☕ The latest from Charlotte

Good morning!

We now know the theme for the 2026 Met Gala - 'Costume Art’. According to organizers, it’s a way to capture the links between fashion and the way in which the human body is represented in iconic sculptures and artworks. Think nude body sculptures. This’ll be interesting. The event is in early May next year.

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Some headlines from this morning:

• The UN Security Council has voted in favor of President Trump's peace plan for Gaza on Monday in New York. The resolution establishes a Board of Peace chaired by Trump and a temporary International Stabilisation Force to secure borders, provide humanitarian aid, and protect civilians. The force would support a new Palestinian police force and supervise weapons removal from armed groups like Hamas, with Israeli forces withdrawing once security is established. China and Russia abstained while all other Security Council members voted yes, with U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz calling it "another significant step towards a stable Gaza."

• Former Harvard president Larry Summers will step back from public roles after emails revealed ongoing contact with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Emails released this week show Summers had frequent contact with Epstein until the day before Epstein's 2019 arrest. Summers said he "deeply regrets being in contact with Epstein after his conviction" in 2008 for soliciting prostitution from minors. The development comes as the U.S. House approaches a vote to release all files related to Epstein's crimes and connections.

• President Trump announced the U.S. would sell advanced F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia ahead of his Tuesday meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The sale would give Saudi Arabia military capabilities closer to Israel's, though Israel does not oppose the deal. Israel said it wants the sale to be conditioned on Saudi Arabia normalizing relations by signing the Abraham Accords. Trump is expected to push the crown prince to sign the accords during Tuesday's Oval Office meeting.

• David Richardson, the acting head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), will step down this week, making him the second FEMA chief to depart since May. Richardson faced criticism for maintaining a low profile during a Texas flood that killed 130 people, and FEMA employees told reporters he appeared unaware the U.S. was in hurricane season after taking the role. The agency has cut over 2,500 jobs since January. Officials did not provide a reason for Richardson's departure.

I’ve got 1 minute

UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has proposed stricter conditions to its asylum seeker policy. Among the changes will be more frequent reviews of refugee status and longer waits before migrants can apply for permanent residency. Mahmood said the reform would “restore order and control”. Here’s what you need to know.

Context

Seeking asylum is a legal process in which a person flees their home country due to persecution and applies for protection in another country. It is legal under international law, and countries must not send asylum seekers to an unsafe place.

In 2024, the UK received 108,100 asylum applications, the highest number recorded in a single year. About a third of these individuals arrived on small boats, such as dinghies and kayaks, crossing the English Channel from France.

In July, the two nations agreed to a deal to turn back migrants arriving on small boats from France. In return, an equal number of migrants will be resettled in the UK from France.

The previous Conservative Government launched a scheme to send asylum seekers to Rwanda. After winning the 2024 election, the Labour Party cancelled the deal.

Changes

In a video shared to Facebook, Mahmood said she was announcing “the most significant changes to our asylum system in modern times.”

UK media reports that the bill will be based on Danish immigration law.

Among the changes will be the wait time for refugees to apply for permanent residency, increasing from 5 to 10 years if they arrive legally, or to 20 years if they arrive illegally.

The UK Government will reportedly give refugees temporary status for 2.5 years, to be reviewed every 30 months. If their home country is seen as safe, they will be required to return. Financial and housing assistance will be withdrawn for people convicted of crimes or those who can work.

In September, Mahmood proposed a “contribution-based settlement model,” with conditions including “giving back” through volunteering. Volunteer groups criticised the move, with more than 300 signing a letter calling it “an exploitation... we cannot accept.”

Reaction

Fellow Labour Party member Tony Vaughan said the Government “must think again on this.” Vaughan said: “The rhetoric around these reforms encourages the same culture of divisiveness that sees racism and abuse growing in our communities.”

Refugee Council UK CEO Enver Solomon told the media the changes would “leave people in limbo” and that many refugees “do want to go back home to their country… but they don’t know whether it will be safe.”

I’ve got 2 minutes

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents continued a large-scale operation in Charlotte, North Carolina, detaining more than 130 people since the weekend. The Trump administration says the city has a crime problem, but local officials dispute this claim. Here's what you need to know.

What’s happening in Charlotte

Federal agents launched "Operation Charlotte's Web" over the weekend, deploying teams across the city to arrest people in the country illegally.

"We are surging DHS law enforcement to Charlotte to ensure Americans are safe and public safety threats are removed," Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said Sunday.

The operation is led by Gregory Bovino, an ICE agent who ran similar efforts in Chicago. Officials say they are targeting people with criminal records, but reports show agents have been seen outside schools, construction sites, and other workplaces.

Many in Charlotte's Latino community have shut businesses and stayed home out of fear. A popular Latin American bakery in east Charlotte closed its doors.

DHS

The Department of Homeland Security says Charlotte is a "sanctuary city" that refuses to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. This includes not providing local police support and not holding people in jail for ICE to collect.

DHS officials claim North Carolina jails released about 1,400 people that immigration agents wanted detained.

The Trump administration has also pointed to crime in Charlotte, specifically the August killing of Iryna Zarutska, a Ukrainian refugee who was allegedly stabbed to death on a light rail by Decarlos Brown Jr., a 34-year-old with a criminal record and schizophrenia.

Charlotte officials reject the crime narrative. They say overall crime is down nearly 20% compared to August 2024.

Reactions

The operation has divided Charlotte leaders.

"We stand with the rule of law — and with every Charlottean's safety first," Mecklenburg County Republican Party Chairman Kyle Kirby wrote on X.

Mayor Vi Lyles took a different view. "We want people in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County to know we stand with all residents who simply want to go about their lives," she said, adding the operations were causing "unnecessary fear and uncertainty."

What’s next?

Federal officials have not said how long the operation will continue. Bovino's previous operation in Chicago detained up to 3,000 people and led to lawsuits alleging excessive force and illegal detention.

TDU asks