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Parents of college student killed in Tesla crash allege design flaw trapped her in the burning car

The parents of a college student killed in a Tesla crash say she was trapped in the car as it burst into flames because of a design flaw that made it nearly impossible for her to open the door, according to a lawsuit filed Thursday.
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Russian journalists in Vienna suspected of being intelligence operatives

Two newly arrived correspondents of Russia’s state news agency TASS in Austria may be undercover operatives of Moscow’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), according to an investigation by The Insider published on October 2, 2025. The journalists, Olga Kukla and Maxim Cherevik, relocated to Vienna in August, raising suspicions due to their professional backgrounds and reported links to Russian intelligence. Their predecessors at the Vienna bureau, Ivan Popov and Arina Davidyan, had their accreditations revoked by Austrian authorities in June 2024 over similar espionage allegations.

Profiles raising suspicion

The investigation highlighted that Kukla, a graduate of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) with a focus on energy economics, previously worked with major Russian energy companies, including Novatek and Gazprom. Despite her new role in Vienna, she had no professional experience in journalism prior to her assignment with TASS.

Cherevik also studied at MGIMO, specializing in international economic relations, and undertook internships with Rosneft before joining TASS in Beijing. During his tenure in China, he published only a handful of reports before being recalled to Moscow. Both correspondents were allegedly linked to SVR housing complexes in Moscow, further fueling suspicions of their intelligence roles.

Vienna’s role as a hub for espionage

Austria’s capital has long been a focal point for espionage operations, dating back to the Cold War. Vienna hosts key international organizations such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), making it a strategic location for intelligence gathering and influence operations. Analysts note that Kukla’s and Cherevik’s expertise in energy and economics could serve Moscow’s interests in monitoring European energy security, sanctions regimes, and corporate strategies.

Broader Russian intelligence operations in Europe

The alleged activities of TASS correspondents fit into a wider pattern of heightened Russian espionage across Europe since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Intelligence-linked sabotage, cyberattacks, and influence campaigns have increased in scale, aimed at undermining European unity and support for Kyiv. Think tank Globsec and the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism have recorded at least 110 confirmed sabotage incidents linked to Russia since 2022, ranging from arson to targeted physical attacks, excluding cyber operations and disinformation efforts.

Pressure on Austrian counterintelligence

The surge in suspected Russian operations has intensified calls for Austria to tighten its counterintelligence efforts. Observers stress the need for closer scrutiny of Russian diplomats and media representatives to prevent infiltration into Austrian institutions and corporations. The issue gained further traction after a recent case in late September, when Austrian energy giant OMV dismissed a senior manager on suspicion of spying for Moscow following his meetings with a Russian embassy official.

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Donald Trump Proposes New Stimulus Checks of Up to $2,000 For Americans

President Donald Trump has said the stimulus checks would be “like a dividend to the people of America.”
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Millions Outraged at What Couple Say to Waitress—but It Was All Fake

Social media users criticized the girlfriend in the viral clip, with one saying: “Girl, it’s not a deep thing.”
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Keith Urban ditches wedding ring for first performance after Nicole Kidman divorce news

On Thursday, the country crooner stepped out onstage at Giant Center in Hershey, Penn., for his first show since the duo’s split made headlines.
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Tens of Thousands Issued Warning About Being Outside in Indiana

A potion of Indianapolis faced potentially unhealthy air pollution levels early on Friday, official data showed.
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China remembers ‘guiding light’ Jane Goodall’s wildlife conservation work

Tributes paid to late British primatologist whose institute trained thousands of Chinese on protecting animals

Jane Goodall has been remembered as a “guiding light” in China, with hundreds of millions of people paying tribute online to the conservationist who died this week, aged 91.

The British primatologist and founder of the Jane Goodall Institute was well known in China, and her research and findings were ubiquitous in Chinese educational materials, which listed her among “women of achievement” in text books.

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NATO Allies Raise Alarm Over New Mystery Drone Swarms

It comes amid a wave of drone disruptions and suspected espionage and sabotage in Europe, with Russia the prime suspect.
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Pro-Palestine protesters fight police decision to block Sydney Opera House protest on 12 October

NSW supreme court will have final say over whether demonstrators will be given legal protections during march this month

The Palestine Action Group will fight the New South Wales police in court after their proposed plan to march on the Sydney Opera House was knocked back.

On Wednesday, the group announced its plan to diverge from the normal route of its near weekly rallies over the past two years, and march from Hyde Park to the Sydney Opera House on 12 October to mark two years since 7 October and call for “an end to genocide in Gaza”.

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Apple Drops ICEBlock App After Department of Justice Complaints

The developer said previously the app is an “early warning system”, not an interference with law enforcement.