While in Israeli detention, Palestinian photojournalist Shadi Abu Sido was told his wife and children had been killed in Gaza. But when he was released under the ceasefire deal, he discovered they were alive.
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Fitter and Faster Swim Camps is the proud sponsor of SwimSwam’s College Recruiting Channel and all commitment news. For many, swimming in college is a lifelong dream that is pursued with dedication and determination. Fitter and Faster is proud to honor these athletes and those who supported them on their journey.
Scottsdale Aquatic Club’s Hudson Martz has verbally committed to the University of Denver as a part of the Pioneer men’s 2026 recruiting class.
“I’m so excited to announce my commitment to continue my academic and athletic career at the University of Denver. I’d like to thank my family, the entire team at Scottsdale Aquatic Club and coaches Scott and Garret for supporting and guiding me every step of the way. I’m so grateful for the coach Alicia and coach Mark at Denver for giving me this opportunity! #gopios ”
The Scottsdale, Ariz., native took home a pair of titles earlier this summer at the Speedo Sectionals (LCM) in Mt. Hood. There, he turned in the top times in the 800 freestyle (8:16.36) setting a lifetime best, and 1500 free (15:55.18), just off of his best from Futures in Austin last year of 15:54.01. Martz also finaled in another three events, including the 200 breaststroke (7th, 2:26.71), just slower than his prelims swim of 2:22.52 which stands as his best, 400 IM (5th, 4:36.77), and 400 free (2nd, 4:00.45), both his 400 IM and 400 free set new best times.
Martz represents Pinnacle High School, where, as a junior, he turned in a runner-up finish in the 500 free in 4:34.39 (slower than his best of 4:28.89 from the SAC Short Course Qualifier) and a 5th place performance in the 200 IM in 1:55.03 (best time) at the AIA Division 1 State Championship.
One of Martz’s best short course shows came in Austin at the Speedo Sectionals in March. He set lifetime bests in four races that still stand today, including the 200 breast (2:04.45), 400 IM (4:00.55), 1000 free (9:15.98), and 1650 free (15:33.41).
Best Times SCY:
200 Free: 1:41.30
500 Free: 4:28.89
1000 Free: 9:15.98
1650 Free: 15:33.41
200 IM: 1:55.03
400 IM: 4:00.55
200 Breast: 2:04.45
The Pioneer men took home the 2025 Summit League Swimming and Diving Championship last season. Marking their 11th title in the last 12 years.
Based on Martz’s best times, he would have qualified for the championship final in the 400 IM, 500 free, and 1650 free.
Martz is an immediate title contender within the program and the conference. He will join a very well-established distance department at Denver that took the top three spots in the 1650 at the Summit League Championships a season ago. There is still a year to develop for Martz, and that year could be very important to potentially leapfrog him into a top-three or potentially top-of-the-podium contender.
With the dominance that Denver had in the Summit League, Martz could very well continue to grow the program to another four years worth of high level performances for the Pioneers.
Martz is the first publicized recruit for Denver in the men’s 2026 recruiting class.
If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to Recruits@swimswam.com.
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When an ulcer creates an actual perforation in the digestive tract, surgery is currently the only treatment. In the not-too-distant future, however, such holes may be easily plugged with the equivalent of a tiny remote-control swallowable pen.
Currently in prototype form, the “pill-sized” MEDS (Magnetic Endoluminal Deposition System) is being developed by Vivek Subramanian, Sanjay Manoharan and colleagues at Switzerland’s EPFL research institute.
Its pen/syringe-like body is filled with a bio-ink made up of seaweed-derived sodium alginate gel and live human gastric fibroblasts. The latter are the cells which form the stomach’s connective tissue.
Located directly behind the load of bio-ink is a spring-loaded plunger, held back by a stopper made of PLA (polylactic acid) polymer. Located in front of the bio-ink – at the “dispensing” end of the gadget – is a nozzle consisting of a gold-coated neodymium-iron–boron ring magnet.
MEDS looks pretty easy to swallow
EPFL
After MEDS has been swallowed by the patient, a magnet on a robotic arm is used to externally guide the magnet-bearing device through the digestive tract, to the site of the ulcer. Medical imaging is utilized to facilitate this process.
Once MEDS’ nozzle is in place against the ulcer, a near-infrared light (NIR) source is placed against the skin on the outside of the body, emitting light through the tissue. The heat energy in that light causes the PLA stopper in MEDS to melt, thus releasing the plunger and allowing it to push the bio-ink out of the nozzle.
Not only does the bio-ink plug the hole, but as the fibroblasts grow and reproduce, the ulcer should actually heal. The technology has already been used to treat artificial ulcers on simulated gastric tissue, and to deposit the bio-ink in the digestive tracts of rabbits who did not have ulcers. Instead of being passed with the feces after use, the MEDS devices were guided back up out of the animals’ mouths.
MEDS alongside the robotic arm that’s used to guide it
EPFL
“In our controlled lab experiments, our cell-laden bio-ink retained its structural integrity for over 16 days, suggesting its potential as a ‘micro-bioreactor’ that can release growth factors and recruit new cells for wound healing,” says Sanjay Manoharan, who is a PhD student in Vivek Subramanian’s lab.
A paper on the research was recently published in the journal Advanced Science.
Israel’s prime minister has told a memorial for victims of the Hamas-led attack on 7 October 2023 that he is “determined” to secure the return of the dead hostages still inside Gaza, and that the country will continue to fight terrorism with “full force”.
Benjamin Netanyahu made the comments hours after Hamas returned the bodies of another two hostages but said it was not able to access the remaining 19.
Israel has responded to the delay by threatening to restrict the amount of aid flowing into Gaza.
Earlier on Thursday, the Israeli government confirmed that two bodies handed over by Hamas to the International Committee of the Red Cross on Wednesday night had been identified as Inbar Hayman and Sgt Maj Muhammad al-Atarash.
Their return, which was overseen by masked Hamas gunmen in Gaza City, took the number of dead hostages returned since Monday to nine out of 28.
All 20 living hostages were released on Monday, in exchange for 250 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails and 1,718 detainees from Gaza.
Hamas’s military wing said on Wednesday that it would continue to search for the remaining bodies, but that it would require major efforts and specialist equipment.
On Thursday, Netanyahu addressed an official memorial ceremony at the Mount Herzl national cemetery in Jerusalem, two days after the Hebrew calendar anniversary of the 7 October attack.
The prime minister said he remained committed to securing the return of all the dead Israeli and foreign hostages, and reiterated his government’s willingness to return to military action if Israel was attacked again.
He said: “Our fight against terrorism will continue with full force. We will not allow evil to raise its head. We will exact the full price from anyone who harms us.”
The Israeli military launched a campaign in Gaza in response to the 7 October attack, in which Hamas-led gunmen killed about 1,200 people in southern Israel and took 251 others hostage.
At least 67,967 people have been killed by Israeli attacks in Gaza since then, according to the territory’s health ministry, whose figures are seen by the UN as reliable.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum in Israel said Netanyahu’s government should “immediately halt the implementation” of the ceasefire deal until the 19 bodies were returned.
After Hamas said it was unable to retrieve all the bodies, two senior advisers to US President Donald Trump said preparations to move to the next phase of the ceasefire deal were continuing.
The advisers told reporters that the US government did not so far believe Hamas had broken the agreement by not retrieving more remains, and said the group had acted in good faith by sharing information with interlocutors.
While the full text of the agreement between Israel and Hamas has not been made public, a leaked version which appeared in Israeli media appeared to allow for the possibility that not all of the bodies would be immediately accessible.
One senior US adviser pointed to the level of destruction in Gaza as one reason the search might be slowed, and said rewards could be offered to civilians with information about the location of remains.
Hamas has complained to mediators that more than 20 people have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza since the ceasefire took effect on Friday.
Israel’s military, which still controls more than half the territory, has said that it opens fire to remove threats to its troops.
There had been some reports that the Rafah crossing with Egypt would reopen on Thursday, having been shut since the Gaza side was seized by Israeli forces in May 2024.
The ceasefire deal specifies its reopening would be “subject to the same mechanism implemented” during a temporary ceasefire earlier this year, when wounded Palestinians were briefly allowed to pass through to receive medical treatment.
On Thursday, an official from Israeli military body Cogat said: “The date for the opening of the Rafah crossing for the movement of people only will be announced at a later stage, once the Israeli side, together with the Egyptian side, completes the necessary preparations.”
The official also stressed that “aid will not pass through the Rafah crossing”. Instead, they said, it would continue to enter Gaza through the nearby Kerem Shalom crossing in southern Israel and other crossings following Israeli security inspections.
new video loaded: Trump Considers Ground Strikes in Venezuela
transcript
transcript
Trump Considers Ground Strikes in Venezuela
President Trump said he had authorized covert C.I.A. action in Venezuela and was considering ground strikes. Venezuela’s foreign minister called the American actions a policy of aggression.
We are certainly looking at land now, because we’ve got the sea very well under control.
President Trump said he had authorized covert C.I.A. action in Venezuela and was considering ground strikes. Venezuela’s foreign minister called the American actions a policy of aggression.
New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani publicly apologized on Fox News for language he has used in the past to criticize the New York Police Department, saying Wednesday that he is “looking to work with these officers” if he is elected.
Mamdani, the Democratic nominee, also used the interview to send a direct message to President Donald Trump, looking into the camera to tell the Republican that he is willing to “speak at any time to lower the cost of living,” hitting on one of the defining themes of his campaign.
For Mamdani, leveraging a Fox News appearance to address Trump and the city’s police department — two looming and major hurdles to his potential mayoralty — came as he works to broaden support and build relationships ahead of next month’s election.
The state Assemblymember and self-described democratic socialist has been dogged on the campaign trail by comments he made in 2020 in which he called to “Defund this rogue agency” when referencing the city’s police department. His stance came during the national uproar over the police killing of George Floyd in Minnesota, and at the time, he described the NYPD as “racist, anti-queer & a major threat to public safety.”
Since then, Mamdani has distanced himself from those positions, arguing that they do not represent his current agenda. He’s now pledging to maintain the police department’s staffing levels, while creating a “Department of Community Safety” that would deploy mental health care teams to handle certain calls.
Asked about his previous comments, Mamdani, 33, has said he has worked to make amends with officers in private, though his comments Wednesday on Fox’s “The Story with Martha MacCallum” represented his most public attempt to repair his relationship with the department.
Mamdani told MacCallum that he had apologized privately to a group of officers “for the language that I used.” She then asked if he would also apologize publicly.
“Absolutely, I’ll apologize to police officers right here,” Mamdani said. “Because this is the apology that I’ve been sharing with many rank-and-file officers. And I apologize because of the fact that I’m looking to work with these officers, and I know that these officers, these men and women who serve in the NYPD, they put their lives on the line every single day.”
He went on to explain his prior comments: “In 2020, the year all of these tweets are referring to, it was the year George Floyd was killed and it felt like safety and justice had never been further apart.”
At one point in the interview, Mamdani also turned directly to the camera to address Trump, who has threatened to withhold federal money from the city and arrest Mamdani if he wins the mayoral election.
“I want to take this moment because you spoke about President Trump and he may be watching right now and I just want to speak directly to the president,” Mamdani said, adding he will be “a mayor who’s ready to speak at any time to lower the cost of living.”
Pressed repeatedly during the interview about his past criticisms of Israel, Mamdani said he was primarily focused on issues that matter to New Yorkers, but maintained his pledge to arrest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he steps foot in the city.
He said it was too early to know if the cease-fire in Gaza would work, but said Trump deserved credit if it “proves to be something that is lasting, something that is durable.”
A spokesperson for Trump said the president was not watching the interview when it aired Wednesday.
___
AP writer Jake Offenhartz contributed to this story
Fragile ceasefire continues to hold despite clashes that killed dozens on both sides before the truce took effect.
The United Nations has called on the warring Afghan and Pakistani military forces to permanently end hostilities, after a 48-hour ceasefire took effect following days of skirmishes that killed dozens and injured more than 100 others.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire and called on all parties “to bring a lasting end to hostilities to protect civilians and prevent further loss of life”.
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It also urged both Afghanistan and Pakistan to comply with their obligations under international law “to prevent” more civilian casualties.
The recent deadly clashes between the two neighbouring countries and former allies erupted last week after Pakistan struck targets inside Afghanistan, including in the capital Kabul.
Pakistan had been demanding that the Afghan Taliban administration act to rein in armed groups who had stepped up attacks in Pakistan, saying they operated from havens in Afghanistan.
In retaliation for the attacks, Afghan forces attacked Pakistani soldiers, accusing them of violating their territory.
The Taliban has accused the Pakistani military of spreading misinformation about Afghanistan, provoking border tensions, and sheltering ISIL (ISIS)-linked groups to undermine the country’s stability and sovereignty.
On Thursday, Karimullah Zubair Agha, director of public health in Afghanistan’s Spin Boldak, said clashes along the border areas killed 40 civilians just shortly before a truce took effect on Wednesday.
“We have 170 wounded and 40 killed, all civilians,” the official told the AFP news agency.
The fighting along the volatile, contested frontier has been described as the worst violence between the two nations since the Taliban seized power in Kabul in 2021 after the United States’s withdrawal.
In its latest statement on Thursday, UNAMA said it received “credible reports of significant civilian casualties” including women and children, just shortly before the ceasefire.
Most of the casualties were reportedly from the Spin Boldak district of Kandahar, UNAMA said, confirming at least 17 civilians killed and as many as 346 others injured.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s military has claimed that they have foiled an attempt by suspected Pakistan Taliban fighters to take advantage of the ceasefire and launch an attack on government forces in the border province of Ķhyber Pakhtunkhawa.
The military claimed that dozens of Pakistan Taliban fighters, know by the acronym TTP, were killed in the attack.
Perilous deportation for Afghan refugees?
As the fragile ceasefire continues to hold on Thursday, Pakistan has ordered the closure of Afghan refugee camps within its border.
Al Jazeera’s Kamal Hyder, reporting from Pakistan’s Torkham Crossing just across the border from Afghanistan, said that the UNHCR have expressed “deep concern” about the decision that could strip Afghans of their refugee status.
“People say they have been living here for decades, and their livelihoods are at stake,” Hyder said, adding that Afghans are demanding a “dignified return” back to their home country.
Hyder noted that there are an estimated two million Afghan refugees who fled to Pakistan during previous wars, and ordering them to leave within the next seven days could trigger an “enormous” refugee problem, and put many “in a very difficult predicament”.
For now, residents along the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan are hoping that the ceasefire will be extended beyond its original 48-hour timeframe, but the situation on the ground makes it difficult to see how that can be achieved, Hyder noted.
“But everybody is still hoping that the conflict will end and that the two sides will be able to resolve the key issues,” he said.
Spotify plans to develop “responsible” AI music products in partnership with all three major music companies – Sony Music Group, Universal Music Group, and Warner Music Group – as well as indie music representative Merlin and independent music company Believe.
The company stated that it is “making significant investments in AI research and product development” and has already begun building a “state-of-the-art” generative AI research lab and product team.
Spotify announced the partnerships and plans to develop “artist-first AI music products” on Thursday (October 16). It said that it aims to onboard additional rightsholders and distributors over time.
The announcement arrives just over two weeks after Spotify unveiled a suite of new policies for managing AI-generated content on its service as part of a crackdown that resulted in the deletion of 75 million “spammy” tracks from its platform over the past year.
According to Spotify, all products developed through this collaboration “will put artists and songwriters first” through the following four principles:
Partnerships with record labels, distributors, and music publishers:
Spotify said that it will “develop new products for artists and fans through upfront agreements, not by asking for forgiveness later”.
‘Choice in participation’:
The platform said that it “recognize[s] there’s a wide range of views on use of generative music tools within the artistic community” and “therefore, artists and rightsholders will choose if and how to participate to ensure the use of AI tools aligns with the values of the people behind the music”.
‘Fair compensation and new revenue’:
Spotify says that it “will build products that create wholly new revenue streams for rightsholders, artists, and songwriters, ensuring they are properly compensated for uses of their work and transparently credited for their contributions”.
‘Artist-fan connection’:
Spotify vowed that “AI tools we develop will not replace human artistry”.
Added the platform: “They will give artists new ways to be creative and connect with fans. We will leverage our role as the place where more than 700 million people already come to listen to music every month to ensure that generative AI deepens artist-fan connections. ”
Spotify said that it is already working with its industry partners to “put these principles into practice” and that its gen AI research lab and product team will be “focused on developing technologies that reflect our principles and create breakthrough experiences for fans and artists”.
According to Spotify, “this work will combine our own R&D efforts with partnerships across the tech ecosystem, all shaped in close consultation with artists, producers, and songwriters.”
SPOT said that its “goal is to ensure the future of music innovation happens responsibly, and to invite the best minds in AI to help build it”.
The company stated that it has “already begun work on the first product directions that bring these principles to life, with more to come as we continue to develop new tools and experiences for fans.”
Elsewhere in the company’s announcement on Thursday, Spotify acknowledged that “AI technology is advancing quickly, bringing both new creative possibilities and challenges for the music industry” and said that it is “critical for the music industry to join forces and act together to protect creativity while enabling innovation”.
Added Spotify: “Some voices in the tech industry believe copyright should be abolished. We don’t. Musicians’ rights matter. Copyright is essential. If the music industry doesn’t lead in this moment, AI-powered innovation will happen elsewhere, without rights, consent, or compensation. Together with rightsholders, artists, and songwriters, we are making significant investments in AI research and product development.”
Alex Norström, Co-President and Chief Business Officer, Spotify, said: “Technology should always serve artists, not the other way around.”
Photo Credit: Jake Rosenberg, Brilliant Minds
“Technology should always serve artists, not the other way around.”
Alex Norström, Spotify
Added Norström: “Our focus at Spotify is making sure innovation supports artists by protecting their rights, respecting their creative choices, and creating new ways for fans to discover and enjoy the music they love.”
“Our company brings deep research expertise to this opportunity and we’re actively growing our AI team and capabilities to drive the continued growth of the entire music ecosystem.”
Gustav Söderström, Spotify
Gustav Söderström, Co-President and Chief Product and Technology Officer, Spotify, added: “AI is the most consequential technology shift since the smartphone, and it’s already reshaping how music is created and experienced.
“At Spotify, we want to build this future hand in hand with the music industry, guided by clear principles and deep respect for creators, just as we did in the days of piracy. Our company brings deep research expertise to this opportunity and we’re actively growing our AI team and capabilities to drive the continued growth of the entire music ecosystem.”
Credit: Sony Music Group
“We are pleased to be collaborating with Spotify to develop responsible generative AI offerings that broaden opportunities for artists and songwriters, whilst enhancing the music experience for fans.”
Rob Stringer, Chairman, Sony Music Group, said: “We are pleased to be collaborating with Spotify to develop responsible generative AI offerings that broaden opportunities for artists and songwriters, whilst enhancing the music experience for fans.
“This is an acknowledgement that direct licensing in advance of launching new products is the only appropriate way to build them and demonstrates how a properly functioning market benefits everyone in the ecosystem and fuels innovation. We appreciate and applaud Spotify’s leadership at this critical period.”
Photo: Austin Hargrave
“It is essential that we work with strategic partners such as Spotify to enable Gen AI products within a thriving commercial landscape in which artists, songwriters, fans, music companies and technology companies can all flourish.”
Sir Lucian Grainge, Chairman & CEO, Universal Music Group, added: “For several years we’ve been driving initiatives with our partners to put artists at the center of the conversation about Gen AI and have struck Artist-Centric agreements that establish innovative new vehicles to unlock the opportunities presented by this revolutionary technology.
“I commend Daniel [Ek], Alex and Gustav on taking these critical steps forward to advance this approach. It is essential that we work with strategic partners such as Spotify to enable Gen AI products within a thriving commercial landscape in which artists, songwriters, fans, music companies and technology companies can all flourish.”
“We support Spotify’s thoughtful AI guardrails, and welcome the opportunity to pioneer the future together.”
Robert Kyncl, CEO, Warner Music Group, said: “We’ve been consistently focused on making sure AI works for artists and songwriters, not against them.
“That means collaborating with partners who understand the necessity for new AI licensing deals that protect and compensate rightsholders and the creative community.
“We support Spotify’s thoughtful AI guardrails, and welcome the opportunity to pioneer the future together.”
Photo: Anis Martin
“After supporting Spotify’s recent initiatives to strengthen AI protections, we are now thrilled to partner with Spotify to co-develop ‘value-creative AI’ tools that will fuel artist development and unlock new creative and commercial opportunities.”
Denis Ladegaillerie, Founder and CEO of Believe, added: “At Believe, we have always seen two sides to AI and GenAI. On the one side is ‘responsible AI,’ focused on artist and copyright protection, guided by our four principles of consent, control, compensation, and transparency.
“On the other side is ‘value-creative AI,’ innovations that place artists and their careers at the center, empowering creativity, accelerating music discovery, and deepening fan engagement.
“After supporting Spotify’s recent initiatives to strengthen AI protections, we are now thrilled to partner with Spotify to co-develop ‘value-creative AI’ tools that will fuel artist development and unlock new creative and commercial opportunities.”
“We actively look for partners who respect and value copyright, respect and value artists and want to enrich, not displace, the creative community.”
Charlie Lexton, Merlin
Charlie Lexton, COO, Merlin said: “Merlin’s approach to the use of AI in music is straightforward. We actively look for partners who respect and value copyright, respect and value artists and want to enrich, not displace, the creative community.
“Spotify’s principles on AI announced today demonstrate that same commitment. We are excited to work together to ensure these principles translate into products that genuinely enhance the creative and commercial eco-system – for the benefit of our independent members, their artists and their fans.”
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