Lima (AFP) – Train services to the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, Peru's main tourist attraction, were suspended Monday as protesting residents placed logs and rocks on the tracks, police and PeruRail said.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983, the ancient fortified complex receives some 4,500 visitors on average each day, many of them foreigners, according to the tourism ministry.

Authorities have not given a figure for stranded tourists or an evacuation plan.

Residents are demanding that a new company be chosen to run the buses that ferry visitors from the Aguas Calientes train station at the foot of Machu Picchu, to the site itself.

Visitors arrive at Aguas Calientes from the city of Cusco -- the Inca empire's ancient capital -- some 110 kilometers (68 miles) away.

The previous bus firm's contract had come to an end after a 30-year concession, but services have continued -- presumably by the same company.

Residents similarly pressed home their social demands in January last year, when some 1,200 tourists had to be evacuated from Machu Picchu -- some without ever laying eyes on the site.

A year earlier, Machu Picchu was closed for 25 days during protests over the impeachment and arrest of then-president Pedro Castillo.

Machu Picchu was built in the 15th century at an altitude of 2,500 meters (about 8,200 feet) on orders from the Inca ruler Pachacutec.

It is considered a marvel of architecture and engineering.

Tourism is key to the economy of Peru.

Washington (AFP) – From breaking up a fight or identifying a suspected robber to picking up trash and removing graffiti, National Guard forces are on an unusual deployment mixing security and cleanup in the US capital.

Now such unorthodox assignments may soon be replicated elsewhere, with President Donald Trump on Monday signing an order sending troops to Memphis, Tennessee.

Trump deployed the military in Washington a little over a month ago to help crack down on what he claimed was out-of-control crime, despite police statistics showing violent offenses were down in the city.

The contentious move -- which the Washington attorney general's office said amounts to an "involuntary military occupation" -- offers a preview of what the National Guard may do not only in Memphis, but also in Baltimore and Chicago where Trump has threatened to send troops.

"Fighting crime in this manner is very unusual," Mark Cancian, a retired US Marine colonel and senior advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said of the Washington deployment.

Guard members have been called in for particular incidents that last a few days, "but this longer-term policing function" is not typical, Cancian said.

There are currently some 2,300 troops in Washington, more than half of them from eight Republican-led states and the rest from the city's National Guard.

Federal law enforcement personnel have also increased their presence on Washington's streets, and Trump threatened overnight Monday to declare a national emergency and federalize the city because Mayor Muriel Bowser said local police would no longer help with immigration enforcement.

A spokesperson for Joint Task Force-DC (JTF-DC) -- to which the National Guard troops in the city are assigned -- said they are tasked with "monument security, community safety patrols, protecting Federal facilities, traffic control posts, and area beautification."

"Guard members will provide a visible crime deterrent, not arrest, search, or conduct direct law enforcement actions," the spokesperson said.

JTF-DC statements provide a snapshot of troop activities.

On September 12, for instance, they responded to a potential active shooter situation at a Metro station, cordoning off the area. Five days earlier they broke up a fight near another station.

In late August they identified and followed a suspected robber until police arrived and made an arrest, and protected a family that was being harassed by a man who said he had a gun.

National Guard forces are also involved in projects aimed at city cleanup -- another of Trump's stated goals.

As of September 15, troops cleared some 900 bags of trash, spread more than 700 cubic yards (535 cubic meters) of mulch, removed five truckloads of plant waste, and painted nearly 100 yards (90 meters) of fencing, according to JTF-DC.

Cancian said that while these are not typical jobs for the Guard, troops have "been used for all kinds of things," from handing out leaflets during the pandemic to shoveling snow or driving buses.

However, "if you want to do landscaping, hire a landscaping company," he said, as they are "much, much better at it, and cheaper, faster."

The deployment has been controversial -- something JTF-DC is well aware of, according to a document mistakenly sent to journalists this month.

The document, a daily summary gauging media and online sentiment, said social media mentions "from self-identified veterans and active-duty commenters expressed shame and alarm" about the deployment.

"Trending videos show residents reacting with alarm and indignation," it said, also referring to "mentions of fatigue, confusion, and demoralization -- 'just gardening,' unclear mission, wedge between citizens and the military."

The open-ended nature of the mission in Washington could also be an issue, Cancian said, noting that "strain increases" as the deployment goes on, especially if "people don't think that they're doing something that's particularly important."

There could eventually be "pushback from the Guard saying, you know, either we get a real mission... which doesn't seem to be there, or send us home."

Het is de derde dinsdag van september, het kabinet presenteert zijn Miljoenennota en de koning leest als vanouds de Troonrede voor. Tot zover niets nieuws onder de zon. Toch zijn de omstandigheden rond deze Prinsjesdag aanzienlijk anders dan 'normaal'.

Het inmiddels demissionaire kabinet-Schoof [...]

Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) (AFP) – Brazil's Amazon rainforest has shrunk by an area as big as Spain over four decades and is nearing a dangerous tipping point, according to monitoring data released Monday.

The Amazon was approaching a "point of no return" of 20 to 25 percent vegetation loss at which it "ceases to sustain itself as a rainforest," said Bruno Ferreira, a researcher at the MapBiomas monitoring platform.

"When too much vegetation is lost, the rain cycle is disrupted, and large areas tend to transform into drier savannas."

Brazil, which will host the UN COP30 climate conference in the Amazonian city of Belem in November, is home to 60 percent of the rainforest which spans nine countries.

Satellite images studied by MapBiomas showed the loss of 49.1 million hectares (121 million acres) of rainforest between 1985 and 2024.

If other types of plant life are included, the Amazon has lost 13 percent of its native vegetation in that time, the data showed.

MapBiomas said that livestock farming had increased almost fivefold in the period studied.

Deforestation had slowed after President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva returned to office in 2023.

However, a historic drought fueled forest fires in the region, leading to a four-percent increase in deforestation between August 2024 and July 2025.

I came across a YouTube video on doing trees in ink so I figured I’d give it a go. I used a micron 03 tech pen.

https://bsky.app/profile/esqueer.net/post/3lyvrgzxt6s2y

Hey. As a trans person, I need every single one of you to read this, and LISTEN.

We are an incredibly small percentage of the population. We are being demonized, and targeted. This shit? This right here? This is really. Fucking. Bad. Because even if he never does this? He still just threw it out there as an idea, and as we see time and time again. The facts no longer matter to the right. Correct comes second to whatever hits the news first

We will not survive this if we have to stand on our own, and the trans community is currently trying to figure out if they (individuals) can afford to stay, and risk a literal fight for their lives, or if they can afford to bail.

We NEED you to use the fact you are cis, to stand up for trans people. Period. I am quite literally begging you to put your bodies in the way, to keep us from being disappeared.

I know what my choice is in terms of leave vs. Stand and fight.

Originally Posted By u/Anarchy_Cardinal At 2025-09-15 08:12:03 PM | Source

cross-posted from: https://programming.dev/post/37503455

Comments

• Hacker News;
• Reddit.

Washington (AFP) – President Donald Trump said a US new strike on an alleged drug trafficking boat from Venezuela killed three people Monday, as the South American country's president Nicolas Maduro vowed to resist Washington's "aggression."

Trump's administration has faced questions over the legality of deadly military strikes on suspected drug boats since the first such attack earlier this month which killed 11 people.

The fresh attack also comes amid spiraling tensions in the Caribbean as a large US naval build-up sparks speculation that Washington may be seeking regime change in Caracas.

Trump posted a video of a boat bobbing in the sea before exploding in a ball of orange flame as he announced the strike on social media, adding that it resulted in "3 male terrorists killed in action."

"The Strike occurred while these confirmed narcoterrorists from Venezuela were in International Waters transporting illegal narcotics (A DEADLY WEAPON POISONING AMERICANS!) headed to the U.S," he said.

The strikes have raised questions about whether they are within international law or effectively amount to extrajuducial killings, but Trump insisted the United States was confident that the dead men were traffickers.

"We have proof," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.

"All you have to do is look at the cargo that was, like, it's spattered all over the ocean. Big bags of cocaine and fentanyl all over the place."

Tensions between longtime foes the United States and Venezuela reached new heights in recent weeks after Trump dispatched eight warships to waters near Venezuela to pressure Maduro.

The United States accuses the leftist of heading a cocaine trafficking cartel and recently doubled its bounty for his capture to $50 million. Much of the international community rejected his July 2024 re-election, with the opposition claiming widespread fraud.

Maduro hit back on Monday, branding US Secretary of State Marco Rubio the "lord of death and war" over his tough rhetoric on Latin American cartels.

Referring to the US naval build-up and the earlier boat attack, Maduro told reporters that Caracas would "fully" exercise its "legitimate right to defend itself."

Maduro often accuses the United States of attempting regime change in his country.

Speculation has been swirling that the Trump administration could be preparing targeted strikes against Latin American drug cartels, including in Venezuela.

Trump refused to deny it was a possibility on Sunday.

"We'll see what happens," Trump told reporters when asked if strikes on the Venezuelan mainland were possible. "Venezuela is sending us their gang members, their drug dealers and drugs. It's not acceptable."

Earlier this month Washington dramatically upped the ante by blowing up a speedboat with 11 people on board that it claimed was smuggling drugs from Venezuela.

In an interview with Fox News during a visit to Jerusalem on Monday, Rubio defended the attack on the boat traveling in international waters, amid questions over its legality.

"We have 100 percent fidelity and certainty that that boat was involved in that trafficking of those drugs," Rubio said.

Maduro said communications with the Trump administration had broken down over the US "aggression," adding his country would "confront it."

He leveled much of the blame at the hawkish Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants to the United States who has been a vehement critic of left-wing authoritarian governments in Latin America.

Although most of the cartels on the terrorism list are Mexican, Washington has focused its attacks on Venezuela.

Maduro said the "bomb threats" had caused a complete collapse in relations between the two countries, which broke off diplomatic ties in 2019.

In the face of the US pressure, he has deployed 25,000 troops to Venezuela's border with Colombia, a transit point on the Latin American drug trafficking route, and along the Caribbean coast.

Thousands of people have also joined a civilian militia intended as backup for the military.

Over the weekend, they thronged training camps where they learned to handle and fire weapons.

"If they (the United States) try to attack the homeland, the entire population will defend it!" said Jenny Rojas, a 54-year-old lawyer who was among the recruits.

That was a "fun" debugging session...

Share your Shave of the Day for Tuesday!

So for most of my life, I’ve struggled with my eating, But not in the way that most people do. I was born very premature, Which meant several issues with my health. Most of my issues are oral. I have TMJ, Along with a number of dental issues that cause me pain and discomfort. I also have GERD and Dysphagia. For years, I would always do the same food and would have to have a separate meal from my family. I lived off of soup and ice cream until I turned 15, which was when my dental issues were finally noticed and treated. Since that time, I have been able to eat much more, And not have to worry so much about mealtime.

However, When it comes to restaurants, I always want to go to the same two places, Because they have food that’s easy to eat and also will be sure to fill me up. My parents don’t understand and often tell me_ that they’re sick of these restaurants and ask me if I wanna go somewhere else for a change. The problem is, My parents and sister all like the same food, And often times the restaurants they pick have things that can’t eat or don’t like. Sometimes I will push myself to eat there, but other times I do not. My big issue is making a decision.

My family is always talking about eating better because they are overweight. When they do go to restaurants and I don’t want something from there, My family offers an alternative choice. I know it’s going to sound stupid, but it makes me really upset to have to eat different meals to my family, So I often waffle back and forth, and can’t make a decision because I am also craving the alternative option even though I am embarrassed by eating a separate meal. Sometimes I just want to eat normal. My mom tells me if I don’t want something to just say I’m good, But the problem is, My dad will often make things worse and make it harder for me to decline.

For example, last summer, My sister wanted to go to a restaurant to celebrate her birthday. The original place she chose was closed, So she had to choose another option. That option ended up being a place that I can’t really eat much at, so I told my dad that It was OK and that I would just eat something else at home. He asked if I wanted an alternative option, and I told him it was OK, Because I was too embarrassed to be eating a separate meal from my family. He then got very firm, and said, “ You really want to forego this birthday dinner?” I began to waffle back and forth, but eventually stood my ground that I would be fine. He agreed, asked a couple minutes later asked In a worried tone, “Are you sure? Do you want me to get you some chicken strips or something?” I got really upset. Not only can I not eat chicken strips, but I just wanted to stick to a decision. I ended up waffling back and forth and getting angry, and my dad got mad and wouldn’t let me get anything then.

This reminded me of another time that my dad pushed me to eat. So my dad got he, my sister and I Domino’s while we watched football. I ate a slice of pizza and some Parmesan bites. My mom was out with her friends, But later, she came home with a box of chicken strips. She said they were for me, and I asked her why. She told me that my dad had called her and said that I had hardly eaten anything from Domino’s, so he asked if She could pick something up for me.

I was furious. I didn’t say anything to my parents for a minute because I was so mad. My mom said that I didn’t have to eat them, And that I could give them to the dog if I didn’t want them. I began to have a meltdown, and asked her why she would do this to me. She gave me the same response, “You hardly ate anything from Domino’s!” I gave up, And then went to my dad to take my anger out on him. He said he was worried that I didn’t eat much, I told him that I had had plenty. He said that I was making a big deal out of nothing, and then said that I didn’t want the chicken strips, he would eat them. I was so mad in that moment, that I lost my control, took a chicken strip out of the box, and threw it at my dad. My dad just joked around and threw it back at me, again saying as making a big deal out of nothing. I did the same thing again, through the chicken strip at my dad. He said I have one more shot, If I threw it at him again, he was taking them away. I don’t know why he kept giving me chances. He should’ve just took them away in the first place. This made me so angry, And while I regret doing this, I think it needed to be done. My dad needs to understand That just because I don’t always eat something from a restaurant like they do, it doesn’t mean I’m going to go hungry, and that if I want something, I will ask for it. I’ve tried telling my parents how I feel, but they just tell me that it’s a nice gesture and to be grateful for it.

Just the other day, My aunt kept pushing me to eat. I was eating a couple raspberries, and I realized that they had gone bad. So I threw them away and ate a granola bar instead. But my aunt was not satisfied with that. She kept asking me if I wanted a banana. I told her I was fine, Then she asked if I wanted an orange, and then strawberries, and so on. It feels like she’s doing it just to annoy me. I asked her why I’m allowed to eat things that the rest of the family isn’t, And she said because I’m skinny and healthy. Well, this is true, I wanted her to know that just cause I’m healthy on the outside, doesn’t mean I’m healthy on the inside. I told her that I’m a prediabetic, and she stopped immediately.

This wasn’t entirely the case, But ultimately it could be. Half of my family has diabetes, including my mom, and I’ve gained a lot of weight over the last year because I’ve been able to eat so much more. My mom noticed that my stomach’s getting larger and that it looks like a diabetic person’s stomach. Since then, I’ve been trying to eat healthier. Ultimately, I am very healthy, as I run six days a week and eat a fair diet. As a college student though, I eat a lot of junk food as well, And the risk of me getting diabetes is higher because my mom had it when she was pregnant with me, and it contributed to my birthweight.

Has anybody else experienced embarrassment from eating in the same way that I have? And if so, how did you fix it?

When does it end hexbear? When?

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FAA ruled to have satisfied obligations in granting approval for expanded SpaceX operations next to wildlife refuge

A US district court judge on Monday rejected a suit by conservation groups challenging the Federal Aviation Administration approval in 2022 of expanded rocket launch operations by Elon Musk’s SpaceX next to a national wildlife refuge in south Texas.

The groups said noise, light pollution, construction and road traffic also degrade the area, home to endangered ocelots and jaguarundis, as well as nesting sites for endangered Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles and for threatened shorebirds. US district judge Carl Nichols in Washington said FAA had satisfied its obligation “to take a hard look at the effects of light on nearby wildlife”.

Donald Trump signed an executive order on 13 August – titled Enabling Competition in the Commercial Space Industry – that would relax environmental rules for commercial spaceship companies, apparently benefitting Elon Musk. The companies may be able to forgo the environmental reviews that are required under the National Environmental Policy Act (Nepa).