East," he said. "In all the negotiations that took place later on between Hamas and Israel, they always needed a mediator, and it was Egypt and Qatar and the United States. And they all played a role in that and sometimes they succeeded and sometimes they failed." The head of Egyptian intelligence, Abbas Kamel, spent many hours mediating between Israel and Hamas, as has U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Qatar's foreign minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al Thani. Economically, the Gaza conflict has caused serious damage to the Egyptian economy, but it has also brought benefits, as Washington-based Middle East analyst Paul Sullivan pointed out. "Egypt is being squeezed between many rocks and many hard places, with a few positive bits of light," he said. "Those positive bits include money flows from the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council), the IMF (International Monetary Fund), the World Bank and others, to make sure that Egypt gets a bit more stabilized economically." Sadek and Sullivan both agree the Egyptian economy suffered setbacks from the side effects of the Gaza conflict, including a massive drop in revenue from the Suez Canal, one of the Egyptian government's primary sources of income. "The (Houthis) in Yemen blocked safe navigation across the Red Sea and that affected the Suez Canal that used to bring Egypt about $10 billion dollars," said Sadek. "Now we are getting only $3 billion, so there is a big loss of 70%." Sullivan said Egypt is not only suffering from a loss of revenue from the Suez Canal due to ships going around the Horn of Africa to get to their destinations, but it is also in danger of a natural gas shortage "if Israel were to cut off its gas exports to Egypt." That would force the Egyptian government to import natural gas at considerably higher prices. Egyptians are already reeling. The government has raised the prices of petroleum and natural gas twice this year by as much as 15% each time. Egypt's overall inflation rate has hit 25%, with analysts blaming the jump largely on the war in Gaza. Tourism revenues are also down due to the Gaza conflict and some Western countries have warned their citizens not to travel to Egypt or other Middle Eastern countries.

The devastation wrought by Hurricane Helene has brought climate change to the forefront of the presidential campaign after the issue lingered on the margins for months. A report from ClimaMeter, a consortium that analyzes extreme weather events, found that Helene’s rainfall totals and winds were strengthened by human-driven climate change. Huge explosions shook the sky in the vicinity of Beirut's main airport in the early hours of Friday. And A rare guitar owned by George Harrison and considered the "holy grail" of Beatles memorabilia is to be auctioned.

MEMPHIS, Tennessee — Three former Memphis police officers were convicted Thursday in the 2023 fatal beating of Tyre Nichols, but were acquitted of the harshest charges they faced for a death that sparked national protests and calls for broad changes in policing. Jurors deliberated for about six hours before coming back with the mixed verdict for Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith. All were convicted of witness tampering related to the cover-up of the beating, but Bean and Smith were acquitted of civil rights charges. Haley was acquitted of violating Nichols' civil rights causing death, but convicted of the lesser charge of violating his civil rights causing bodily injury. He was also convicted of a conspiracy to witness tamper charge that the others were acquitted of. The court remained silent as the verdicts were read. The judge ordered all three officers to be taken into custody. He planned to hold a hearing Monday to hear from the defense lawyers about releasing them pending sentencing. The witness tampering charges carry possible sentences of up to 20 years in prison. The civil rights charge against Haley carries up to 10 years in prison. They had faced up to life in prison if convicted on the harshest charges. The verdict marked a partial setback for prosecutors who were unable to land a conviction for civil rights violations for two officers who played an active role in the encounter. Jurors repeatedly watched graphic clips from police video that showed the officers punch and kick Nichols and hit him with a police baton just steps from his home, as the 29-year-old called out for his mother. In a statement, Assistant U.S. Attorney General Kristen Clarke, who oversees the Justice Department's civil rights division, said "Tyre Nichols should be alive today." "We hope this prosecution provides some measure of comfort as the law enforcement officers tied to his death have been held accountable," Clarke said. Bean and Smith were seen on video wrestling with Nichols and holding his arms, while also hitting him, but the jury was not convinced those actions amounted to civil rights violations. An FBI agent said Smith told him he punched Nichols, but defense lawyers argued Bean and Smith were merely slapping Nichols' hands away as they tried to put handcuffs on him. Rodney Wells, Nichols' stepfather, told The Associated Press outside the courtroom: "A win is a win. They're all going to jail." Five officers were charged in Nichols' death, but two pleaded guilty and testified against members of their old crime suppression unit. Prosecutors argued that Nichols was beaten for running from a traffic stop, saying it was part of a common police practice referred to in officer slang as a "street tax" or "run tax. " They said the officers lied — to a supervisor, to medical professionals attending to Nichols and in required written reports — about the extent of the force they used. "This has been a long journey for our family," RowVaughn Wells, Nichols' mother, told reporters. "I'm actually in shock right now because I still can't believe all the stuff that's going on. But we're happy that they all have been convicted and they have been arrested." Smith's lawyer declined to comment. Attorneys for Bean and Haley did not respond to requests for comment. Nichols, who was Black, ran from the traffic stop despite being hit with pepper spray and a Taser. The five officers, who were fired after the beating, also are Black. Some of the most emotional testimony at trial came from one of the officers, Desmond Mills, who took a plea deal in which prosecutors call for up to 15 years in prison. He testified in tears that he was sorry, that he left Nichols' young son fatherless and that he wishes he stopped the punches. Later, he testified that he went along with a cover-up in hopes that Nichols would survive and the whole thing would "blow over." Nichols died Jan. 10, 2023, three days after the beating. His son is now 7 years old. The other officer who reached a deal with prosecutors, Emmitt Martin, testified that Nichols was "helpless" while officers pummeled him, and that afterward the officers understood "they weren't going to tell on me, and I wasn't going to tell on them." Under his plea agreement, prosecutors will suggest a prison sentence of up to 40 years. Defense attorneys sought to portray Martin as a principal aggressor. Martin testified Nichols was not a threat, yet he acknowledged punching and kicking Nichols in the head. Mills' lawyer declined to comment. Martin's attorney did not immediately respond to a phone message. The police video shows the officers milling about and talking as Nichols struggles with his injuries. An autopsy report shows he died from blows to the head. The report describes brain injuries, and cuts and bruises on his head and other areas. With the federal criminal trial complete, other investigations and court action still aren't settled. The five officers also have been charged with second-degree murder in state court, where they pleaded not guilty, although Mills and Martin are expected to change their pleas. A trial date in state court has not been set. The U.S. Department of Justice is conducting a "patterns and practices" investigation into how Memphis officers use force and conduct arrests, and whether the department in the majority-Black city engages in racially discriminatory policing. The Justice Department also has a separate review concerning use of force, de-escalation strategies and specialized units within Memphis police. Pastor Earle Fisher, a Memphis activist who has long called for investigations of the city's police, said he hopes the probes "provide for us the remedies we so rightly deserve." Additionally, Nichols' mother filed a $550 million lawsuit against the city and its police chief. Ben Crump and Anthony Romanucci, lawyers for Nichols' family, said the verdicts "bring a measure of accountability for his senseless and tragic death." "Our fight for justice for Tyre is far from over," the lawyers said in a joint statement.

NEW YORK — The 12-month grace period for student loan borrowers ended on September 30. The "on-ramp" period helped borrowers who are struggling to make payments avoid the risk of defaulting and hurting their credit score. "The end of the on-ramp period means the beginning of the potentially harsh consequences for student loan borrowers who are not able to make payments," said Persis Yu, Deputy Executive Director at the Student Borrower Protection Center. Around 43 million Americans have student loan debt, amounting to $1.5 trillion. Around eight million of those borrowers had enrolled in the SAVE plan, the newest income-driven repayment plan that extended the eligibility for borrowers to have affordable monthly student loan payments. However, this plan is currently on hold due to legal challenges. With the on-ramp period and a separate program known as Fresh Start ending and the SAVE plan on hold, student loan borrowers who are struggling to afford their monthly payments have fewer options, added Yu. Student loan borrowers who haven't been able to afford their monthly payments must consider their options to avoid going into default. If you have student loans, here's what you need to know. What was the on-ramp period? The Education Department implemented this grace period to ease the borrower's transition to make payments after a three-year payment pause during the COVID-19 pandemic. During this year-long period, borrowers were encouraged to keep making payments since interest continued to accumulate. "Normally, loans will default if you fall about nine months behind on making payments, but during this on-ramp period, missed payments would not move people towards defaulting and then being subject to forced collections. However, if you missed payments, you still be falling behind ultimately on repaying your loans," said Abby Shaforth, director of National Consumer Law Center's Student Loan Borrower Assistance Project. Since this grace period has ended, student loan borrowers who don't make payments will go delinquent or, if their loans are not paid for nine months, go into default. Borrowers who cannot afford to make payments can apply for deferment or forbearance, which pause payments, though interest continues to accrue. What happens if I don't make my payments? Borrowers who can't or don't pay risk delinquency and eventually default. That can badly hurt your credit rating and make you ineligible for additional aid and government benefits. If a borrower missed one month's payment, they will start receiving email notifications, said Shaforth. Once the loan hasn't been paid for three months, loan servicers notify to the credit reporting agencies that the loan is delinquent, affecting your credit history. Once the borrower hasn't paid the loan for nine months, the loan goes into default. If you're struggling to pay, advisers first encourage you to check if you qualify for an income-driven repayment plan, which determines your payments by looking at your expenses. You can see whether you qualify by visiting the Federal Student Aid website. If you've worked for a government agency or a non-profit organization, you could also be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, which forgives student debt after 10 years. What happens when a loan goes into default? When you fall behind on a loan by 270 days — roughly nine months — the loan appears on your credit report as being in default. Once a loan is in default, it goes into collections. This means the government can garnish wages (without a court order) to go towards paying back the loan, intercept tax refunds, and seize portions of Social Security checks and other benefit payments. What if I can't pay? If your budget doesn't allow you to resume payments, it's important to know how to navigate the possibility of default and delinquency on a student loan. Both can hurt your credit rating, which would make you ineligible for additional aid. If you're in a short-term financial bind, you may qualify for deferment or forbearance — allowing you to temporarily suspend payment. To determine whether deferment or forbearance are good options for you, you can contact your loan servicer. One thing to note: interest still accrues during deferment or forbearance. Both can also impact potential loan forgiveness options. Depending on the conditions of your deferment or forbearance, it may make sense to continue paying the interest during the payment suspension. What is an income-driven repayment plan? The U.S. Education Department offers several plans for repaying federal student loans. Under the standard plan, borrowers are charged a fixed monthly amount that ensures all their debt will be repaid after 10 years. But if borrowers have difficulty paying that amount, they can enroll in one of several plans that offer lower monthly payments based on income and family size. Those are known as income-driven repayment plans. Income-driven options have been offered for years and generally cap monthly payments at 10% of a borrower's discretionary income. If a borrower's earnings are low enough, their bill is reduced to $0. And after 20 or 25 years, any remaining debt gets erased. What is the latest with the SAVE program? In August, the Supreme Court kept on hold the SAVE plan, the income-driven repayment plan that would have lowered payments for millions of borrowers, while lawsuits make their way through lower courts. Eight million borrowers who had already enrolled in the SAVE plan don't have to pay their monthly student loan bills until the court case is resolved. Debt that already had been forgiven under the plan was unaffected. The next court hearing about this case will be held on October 15. What happened with the Fresh Start program? The Fresh Start program, which gave benefits to borrowers who were delinquent prior to the pandemic payment pause, also closed on September 30. During this limited program, student loan borrowers who were in default prior to the pandemic were given the opportunity to remove their loans from default, allowing them to enroll in income-driven payment plans, or apply for deferment, among other benefits.

detroit — The union representing 45,000 striking U.S. dockworkers at East and Gulf coast ports reached a deal Thursday to suspend a three-day strike until January 15 to provide time to negotiate a new contract. The union, the International Longshoremen's Association, is to resume working immediately. The temporary end to the strike came after the union and the U.S. Maritime Alliance, which represents ports and shipping companies, reached a tentative agreement on wages, the union and ports said in a joint statement. A person briefed on the agreement said the ports sweetened their wage offer from about 50% over six years to 62%. The person didn't want to be identified because the agreement is tentative. Any wage increase would have to be approved by union members as part of the ratification of a final contract. The union went on strike early Tuesday after its contract expired in a dispute over pay and the automation of tasks at 36 ports stretching from Maine to Texas. The strike came at the peak of the holiday shopping season at the ports, which handle about half the cargo from ships coming into and out of the United States. The walkout raised the risk of shortages of goods on store shelves if it lasted more than a few weeks. Most retailers, though, had stocked up or shipped items early in anticipation of the dockworkers' strike. "With the grace of God, and the goodwill of neighbors, it's gonna hold," President Joe Biden told reporters Thursday night after the agreement. In a statement later, Biden applauded both sides "for acting patriotically to reopen our ports and ensure the availability of critical supplies for Hurricane Helene recovery and rebuilding." Biden said that collective bargaining is "critical to building a stronger economy from the middle out and the bottom up." The union's membership won't need to vote on the temporary suspension of the strike, meaning that giant cranes should start loading and unloading shipping containers Thursday night. Until January 15, the workers will be covered under the old contract, which expired on September 30. The union had been demanding a 77% raise over six years, plus a complete ban on the use of automation at the ports, which members see as a threat to their jobs. Both sides also have been apart on the issues of pension contributions and the distribution of royalties paid on containers that are moved by workers. Thomas Kohler, who teaches labor and employment law at Boston College, said the agreement to halt the strike means that the two sides are close to a final deal.  "I'm sure that if they weren't going anywhere they wouldn't have suspended (the strike)," he said. "They've got wages. They'll work out the language on automation, and I'm sure that what this really means is it gives the parties time to sit down and get exactly the language they can both live with." Industry analysts have said that for every day of a port strike it takes four to six days to recover. But they said a short strike of a few days probably wouldn't gum up the supply chain too badly. Kohler said the surprise end to the strike may catch railroads with cars, engines and crews out of position. But railroads are likely to work quickly to fix that. Just before the strike had begun, the Maritime Alliance said both sides had moved off their original wage offers, a tentative sign of progress. The settlement pushes the strike and any potential shortages past the November presidential election, eliminating a potential liability for Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee. It's also a big plus for the Biden-Harris administration, which has billed itself as the most union-friendly in American history. Shortages could have driven up prices and reignited inflation. Thursday's deal came after administration officials met with foreign-owned shipping companies before dawn on Zoom, according to a person briefed on the day's events who asked not to be identified because the talks were private. The White House wanted to increase pressure to settle, emphasizing the responsibility to reopen the ports to help with recovery from Hurricane Helene, the person said. Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su told them she could get the union to the bargaining table to extend the contract if the carriers made a higher wage offer. Chief of Staff Jeff Zients told the carriers they had to make an offer by the end of the day so a manmade strike wouldn't worsen a natural disaster, the person said. By midday the Maritime Alliance members agreed to a large increase, bringing about the agreement, according to the person.

President Joe Biden traveled to the election battleground states of Florida and Georgia on Thursday to survey damage caused by Hurricane Helene. It’s the second day the U.S. president reassured storm victims that the federal government will support recovery efforts. Patsy Widakuswara reports.

America's voting landscape is shifting. While many still cast ballots at local polls, mail-in voting is on the rise. Once limited to military personnel and homebound citizens, it's now the primary method in several states.

Tunisia holds presidential elections Sunday that seem certain to give incumbent Kais Saied another term in office, with his main rivals jailed, disqualified or otherwise sidelined. Is this the end of Tunisia’s fragile democracy? Lisa Bryant reports.