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Three men accused of plotting 9/11 reach plea deal – Pentagon
The Pentagon has announced that three men accused of orchestrating the 9/11 attacks have reached a plea agreement, avoiding the death penalty. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak Bin Attash, and Mustafa Ahmed Adam al-Hawsawi have been detained at the Guantanamo Bay facility for years without standing trial. The details of their plea deal have not been disclosed, but it is reported that they will plead guilty in exchange for life imprisonment instead of facing execution.
The 9/11 attacks, which resulted in nearly 3,000 deaths across New York, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, led to the U.S. launching the “War on Terror” and the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. The decision to pursue a plea deal has stirred controversy and dissatisfaction among families of the victims and survivors of the attacks. Brett Eagleson, president of 9/11 Justice, criticized the lack of transparency in the process and urged further investigation into Saudi Arabia’s potential involvement. Terry Strada, whose husband died in the attacks, expressed disappointment, calling the plea deal a “victory” for the accused.
The plea deal was initially communicated to victims’ families in a letter from prosecutors, indicating that the formal plea before a military court could happen soon. The U.S. Department of Defense has confirmed that the terms of the agreement are currently confidential.
The accused have faced numerous charges, including murder, hijacking, and terrorism. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, regarded as the mastermind behind the attacks, proposed the plan to al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden and assisted in recruiting and training the hijackers. Mohammed was captured in Pakistan in 2003 and subjected to “enhanced interrogation techniques,” including waterboarding, which critics have labeled as torture. Concerns over these interrogation methods potentially compromising the evidence contributed to delays in the trial.
In September, the Biden administration had rejected a previous plea deal proposed by the accused, which sought assurances against solitary confinement and access to trauma treatment. The White House has stated that it was informed of the current agreement on Wednesday and did not participate in the negotiations.
The involvement of Saudi nationals in the attacks remains a point of contention, with families pursuing legal action against the kingdom, which denies any complicity. The announcement of the plea deal has drawn criticism from Republican leaders. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell condemned the agreement, describing it as a “revolting abdication” of the government’s duty to seek justice for the American people.
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Trump Voices Fresh Frustration With Iran as War Powers Deadline Draws Near
Donald Trump has again expressed dissatisfaction with Iran as legal and political pressure grows over the administration’s military involvement alongside Israel and a key congressional deadline approaches.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Trump said recent talks with Iran had not yet produced the progress he wanted.
“We just had a conversation with Iran. Let’s see what happens. But, I would say that I am not happy,” he said.
Friday marked the 60th day since Trump formally notified Congress of military strikes against Iran on 2 March. Under the U.S. War Powers Resolution, a president must terminate the use of U.S. armed forces within 60 days of such notification unless Congress grants formal approval or authorises an extension.
The law, passed in 1973 during the Vietnam War era to limit presidential war-making powers under former President Richard Nixon, remains central to the legal debate now facing the White House.
Pete Hegseth defended the administration’s position during Senate questioning, arguing that the ongoing ceasefire between Iran and Israel effectively pauses the legal clock.
“We are in a ceasefire right now, which our understanding means the 60-day clock pauses or stops in a ceasefire,” Hegseth said.
However, Democratic Senator Tim Kaine challenged that interpretation, warning that the administration may be approaching a significant legal confrontation.
“I do not believe the statute would support that. I think the 60 days runs maybe tomorrow, and it’s going to pose a really important legal question for the administration there,” Kaine responded.
A senior administration official insisted that hostilities had “terminated,” stressing that a ceasefire has been in place since early April. Despite the pause in direct conflict, no long-term diplomatic agreement has yet been secured.
Iranian state media, including IRNA, reported on Friday that Tehran had sent a new proposal for negotiations to U.S. officials through intermediaries in Pakistan. Details of the proposal were not made public, and it remains unclear whether Washington has formally received it.
Trump said one reason negotiations have been difficult is that Iran’s leadership remains destabilised following the deaths of several top military commanders during the conflict.
He also revealed that he had been presented with sharply different strategic options by U.S. Central Command, ranging from a major military escalation to a negotiated diplomatic settlement.
“I was briefed with options… from ‘blast the hell out of them and finish them forever’ to ‘make a deal,’” Trump said.
Global markets have been closely watching developments, particularly after Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz caused major disruptions to international oil supply routes. Although oil prices eased slightly following reports of Tehran’s latest proposal, the vital waterway remains effectively closed, continuing to generate significant economic concerns worldwide.
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Trainee Bus Driver Rescued After Vehicle Plunges Into River Seine
A trainee bus driver drove a vehicle into the River Seine on Thursday morning after reportedly hitting a parked car and losing control near Juvisy-sur-Orge, officials have said.
The incident happened around 20km (12 miles) south of Paris, prompting a major emergency response involving firefighters, police officers and rescue divers.
According to the local transport authority, the driver was nearing the end of her practical training and was completing one of her final supervised driving sessions when the accident occurred.
A spokesperson for Île-de-France Mobilités said the trainee was accompanied by a lead driver, while two additional passengers were also on board at the time of the crash.
Officials confirmed that drug and alcohol tests carried out after the incident were negative, and the exact cause of the crash remains under investigation.
The Essonne Prefecture said all four people on board were successfully rescued from the water. More than 90 firefighters, alongside divers and police personnel, took part in the recovery operation.
Juvisy-sur-Orge Mayor Lamia Bensara Reda said the driver had lost control of the bus near a station close to the riverbank before the vehicle plunged into the Seine and dragged a parked car with it.
“Everyone was quickly rescued and, thankfully, is safe and sound,” she said in a post shared on Facebook.
Witnesses described a rapid response from members of the public before emergency services arrived. A local resident, 55-year-old Elisabeth, said bystanders rushed to help and threw life rings into the river to assist those trapped in the water.
The president of the transport authority has since ordered an internal investigation into the incident to determine exactly what led to the crash and whether additional safety measures may be needed during driver training.
Local politician Claire Lejeune also commented on the incident on X, confirming that the bus had fallen into the Seine with four people on board, including the trainee driver, and praised emergency responders for their swift action.
Authorities are continuing their investigation as recovery efforts at the scene move forward.
News
Aung San Suu Kyi Moved to House Arrest as Myanmar Military Announces Sentence Change
Detained former Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been moved from prison to house arrest, according to state media in Myanmar, marking a significant development in her years-long detention following the 2021 military coup.
The 80-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate has been held in custody since she was removed from office when the military seized power in February 2021. She was believed to have been detained in a military prison in the capital, Nay Pyi Taw.
A statement from military leader Min Aung Hlaing, who led the coup, said he had “commuted her remaining sentence to be served at the designated residence,” effectively transferring her from prison to house arrest.
State media also released a photograph showing Suu Kyi seated alongside two uniformed personnel, though the image did little to reassure her family.
Her son, Kim Aris, expressed strong scepticism over the announcement, saying he had no independent confirmation that his mother was alive or where she was being held.
He described the released image as “meaningless,” noting that it had been taken in 2022 rather than recently.
“So, until I’m allowed communication with her, or somebody can independently verify her condition and her whereabouts, then I won’t believe anything,” he said.
Before the 2021 coup, Suu Kyi had led Myanmar’s civilian government after her party won a historic election in 2015, following years of military-backed rule and limited democratic reforms.
She had previously spent more than 15 years under house arrest during earlier decades of military rule, becoming an international symbol of peaceful resistance and democracy. Her calm defiance and speeches delivered from her family home inspired supporters both inside Myanmar and abroad.
She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 for her non-violent struggle for democracy and human rights.
Following the coup, she was sentenced to 33 years in prison on multiple charges ranging from corruption to election fraud—charges her supporters and international observers widely described as politically motivated. Her sentence has since been reduced several times.
However, Suu Kyi’s global reputation had already been significantly damaged before the coup. Her decision to defend Myanmar at the International Court of Justice against accusations of genocide over the military’s 2017 campaign against the Muslim Rohingya population drew widespread international criticism.
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