Americans lost close to a billion dollars to AI scams in one year – and cybersecurity experts fear this is only the beginning.
Nearly $900 million was stolen in scams that incorporated AI in 2025, according to the first report of its kind from the FBI. The bureau also received more than 22,000 reports about such schemes to its Internet Crime Complaint Center.
One woman in California lost more than $5,000 when a scammer used AI to impersonate her daughter’s voice. Another woman in Ohio lost $1.5 million after fake FBI agents convinced her to drain her bank accounts.
Internet scams are not new; they’ve been around as long as people have been logging on. Fake Nigerian prince emails, phishing schemes and all types of malware have long been digital landmines for people surfing the web. But AI is now changing the cyber con game and costing Americans millions in the process — a number that is only going to grow as AI improves, which it does by the nanosecond.
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Michael Machtinger, deputy assistant director of the FBI Cyber Division, told the Wall Street Journal that AI-created fraudulent communications “can look very official and very legitimate to even the most trained individuals.”
An FBI report found that Americans lost nearly $900 million to scammers using AI in 2025. That figure is expected to rise (AFP/Getty)
‘Today’s AI is the worst AI you will ever use’
As AI companies pitch the public on the urgency of adopting their technology, criminals have been more than willing to heed that advice.
Like everyone else playing around with Claude, Gemini, Grok, and ChatGPT, scammers are still figuring out exactly what they can pull off using the chatbots, according to Jake Braun, executive director of the Cyber Policy Initiative at the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy.
He told the WSJ that as AI continues to improve, the means by which criminals can use it to bilk people out of their money will likely only get more sophisticated too.
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“The AI companies like to say that today’s AI is the worst AI you will ever use. What’s also true is that these are the lowest number of AI complaints we are ever going to see,” he told the paper.
Bob Sullivan, host of AARP podcast The Perfect Scam, explained in March that AI has helped scammers flood the internet with fraudulent offers and malicious schemes.
“We’re getting deluged,” Sullivan said. “A couple of years ago, you might have encountered one or two AI-generated scams a year. Now scammer call centers are sending out tens of thousands of scam messages per minute.”
Wide range of grifts
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Consumer protection agencies have collected long lists of all the various ways scammers are using AI to try to rip people off. Both California’s Department of Financial Protection and Innovation and New York City’s Consumer Worker and Protection agency have compiled lists of the methods criminals are using.
A new spin on an old grift is the use of deepfakes to convince people they’re talking to someone they trust — or someone they want to trust like a celebrity or a public figure — in order to convince them to send them money. AI scammers might deepfake a photo or a video of a relative in a tough situation or a celebrity as a means of establishing credibility.
Romance schemes follow a similar tack, using fake images or videos — or even voices — of attractive people or celebrities to convince a victim that they’re interested in them. Once trust has been secured, that’s when the scam hits. The account will then ask the person for money or assistance, and with people’s emotions clouding their judgment, they have been known to fork over thousands of dollars.
While some criminals seek to exploit concern for loved ones or a desire for romance, others appeal to greed.
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Criminals are using AI voice cloning, deepfake images and video generation to pose as celebrities or loved ones in an effort to steal from unsuspecting people (Getty/iStock)
According to law enforcement agencies, some scammers have created entirely fictional influencers to convince people to invest in fake businesses or to support their non-existent work.
The student told Wired that he used Google’s Gemini AI to create the fictional influencer and raked in thousands off the “super dumb” — in his words — MAGA crowd who ate up the rhetoric.
But it’s not just so-called “super dumb” people falling for AI scams. Advice, especially online, has typically been aimed at older Americans who may be less fluent in technology and unaware of the red flags associated with fraud. However, the new FBI report suggests broader messaging may be needed to teach a much younger group of Americans how to keep criminals out of their wallets.
Targeting teens
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According to the FBI, teens have become a prime target for scammers in recent years. The bureau reports that it received 31,000 complaints to its crime complaint center from people under the age of 20 last year. That’s up 74 percent from 2024 and is nearly triple the number of complaints it received from the same demographic in 2015.
Ade Clewlow, associate director and senior adviser at cybersecurity consulting firm NCC Group, told the WSJ that teens who have grown up online are more likely to trust what they encounter on the internet and “are just as susceptible as anyone else” to fraud.
Social media sites are especially useful for scammers because they allow them to peer into a target’s network of friends and family and search for vulnerabilities they can exploit.
Focusing on a target’s family was exactly how scammers managed to steal more than $5,000 from Deborah Del Mastro of San Francisco.
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Earlier this month, Del Mastro answered a phone call and received terrifying news; a voice on the other end of the call told her they had kidnapped her daughter, Sarah, and demanded a ransom.
She told Good Morning America that the voice told her there was “someone here that you need to talk to” before she heard her daughter’s panicked voice.
“I hear my daughter’s voice — sobbing, trying to breathe, having a panic attack,” Del Mastro said. “And [the voice] says, ‘I’m so sorry, Mom. I am so scared. I’m so sorry.’”
The kidnappers demanded she send $5,400 to multiple locations in Mexico if she wanted to see her daughter again. She obliged, fearing for her daughter’s safety. Once she had hung up with the kidnappers, she called her daughter only to find that she was fine.
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Del Mastro realized then she’d been scammed, likely by an AI clone of her daughter’s voice.
Scammers have already used deepfakes and voice cloning to steal thousands — and in one Ohio case, more than a million dollars — from victims (Getty/iStock)
Erin West, founder of Operation Shamrock, an organization focused on combating scammers, told KGO that even seconds-long audio clips of a person’s voice — like what might be included in a video shared to Facebook or Instagram — can be used to create believable voice clones.
“What they can do with just a few seconds of your voice [is] they can clone it, and they can essentially produce sound that sounds exactly like you,” she told the broadcaster, adding that AI voice cloning is “only getting worse, and it will only continue to get worse with the use of AI and deepfake technology.”
Another woman in California fell victim to a similar scam. When Abigail — no last name given — received a Facebook message from someone claiming to be Steve Burton, a longtime star of the legendary “General Hospital” soap opera, she readily accepted the message.
The two chatted, moving their conversation from Facebook to WhatsApp. Their conversations continued, and eventually Abigail received a video from the person claiming to be Burton. The man in the video — who looked and sounded just like the soap star — called Abigail “my queen” and promised to love her.
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Abigail’s daughter, Vivian Ruvalcaba, told Fox News that she saw the video and warned her mother it was AI, but her mother was convinced it was real.
Before she realized it was all a lie, Abigail had sent the fake Burton $81,000 and sold her condo — at $200,000 under its estimated value — on a promise that she and the faux celebrity would run away together to live in a beach house.
If impersonating loved ones or celebrities isn’t bad enough, fraudsters have also used AI to more convincingly impersonate government workers.
Scammers and disinformation peddlers can use deepfakes — enhanced by AI technology — to make convincing clones of politicians, celebrities, and even loved ones with as little as a few photos or video clips posted online (AFP/Getty)
Fake government officials
The FBI’s report found that government impersonation schemes are becoming not only more prevalent but more sophisticated. The bureau’s complaint center received more than 32,000 calls last year about government impersonation schemes, up from around 17,000 in 2024.
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“What began as clumsy phone calls from fake IRS agents demanding gift cards has evolved into something far more sophisticated and far harder to dismiss,” Judson Dressler, director of the risk operations center at cyber risk company Resilience, told the WSJ.
Fraudsters use spoofing to make their calls appear legitimate on caller ID systems; lift official seals and logos off agency websites; and employ AI deepfake audio and video to create convincing fakes of public officials, Dressler said.
One 93-year-old woman in Ohio reportedly lost $1.5 million to a government impersonation scam when a fake FBI official convinced the woman that criminals were targeting her assets. They warned her she needed to drain her bank accounts and deposit the money into crypto ATMs for safety. The thieves took the money, with no means for her to recover her savings.
In 2025, Consumer Reports delivered a petition signed by 75,000 Americans to the Federal Trade Commission asking it to hold companies that produce products capable of AI voice cloning accountable for the scams made possible by the technology.
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Staying safe in the age of AI
As AI improves, it will become increasingly difficult to know not only what information is real, but whether the people you’re talking to online even exist.
In an effort to better educate the public on the latest methods fraudsters are using, the FBI has bolstered its resources available on IC3.gov.
One way Americans can protect themselves from digital scams is to always verify that the person they’re communicating with is legitimate. If someone calls or messages from a government agency, for example, it’s good practice to call the agency directly to verify the identity of the person.
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There’s almost never a time when an agency or company needs immediate payment. If someone contacts you demanding money immediately, that’s a good time to pause and verify, according to the FBI.
According to Navy Federal Credit Union, which released guidance for avoiding AI scams earlier this year, Americans may also want to limit how much of themselves they share online. AI needs very little — a few photos, a few seconds of voice — to create a compelling clone that can be used against your loved ones.
If you suspect you’ve been a victim of a scam, you should act quickly and notify your bank, as well as file a report on IC3.gov. Machtinger told the WSJ that reporting is crucial to stopping fraudsters.
“It could help you and prevent numerous other individuals from falling prey to similar kinds of criminal activity,” he said.
Aldi, which had been looking at extending the site for some time, first revealed its plans last year, with councillors giving the green light in December.
A spokesperson said: “Work is progressing well on extending our store at Healaugh Park, Yarm, and we’re pleased that the store has remained open during these preliminary extension works.
“However, we’d like to inform customers that the store will be temporarily closed from 6pm on Saturday, June 6.
“The newly extended and refurbished store will reopen at 8am on Thursday, August 13. We apologise for any inconvenience this will cause.
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“Whilst works are being carried out, customers will be able to visit our other nearby stores at Thornaby, Coulby Newham and Stockton.
“The extended store will provide an improved shopping experience for our customers and will create up to 10 new jobs for local people.
“We look forward to welcoming our customers back.”
Signs have gone up confirming the closure. (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)
The store’s car park was fenced off in March as construction teams moved in. Since then, the former chemist has been stripped out, with walls taken back to brick.
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Steelwork has also been installed at the front of the unit as part of the extension.
Once complete, the store will gain an additional 353 square metres of floor space, along with a new entrance lobby, staff room and customer toilet.
Plans also include a new paved area to the side of the store, similar to that outside Whitworths, as well as an expanded trolley bay.
Parking provision will increase to 89 spaces in total, including 85 for customers and four for staff.
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The project will also involve re-roofing the building and widening the service yard.
Shocked holiday makers witnessed a naked tourist attempting to fight local Costa police officers in San Antonio, Ibiza, earlier this week. (Picture: A/NPZ/SM/Solarpix)
A naked tourist who attempted to shadowbox police in Ibiza was beaten up by officers
The English-speaking tourist was detained by police in Ibiza after a chaotic confrontation on a beach promenade in front of stunned holidaymakers on Thursday in San Antonio, one of Ibiza’s popular tourist resorts.
The man, who was reportedly exercising without clothes on the seafront, attracted the attention of members of the public who alerted authorities. When officers arrived, the situation quickly escalated.
Video footage from the scene appears to show police striking the man with batons after he allegedly shouted insults in English and challenged officers to a fight while naked.
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During the incident, he can be seen moving across the sand on his hands and knees as he attempts to evade officers.
Local police started beating the man up after he turned aggressive. (Picture: A/NPZ/SM/Solarpix)
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One British tourist was heard saying ‘oh my God’ while watching officers overpower the man. Another bystander could be heard shouting: ‘Hit him, hit that d***head hard’, The Sun reported.
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Whereas another onlooker is reported to have said: ‘Hit him, hit that d***head hard.’
the man repeatedly shouted at officers when they arrived and swore at them as they approached him.
Authorities came to the scene after receiving numerous complaints from concerned members of the public over a short period of time.
It was reported that onlookers thought the man was drunk ‘disturbed and quite agitated, possibly due to the consumption of drugs’.
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The man was first seen exercising at the beach while not wearing any clothes before bystanders became concerned about his behaviour. (Picture: A/NPZ/SM/Solarpix)
The man was taken to Can Misses Hospital, the main public hospital in Ibiza Town.
Police have not yet confirmed if he will face charges or what his nationality is.
The incident comes only days after another disturbance in San Antonio involving two tourists who were filmed fighting late at night.
Footage showed the pair rolling around on the ground and exchanging blows, leaving blood stains on a large public art mural beneath them.
An attempt by a bystander to break up the fight failed when another individual unexpectedly joined the fray and punched the peacemaker, allowing the confrontation to continue.
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The footage surfaced as local officials announced plans to increase police numbers across San Antonio during the busy summer season.
Temperatures of 32C are expected come kick-off at the Raymond James Stadium, but Tuchel will have plenty to sweat over beyond the weather. The stadium’s playing surface is not quite up to Premier League scratch, and he will hope at the very least to keep his players fit, with a first group stage match against Croatia now just 11 days away. The All Whites of New Zealand, meanwhile, are gearing up for just their third World Cup appearance, with Nottingham Forest’s Chris Wood leading the line.
The flight from Fuerteventura was diverted to the capital.
Passengers were forced to land at Edinburgh Airport on Saturday afternoon after the pilot made a swift decision. Malta Air flight FR1667 from Fuerteventura was set to land at Bristol around 3.25pm on June 6.
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Instead, passengers were diverted to the Scottish capital and the aircraft landed around 3..50pm, according to Flight Radar. The reason for the diversion has not been confirmed.
The flight left Fuerteventura shortly before 11am. It’s understood the pilot did not declare an emergency onboard.
Malta Air is owned and operated by Ryanair. The airline have been approached for comment by our sister title Edinburgh Live.
This comes following a separate incident on May 28, where officers boarded a Ryanair flight after it touched down in Edinburgh.
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An incident took place on the flight from Riga to Scotland’s capital with a passenger saying half a dozen officers boarded upon landing. After departing from Latvia at 10.45am local time, the plane touched down in Scotland at 11.35am.
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A video from within the plane appears to show an officer walking down the aisle of the packed flight while passengers look on in shock. Other footage appears to depict authorities surrounding the plane on the tarmac.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 11.40am on Thursday, 28 May, 2026, officers received a report of a disruptive passenger on a flight arriving at Edinburgh Airport. Officers attended and no criminality was established. Advice was provided.”
A spokesperson from Ryanair said: “Crew on this flight from Riga to Edinburgh (May 28) called ahead for police assistance after a passenger became disruptive onboard. The aircraft was met by police and the passenger was removed.
“Ryanair has a strict zero tolerance policy towards passenger misconduct and will continue to take decisive action to combat unruly passenger behaviour, ensuring that all passengers and crew travel in a respectful and stress-free environment, without unnecessary disruption.”
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WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has issued a pardon to Stephen Buyer, a former Republican congressman from Indiana who served nearly two years in prison for making illegal stock trades based on inside information after he left office.
Buyer was sentenced to 22 months in prison in 2023 for trades made while working as a consultant and lobbyist. He was ordered to forfeit more than $350,000, representing the amount of the illegal gains, and pay a $10,000 fine. He was released in 2025.
The Supreme Court in May rejected Buyer’s appeal without comment or noted dissent.
In granting “a full, complete, and unconditional pardon,” Trump cited Buyer’s career as a judge advocate general in the Army and in the House that was “distinguished and highly productive.” The pardon was dated Thursday and released by the White House late Friday.
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Buyer said the pardon “corrects a politically motivated prosecution” and that it was “horrific to be imprisoned for a crime that I did not commit.” He maintains that he is innocent.
Former U.S. Rep. Stephen Buyer leaves Manhattan federal court after pleading not guilty to charges that he participated in an insider trading scheme while working as a consultant, July 27, 2022, in New York. (AP Photo/Larry Neumeister, File)
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Former U.S. Rep. Stephen Buyer leaves Manhattan federal court after pleading not guilty to charges that he participated in an insider trading scheme while working as a consultant, July 27, 2022, in New York. (AP Photo/Larry Neumeister, File)
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Trump used his Truth Social media platform on May 31 to share a pair of letters requesting a presidential pardon for Buyer, a lawyer and Gulf War veteran who left office in 2011. He was a House prosecutor at Democratic President Bill Clinton’s 1998 impeachment trial and in 2016 he served on Trump’s transition team focusing on veterans’ issues.
A letter signed by more than 40 former Republicans in Congress said Buyer was “targeted by the deep state” because of his involvement in Clinton’s trial.
“Like you, Mr. President, Steve has been the victim of lawfare conducted by the Biden Administration,” they wrote in the April 2025 letter.
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The U.S. Capitol is seen Friday, June 5, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)
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The U.S. Capitol is seen Friday, June 5, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)
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A second letter, from five current House Republicans, said pardoning Buyer would bring justice to his case. The June 2025 letter was signed by Tom Cole of Oklahoma, Ken Calvert of California, Marlin Stutzman of Indiana, Jack Bergman of Michigan and Pete Sessions of Texas.
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Buyer, 67, was convicted in connection with insider trading involving the $26.5 billion merger of T-Mobile and Sprint, announced in April 2018, and illegal trades in the management consulting company Navigant when his client Guidehouse was set to acquire it in a deal publicly disclosed weeks later.
The Constitution gives a president broad power to grant pardons for federal crimes. The pardons do not erase a recipient’s criminal record but can be seen as act of mercy or justice.
White storks (Ciconia ciconia) are a majestic bird with a two-metre wingspan and an enormous circular nest.
The recent release of these stunning birds at multiple sites in England, with more releases planned and a public consultation under way has kicked off a debate about whether non-native birds should be part of rewilding projects.
The government advising body Natural England says it does not consider white storks to be native birds. But some experts disagree and say it is a native species and was hunted into extinction in the 1400s.
What is a native species?
In the UK, native species are those which have been present throughout the last 12,000 years. This includes migratory species which breed in or visit the UK. It also includes species which have been eradicated by humans but reintroduced.
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In England, a licence is needed to introduce any species which is not ordinarily resident, or a regular visitor, to England. This is partly because these species could become invasive, a term used when a species cause substantial environmental or socioeconomic harm.
But even when species are not native, they can have value for rewilding projects.
The white stork’s biggest contribution to rewilding is likely to be their ability to inspire the public interest in nature. Storks in Europe are so popular that there are special stork villages which are managed for tourism, and people can see these iconic species up close.
White storks were reintroduced in Sussex as part of a rewilding project and are now breeding.
White storks are definitely regular visitors to England, and rare but present in the subfossil record (the last 4000 years). This status as a regular visitor means they fall somewhere between a native and non-native species – they are not considered a priority for introduction, but no license is required for their release.
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Introduced non-native species can cause problems. A good example is Japanese knotweed (Reynoutria japonica), brought to the UK by the Victorians as an ornamental plant. It rapidly spreads and causes damage to the structure of buildings and essential services such as water and drainage pipes. Controlling it now costs the UK £247 million each year.
Introduced species are also a major conservation challenge, such as the damage to seabird populations by invasive cats, rats and other animals feeding on their eggs and chicks. If a rewilding project introduces a non-native species, it could become invasive and cause serious disruption to native species already in the landscape.
But evaluating the impact of adding new species to the landscape is important even when a species is considered native. The Scottish beaver trial was conducted to evaluate the impact of introducing beavers (Castor fiber) from Norway in 2008. Eighteen years later, beavers are a key part of many rewilding projects, from London to large estates in Scotland.
What can white storks add?
White storks are charismatic species which are viewed positively by most people, and this could increase engagement with nature. In Poland, tourists travel hundreds of kilometers to visit white storks, making them valuable for rewilding projects which use tourism to raise funds.
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Non-native species are also introduced as “ecological analogues” which means they provide the same ecological function as extinct species. The steppe bison (Bison priscus) which roamed the UK in the Pleistocene period were mixed feeders, which means they ate a combination of grasses, leaves and the woody parts of plants. By feeding on a variety of plants and plant parts, mixed feeders like bison can encourage a patchwork of habitats in a landscape. The native steppe bison is extinct in the UK, but projects like Kent Wildlife Trust’s Wilder Blean project have introduced the related, but non-native, European bison (Bison bonasus) to provide these functions.
Adapting to warming climate
Better adaptation to future climates is another reason to include non-native species in rewilding projects. As the UK’s climate changes, species are moving from places where they are considered native to new areas which suit them better. The southern small white butterfly (Pieris mannii) has spread northwards in Europe and was first seen in the UK in 2025. This small butterfly has successfully made the journey over the ocean, but other species may require human help to move to new areas with more suitable climates.
As an island nation with many locally extinct species, the introduction of species has formed a key part of UK conservation, including rewilding projects. It does matter whether a species is native or not. Although both could benefit rewilding projects, non-native species carry greater risks to local environments and have higher regulatory requirements.
The white stork’s status as a regular visitor could allow them to sidestep the regulatory requirements for non-native species, though impact on the environment should also be considered.
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But as their nests can attract birds such as swallows and martins, introducing white storks could have broader benefits to the landscape.
HEBRON, West Bank (AP) — Israeli troops shot at a car in the occupied West Bank, killing a 7-month-old Palestinian baby and wounding his parents, the Palestinian health ministry said, with the bullet striking the boy in the face.
The Israeli military said that soldiers shot at a vehicle perceived to be accelerating toward them near Hebron. It said an initial inquiry found that the three Palestinians wounded were uninvolved civilians.
Israeli military activity, and settler violence against Palestinians, have surged in the territory since the war in Gaza began in October 2023.
The baby’s father, Bethlehem University lecturer Fahd Abu Haikal, told The Associated Press that a bullet struck the windshield before piercing his right hand and striking his son and wife in the back seat Friday evening. Another bullet struck the hood, according to AP journalists who saw the car.
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The bullet passed through Sam Fahd Abu Haikal’s face.
“He was the entire world,” Haikal said of the boy, who turned seven months on Friday.
The mother was in critical condition, with shrapnel close to her heart.
The baby’s body was wrapped in a Palestinian flag. His father carried him. The men placed the small bundle at their feet and bowed in prayer.
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The father demanded justice. “At the end they tell you it was a mistake,” he said. “Nothing is called a mistake.”
The baby’s grandmother, Feryal Abu Heikal, was also in the car. She said that they were driving near a checkpoint and stopped when they saw Israeli military vehicles and soldiers in the distance. She said she initially thought the gunfire was warning shots.
“The scene was horrific to see a 7-month-old baby with a smashed face,” she said. “What kind of army in the world does this?”
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Israeli soldiers are rarely punished in such cases
Israeli soldiers accused of harming Palestinians are seldom penalized, and were indicted in fewer than 1% of cases based on 2,427 complaints alleging wrongdoing between 2016 and 2024, according to Israeli rights group Yesh Din.
On Saturday, the Palestinian Red Crescent said that eight people were wounded in settler attacks on the town of Huwara, near Nablus, including from tear gas inhalation and rubber-coated metal bullets.
Israel’s military said that riots broke out between Israelis and Palestinians, with rocks and batons, after a reported theft of livestock and soldiers dispersed them. The military said that it was aware of footage showing a soldier using violence against a Palestinian and it was under review. Images appeared to show someone being thrown to the ground and beaten.
Huwara has seen numerous attacks in recent years. In February 2023, scores of Israeli settlers rampaged there, burning dozens of cars and homes, after a Palestinian gunman killed two settlers.
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The United Nations said last month that more than 1,000 Palestinians including at least 240 children have been killed in the West Bank and east Jerusalem since the war in Gaza began with the attack by Hamas-led militants on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
More than 700,000 Israelis live in the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem, territories captured by Israel in 1967 from Jordan and sought by the Palestinians for a future state. The international community overwhelmingly considers Israeli settlement construction in these areas to be illegal and an obstacle to peace.
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Strike kills at least 7 in Gaza
An Israeli strike on Saturday in Gaza City killed at least seven people, including two women, a girl and her father, all from the same family, according to Shifa Hospital. Director Mohamed Abu Selmiya said that a tent near the Rimal school was struck.
Israel’s military said that it attacked what it called militants in the area.
Meanwhile, Hamas said that negotiators chaired by Khalil al-Hayyah began a new round of talks in Cairo with mediators from Egypt, Qatar and Turkey, in an effort to break a deadlock and move forward in implementing the Gaza ceasefire deal that took effect in October. The previous round of talks was a month ago.
Spokesperson Hazem Qassem said the talks were aimed at fully implementing the ceasefire’s first phase and ending Israel’s near-daily attacks in the territory. The fragile ceasefire began in October. While the heaviest fighting has subsided, the truce has seen almost daily Israeli fire.
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Nickolay Mladenov, the head of the U.S.-created Board of Peace that oversees the ceasefire, acknowledged last month that the truce has stalled over the key issue of disarming Hamas.
Qassem said the talks will discuss “approaches acceptable to all parties” to implement the second phase, including addressing weapons of Palestinian militant groups and the entry of an international stabilization force.
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Samy Magdy reported from Cairo, and Sam Mednick from Tel Aviv, Israel.
One year after completing her treatment, Nicola is taking on an impressive 100km trek for charity
In early 2024, Nicola McComb’s life took a dramatic turn when she was alerted to a lump by her cocker spaniel. At the age of 39, the Bangor woman said she always considered herself fit and healthy, with the diagnosis of triple negative breast cancer a “huge shock.”
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In June 2025, Nicola successfully completed treatment consisting of chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy, and wanted to set herself a meaningful goal for recovery. This week, she takes on the huge challenge of the CoppaTrek, a 100km hike along the Jurassic Coast in the south of England, in aid of charity CoppaFeel!
The trek aims to raise funds and awareness for young people affected by breast cancer, and she will be led around the coast by team captains Giovanna Fletcher and Emma Willis.
Speaking to Belfast Live, Nicola said the event is about more than fundraising for her. She said: “It represents the determination and resilience needed to rebuild after cancer treatment and look forward with confidence.
“Taking on the CoppaFeel! trek a year after completing treatment feels incredibly rewarding. This time last year, my focus was simply on getting finishing treatment and recovering.
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“To now be in a position where I can challenge myself physically and take part in an adventure like this is something I’m very grateful for. It’s a reminder of how far I’ve come and what can be achieved with determination, resilience and support.
“While going through cancer treatment, I set myself a goal of climbing Slieve Donard. It gave me something positive to focus on during some difficult days and reminded me that there would be challenges and achievements beyond treatment.
“With the support of my brother, Michael Thompson, and nephew, Lewin Thompson, I achieved that goal in May. Reaching the summit was an incredible moment and showed me that I was capable of more than I had imagined, and now I’m taking on the CoppaFeel! trek feels like the next step in that journey.”
Looking back on her cancer diagnosis and treatment, the 41-year-old said: “I always considered myself fit, healthy, and low-risk. This diagnosis was a huge shock.
“My cocker spaniel alerted me to my lump, and although I hadn’t been doing regular checks, I acted on that small moment. I saw my GP, which led to my diagnosis.
“Over the next 18 months, I underwent chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy. It was incredibly tough, both physically and mentally, and I’m still recovering, rebuilding my body and strength.
“During this time, I witnessed the devastating loss of some incredible women to this form of breast cancer while I was battling it myself. These experiences gave me the determination to raise awareness and support life-saving work.”
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Nicola said her diagnosis changed her perspective on life, making her want to move out of her comfort zone more often and try out new experiences. She also hopes to raise awareness of the importance of looking out for the signs and symptoms of cancer.
“I would never have considered this challenge before my cancer diagnosis,” she said. “Cancer changes your perspective on life and has made me more determined to say yes to new experiences and challenges.
“The trek is not just about completing the miles, it’s about proving to myself what I’m capable of and making the most of the opportunities I have. It’s also about connecting with other people who have faced similar experiences.
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“There’s something really special about bringing together people who have been through similar journeys and supporting one another while taking on a challenge like this.
“It’s also an incredible opportunity to support CoppaFeel! and help raise awareness of the importance of checking your body and seeking advice if something doesn’t feel right.”
For anyone who finds themselves in the position she was in just two years ago, Nicola said it’s important to “take things one day at a time” and be kind to yourself.
She said: “Two years ago, I was facing one of the most aggressive forms of breast cancers, it completely changed my world. If I could say one thing to someone in that position now, it would be to take things one day at a time.
“There will be moments that feel overwhelming and frightening, but you don’t have to have all the answers straight away. Ask questions, accept support when it’s offered, and be kind to yourself on the difficult days.
“Lean on the people around you, I could not have got through it without my husband, Sam McComb, by my side, he held me up so ask for help when you need it and focus on the next step rather than the whole journey.
“Treatment can be tough, life can feel still while the world keeps moving, but there is life beyond cancer. When I was first diagnosed, I couldn’t have imagined climbing Slieve Donard, let alone preparing to trek the Jurassic Coast with CoppaFeel! Those milestones are a reminder that while cancer changes your life, it doesn’t have to define your future.”
European Cargo, headquartered at Bournemouth International Airport, appointed joint administrators on Wednesday after a period of “significant financial pressure.”
The company cited reduced flying activity, working capital challenges, and rising fuel costs as contributing factors.
A statement published on European Cargo’s website said: “The company has ceased trading and, regrettably, redundancies are being made.
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“Affected employees are being contacted as a priority – while also engaging with customers, suppliers, creditors and other key stakeholders.”
European Cargo specialised in using Airbus A340-600 aircraft to transport freight.
The airline flew personal protective equipment (PPE) into Bournemouth Airport during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Aviation analyst Tomos Shah-Howells described the collapse as “like a real sucker punch” for Bournemouth airport, given the airline’s recent growth plans and investments.
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Mr Shah-Howells said: “You look at where this airline was heading and the ambitions they had and the growth they had.
“And I know that Bournemouth did absolutely fantastic work helping them expand their operations…
“My heart really goes out to the people at Bournemouth airport and all of the staff that work there as well.”
He said the business model was unique but relied on older, less fuel-efficient aircraft.
Mr Shah-Howells said: “They use the Airbus A340-600 aircraft, it’s a very old aircraft, a four-engine, large, wide-body plane.
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“It’s not traditionally used by many airlines around the world anymore, just because of the rising costs of operating these aircraft.”
The airline had recently expanded its fleet to 15 aircraft and launched new operations from its base in Teesside and at Cardiff, employing more than 200 staff.
The total number of job losses has not been confirmed.
European Cargo had previously described Bournemouth as a cost-effective alternative to other UK airports.
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