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Suicide attempts in the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group climbed to eight during its combat deployment, far above what carriers usually see, an official said.Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao disclosed the figure in a letter dated Tuesday to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), according to CNN, which obtained the letter.The outlet said the number had not been previously reported. No sailor died by suicide during the deployment, Cao insisted."Since the beginning of Lincoln's deployment, there have been a total of eight suicide attempts across the strike group," Cao wrote to Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. "This number includes the Lincoln crew and sailors from the carrier air wing, strike group and destroyer squadron staff, escorting destroyers and all embarked aviation squadrons.""Eight attempted suicides is incredibly high," a U.S. military official told CNN. "The strain of combat ops is much higher than normal deployments. No port calls, constant alerts, etc."The official said recent carrier strike group deployments have seen one or two attempts a year.CNN reported that between 6,000 and 7,000 sailors served in the strike group across about a half dozen ships. The carrier stayed out of port for more than six months while carrying out combat operations against Iran.The strike group's rate of attempts was roughly in line with the rate for the entire active-duty Navy in 2024, when the service recorded 356 attempts among about 337,000 sailors, according to CNN. The official was comparing the Lincoln with other carrier deployments, not the Navy as a whole."We have not observed an increase in suicidal ideations or attempts aboard the ship," the Navy said in an earlier statement to CNN."A small number of mental health cases were treated with no loss of life," Cao said in an August statement, according to the Washington Examiner.CNN had previously reported that two sailors from the strike group jumped overboard in recent months. Both were rescued, U.S. officials said. Cao's count of eight is higher than the two incidents reported earlier in the summer.Cao confirmed in the letter that an air wing sailor went overboard in early August. The CNN report said that the sailor was recovered and treated aboard the carrier."Additionally, one sailor attempted to go overboard in March and was stopped by his shipmates," Cao wrote.At Joint Base Andrews on Aug. 14, a reporter told President Donald Trump that families of Lincoln sailors were concerned about conditions aboard the ship."No, they're not," Trump said. Asked whether the deployment had gone on too long, he answered, "No, no, not nearly long enough.""The Fake News media should STOP exploiting military families!" Pentagon deputy press secretary Jacob Bliss wrote on X that day."It was fake news reporting from CNN," Trump later said of the reports of distress by the families.Gillibrand responded to Cao's letter in a statement to Newsweek."What Trump and Secretary [of Defense Pete] Hegseth dismissed as 'fake news' turned out to be serious and deteriorating conditions for our service members," Gillibrand said.The Lincoln left the Middle East in August and is expected back in San Diego in the coming weeks.

An economist warned that President Donald Trump is aiming the same weapon the U.S. used against Iran at America's own economy.University of Michigan economist Justin Wolfers, founder of the Platypus Economics newsletter and podcast, sounded the alarm during a Wednesday episode of "The Trump Report" with host Maddie Hale. The pair were discussing Trump's claim that he is open to banning diesel exports as U.S. diesel prices hit record highs.Wolfers pointed out that the Trump administration had waged what he called an "economic D-Day" against Tehran by choking off its energy sales."The U.S. hates Iran. So, in order to destroy the Iranian economy, they had economic D-Day in which they've tried to prevent Iran from exporting energy to get money," Wolfers explained. "The president has just voluntarily said he wants to get the U.S. to stop exporting energy to get money. He's applying the same economic policy to the United States as to Iran. That's kind of bonkers, right?"Hale admitted she "didn't actually think of it like that."Wolfers said the idea runs "upside down" and "back to front" from Trump's own trade agenda."The president came to power, and he's imposed tariffs on imports because he's worried about the balance of payments or he's worried about the trade deficit," Wolfers said. "So he wants America to be exporting more and importing less. What is he suggesting? There's not even a word in my textbook for a tariff on exports."Wolfers added, "It's the opposite of what the president thinks and what the president thinks was mixed up to start with."He said a ban "would solve a narrow problem and be an absolutely absurd economic solution." Consumers would get cheaper diesel, Wolfers said, but "anyone whose 401(k) owns stock in an energy company, that energy company's now losing a lot of revenue."The refining and drilling regions in Texas "are going to be somewhat depressed," Wolfers warned.Wolfers also noted there is little to stop such a move because "it's so widely understood it's a dumb move that no one ever bothered signing anything to say don't do it."He also questioned the timing. High gas prices angered "moms and dads and regular voters," he said, yet "the president never once thought about restricting exports of gasoline." Diesel, by contrast, is used by "farmers and truckers" and by "corporations, big agriculture, transportation companies."Wolfers said the proposal signals to allies that the U.S. can't be trusted on basic commerce."The point is we are so unreliable we're not even pursuing our self-interest," he said.

A CNN analyst pointed out a startling contrast ahead of the meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.On Thursday, CNN chief media analyst Brian Stelter mentioned that Xi will be arriving in Washington, D.C., amid Trump's media ban. The conversation came up as a panel discussed a hearing that took place on Wednesday to decide on a temporary restraining order to block Trump's media ban."In the next couple of hours, the Chinese leader lands in the United States, and there will not be a TV pool camera there," Stelter explained. "Normally, NBC would be the pool crew today. They'd be set up already at [Joint Base] Andrews waiting for the arrival ceremony."However, "NBC is not there because none of the major TV networks are providing pool coverage in solidarity with CNN," Stelter explained. "So that is going to be remarkable. Well, we're not going to see it, but it's a contrast."Networks like ABC, CBS and even Fox News joined NBC in withdrawing pool coverage in solidarity with the banned media outlets, CNN, MS NOW and Politico. That means none of them will cover Xi's arrival as Trump is there to greet him."You're going to have Chinese state-run media there, but you're not going to have the free democratic media because we are trying to send a message, trying to make a statement about making sure that our rights are protected," Stelter explained. "And my goodness, the contrast could not be more stark."CNN White House correspondent Kristen Holmes said the contrast will create a "fascinating moment" because Trump has been planning his meeting with Xi for months and has a special welcome in mind."He is going to Joint Base Andrews; this is not done. He has not done this with any other leader," Holmes explained. "He wants the pictures of this out there. He wants the photos. He wants the video of this elaborate welcome of President Xi that they have been planning now for months, and instead, he is not going to get that."

A technology analyst highlighted a potentially dangerous contradiction in President Donald Trump’s strategy for defeating China in the artificial intelligence race.New York Times technology columnist Kevin Roose told CNN’s Brianna Keilar on Wednesday that Trump wants the United States to remain the global AI leader, while some Republicans and administration allies push to loosen restrictions on selling advanced American chips to China.“It's kind of confusing because on one hand, he is saying that he wants America to win on China,” Roose said. “At the same time, there are some Republicans and people in his orbit who have been pushing for a loosening of the trade restrictions on advanced AI chips to China from companies like Nvidia.”“To me, I don't quite understand how you can want America to win, but also want to sell China the ingredients to make powerful AI systems,” he added. “But maybe someone else knows how to square that circle.”Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to discuss a proposed fast-track communication channel that would allow their governments to alert each other about serious AI-related security threats, CNN reported.Roose called that prospect “better than nothing” but also delivered a stark warning.“It’s not enough to just know that an incident is ongoing,” he said. “You also have to have the infrastructure in place to be able to prevent the incident from happening in the first place.”Roose’s thoughts on a lasting AI treaty between the two countries were likewise dim: “I wouldn’t hold my breath under this administration.”

President Donald Trump sparked a walkout at the United Nations General Assembly in New York Tuesday after openly predicting the demise of a neighboring country.“My administration is also seeking a fundamental change in the situation in Cuba, where the communist regime is under great pressure, the biggest pressure they’ve ever been under,” Trump said. “It’s an absolutely failed state — it’s failing like never before and it will fall. Marco Rubio is handling a negotiation; he’s deep into negotiations with Cuba. Let’s see what happens.”As Trump delivered his ominous prediction for Cuba, the nation’s United Nations delegation could be seen standing up and leaving the General Assembly Hall.The Trump administration has aggressively starved Cuba of resources with crippling sanctions that have shuttered hospitals and made food scarce. Reports have also revealed that Trump had actively considered launching a military operation against Cuba and abducting its leaders, much like he had authorized with the kidnapping of Venezuela’s president Nicolás Maduro in January. The United States has maintained a 66-year embargo against Cuba, which has been internationally condemned since 1992. The embargo was imposed shortly after the overthrow of the U.S.-backed Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista in 1959, who permitted Cuba to become what’s been described as a “virtual slave state,” allowing its resources and infrastructure to be largely “owned by American companies.”“Will not allow a haven for foreign adversaries to threaten America on our own doorstep,” Trump continued. “It’s right at our doorstep.”The Cuban delegation walks out of the speech while Trump calls their country a failed state. pic.twitter.com/wDlrldpZpN— Acyn (@Acyn) September 22, 2026

An Iranian United Nations representative stared down President Donald Trump Tuesday as he threatened to “annihilate the Islamic Republic” and “drive them into hell with no chance of survival.”Delivering his remarks to the United Nations General Assembly, Trump told members that, regarding his deeply unpopular war against Iran, he had a “big decision to make.”“Will a deal be made with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a far greater country than it ever was before? Maybe one of the greatest in the Middle East, or even the world?” Trump said. “Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic, and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries again? Do I drive them into hell with no chance of survival and no hope of future greatness or generations?”Fox News’ coverage of Trump’s speech showed an Iranian United Nations representative sitting stone-faced as Trump made his remarks, which echoed his previous threats to wipe out Iran’s entire civilization in a single night.An Iranian UN rep stares Trump down as he threatens to “annihilate the Islamic Republic” and “drive them into hell with no chance of survival.” pic.twitter.com/ivND1lavvi— Alexander Willis (@ReporterWillis) September 22, 2026

Diplomats filing into the UN General Assembly hall Tuesday have no idea which version of Trump they're about to get, according to a report from The Guardian.President Donald Trump has spent the days before his address flooding Truth Social with a "bizarre' mix of grievances and boasts, leaving attendees on edge, the Guardian's Robert Tait wrote. Topics have ranged from his planned triumphal arch in Washington — which he announced in an early Sunday post would "double as a military complex" stocked with snipers and drones, claiming without evidence the Pentagon requested it — to a bid to rebrand artificial intelligence entirely. On Friday, he posted a list of his "Top 25 Trump Achievements" since returning to office."His previous addresses to the assembly suggest that the chances of a non-divisive and uplifting message are low,' Tait reported, adding, "Last year, Trump shocked the august gathering in his first appearance since returning to the White House the previous January by declaring to those present that their countries were 'going to hell' while launching a full-frontal assault on the UN and the concept of open borders."This will be Trump's first UN appearance since he launched a war against Iran alongside Israel in February, one he predicted would last days and topple Tehran's regime. Seven months later, "the regime still stands," Iran has choked off the Strait of Hormuz — disrupting a fifth of global oil exports — and gas prices and inflation have climbed at home. Polling shows just 36% of Americans think the U.S. is winning, and only 29% approve of Trump's foreign policy overall.Trump arrives at the podium, in other words, trailing "abysmal" numbers and an unpopular war with no end in sight, the Guardian is reporting, noting that's hardly the backdrop for the triumphant remarks he's signaled are coming.

Generations of artisans from Mumbai to Lucknow have shaped the world’s most coveted designs. Plus, the gen Z memes giving classic Bollywood a new lifeThe zardozi embroidery on a Dior dress, the T-strap leather sandals at a Prada show, the mirror-work technique used on a Fendi bag – for decades, the skill of Indian artisans has been an invisible force behind some of the world’s most coveted fashion.Now, that work is beginning to claim its own place in the spotlight, and the Mumbai-based textile and embroidery atelier Chanakya International is at the forefront. Continue reading...