Russia Militarizes Ukrainian Children, Robert Redford, Scuba Thief

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Adam Rogers
September 17, 2025

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Yale researchers documented Russia holding tens of thousands of Ukrainian children in over 210 militarization camps. The systematic operation holds victims as young as four months old in facilities with names like 'forest fairy camp,' while older children are moved to military-style programs.
The kidnappings affect tens of thousands of children, a scale rarely seen in modern conflicts. All children are forbidden from speaking Ukrainian and forced to learn Russian culture. Military training at 40 sites includes combat preparation and construction of 'Z trenches' used in current warfare.
Researchers used satellite imagery and location data from Russian officials' social media posts to track the facilities. Yale shared evidence with the UN Security Council and the International Criminal Court, which issued arrest warrants for Putin in 2023. Ukraine says returning the children must be part of any peace agreement.

Robert Redford died Tuesday at 89 at his Utah home. The actor who defined 1970s cinema with 'Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid' and 'All the President's Men' won the Oscar for directing 'Ordinary People' in 1980. His frequent partnership with Paul Newman created some of Hollywood's most beloved films.
Redford transformed independent cinema by founding the Sundance Festival to support filmmakers shut out by major studios. The Park City event launched the careers of Quentin Tarantino, Steven Soderbergh, and Paul Thomas Anderson. The festival became so influential that it's relocating to Boulder, Colorado, in 2027 after outgrowing its original home.
Redford called himself an 'outlaw' who broke free of constraints, balancing mainstream stardom with environmental activism and support for emerging talent. He lobbied for the Clean Air Act and land conservation while championing low-budget filmmakers for decades. The actor retired from performing in 2018, saying it was 'time to move toward retirement.

Crash tests of seven popular EVs showed varying safety performance, with four models earning top ratings while others fell short. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tested 40 mph head-on collisions, giving "good" ratings to the BMW i4, Chevrolet Blazer EV, Tesla Cybertruck, and Volkswagen ID.Buzz. The Tesla Model 3 earned an "acceptable" rating.
Back seat safety emerged as the key differentiator, with the Ford F-150 Lightning earning the worst "poor" rating despite being the heaviest vehicle tested. Rear passengers faced high injury risk as seatbelts slipped onto the abdomen. The Nissan Ariya is rated "marginal" due to chest injury risks for back seat passengers.
Most vehicles scored well on pedestrian avoidance systems, though headlight performance varied. Five models earned "acceptable" headlight ratings, but both the BMW and Cybertruck scored "poor." (See full report here)

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A South Dakota man got over 10 years in prison for trying to give classified Air Force information to Russia after working as a defense contractor for 40 years. (More)

Trump sued the New York Times, four reporters, and Penguin Random House for $15 billion, claiming defamation over 2024 campaign coverage and a book about his business record. (More)

Israel launched a major Gaza City offensive Tuesday, forcing thousands to flee as UN experts accused Israel of genocide in a report Israel called false. (More)

Ghana denied that four Nigerian deportees from the US remain detained there, saying all 14 migrants were sent home despite lawyers claiming otherwise. (More)

President Trump put Colombia on a drug failure list for the first time since 1997, as coca cultivation nearly tripled despite billions in US anti-drug aid. (More)

US stock markets closed lower on Tuesday (S&P -0.13%, Nasdaq -0.07%, Dow -0.27%). Stocks moved slightly down as investors took profits ahead of the Fed’s interest rate decision. (More)

YouTube paid creators over $100 billion since 2021, as channels earning $100,000+ grew 45% thanks to more people watching on TV screens. (More)

StubHub priced its IPO at $23.50 for an $8.6 billion valuation and will trade as "STUB" on NYSE after delaying twice since April. (More)

American Cordell Tinch won world 110m hurdles gold in 12.99 seconds after missing the Olympics by one spot and working jobs, including making toilet paper during a three-year track break. (More)

Paige Bueckers won WNBA Rookie of the Year with 70 of 72 votes after becoming the fastest rookie to reach 500 points and 100 assists. (More)

Coachella announced its 2026 lineup with Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber, and Karol G headlining the two-weekend festival in Indio, California from April 10-19. (More)

Scientists discovered mummies up to 14,000 years old across 11 sites in Southeast Asia and China, where ancient hunter-gatherers smoke-dried bodies before burial. (More)

Greece recovered artifacts from the Titanic's sister ship Britannic, which sank in 1916 after hitting a German mine while serving as a hospital ship. (More)

OpenAI will create separate ChatGPT versions for teens and adults using age prediction and ID checks, hours before a Senate hearing on AI chatbot safety. (More)

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