JQJO — Your world, one story at a time · Page 1265

President Donald Trump said he’s weighing whether to urge Israel to free jailed Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti, telling Time he discussed the idea with aides and said he will make a decision. Barghouti, convicted in 2004 in attacks that killed five people, was not among prisoners freed this month under a Gaza ceasefire deal. The White House did not respond to a request for comment. Separately, Vice President JD Vance said reconstruction could begin soon in areas free of Hamas, while rebuilding Rafah could take two to three years; the city was largely decimated by fighting.

A sweeping new Science study led by Shedd Aquarium biologist Ross Cunning declares Florida’s elkhorn and staghorn corals functionally extinct after the record 2023 heat wave. Divers assessed more than 52,000 colonies at nearly 400 sites and found 97.8% to 100% mortality in the Florida Keys and near Dry Tortugas—erasing decades of restoration. Researchers warn the loss of these key reef builders will unravel coastal ecosystems and weaken natural storm barriers. Small survivors persist near Miami–Broward, but currents limit recovery. Authors suggest importing heat-tolerant corals; some experts even eye gene-editing amid a broader mass bleaching.

French endurance cyclist Sofiane Sehili, 44, was freed by a Primorye court after seven weeks in detention on suspicion of illegally crossing Russia’s border. The court said he admitted guilt, was found guilty under Article 322, and was released in the courtroom, exempted from a 50,000-ruble fine because of time served. His bicycle, passport, e-visa copy and electronics were returned. Earlier rulings extended his custody and rejected an appeal. Sehili had been attempting a Lisbon-to-Vladivostok record ride, posting until Sept. 1 from China. He had earlier been pictured behind bars in cycling shoes.

Prominent conservative voices who once backed Donald Trump’s anti–“forever war” message are alarmed by his administration’s expanding operations against Venezuela and in the Caribbean. Since early September, the U.S. has carried out lethal strikes on civilian boats and surged more than 10,000 troops, ships and aircraft, while Mr. Trump authorized C.I.A. covert action. Analysts question the legal basis and targets, citing fishermen among the dead and survivors sent home. Senator Marco Rubio is shaping a pressure campaign to oust Nicolás Maduro. Critics warn of “neocon” mission creep and false claims about fentanyl.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame trimmed its senior field to 34 candidates for the Class of 2026, whittled from 52 by a blue-ribbon committee. Members voted for 25 players each, with the top 25 plus ties advancing; the list will drop to nine semifinalists next month, and three finalists will move to the Hall of Fame’s selection committee for consideration. Eligible players last appeared no later than the 2000 season. The group features names such as Ken Anderson, Roger Craig, Henry Ellard, Joe Jacoby, Clay Matthews Jr., Albert Lewis, and Steve Tasker.

Sam O’Hara, a Washington DC resident, has sued four police officers, an Ohio National Guard member, and the District of Columbia after he was detained last month for trailing a Guard patrol while playing the Star Wars "Imperial March" to protest the Trump administration’s deployment. Represented by an ACLU attorney, O’Hara says officers handcuffed him after a Guard member called police, halting a peaceful demonstration he shared on TikTok. Filed in federal court in DC, the suit alleges First and Fourth Amendment violations, false arrest, false imprisonment, and battery, and seeks compensatory damages.

The Daily details a split inside the Trump administration over Venezuela: initial negotiations to trade resource access for Maduro’s survival gave way to Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s hard-line push to brand Maduro’s government a drug cartel and deploy force. The U.S. has destroyed seven boats near Venezuela and authorized CIA covert operations, with Trump weighing actions on land. Critics warn of regional spillover and a dangerous legal precedent. On Wednesday, officials said an eighth boat was struck in the Eastern Pacific, raising the known death toll to 34.

In a blunt earnings-call pitch, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said he needs voting control and a pay package worth nearly $1 trillion to proceed with building a 'robot army,' warning he could be ousted otherwise. The proposal ties compensation to milestones, including 1 million robotaxis and 1 million humanoid robots, with a shareholder vote set for November 7. Proxy firms ISS and Glass Lewis urged opposition; Musk called them 'corporate terrorists.' He said Optimus V3 will debut in the first quarter of next year, with V4 scaling to tens of thousands, after earlier demos struggled and used remote control.

Ed Miliband’s vow to cut household energy bills by £300 by 2030 faces fresh doubt after the economist behind the estimate said rising electricity costs could erase the gains. Pawel Czyzak of Ember told the BBC his 2023 analysis needs updating amid higher offshore wind and grid costs, warning savings depend on cheaper wholesale power. The government insists its clean-power drive will lower bills and says it is delivering on key policies. The Tony Blair Institute urges a pivot to 'cheaper power', including scrapping gas carbon taxes, as Ofgem’s cap nudged bills up 2% this month.

BBC Verify says Israel is exerting control deeper into Gaza than the ceasefire’s mapped “Yellow Line” indicated, after videos and satellite images showed concrete markers placed hundreds of metres inside the Strip near al-Atatra and Khan Younis. Defense Minister Israel Katz warned crossings would be met with fire; at least two deadly incidents have occurred, including a 17 October strike that Gaza’s Civil Defence says killed 11 civilians after a vehicle crossed the line. The IDF says the blocks, set every 200 metres, provide tactical clarity, but confusion and legal questions persist amid shifting maps and warnings.