Americans traveling to China are being warned about the possibility of detention, electronic surveillance and restrictions that could keep them from returning home â with a travel expert sharing critical information for people to know before they go.
The U.S. State Department issued an updated Level 2 "Exercise Increased Caution" advisory for mainland China this week, citing concerns about wrongful detention and restrictions on leaving the country.
Travelers are told to be aware that routine professional, academic and personal activities â which carry no risk in Western countries â may be treated as criminal offenses under China's broad security laws.
The advisory also raises concerns about private communications, warning Americans that emails, texts and social media activity could be monitored by Chinese authorities.
"Assume that China's security services can read your emails, texts and social media posts if you send them to or from China," the Oct. 19 advisory states.
The State Department said some people have been detained or deported over private messages considered critical of Chinese authorities, even when those messages were sent outside China.
The State Department elaborated on possible detention without justification.
"The U.S. Department of State has determined that Americans are at serious risk of wrongful detention by the Government of China," the advisory states.
Those detained could spend years behind bars with limited contact with family members or U.S. officials, according to the department.
Travelers could also face restrictions that prevent them from leaving the country, even if they have not been detained.
Chinese authorities have used the "exit bans" during investigations and business or civil disputes. Exit bans have also affected relatives of people under investigation, including children, according to the advisory.
Some travelers may not know they're prohibited from leaving until they try to fly home.
"U.S. citizens might only become aware of an exit ban when they attempt to depart China," the State Department said.
Some bans have lasted for years â and officials warn there may be no clear way to challenge them in court.
Americans who plan to visit China are advised to travel with a U.S. passport and valid Chinese visa, enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program and arrange regular check-ins with family members or an employer.
Fox News Digital reached out to the U.S. State Department for further comment.
"Be aware of your surroundings. Think before you take a picture," advised Bobby Laurie, a longtime travel expert and former flight attendant.
"This is one of those situations where maybe you were spotted taking pictures of law enforcement on the street, or you were somewhere you shouldn't have been. Maybe you were inadvertently near a protest ⦠on the streets," he added.
"Then as your trip comes to an end, you head to the airport. You scan your boarding pass, ready to get through immigration to fly home. And then you realize you're actually not allowed to fly home. There has been an exit ban placed on you."
A 22-year-old Texas mother accused of driving more than twice the speed limit with her two young children in the car faces manslaughter charges after a crash killed a couple who had recently graduated from college.
Aldrea Rogers, 22, was arrested and charged with two counts of manslaughter in connection with the deaths of Julian Harris and Madison Duren, Dallas County jail records reviewed by Fox News Digital show.
Rogers was allegedly driving 82 mph in a 35 mph zone when she crashed into the couple's vehicle, FOX 4 Dallas reported, citing a newly released arrest affidavit.
Their friends, Eli Barron and Emmet Overcarsh, described the couple to FOX 4 Dallas as curious, enthusiastic people who loved learning and connecting with others.
Overcarsh also expressed disbelief that Rogers, who was the same age as the victims, allegedly had her two young children in the car when the deadly crash occurred.
Friends said the deaths have been difficult to comprehend, particularly because Rogers was the same age as the victims and allegedly had her two young children in the car.
Fox News Digital has contacted the Dallas Police Department and Dallas County court officials to obtain a copy of the arrest affidavit and additional details about the crash investigation.
A coaster dares riders to be daring, with steep drops, high speeds and improbably tight curves. But safety has become a concern again after a man was thrown from his seat and died in Georgia.
The police urged motorists to avoid Nicosia’s arterial Digenis Akritas Avenue on Thursday afternoon, with trade union PEO set to stage a march from its offices to the labour ministry at 5pm.
“Police officers will be in the area to take the necessary security and traffic measures, as well as to facilitate the flow of traffic. The public is urged to avoid, where possible, traffic in the affected areas, to show patience and to comply with the instructions given by police officers,” the police said.
PEO has said the protest will be held “for health and safety at work”, with the protest being organised after three construction workers fell from a height of nine metres at a building site in the Nicosia suburb of Strovolos earlier this month.
That incident came after a 52-year-old man died on a building site in the Paphos district village of Peyia last month, with unions as such questioning the levels of safety and the safeguarding measures taken at building sites across the country.
When Rishub Jain worked on safety at Google DeepMind, he held one of the most coveted jobs in tech. He was among a small group of researchers workingto mitigate the most consequential risks of AI.
But he left to cofound a nonprofit, Sampura Research. Jain traded the prestige and access that come with a Google job because he feels he can have a sharper, more profound impact on AI safety from the outside. Jain says he wants the autonomy to pursue research on a specific issue in AI alignment, which he felt had been deprioritized.
"All the top AI companies do care a lot about safety, and they invest in it, but they could be investing a lot more, and that's kind of what was inhibiting me," Jain says. "If they invested more in safety, I would still be at the lab and working on what I'm interested in with a large team." Google did not respond to a request for comment about whether it maintains a focus on this specific area of research, but DeepMind's principles state that it maintains "a holistic approach to responsibility, safety and security."
Jain's founder story echoes concerns raised by safety researchers who have quit OpenAI and Anthropic, including dire warnings that these companies are "gambling with our lives," and could develop technology that ends humanity. Once dismissed as fringe and doomsday-obsessed, the AI safety profession is growing as hacks by rogue agents and a string of departures have vaulted the issue into mainstream concern.
Open roles in AI safety jumped by 91% on LinkedIn over the past year. The industry expects a flood of cash from much-anticipated IPOs at Anthropic and, potentially, OpenAI, as those made absurdly wealthy by the equity returns may funnel money into potential clean-up crews for the messes created by the technology's rapid development.
The AI safety problem is existentially big, but the people who have spent time honing AI expertise are few. These are people who test and train AI systems to operate ethically. Some focus on technical research, others on policy and governance. And they're increasingly sounding alarms.
"The people who are most worried about AI are often the people who have been closest to the technology," Laura González Salmerón, advising manager at 80,000 Hours, a nonprofit focused on transitioning people into careers with high social impact. The scarcity issue is less about funds and more about people. "Talent is the main bottleneck."
Startups and nonprofits in AI safety must fight for talent in a shallow pool.
Jain's Sampura lists a salary range of $273,000 to $395,000 for an experienced team leader, which would put that worker in the top 3% of earners in the US, but likely pales in comparison to offers from larger companies. Meta reportedly offered $100 million in signing bonuses last year to poach the world's top experts. OpenAI gives employees an average of $1.5 million in stock-based compensation, and technical staff at Anthropic can earn more than $1 million annually.
Money aside, researchers are divided over whether they're more effective when working inside tech companies to mitigate risks as the latest models develop, or stepping back and attempting to steer the ship toward safer outcomes from the outside, like Jain did.
"I'm a little bit concerned about the pace of AI, and if we're able to actually come up with something useful before the rug gets pulled beneath us," Jain says. He's worried that AI's advancement will outpace the work to keep it in line with human values. "That's kind of what's been happening already."
David Robinson, who led transparency work for OpenAI's safety team, wrote an essay for The Atlantic explaining his departure. He said that AI companies should have more layers of checks and safety measures, akin to those in airports and nuclear energy, rather than the steamrolling culture of Big Tech.
"Perhaps I should have stayed and fought for fundamental shifts in our staffing and culture, but in practice, my colleagues and I were so busy sprinting that we seldom had the chance to consider big changes, much less to actually make them," he wrote. Robinson has said he plans to work on these issues from outside of the company.
As the issue grows in prominence, so has a niche of organizations helping train and recruit workers — and the opportunities aren't just for AI experts. Neav Topaz, co-director of Kairos, a nonprofit that upskills people to work in AI safety and recently raised $50 million from Coefficient Giving, says he speaks with about 10 to 20 people each month who want to move to AI safety, and interest is growing. He tells me that people are asking him more frequently about what the work entails.
"People are watching AI get good at their own jobs and starting to ask themselves what comes next," he says. The emerging jobs in AI safety "pay well, the field is growing fast, and you get to work on what might be the defining problem of our time."
Kairos this summer launched its Generator Residency, a cohort of 27 people who spent three months training for career transitions into AI safety. It's less about the research and technical work and more about merging other expertise, like in consulting, with AI safety principles.
He says that of the 27 residents, a dozen have already landed roles in the AI safety space, and many of the rest have offers to do so.
"Most of the people who will do this work are doing something else today," Topaz says. "The biggest talent gap in the field isn't researchers. It's people who grasp how high the stakes are and can translate their varied expertise into things that could make a difference in this space."
The major AI companies maintain that safety is a top priority. Last month, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei wrote an essay calling for a slowdown in AI development, and Sam Altman and Elon Musk have agreed with him. Amodei and Altman have both said recently that they will bring third-party evaluators into their companies to bolster safety protocols.
These companies have their own safety teams, but safety work competes with business priorities to build the most advanced models and win in the market. The tension, along with safety issues like OpenAI's rogue agents hacking Hugging Face, has led to more scrutiny of internal safety work. Within days of Robinson's departure, OpenAI fired three researchers, claiming they shared sensitive internal data improperly with third-party AI safety researchers. The ousted researchers wrote a letter, reported by The Wall Street Journal, to OpenAI's board, arguing that their engagement with safety researchers fell within the scope of their roles, and that their terminations were "chilling those who remain at OpenAI." OpenAI said that the decisions "were not about raising safety concerns or speaking out," and that the company would not fire people for doing so.
While some have obsessed over AI risks for years, 2026's breakthrough moment has accelerated funding for and interest in the industry. 80,000 Hours has had calls with some 8,000 people since its founding in 2011, the majority of which have focused on AI in some way, González Salmerón says. Philanthropic groups like Coefficient Giving offer massive grants to startups in the AI safety space. METR, a nonprofit AI safety group that investigated the OpenAI agentic hack on Hugging Face, says it raised $71 million in six months this year.
Much of the funding flowing into AI safety filters through effective altruism, the Silicon Valley-tied philanthropic ideal focused on using evidence and logic to donate money where it will achieve the most good. Critics say the philosophy can place too much emphasis on avoiding future problems rather than addressing imminent needs. With more alarms sounding around the existential threat of AI, more people view those theoretical, distant fears as urgent causes.
AI safety groups and individual donors have spent nearly $50 million in this year's election on candidates focused on regulating AI, Axios reported. Jaan Tallinn, a billionaire who invested early in Anthropic and could soon have even more billions as a result, has donated $170 million to nonprofits focused on AI safety. Tallinn's view, as he recently told The Wall Street Journal, is that he can have the biggest impact on the future of AI and its risks by investing in AI companies, and then donating returns to nonprofits working in the AI safety space.
Coefficient Giving, the philanthropic venture from Facebook cofounder Dustin Moskovitz rooted in the effective altruism movement, announced its AI-safety-focused arm, Project Tailwind, in September. It says it's on track to give more than $1 billion this year to help companies of all sizes scale up in preparation for what it believes will be a deluge of philanthropic capital. Sampura Research has received an $11 million grant from the group. If startups don't begin hiring now, the logic goes, they won't move quickly enough when massive wealth hits the industry.
The dizzying development of AI has created safety risks, and there are "gaps in the ecosystem that aren't being filled and that aren't being owned by people," says Rossa O'Keeffe-O'Donovan, the program director in technical AI safety at Coefficient Giving. There are few people, he says, who sit at the intersection of technical expertise, risk analysis, a solutions-oriented vision, and the capacity to hustle as a startup founder.
New roles will emerge not just for technical talent, but also for consultants, policy wonks, communications experts, and founders who can run a business alongside technical experts. Working from the outside, they'll face hurdles in buying compute power, a lack of direct access to the latest AI models, reduced leverage, and smaller paydays.
The world feels unmoored, and the future perhaps more malleable than ever. The appeal of doing work that does good could stave off feelings of uncertainty, dread, and anxiety that people increasingly feel toward AI. In one doomer camp, AI will obliterate white-collar jobs. The optimistic view is that AI drastically reshapes work and spurs the creation of jobs we haven't yet thought of. AI safety is one of the first.
"There are lots of people beyond AI researchers who can help, like cybersecurity experts, like biosecurity experts, like economists," says Mantas Mazeika, a researcher with the Center for AI Safety, a nonprofit focused on AI research and advocacy. "They're making very significant contributions that the pure AI researchers, who were most of the people focusing on the problem beforehand, would be completely unable to do on their own."
Americans traveling in and through the Middle East have a new wrinkle to sort out.
The U.S. State Department has pushed back against circulating reports that it directed nonessential government personnel and their dependents to leave the entire Gulf region, clarifying that the departure order applies only to Saudi Arabia.
State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott dismissed the broader regional claims, calling them "inaccurate" after the department released a formal statement confirming the targeted drawdown within the kingdom.
"The U.S. Department of State issued an ordered departure for non-emergency U.S. government employees and their family members in Saudi Arabia," the department said.
In the statement shared with Fox News Digital, the spokesperson noted that "Iranian-supported Houthis have increasingly engaged in hostilities against Saudi Arabia, including attacks on civilian airports and other critical infrastructure resulting in civilian casualties and severe travel disruptions."
Officials warned the security environment remains highly volatile, adding the conflict "has the potential to escalate rapidly, including beyond that immediate area."
The department emphasized that the safety and security of its staff and its households remain its highest priority.
The United States "will continue to take all necessary steps to protect and support them as they return to the U.S.," the spokesperson said.
In late September, the State Department renewed its warning to Americans traveling in and through the Middle East amid escalating regional tensions.
The warning came as Iran-backed Houthi rebels launched a ballistic missile toward Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, which Saudi Arabia said its air defenses intercepted.
Residents reported hearing an explosion and later seeing a plume of smoke near King Khalid International Airport, according to The Associated Press.
No casualties or damage from the attack were reported at the time.
In an X post in September, the State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs warned that the security environment in the Middle East "remains complex with the potential for unforeseen escalation."
The agency added, "Americans currently in the Middle East should exercise heightened vigilance and be aware of potential flight cancellations, airspace closures and travel disruptions."
Officials specifically cited hostilities between Saudi Arabia and the Iran-backed Houthis in their warning.
"Iranian-supported Houthis have engaged in hostilities against Saudi Arabia, including civilian airports," the post said.
"This military conflict has the potential to escalate rapidly. Americans outside the Middle East should seriously reconsider travel to and through the region."
The agency also advised those traveling to or from the region to monitor airport and airline operations, warning that U.S. diplomatic facilities have been targeted, including outside the Middle East.
In June, U.S. officials similarly urged Americans across the Middle East to remain vigilant as tensions mounted across the region.
At the time, officials warned that airspace closures, demonstrations and threats to locations associated with the United States could disrupt travel with little notice.
The State Department also maintained its "Level 3: Reconsider Travel" advisory for Oman in an Aug. 30 update, warning of risks from armed conflict and terrorism, including the threat of drone and missile attacks from Iran.
A 70-year-old man disappeared for more than 24 hours, prompting an extensive search that stretched into the evening.
The Oahu man was last seen in the Big Island's Volcano area before he was reported missing around 12:16 p.m. Oct. 19, according to the Hawaii Police Department.
The man was identified as David Arai, whose son told Hawaii-based news station KHON2 his father was familiar with the area's hiking trails and that he frequently hiked alone.
K-9 Trina, a 3-year-old Labrador retriever specially trained to track people by scent, joined the search with her handler, Officer Christopher Ross, police said.
At about 7:30 p.m., Trina located the man on a trail roughly 2 miles from where his rental car had been found, according to the department.
Ross told KHON2 that Arai was lying on his back in bushes just off the trail when they found him.
Trina approached the man and licked his hand, according to the officer.
"The man was safely carried back to the trailhead and was subsequently transported to Hilo Benioff Medical Center for medical treatment due to dehydration and exposure," the department said in the press release.
Family members later found her camper van at the Cabin Creek Trailhead, prompting authorities in Siskiyou and Shasta counties to launch a coordinated search.
Ground crews found Granbery alive near Cabin Creek on Oct. 4 after she fell down a steep embankment and suffered serious injuries and exposure to the elements.
A California Highway Patrol helicopter helped lift Granbery from the rugged terrain before she was taken to a hospital, where authorities said she was in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries.
The national park is also home to Kilauea, which recently erupted for the 55th time since late 2024 after a rare two-month pause, according to Fox Weather.
US photojournalist describes ‘protective shield’, vows to return to work in West Bank and criticises Netanyahu comments on incident
The Washington Post photojournalist who was attacked and seriously injured by Israeli settlers in the West Bank on Friday has described how she was saved with the help of local Palestinians.
Heidi Levine sustained four fractured vertebrae, two broken ribs and four puncture wounds when she was knocked to the ground and repeatedly beaten by a crowd of masked settlers while she and other journalists were covering the olive harvest in the Palestinian village of Abu Falah, north of Ramallah.
European Commission calls accommodation website’s approach to fraudulent listings and phishing scams as ‘absolutely substandard’
EU regulators have opened an investigation into Booking.com, alleging that the accommodation website has not done enough to protect consumers from fake listings and scams.
The European Commission, which regulates the world’s biggest tech companies operating in the EU, said Booking.com may have breached the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) with its “absolutely substandard” approach to tackling fraudulent listings and phishing scams, where criminals impersonate a third party to trick people to hand over money.
European Commission calls accommodation website’s approach to fraudulent listings and phishing scams as ‘absolutely substandard’
EU regulators have opened an investigation into Booking.com, alleging that the accommodation website has not done enough to protect consumers from fake listings and scams.
The European Commission, which regulates the world’s biggest tech companies operating in the EU, said Booking.com may have breached the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) with its “absolutely substandard” approach to tackling fraudulent listings and phishing scams, where criminals impersonate a third party to trick people to hand over money.
Imagine if Sam and Dario and Elon and Mark, along with their boards of directors, bore individual liability for the damage their companies may inflict on society.
Imagine if Sam and Dario and Elon and Mark, along with their boards of directors, bore individual liability for the damage their companies may inflict on society.
The U.S. State Department has escalated its travel warning for an East African nation popular for its wildlife safaris, urging Americans to reconsider visiting amid heightened health concerns and ongoing security threats.
The State Department on Monday raised its travel advisory for Kenya from Level 2, "Exercise Increased Caution," to Level 3, "Reconsider Travel."
Health risks and crime were cited among the reasons for the advisory, along with civil unrest, kidnapping, terrorism and traffic safety concerns.
"Prepare a will," the advisory added. "Establish a proof of life protocol with your loved ones."
Americans are urged to avoid certain neighborhoods in Nairobi and several counties across the country due to risks of crime, kidnapping and terrorism — as well as areas near the Ethiopian border due to unrest.
In its broader warning about the country, State Department officials said that violent crime "can occur at any time," noting that petty crime "is common" throughout Kenya.
The advisory also noted that solo travelers should exercise caution, and that some Americans have been sexually assaulted in bars, resorts and hotels.
"Local police often are unable to respond effectively to crimes," the advisory said.
The State Department also warned that Americans frequently fall victim to investment scams involving gold and other high-value commodities, with Kenyan authorities unlikely to help victims recover their losses.
"Property disputes are common in Kenya," added the warning.
"Americans who have bought land, churches and businesses have lost their investments or been pushed off the property by locals who claim the land or business."
Medical services in Kenya are limited, particularly in rural areas, with some facilities lacking essential medicines and equipment.
"Except for a few private medical facilities based in the large urban centers with enhanced capability, many health issues may require medical evacuation at your own expense," officials said. "Medical facilities will usually deny service if payment is not made upfront."
The advisory also warned that protests can turn violent — with demonstrators previously attacking vehicles carrying Americans, including safari vehicles and motorcycle taxis.
Americans are urged to stay alert in tourist spots, keep a low profile and avoid demonstrations and crowds while visiting the country.
Kenya is known around the world for its wildlife safaris, picturesque savannas and national parks, which all draw millions of international tourists each year.
The country attracted approximately 2.7 million international visitors in 2025, with travelers from the Americas accounting for 14% of arrivals, according to government tourism figures.
Meanwhile, travelers visiting Brazil have been cautioned about criminals targeting tourists at bars and through dating apps before drugging and robbing them.
The U.S. Embassy in France is warning Americans to steer clear of violent protests as unrest sparked curfews and raised concerns about travel disruptions across the country.
The riots — fueled by a range of grievances, including rising living costs and mass migration — have been reported across France, with protests reported in cities including Paris, Lille and Lyon. Authorities have imposed localized curfews as a result.
The embassy said in a Monday statement that partial curfews had been introduced in several French cities, with additional restrictions possible.
"Following the October 17 protests that turned violent, media report the Prime Minister’s office introduced partial curfews for Monday, October 19 and Tuesday, October 20 in several cities across France, including Lille," the embassy said.
"Media report more curfews may follow for parts of Paris and in prefectures across the country, and that scattered protests could continue."
In Paris, authorities also imposed overnight curfews in areas including Place de la République and the Les Halles Shopping District, according to The Associated Press (AP).
Riot police deployed tear gas across the streets near Place de la République in an attempt to disperse crowds during the escalating street battles, the same source reported.
Major tourist attractions have also been impacted.
The Louvre Museum in Paris was forced to close Monday after protesters blocked its entrances, Fox News Digital previously reported.
Travelers visiting Paris are being advised to avoid popular protest gathering spots, including Place de la République, Place de la Bastille and Place de la Nation, along with major thoroughfares such as Boulevard Voltaire, which are frequently used for demonstrations, according to The Times of London.
Outside the capital, Lyon's tourism office at Place Bellecour was vandalized and set ablaze during the Oct. 17 demonstrations, according to city officials.
Visitor services have since been relocated to a temporary facility on the same square.
The violence also spread to other French cities, including Limoges, where the historic town hall was set ablaze during the Oct. 17 unrest, according to numerous reports.
In Bordeaux, the mayor reported that as many as 100 stores had been looted during the demonstrations, Reuters reported.
Despite the violence, flights to and from Paris have largely continued operating, according to flight data reviewed by Fox News Digital.
However, travelers could still face disruptions on the ground, with the embassy advising Americans to check for Metro station closures and other transportation interruptions before heading out.
The embassy also urged travelers to confirm flight schedules directly with their airlines and allow extra time to reach their destinations.
"Monitor media and local resources for updated information and curfews in your area," the statement added. "Plan alternative routes and allow extra travel time for travel."
Fox News Digital reached out to the State Department for comment.
A passenger flight was forced to make an emergency landing shortly after takeoff following reports of a strange odor on board that left travelers fearing for their lives.
An American Airlines flight departed from St. Louis Lambert International Airport on Oct. 17, bound for Philadelphia, before turning back to the airport.
Gary Leff, a Texas-based aviation expert who founded the blog "View from the Wing," told Fox News Digital that engine oil entering an aircraft's air supply could potentially explain the odor, although the cause of the incident has not yet been confirmed.
"When that happens, you can get smoke, you can get vibration, you can get loud noises. It can also wind up making people ill," Leff said.
FlightAware data reviewed by Fox News Digital showed that the plane was in the air for 34 minutes before landing back at St. Louis Lambert International Airport.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, American Airlines confirmed that the flight returned to St. Louis shortly after takeoff following a reported odor on board.
The airline said the aircraft landed safely and was taken out of service for inspection by its maintenance team.
The flight had already been delayed roughly two hours following a reported engine issue before passengers experienced trouble in the air, according to a couple who spoke to local outlet First Alert 4.
The passengers — Tessa and Mark Springer of Waterloo, Illinois — were traveling to Pennsylvania for work when they heard a troubling noise coming from the back of the plane before takeoff.
"We heard just this really horrible noise coming from the back of the plane. It was like ... real loud buzzing, kind of [a] grinding sound," Mark Springer said.
Mark Springer said the pilot then announced there was a mechanical issue.
"The pilot comes back on and says, ‘Uh, there’s a problem with the engine on the airplane,’" the passenger added. "'We can’t get it started.'"
After the delay, the plane finally departed. But about 15 minutes into the flight, passengers experienced a sudden jolt that sent them lunging forward, according to Mark Springer.
"All of a sudden, the plane just felt like it hit a ... like in a car, when you slam on your brakes. ... Everybody kind of lunges forward like this," he said.
"And then, maybe a minute later, the plane just kind of goes boom and drops. … All of the oxygen masks fall. And we just kind of looked at each other like, is this serious? Is this real?" added Mark Springer.
Tessa Springer recalled fearing for her life as the plane turned back toward the airport, telling First Alert 4 she was terrified she would die.
She texted her children, "Problem on our plane, love you guys," per the outlet.
"I was like, we’re going to die," Tessa Springer said.
The couple said that once they landed, they evacuated the plane by jumping from its wing, with fellow passengers helping catch one another as they made their way to the ground.
"I don’t think I’ll ever be able to get on another airplane ever again," Mark Springer said.
Despite the frightening ordeal, Leff of "View from the Wing" said a lengthy delay due to a mechanical issue does not necessarily indicate that a flight is unsafe.
"Part of that delay is diagnosing, part of it's addressing it and part of it's getting all the paperwork right and just doing all the final readbacks and rechecks to make sure that everything is safe for departure," Leff said.
"A long delay in and of itself is not a safety concern," he added.
Leff also noted that aircraft are equipped with multiple safety systems and emergency procedures designed to protect passengers when problems arise.
"There are tremendous redundancies of systems and emergency procedures in place, such that the cockpit crew immediately reacted, responded and got everyone on the ground and off the aircraft to safety," Leff said.
"It's certainly not something that you want to go through — but even when something goes wrong, that doesn't mean that things end badly at all," he added.
Officials have disclosed the causes of death for three festivalgoers at this year's Burning Man event in Nevada, weeks after the annual gathering was rocked by multiple fatalities.
The causes of death ranged from cardiovascular disease to drug toxicity, according to local outlet KOLO 8 News, citing information from the Washoe County Regional Medical Examiner's Office.
Burning Man, held annually in Nevada's Black Rock Desert, ran from Aug. 30 through Sept. 7 this year, with all three deaths occurring during the festival.
One man, 62, of Santa Monica, California, was pronounced dead at the festival's Rampart Medical Center on Sept. 3 after suddenly collapsing, KOLO 8 reported.
His cause of death was determined to be hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
Another man, 51, of Truckee, California, died in an ambulance on Sept. 4 after experiencing chest pain at the festival.
His death was linked to methamphetamine and MDMA toxicity, heart disease and Type 2 diabetes, with chronic methamphetamine use also contributing, the same outlet said.
A third man, age 60, of Yuma, Arizona, was found dead in his vehicle.
In a statement earlier in September, Burning Man organizers expressed condolences to the families of those who died and said the three deaths initially appeared to be from natural causes.
"The deaths of three Burning Man participants in 2026 all appear to be from natural causes, but we defer to the medical examiner for official determinations," the organization said.
"We encourage and ask that people focus on the contributions of the individuals lost and avoid speculation about the circumstances of their passing out of respect for the participants and their families."
Move comes after US photojournalist and group of European diplomats and Palestinians were assaulted in separate attacks
Israeli police have detained 10 people in a rare raid against settlers, after a weekend of extreme violence in the occupied West Bank including an attack on US photojournalist Heidi Levine, which she described as an “attempted lynching”.
She was knocked down, kicked and beaten by a group of masked Israeli men as she covered the olive harvest in a Palestinian village on Friday. The militants broke four vertebrae and a rib, ripped open her finger so it required surgery and left her with lacerations across her body.
Juneau, Alaska, was named the safest city in the US by WalletHub.
chaolik/Getty Images/iStockphoto
WalletHub released a report ranking the safest cities in the US.
The ranking analyzed 182 US cities based on 41 safety indicators across three categories.
Juneau, Alaska, was ranked the safest city in the US, while New Orleans was ranked the least safe.
American cities face a range of safety concerns, and the risks can vary significantly depending on location.
In some cities, natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods pose the greatest threats to locals. In others, safety concerns may instead center on financial security or the overall safety of homes and communities.
WalletHub compared a total of 182 cities — the 150 largest cities in the US, plus at least two of the most populous cities in every state — to determine the safest and least-safe cities in the US.
WalletHub examined 41 safety indicators across three categories: home and community safety, natural-disaster risk, and financial safety.
To evaluate home and community safety, WalletHub looked at factors including crime rates, traffic and pedestrian fatalities, and the number of emergency responders per capita.
The natural-disaster risk ranking was determined by cities' risk-index scores for natural disasters such as earthquakes, tornadoes, and wildfires.
The financial safety ranking considered factors such as poverty and unemployment rates, as well as identity theft complaints per capita.
To conduct its analysis, WalletHub looked at data from sources including the US Census Bureau, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Here are the top 10 safest and least-safe cities in the US.
1. Juneau, Alaska
Juneau, Alaska.
Lana2011/Getty Images
Out of the 182 cities WalletHub examined, Juneau was ranked the safest city in the US. It ranked 46th in home and community safety, fourth in financial safety, and first in natural-disaster risk.
Juneau featured the lowest murder rate and lowest pedestrian fatality rate, and there have been no recorded terrorist attacks or terrorist-related incidents in the past decade. The risk of natural disasters in Juneau is particularly low, with the second-lowest risk of flooding and tornadoes.
Financially, Juneau has the 21st-lowest percentage of residents below the poverty line.
2. Warwick, Rhode Island
Warwick, Rhode Island.
DenisTangneyJr/Getty Images
As the second-safest city in the US, Warwick's home and community safety was ranked ninth, its natural-disaster risk was ranked fifth, and its financial safety was ranked 46th.
Warwick had the fourth-lowest number of aggravated assaults per capita and the sixth-lowest number of thefts per capita.
3. Overland Park, Kansas
Overland Park, Kansas.
MattGush/Getty Images
Overland Park rounded out the top three safest cities in the US, with its home and community safety ranking fourth and its financial safety ranking seventh.
The Kansas City suburb placed 138th in WalletHub's natural-disaster-risk category. The greater Kansas City area had received 88 tornado warnings by June 2026, ABC affiliate KMBC reported.
However, Overland Park had the 19th-lowest pedestrian fatality rate and the 15th-lowest traffic fatality rate among the 182 cities WalletHub analyzed. It also had the 14th-lowest unemployment rate in the country and the third-lowest share of residents who are living in poverty.
4. Burlington, Vermont
Burlington, Vermont.
halbergman/Getty Images
Burlington is relatively safe from natural disasters, with its natural-disaster risk ranked third overall. Its financial safety was ranked 24th, and its home and community safety was ranked 43rd.
5. South Burlington, Vermont
South Burlington, Vermont.
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South Burlington, Vermont, tied with Burlington for third place in natural-disaster risk. The two cities are only miles apart.
South Burlington's financial safety ranked higher, in sixth place. Its home and community safety ranked lower than Burlington's, at 51st.
6. Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach is a coastal city in southeastern Virginia where the Chesapeake Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean, renowned as "The Resort City". It is famous for a 3-mile, oceanfront boardwalk, 35 miles of coastline, and distinct, family-friendly areas like the lively Oceanfront, serene Chesapeake Bay, and secluded Sandbridge. Known for its military presence, seafood, and natural spots, it acts as a major year-round tourist destination.
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WalletHub ranked Virginia Beach 22nd in home and community safety, 10th in natural-disaster risk, and 55th in financial safety.
7. Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
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In Cedar Rapids, the city's home and community safety ranked 10th, its natural-disaster risk ranked 23rd, and its financial safety ranked 42nd.
8. Casper, Wyoming
Casper, Wyoming.
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Casper's financial safety ranking placed it in the top 10, in ninth place. Its natural-disaster risk ranked 19th, and its home and community safety ranked 32nd.
9. Boise, Idaho
Boise, Idaho.
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Boise was ranked No. 33rd in home and community safety, 41st in natural-disaster risk, and fifth in financial safety.
10. Yonkers, New York
Yonkers, New York.
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WalletHub's ranking named Yonkers as the 10th-safest city in the US. Out of 182 cities, it ranked third in home and community safety, 59th in natural-disaster risk, and 108th in financial safety.
Keep reading for the bottom 10 cities, which are ranked the least safe in the US.
173. St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri.
: Visions of America/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Out of the 182 cities WalletHub examined, St. Louis ranked 177th in home and community safety and 146th in financial safety.
The Missouri city ranked relatively well in its natural-disaster risk ranking, however, coming in at 34th.
174. Cleveland, Ohio
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Cleveland ranked well in WalletHub's natural-disaster risk rating, coming in at 74th.
In the financial safety category, the city ranked 153rd. The lowest category it was ranked in was the home and community category, ranking 175th.
175. Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas.
Carol M. Highsmith/Buyenlarge/Getty Images
Houston's financial safety ranking placed the city 163rd. Its natural-disaster risk ranked 170th, and its home and community safety ranked 171st.
176. Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida.
: Visions of America/Joseph Sohm/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Jacksonville was ranked 170th in home and community safety, 177th in natural-disaster risk, and 166th in financial safety.
177. Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan.
Roberto Machado Noa/LightRocket via Getty Images
WalletHub ranked Detroit 173rd in home and community safety and 67th in natural-disaster risk.
It was ranked the least safe city in the US for financial safety, coming in at 182nd.
178. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
ANGELA WEISS / AFP via Getty Images
In Philadelphia, the city's home and community safety ranked 176th, its natural-disaster risk ranked 137th, and its financial safety ranked 159th.
179. Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee.
: Dukas/Christian Heeb/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
WalletHub ranked Memphis as the second-worst city for financial safety, coming in at 181st, behind Detroit.
The city ranked 179th in home and community safety, and jumped to 60th in the natural-disaster risk category.
180. Baltimore, Maryland
Baltimore, Maryland.
: Edwin Remsberg/VWPics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Baltimore was ranked 180th in home and community safety. It ranked 174th in financial safety, and performed better in the natural-disaster risk category, placing 106th.
181. Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
: Visions of America/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Ranked the second-least-safe city in the US, Baton Rouge came in 181st for home and community safety, 130th for natural-disaster risk, and 144th for financial safety.
182. New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana.
Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Out of the 182 cities WalletHub examined, New Orleans is considered the least safe city in the US, largely due to its home and community safety, where it ranked the least safe, and its financial safety, where it ranked 172nd.
As a hurricane-prone city, New Orleans ranked better in the natural-disaster risk category, however, coming in at 104th.
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei during a September visit to Washington, DC.
Bloomberg/Getty Images
Anthropic is looking to shape AI regulation by pitching an AI safety bill of its own.
POLITICO obtained a confidential draft of the proposed legislation.
The bill would let the government block an AI model only if it poses a foreseeable, imminent risk of more than $1 billion in damages, or of killing or seriously injuring more than 50 people.
Representatives for the artificial intelligence giant Anthropic have quietly pitched Capitol Hill lawmakers on a draft bill to regulate frontier AI safety and security, according to three people with knowledge of the efforts who were granted anonymity to discuss private deliberations.
The confidential draft, obtained by POLITICO and not previously reported, marks a notable effort by the frontier AI lab to shape the rules governing its own technology as Congress weighs how to respond to the fast-moving industry.
"This bill represents the proposals outlined in Anthropic's Advanced AI Framework, which we have been advocating for with federal and state lawmakers since June," an Anthropic spokesperson said. "These are sensible policies we believe Congress should act on."
The bill would let the government block a model's release or use only if it poses a foreseeable, imminent risk of more than $1 billion in damages, or of killing or seriously injuring more than 50 people. The risk must stem from the creation or release of a biological weapon, the model evading its developer's controls or a cyberattack. The language mirrors that found in California's AI laws including SB 53, which was signed into law last year.
Leading AI labs disclosed a series of incidents this summer, in which AI agents hacked or probed websites and platforms. None reported so far appear to have caused widespread deaths or over $1 billion in damages.
Anthropic has yet to publicly back particular legislative efforts in Congress, but they have backed some state AI safety laws, including two in California. Their head of U.S. state and local government relations previously told POLITICO that they hope states will continue to pass ever-stronger AI safety laws that raise the standard nationwide.
Under the bill, independent evaluators, which would register with the Commerce Department, would be tasked with periodically evaluating the lab and its frontier models. The evaluators may be paid for their work by the lab itself so long as the payment is not contingent on the evaluations' results.
If the evaluators determine there is "imminent enumerated risk" for a company's frontier models, they must report it to Commerce within 72 hours of completing their assessment.
While the Commerce Department could bring a request to the judge to halt the release of a model after determining that it poses a risk, the language explicitly prohibits any other U.S. "department, agency, or officer" from suspending the model's development, deployment or internal use. A federal judge for the District Court for the District of Columbia could order the suspension of a model.
Over the summer, Anthropic was subject to sweeping export controls that shut down two of its most advanced models. The decision was made in a whirlwind series of phone calls between administration officials and the company's executives, worrying some in the tech industry that access to their technology may be restricted on the whims of government officials.
Anthropic's bill would also preempt some state AI laws related to public disclosure of risk, third-party evaluation and reporting of critical incidents. Preemption has been a political flashpoint on Capitol Hill, with Democrats rejecting some proposals they feared would neuter regulations passed by the likes of California, Illinois and New York.
Many tech industry groups have argued that a state-by-state patchwork of laws is difficult to comply with compared to a unified national standard.
The legislation would also require frontier labs to create safety frameworks, publish transparency reports for new frontier models, implement protections for whistleblowers and report critical safety incidents to Commerce.
Capitol Hill has seen a flurry of activity on AI safety legislation this summer. In the House, Reps. Lori Trahan (D-Mass.) and Jay Obernolte (R-Calif.) spearheaded the FRONTIER Act, which would give the government the ability to stop the deployment of risky models and preempt some state AI laws.
In the Senate, Majority Leader John Thune and Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) have been negotiating an AI safety bill intended to mitigate catastrophic risks. But it has faced headwinds from some safety-minded groups and Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), the top Democrat on Cruz's Commerce Committee, who want the government to have a larger role in reviewing AI models.
Other progressives, including Rep. Greg Casar (D-Texas) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), have gone well beyond their colleagues in calling for a pause in advanced AI development and a ban on superintelligence, a type of theoretical AI that far surpasses humans' cognitive capabilities.
This story originally appeared on POLITICO and is courtesy of the Axel Springer Global Reporters Network, which harnesses the resources of the company's newsrooms to publish ambitious scoops, investigations, interviews, opinion pieces, and analysis. It allows journalists — including those from POLITICO, Business Insider, WELT, BILD, Onet, and Fakt — to collaborate on major stories for an international audience of hundreds of millions across platforms.
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