News Brief: 11/07/25

International

A law passed in the Maldives Nov. 1 prohibits anyone born after Jan. 1, 2007 from smoking, purchasing, or otherwise using tobacco.

President Mohamed Muizzu initially proposed the generational smoking ban in April 2025.

The law applies to all forms of tobacco and requires retailers to verify the age of customers before selling potentially prohibited products.

The Maldives Ministry of Health called the law a “historic milestone in the nation’s efforts to protect public health and promote a tobacco-free generation,” in a press release.

The ministry called tobacco an “epidemic” and “one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever faced,” saying there are no safe forms of tobacco use.

The Maldivian government’s step against smoking is not unprecedented, as the country already bans import, sale, distribution, possession and use of electronic cigarettes and vaping products within its territory.

“The Generational Ban on Tobacco reflects the government’s strong commitment to protecting young people from the harms of tobacco,” the ministry added in the press release.

The Second Amendment to the Tobacco Control Act is the first law of its kind to be implemented, but other countries have considered or are considering making similar legislation a reality.

New Zealand proposed a similar generational ban forbidding those born after Jan. 1, 2009 from using tobacco products starting in 2024, but it was struck down in 2023 just before it would have been implemented.

Britain is currently considering the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, one nearly identical to New Zealand’s.

National

Rescuers finally located Californian hunter Ron Dailey after a 20-day search-and-rescue operation in the Sierra Nevada mountains.

Oct. 13, Dailey packed for a half-day hunting trip in Sierra National Forest, but took a wrong turn and got his truck stuck on the side of the road.

“I went down this hill, I’m going, ‘Oh God, this ain’t good,’” Dailey told CBS. “So, I turned around and tried to get out. I couldn’t get out.”

In the evening, Dailey used his truck as shelter from an incoming snowstorm, during which two feet of snow fell.

Left with only 14 bottles of water and 900 calories of food, Dailey said he “didn’t know if rescue was gonna come because nobody really knew where I was.”

On Nov. 1, Dailey walked for 10 miles and encountered three rescuers who took him to safety.

“God woke me up at 6:45 Saturday morning,” Dailey said. “He goes, ‘Ron, get your boots on. Let’s go walking.’”

According to Fresno County Supervisor Nathan Magsig, the rescue operation spanned several counties by the time Dailey was found.

“There were resources from across the Central Valley that came here,” Magsig told KFSN. “We have different counties that sent equipment. Kern County sent equipment. Of course, Tulare County, Kings County all had individuals here assisting with the search.”

Dailey’s disappearance resulted in one of the Central Valley’s largest search-and-rescue operations in years.

Local

Thousands gathered in Oklahoma City Nov. 1 for the dedication of the Clara Luper National Sit-In Plaza, a monument honoring Clara Luper’s sit-in at Katz Drug Store almost 70 years ago.

On Aug. 15, 1958, Clara Luper and 13 NAACP Youth Council members sat at the lunch counter of Katz Drug Store, a segregated business. They were served in three days, sparking a wave of similar sit-ins across the country and bolstering the civil rights movement.

Built at the original location of the store, life-size bronze statues now re-enact the historic event in the Clara Luper National Sit-In Plaza.

Pastor Derrick Scobey of Ebenezer Baptist Church spoke at the event, saying he hopes people are inspired by the sculpture, especially children.

“Let this plaza be a symbol to all, especially small children,” Scobey said. “When they see these life-sized bronze statues, some that are their very own size, may they understand even the smallest can do great and mighty things.”

A major feature of the exhibit is an empty stool at the counter, inviting people to sit and providing a unique opportunity for them to interact with the historic event.